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Pnw 2014 Oregon Trail


choco

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This is a preliminary agenda for the PNW 2014 Oregon Trail VFRD ride. This event will be a little different than usual in that we will travel from town to town. A friend and I recently finished this ride, or at least most parts or it and I am fairly certain you will love the rides and the towns.

The Dates will be from Wednesday July 23 through Saturday Sunday July 26th. This is two weeks after the Hells Canyon Rally that we attended this year. Note Laguna MotoGP has been cancelled.

Day one Wednesday 23rd we meet in Hood River, Ore. Lodging most likely at Best Western. Sales rep is Kathleen phone: 800-828-7873 booking under the name VFRD. NOTE: Kathleen asked us to use this 800 number from now on.

http://book.bestwestern.com/bestwestern/US/OR/Hood-River-hotels/BEST-WESTERN-PLUS-Hood-River-Inn/Hotel-Overview.do?propertyCode=38121

I recently talked with a friend who went to a wedding there and said it's very nice and has a view of the Columbia River and is easy walking distance to town. Second Choice is the Columbia River Gorge Hotel, an old classic, very nice Hotel with landscaped grounds and a river view. It's only second choice because it's about $40 more per room or pushing close to $190. I'm thinking since it's a year out that we can put aside a cookie jar and save for it and go in style?

http://columbiagorgehotel.com/

I am not booking this hotel, but it's here for your viewing.

Friday morning we head east on scenic highway 30 through Rowena Curves and Mosier Loop. Many of you who attended the Troutdale, Edgefield meet in 2010 will remember the Rowena Curves. I will get the routes posted as soon as possible. This will take us to Heppner where we ride perhaps the finest road I have ever experienced to Ukiah, then on to Granite, Sumpter and Baker City. in all this is about 150 miles of motorcycle nirvana. See routes below.

We have 15 rooms, split between single and double beds, at the Bridge Street Motel, two blocks to downtown Baker City and across the street from a Chevron Station and pretty much the junction of the roads in and out of town.

http://www.bridgestreetinn.net/

These rooms are fairly inexpensive, $50 to $60 bucks and we can park our bikes right out front and this brings our lodging average down a bit.

Saturday morning we head south and immediately ride the Little Dragon, 188 curves in 16 miles. This road is a blast and is a nice meandering secluded road, very good pavement and banking through ponderosa pines. Then we head west through some secluded beautiful country to Bend, see route maps.

We will stay two nights in Bend and be staying at the Red Lion Inn. Phone is 541-382-7011 Ask for Susanne. The block of 15 rooms is under VFRD. http://www.redlion.com/our-hotels/oregon/bend/

We arrive in Bend on Friday, the town will be hopping and Saturday we ride a most amazing roads thru Sisters and the McKenzine Highway, a road so twisty they do not allow trailers on it. I've ridden it before and you must experience it. I call it the Twisted Sisters, again, as with most Oregon roads, very scenic and remote, good engineering and pavement. This will be a feature ride and we will return to Bend after circling the Three Sisters and Mt. Bachelor. We will have a wrap up party Saturday evening.

All three towns, Hood River, Baker City and Bend are very scenic and have many great restaurants, shops, and, of course, brew pubs.

After the rally "officially" ends in Bend, riders can head north through Detroit to Edgefield, a very nice remote twisty road, with tall trees lining the edges and stay or stop over at McMenamins again or not. Others may want to ride west to the Oregon Coast and then head north or south. South-bound riders may want to head directly for Crater Lake.

I had three things in mind when planning this rally keeping in mind that people are on vacation and do not always want a hectic schedule. 1. excellent riding through scenic country, remote roads, little traffic. 2. reasonable distances so people can get up and get going on their own schedule, have time to stop for whatever reasons, and still have plenty of time to check in, shower and explore the towns. 3. excellent destinations: Hood River, Baker City and Bend are very scenic, fun towns with lot's of shops, restaurants, brew pubs etc. I wanted to consider that we have wives and girlfriends on these rides and wanted the destinations to appeal to everyone. I wanted people to have time to stroll downtown and not feel rushed.

That's all for now. Stay tuned.

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I have been on those roads, great place to ride, too many curves and too little traffic, what a problem :goofy:

I would be interested when I heal up. Three deer attached, knocked me off the back of my DRZ400 at 60 mph. After 2 months I am still not riding. Watch out for Bambi :3:

I should be back at it next year.

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Thanks for taking the reigns Choco, looks like some great routes.

Nice on posting the dates early, my kind of forward thinking.

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I'm also looking at the McMenamin's St Francis Hotel in Downtown Bend. These rooms are full service, bathrooms, WIFI, etc. Price is comparable if not a bit cheaper than the Phoenix. These Hotels are a block from each other.

Hope you can make it Cogs and Tony. Now to get Jeff a new/old VFR

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I'm good with McMenamins. If their other location was any indication.......

I'm also looking at the McMenamin's St Francis Hotel in Downtown Bend. These rooms are full service, bathrooms, WIFI, etc. Price is comparable if not a bit cheaper than the Phoenix. These Hotels are a block from each other.

