Best of the NW Canada/US ride in July

[Netnorske]

No update tonight guys...but made it safe to McCall....all good....more tomorrow.....

[vulcans2]

No update from Kris, but I've got add this. Today my wife and I rode up to Stanley and met Kris and Vinnie there. After refueling, we rode to Sourdough for lunch. It was our anniversary today and Kris bought our lunch for us. Many thanks Kris. That was special. After lunch we continued our ride to Lowman and then to Garden Valley with a stop at the Chevron station there before heading out the 10 miles to Hwy 55 where they turned north to McCall and Peggy and I headed south to Meridian. It was 97 degrees out and we cooked when we got held up in traffic that was stopped for road construction about 3 miles north of Horseshoe Bend. Man was it hot! I suspect it cooled a little bit for Kris and Vinnie as they made their way north to McCall.

This is a particularly scenic part of Idaho, and we stopped for photos several times, but as the temperature soared, the stops became fewer and fewer and we just enjoyed cruising along enjoying the scenery. It was purely a pleasure to meet Kris and Vinnie and get to know someone in person. I never pass up an opportunity to meet and make new friends. What a great way to spend the day on your anniversary. 43 years today.

[rickyboy]

congrats on the aniversary Greg. Marriage is an institution isn't it?
Good to hear all is well Kris!!

[vulcans2]

Originally Posted by rickyboy ... #00722

congrats on the aniversary Greg. Marriage is an institution isn't it?
Good to hear all is well Kris!!

Thanks. And yes it is an institution. No regrets, either. Would do it again in a heartbeat.

I suspect Kris and Vinnie got a little sweaty yesterday. Should be a litte milder today, but they're going to be going down into Hell's Canyon, and that place is a blast furnace in the summer. Hopefully it will cool off as they rise up out of it as they ride over the top to Joseph, Oregon. That road goes up to about 5500 feet elevation, so they can cool off a bit.

[Netnorske]

Wednesday July 6 - Hamilton, MT. to McCall, ID.

Sorry for no update last evening, but we got in late and Schoeney and his friend Larry were there waiting for us. We got into the beer and that was that.

Anyways, Vinnie and I left Hamilton, MT about 7:30am with blue skies and warm weather. The charge up Lost Trail Pass was nice and soon we were in Salmon, ID where we fueled up before hitting the twisties along the Salmon River down to Challis along ID 93. We were in T-shirts by then as it got really warm.

At Challis we turned westward on ID 75 headed toward Stanley. This follows along the upper Salmon River and is filled with twisties. Pulling into Stanley is simply stunning as the Sawtooth Mountains suddenly come into view.

At Stanley we met GregO and his wife Peggy, who were riding an 1800 Gold Wing and Vulcan 900 respectively. Very nice couple whose company we really enjoyed. Greg led us down the endless mountain twisties and carved the corners like a Thanksgiving Turkey on that Wing! Peggy was right on his heels while ol' one eye here had to really focus to keep up! We had great lunch at the Sourdough Lodge before pushing off on our final run to McCall.

We arrived at the hotel about 6:15pm after making lots of photo stops and butt breaks. The 90+ degree heat was challenge for sure, but it beat the rain. That whole Salmon River/Ponderosa Pine Scenic Byway should be a must-do for every motorcyclist. It is simply stunning riding and scenery, with mountain twisties of all kinds.

We took a cab downtown for Pizza then walked over to a local lounge where Schoeney insisted I drink Long Island Iced Teas with him.... . Needless to say, all of us woke up a little heavy-headed Thursday morning... ::) .


Stanley, Idaho- Sawtooth Mountains




ID Hwy 93- Salmon River




Greg and Peggy Olson





Thursday July 7- McCall, ID to Enterprise, OR.

We (Greg, Larry, Vinnie and I) had a nice ride out of McCall to Cambridge, where we fueled and got some coffee before descending into the Snake River Canyon. It got REALLY warm once down there and we had to shed our leathers before pressing on. Serious twisties along this stretch!

We took the Wallawa Loop Rd (FS 39) to Joseph, OR and while we thoroughly enjoyed the first part of the ride with warm sunny weather, shortly after we left the Hells Canyon Overlook we encountered a thunderstorm that required we suit up in our rain gear. Those wet twisty roads became a serious challenge, but we finally made it to Joseph for a late lunch before arriving in Enterprise about 4:00. More tomorrow.....


Vinnie (Delivery58) at Hell's Canyon Overlook




Greg (Schoeney) at Hell's Canyon Overlook




Me at Hell's Canyon Overlook




http://s374.photobucket.com/albums/o...a%20US%20Loop/

[schoeney]

Hey Kris,

Larry and I amde it back OK...how about you and Vinnie?

