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Pnw 2014 Oregon Trail


choco

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Choco, I'm out. I had to move my vacation time UP. I took a few days off last week and was able to take a long ride up the Oregon coast and back down through the mtns, Crater Lake and home. So I just can't get back up your way this year. Safe and pleasurable ride to all of you who go! Ernie

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Hello Choco & friends,

Well, count me in! Sorry for the very late notice, but I'd like to join you all on this excursion. I've known about this event for weeks, but did not really know if I could make this event until now. I'll go ahead and make some reservations and look forward to seeing everybody in Hood River!

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Awesome, you don't have far to ride, I suppose you can leave at noon and be in Hood River by late afternoon. I bet you watch the Motocross races there. Glad to have you and better get some T shirts.

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Yeah, I'm only an hour a way. I thought about skipping the hotel and just coming up Thursday morning, but it would be nice to meet and hang out with everybody on Wed. I just booked a room at the BW. See you then.......

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I'm at once excited and bummed out.

I've just landed a new job, and quit my old job of 16 years, yesterday.

With a brand new plant to learn, and initial startup scheduled for July, I'm going to be up to my armpits in alligators.

So excited for the new job, and bummed to not be able to go to Oregon.

I had such a great time at the last PNW meet in Troutdale, it was so much fun.

I'm gonna miss the crazy bunch of inmates from VFRd this year. Send pics!!!!!

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Signed on for this months ago when it was listed under Rider Groups/Ride Planning. Then it disappeared until I found it here yesterday so too late to jump back in. Will be on NorCal Hwy 36 & 299 from the 24th on and headed down for the Sacramento Mile on the 26th. Ride safe and can't wait to see the pics.

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Just Reserved a room at The Bridge Street Inn, Baker City, that is where I will be joining you al l :beer: Before I call the Red Lion in Bend, is there anyone who wants to share a room? Looking forward to enjoying the Great roads in Oregon!!

Gary

I have a room booked in Bend and am looking forward to meeting up with you all in Baker City in less than 3 weeks :cheerleader:

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Just Reserved a room at The Bridge Street Inn, Baker City, that is where I will be joining you al l :beer: Before I call the Red Lion in Bend, is there anyone who wants to share a room? Looking forward to enjoying the Great roads in Oregon!!

Gary

I have a room booked in Bend and am looking forward to meeting up with you all in Baker City in less than 3 weeks :cheerleader:

These last days will be very distracting at work. This is when we start counting down the sleeps. BTW, how come you are not riding down with us?

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These last days will be very distracting at work. This is when we start counting down the sleeps. BTW, how come you are not riding down with us?

Time away from work....I guess that I am more important than I thought.... :wink:

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Rooms booked , Time booked, But I forgot to book some great Oregon weather.. Could somebody phone ahead and book that for me.

Getting excited :) So many of you guys I haven't seen for quite some time. Others that im really going to miss that cant make it out.

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This will be our Saturday Ride

http://oregonmotorcyclist.com/ridepage.php?page=mckenzie_hwy

http://oregonmotorcyclist.com/ridepage.php?page=aufderheide

http://oregonmotorcyclist.com/ridepage.php?page=cascadelakes

Oregon Motorcyclist Ride Report of what I call the Twisted Sister scenic byway. I intend to run this loop counter clockwise so we can get through the very tight McKenzie Curves before traffic, then the Aufderheide, then the Cascades Lake scenic highway back to Bend.

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This is the ride that awaits us after we wake up in Baker City, It's called the Little Dragon.

http://oregonmotorcyclist.com/ridepage.php?page=hwy245

Both sections are rewarding in their own way but it is the first half thrill ride that draws the motorcyclists. Beginning at the elusive Salisbury, there are less than two miles of easy riding until you hit the corners. Starting innocently enough with nice 45 mph sweepers it is only two miles before you see the first 20 mph corner. From there it doesn't let up until you're down the other side of the mountain.

The 1700' elevation gain to the summit is about an eight mile ride with a steeper, seven mile descent down the south side. The pavement is great going over the mountain with some gravel in a few corners, due to the fact the shoulders are mostly nonexistent and the turns are so tight. This mountain run is great fun but very tecnhical. At first you see some suggested speed signs but after a while they seem to disappear and leave you on your own to judge appropriate entry speeds. Either the highway engineers figure you get the message by now or else they simply ran out of 20 and 25 mph signs :-)

The road doesn't give you a break until about 15 miles when it begins to mellow with some nice 45 mph-type corners, a few welcome short straights and a less precipitous descent. At 16 miles you leave the forest and the land becomes rolling prairie. Following the Burnt River there are just enough curves, combined with great vistas of the river valley to keep the ride interesting. Even though you're off the mountain and the road is downright tame compared with the ride so far, it is not boring. If the whole ride was made up of this type, it would still be a worthwhile adventure. This is a remote and rugged landscape worthy of appreciation.

At 20 miles the pavement gets a little rougher. Not bad, just not the near-perfect asphalt going up and over the mountain. A relaxing ride now with the occasional 40-45 mph sweepers, the view of the irrigated valley with herds of cattle and horses with a backdrop of distant mountains is fine indeed. A good time to reflect on the previous 20 miles.