Hope you can make it Cogs and Tony. Now to get Jeff a new/old VFR

I've been to that McMenamins . . . it's much like Edgefiled - the same type of atmosphere - quirky and off beat and the same great beer. I'm not sure about the parking - I don't recall that there was any off-street parking or at least any that's close to the building. I can check . . .

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Looks Great Lee! thanks for planning a ride in that neck of the woods, can never get enough of that area (except for those suicidal deer). Those dates look doable for me.

I may still be on a crumpet instead of a VFR will have to see..

I love that IPA in Baker city :beer:

.

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I'm also looking at the McMenamin's St Francis Hotel in Downtown Bend. These rooms are full service, bathrooms, WIFI, etc. Price is comparable if not a bit cheaper than the Phoenix. These Hotels are a block from each other.

Hope you can make it Cogs and Tony. Now to get Jeff a new/old VFR

Just a little reminder of our Corp association with Best Western. I'll be looking for rooms in which ever town we land.

Collecting points for free nights and can get swag for your event based on demonstrating night stays and such.

Keep me posted and if you want, I can put in a request for sponsorship. She told me Fall is the best time to request, as that's when they plan for the coming year.

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Haven't booked the vacation days for this event yet, but shouldn't be a problem with this much notice. Count us in! :woohoo::cheerleader:

Just got back from ride down to Baker City. Some fantastic roads there. Tried the Middle Fork Road (cut-across from #7 near Austin, OR to #395 north of Long Creek, OR) and it was fantastic! Lots of relentless 25 to 35MPH curves. What the road may have lacked slightly in terms of asphalt condition (and abundance of cattle gates) it made up for in epic twisties and no traffic!!!!! What a great ride! The ride down from Lewiston, ID to Baker City, OR is pretty nice too.

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Haven't booked the vacation days for this event yet, but shouldn't be a problem with this much notice. Count us in! :woohoo::cheerleader:

Just got back from ride down to Baker City. Some fantastic roads there. Tried the Middle Fork Road (cut-across from #7 near Austin, OR to #395 north of Long Creek, OR) and it was fantastic! Lots of relentless 25 to 35MPH curves. What the road may have lacked slightly in terms of asphalt condition (and abundance of cattle gates) it made up for in epic twisties and no traffic!!!!! What a great ride! The ride down from Lewiston, ID to Baker City, OR is pretty nice too.

The ride down from Lewiston, ID to Baker City, OR is pretty nice too.

:1: on that. Coming south from Canada, so is the ride from Missoula to Lewiston!

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I'm also looking at the McMenamin's St Francis Hotel in Downtown Bend. These rooms are full service, bathrooms, WIFI, etc. Price is comparable if not a bit cheaper than the Phoenix. These Hotels are a block from each other.

Hope you can make it Cogs and Tony. Now to get Jeff a new/old VFR

Just a little reminder of our Corp association with Best Western. I'll be looking for rooms in which ever town we land.

Collecting points for free nights and can get swag for your event based on demonstrating night stays and such.

Keep me posted and if you want, I can put in a request for sponsorship. She told me Fall is the best time to request, as that's when they plan for the coming year.

Just a little update. I have moved the dates up one day. The first day will be WEDNESDAY at Hood River's Best Western. I've booked 15 rooms, 10 with two beds, five single beds with options of moving in a cot. Thursday we will stay at the Bridge Motel in Baker City.

Friday and Saturday we will be in Bend. and I'm still talking to the sales reps in Bend, it's coming down to the Phoenix or Red Lion. I think I prefer the Phoenix. We just stayed there, very nice and is set for a major renovation that will be complete by next July. Rooms will be $199 per night, for Friday and Saturday. The Phoenix is right in the downtown core. The second choice is the Red Lion. Still waiting to talk to their sales person. This Motel is a bit farther from the downtown core, a few bucks cheaper so I'll get back to you.

Stay tuned. I'm booking 15 rooms and expecting between 20 and 35 riders. We have a whole year to book vacation and save up.

I've moved the date up one day because I'm seriously contemplating attending Laguna's MotoGP this year and want to allow Sunday, Monday and Tuesday for time to travel to Hood River after the race. MotoGP race or not, I think it's better to plan the rally starting Wednesday which puts us in Bend for Friday and Saturday and on our way home on Sunday.

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We're gonna stay at the Red Lion in Bend Friday 25 and Saturday 26. All rooms on ground floor and they supply motorcycle wipe down rags. It's less than a year away, get ready!!! More details later. All block rooms under VFRD.

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Well - I marked it on the calendar. It looks like a great trip and through an area most of which I've never seen. Thanks for planning ahead! Ernie

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I am hoping to join you folks next year for this. I will add this to my jaunt to Calgary to Ride With Olive and the other Calgaryians. Since there is no SumSum this will be a great time to hook up with some of the Canadian Crew I met last year in Montrose, CO and meet some new folks. I've never been to Oregon.

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  • 2 weeks later...
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This looks like fun. The riding in this part of the world is just sublime. I would like to throw my name in the hat..

Is there an "IN" list yet, and how is the supply of motel rooms shaking out?

I am flexible on having a roommate.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Please post up if you are fairly certain you are in.

1. Choco

2. Axel_7

3. DfnsMn69

4. jimbob

5. MaxSwell

6. Willy

7. Veefer800Canuck

8. jviffer

9. Didit

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