As we arrived in Portland on I-84 two cagers decided to have a wipe out at 60mph in front of us.....a lady got out of her Camaro after doing a 360 on the side of the road and threw open the door and was looking like she was going to take a bite out of someone's hide. Many people pulled over to help so Larry and I continued home.

Fun trip, great scenery, and good people! Looking forward to the Redwoods!

[Netnorske]

Friday July 8- Enterprise, OR to Sandpoint, ID

After getting the bikes all loaded up, Greg and Larry headed west back for the Portland area, while Vinnie and I rode north up OR 3 to ride the famous Rattlesake Grade. Once out of Enterprise, you ride through some nice Pine groves atop a long ridge that you don't see until you come to the Joseph Canyon Overlook. Then you realize how high that ridge you are riding is!

Suddenly you begin a really long and steep decent into the Grande Ronde River canyon....a ride that is truly breathtaking. At the bottom you cross the river and begin a long winding ascent of the northern side of the canyon. I have long heard about that stretch of road and it did not disappoint...one for the memory banks!


The Rattlesnake....




The weather was sunny, but much cooler that we had been riding the days prior, so that actually was a nice change. Once out of the canyon it opens up until you drop into Asotin and shortly thereafter Lewiston, ID. The long grade climbing out of Lewiston will test your bike for sure.... . I was pulling 4th gear about wide open and I could only get 60 mph....just enough to finally get me up it.

From Lewiston we beat it up to Moscow, ID, where we met Randy (Duneseven) for a late breakfast about 11:00. I have a great affinity for Randy's bike for some reason.... ;)


Randy.....




About 20 miles north of Moscow, Vinnie split off from us and headed for home, while Randy and I took a beautiful ride out through the White Pine Scenic Byway on ID 6. That 30 or so miles was simply an unexpected gem. I felt like I was riding through Ben Cartwright's Ponderosa on my steel horse! We continued to wind our way north before Randy headed back to Spokane. I arrived safe and sound in Sandpoint about 5:00....tired but smiling from another great day.

Thanks Randy for joining up with us....and I really want to toss a big shout out to Vinnie for putting up with my chit for four full days on the road together. We shared some very awesome miles and experiences and we have the money shots to prove it.... . When I get a chance to edit them a bit...we will have some fabulous photos!

Tomorrow is the last day of my road trip as I make a push for home, the arms of my loving wife and the comforts of my own bed. I probably won't take many more pics....but maybe a few! I will type a final report...total mileage and stuff like that and a few closing thoughts before putting this thread to bed....but wow....it has been a fantastic experience to say the least....!!


Trip Photos...

http://s374.photobucket.com/albums/o...a%20US%20Loop/

[delivery58]

Arrive home from 4 days riding with Northwest Region Leader -Kris on his epic Canada-US tour. Rideing through the Heart of Idaho was such a great joy. Thanks to Kris's planning, the destinations and fuels stops made for a very smooth and pleasant trip. Thanks to Greg and Larry for "taking care of my bike"! A real pleasure to me Greg and Peggy Olson (man, can that lady ride!). You are all really good Bro's. ......Watch out for cattle guards!

[duneseven]

VINNY I Hope you feel better! Thanks to both of you meeting me for Brunch I enjoyed it. KRIS I am embarressed to have to say thanks for finding some gold in my backyard . That route from 95 to ST MARIES was a true pleasure
Thanks again

[Netnorske]

Sat July 9- Sandpoint, ID to Everett, WA (Home)

Today brought an end to my epic week-long sojourn into the wilderness...with a long grind of a ride back home where I arrived about 4:20pm. I totalled 2709 miles in eight and a half days, with 0 miles on any Interstate Slab. I watched my odometer turn over 40,000 miles and finished near 41k. The journey was epic not for the miles traveled, but for the vast array of mountain ranges, prairies, valleys and forever changing landscapes far from the population centers that I was able to cover in such a short period of time. The beauty of BC, Alberta, Montana, Idaho, Oregon and Washington cannot be compared, yet each is impressive in a different way.

Today, due to a little glitch in my GPS, I missed the cut-off road I wanted to take to avoid the traffic of Spokane and keep me on some scenic backroads I was looking forward to riding on my last day. Instead....I ended up riding Hwy 2 all the way from Sandpoint to Everett....and having to ride straight through the heart of Spokane. I was not happy about missing the chance to ride some more new-to-me back-country roads.

