Winnemucca

Day 1. 347 Miles

One more trip this summer. Thinking about Sturgis for the Mustang Rally... Yellowstone, and Montana. I like Montana.

Jury Duty first... I've been sworn in 7 times, so I've done my duty. This time I avoided it... the judge was cool, and because of this trip and her trial going into next week, she sprung me loose.

I went as far as Winnemucca Nevada the first day. I thought I was going to get sand-stormed, but it was more like a dust storm. First time I saw one reach up 500-600 feet into the sky.

In and around Donner Pass











Total Miles: 347

Home - Too Sunny California

Day 4 - 369 Miles

Another early start, no more rain. We stopped in Medford at Harry & David's to stock up at home. Thank goodness for small saddle bags. ;^D

The sky was relatively smoke free. A relief compared to my last southbound run down the I-5, but still very warm.



At Lake Shasta, we saw again the Martin Mars tanker, out of Canada, being used for fire fighting... thought I'd take a snapshot this time. ;^)



The Sundial Bridge at Turtle Bay in Redding...



And the Sacramento River near Turtle Bay.




We also stopped in Chico at Bob's Leathers and I sprung for new chaps and a new jacket.

And finally home.

Total Miles: 1693

Roseburg, Oregon

Day 3 - 362 Miles

Homeward bound... I had checked the extended forecast before we left, but it changed, and now there's a 60% chance of rain... Make that 100%. We soon stopped and the Shell station (I like Shell) gave us some trash bags to use as bag protectors and make-shift ponchos.

W took to it quite nicely. None-the-less, we were both bushed by mid-day and stopped at our intended halfway mark in Roseburg.


Total Miles: 1324

Seattle - City Center & More

We hit the Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame and the Experience Music Project...









City Center Attractions







Pike's Market... (fetching pics from the sister...)


A Garden Party...







and relaxed a lot.

Seattle, Washington

Day 2 - 450 Miles

The forecast says another hot day, but we got up early and caught as much of the cool of the day as we could. By the time we're done, we more than make up yesterday's shortfall and end up in Seattle.

Not that we didn't spend a lot of time waiting for various traffic accidents to clear... and as they were in the afternoon, no reason to even slog it out on the road. The Shell manager was none too pleased. His store was overrun with people buying very little and using his facilities. And out of gas too... so he was clearly depressed over the additional "customers"

No lane splitting in Washington either. I asked a patrol officer. He said it was "highly" illegal. Makes one wonder what "just a little illegal" must mean.

But we made it into the burbs where my sister lives, showered, and grabbed a dinner at one of the local eateries.

She makes a comfortable bed.

Total Miles: 962

Grant's Pass, Oregon

Day 1 - 298 Miles

We picked an amazingly hot day to set out. W. is still a bit sore from the Chester ride... and the heat isn't helping either of us. We also go stuck at a road construction site and sat in the sun on the asphalt for 20 minutes.

When we were finally allowed to proceed, the flagger was about to stop us again, no doubt for another 20 minutes but I thumped my chest "asking" to be let through and he waved us through, but stepped in front of the guy behind us. Watching in my mirrors, I could tell though his windshield he was ticked off... but I was just glad to have some wind crossing over us again.

We had to stop to rehydrate and cool off numerous times, including a stop at Harry & David's in Medford... but by the time we hit Grants Pass we were both shot and no desire to continue on to our original half-way point of Roseburg.

The Motel 6 we chose had a pool. Delightful.

Total Miles: 512

Preparing for Seattle - A Day Trip to Chester

Day Zero - 214 miles.

I plan on taking my wife on the bike to Seattle to visit my sister and brother-in-law, but it's been a seriously long time since W traveled with me by bike. And certainly never on a cruiser, so a day trip seems in order to check out the seating arrangement.

It was 99 miles to Chester by way of Chico and 115 miles back by way of the Feather River Canyon. The longer route was by far the better from the back seat perspective. Newer roadbed, fewer bumps, curves, and speed changes. She was pretty sore by the time we got home.

She adapted a saddlepad for the rear seat. Initially with batting to pad it out, but that compressed and got hard. It was far better when she removed it and just used the fleece.



214 Miles