From Spokane to Wenatchee there is a whole lot of nothing and I spent the time grinding along. Since I ride it all the time, I forget how scenic Stevens Pass is from Leavenworth to Skykomish....but the traffic seems to dull the effect. Instead of a Scenic Byway sign....there is a Traffic Corridor sign.... ::).

To be sure, the Nomad pulled some serious duty on this trip, but ran like a Swiss watch the entire journey! I lost count of the mountain passes and long twisty climbs she pulled...but the more I ride it, the more impressed I am with it. Not the most powerful machine...there were many times I wished for some more horses to unleash themselves....but the Nomad is a rock steady performer that can give the Energizer Bunny a good run for his money and is sure to get you wherever it is you are going. What more can you ask of a motorcycle...??

A couple things I also learned on this trip. First, as much as I love my Ultimate Baffles (damn they do sound GOOD)....I think the next long ride I do will be with my stock V&H Baffles installed. The steady drone of the UB's hour after hour after hour gets a bit old, and if I forget to put in my earplugs...you either have to make a seperate stop, or screw it until the next one. So I think I will try my stock V&H Baffles for the Redwoods Rally to compare notes. I'm sure the more subtle sound over the long haul can only be a good thing.

Second.....I have a real Love/Hate relationship with Twisties. Long 50mph rolling sweepers like the ones in Jasper National Park or along the Salmon River are awesome. 25-30mph twisties can be fun in small doses, but back-to-back-to-back for 30 miles or more can get a bit challenging. There were more than a few times I was begging for a straight section of road...!!

I would encourage all of you to get outside your box and hit the highways for a week or so. You will find something in yourself you may think you have lost, meet people of all kinds, and enjoy some of the best little mom and pop cafe's the country has to offer. I enjoyed every last mile of this trip and want to thank all of my KawaNOW brothers who met or rode with me along the way. Time now to turn my attention to the Rally in the Redwoods. Just another month or so now...!!! The wife is really looking forward to getting on the bike.....especially after seeing all my great photos!

Thanks to those who have been following along with my updates about this ride. Hopefully soon....I will be reading about your exploits as well... ;)! That's it for this thread and I hope to see/meet you in Crescent City next month!

[schoeney]

Nice write up Kris. 8 days would be a blast, I enjoyed my 4 as well. See you in a month or so.

[vulcans2]

Kris,

Nice write up, and it sounds like you had a great adventure. Thanks for the comments along the way, as well as the great photos. I've never done a solo trip like that, but it certainly sounds like fun. And yes, you do meet some nice folks and enjoy wonderful little establishments along the way. We have had that very experience.

I guess I am the opposite of you when it comes to windy roads. For me (both of us, actually) the more twisties the better. Seems we thrive on curvy roads, although the occasional straight stretch provides a nice relief between bouts of curves.

Anyway, glad you made it home in one piece, and happy with the whole affair. Wholly satisfying. Again, it was a pleasure meeting up with you and Vinnie and riding with you, even though it was only for a short time.

[rickyboy]

Nice "blog" Kris and thanks for taking us all along with you on this trip. I wish I was able to have ridden with you the entire trip. Next time I hope things will allow me to. I did enjoy what we did ride together though and meeting up with Mike again was nice. As I was filling up to go home and watched you guys head your way, let me tell you I was kicking myself. I almost turned and headed north with you to at least 100 Mile House. But things at home just would let me.
Glad you had a wonderful trip and there were KawaNOW Bros. out there to help,....escort you through your trip. I hope to see you in August my friend. Till then take care.

[Netnorske]

Originally Posted by GregO

Kris,

I guess I am the opposite of you when it comes to windy roads. For me (both of us, actually) the more twisties the better. Seems we thrive on curvy roads....

Greg,
Both you and Peggy are great riders in those sharp corners! I really had to concentrate to keep up! You certainly have the roads there to "feed your need"... . Glad to have met you both and if you ever make it to the Seattle/Everett area, drop me a note. We have an extra room you guys are welcome to use any time!

[vulcans2]

Originally Posted by Netnorske

Greg,
Both you and Peggy are great riders in those sharp corners! I really had to concentrate to keep up! You certainly have the roads there to "feed your need"... . Glad to have met you both and if you ever make it to the Seattle/Everett area, drop me a note. We have an extra room you guys are welcome to use any time!

Thank you, Kris. Sure wish we could make it to the Redwoods, but it is just not to be.

BTW, one of the rides/tours we keep talking about doing sometime, is to ride to your area then jump on the ferry and go island to island in the Orcas, with perhaps a stop overnight in Victoria. It would take a lot of prior planning and saving up for it, but we've always been intrigued by that idea. All we'd need is the time and a bout of good weather.