About the time you think all the fun stuff is behind you, at the 33 mile point the road takes a fairly dramatic turn for the better as you enter a narrow slot canyon just wide enough for the river and two lanes of asphalt. With a towering bluff on your right the road winds along the river in a series of wonderful compound curves for at least a mile. At the end of this canyon is Unity Dam and Unity Reservoir. Besides a few widely scattered farms along the valley, this is the first sign of real civilization since leaving Hwy 7. After passing the reservoir, the road is a real drone for the approximately five miles to Unity.

This is a really fun road, especially the northern half, and well worth seeking out. I highly recommend it!

Some of you remember this road, this is what we wake up to after the first night in Hood River.

Rooms booked , Time booked, But I forgot to book some great Oregon weather.. Could somebody phone ahead and book that for me.

Getting excited :) So many of you guys I haven't seen for quite some time. Others that im really going to miss that cant make it out.

Derek, did you get a GoPro yet so poor Tammy can concentrate on hanging on?

Just think after the long hot hard ride from Baker City to Bend, after the bikes are put on their center stands, chain lubed, bugs washed off, after a cold shower, then we have option, lots and lots of options:

http://www.visitbend.com/Bend_Oregon_Map/Maps/Bend-Ale-Trail-Map/

This is the location of our hotel, Red Lion

http://redlion.com/our-hotels/oregon/bend/map-directions/

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post-11011-0-63971300-1404692037.png

was this little dippy doodle on twisted sister rout planned fs420? whats it lead to

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I have a route book on west Oregon roads I'm thinking the best route nw to coast not sure yet I will look at your route when I get home from work

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https://goo.gl/maps/Ctayw

After bend on sunday heading home is a question for us.. and looking at maybe this route back to canada.

Thoughts.. and any travel buddies :)

I'm on a tight schedule, so I'll probably be making the most direct (but interstate-free) route back to Edmonton...

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https://goo.gl/maps/Ctayw

After bend on sunday heading home is a question for us.. and looking at maybe this route back to canada.

Thoughts.. and any travel buddies :)

I'm on a tight schedule, so I'll probably be making the most direct (but interstate-free) route back to Edmonton...

https://goo.gl/maps/Ctayw

After bend on sunday heading home is a question for us.. and looking at maybe this route back to canada.

Thoughts.. and any travel buddies :)

Looks like a good route, I may do the whole thing with you, not sure yet. It takes you past the Spruce Goose in McMinnville and through McMennimins Grand Lodge in Forest Grove. The road from there to Astoria is nice and the Astoria Bridge is pretty awesome.

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https://goo.gl/maps/Ctayw

After bend on sunday heading home is a question for us.. and looking at maybe this route back to canada.

Thoughts.. and any travel buddies :)

north of bend off 22 quartsville rd passes by peter lake towards sweet home one of the best rds in that area

were you doing this in one day? if so i dont think u will have time to visit spruce goose u need a good 3 hrs to enjoy that museum almost 600 miles and 101 is heavy motor home traffic this time of year.lots of good roads just east of 101. Or I would consider staying east up to cougar to randle do windy ridge its now open and make a loop through mnt rainer better than the Olympic peninsula.

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Even though I can't make it, I'm riding with y'all in spirit. I'll be following this thread closely.

Enjoy and ride safe.

MaxSwell

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Just found this thread ... and glad I did.

Yup -- E-Ticket and Flying Ant will be joining y'all. :cheerleader:

Check/approve schedule later this week ... and then make some reservations. eh. <g>

Cheers! E-Ticket

Should we just find you randomly parked by the roadside somewhere by chance? haha

LOL! Yah ... maybe ... who knows? :^)

Well, we had a lot of irons in the fire lately ... so was a bit tardy on booking rooms.

Here's our tale of success and woe.

The Hood River Best Western was out of the "VFRD" block of rooms ... but got us another room at the same price.

But even with the discount ... it's a bit pricey for us. (The FunBudget is really getting a workout this summer.)

So we may bag the room and just show up on Wednesday morning as Hood River is only an hour's ride from Portland.

We'll see.

Booked at the Bridge Street Inn in Baker City ... no problemo.

Went to book in Bend. And ... uh-oh.

Guess who discovered that there is a lacrosse tournament in town that weekend and all motels are booked for Friday and Saturday?

But we lucked out and found a room at the Motel West just down the street from the Red Lion.

About a 6 block walk or a short zip on the mo-mo.

So we're in! eh. :^)

1. Choco

2. Axel_7

3. DfnsMn69

4. jimbob

5. MaxSwell

6. Willy

7. Veefer800Canuck

8. jviffer

9. Didit

10. Harhond60

11. yycviffer

12. YWGVIFFER

13. Radar

14. Huckleberry

15. E-Ticket

16. Flying Ant

17. GabeJ

18. VFRAG

19. Frogn8r

20. Q-Dawg

21. Dragonfly

22. FSAE

23. E-TIcket

24. Flying Ant (Susan P. : '04 Honda 600 F4i)

Cheers! - ET

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Jeff come come down early and we can go look at that Vfr in Lynwood

Is that the same one? surprised it hasn't sold. Your going to make fun of my sissy bike.

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Jeff come come down early and we can go look at that Vfr in Lynwood

Is that the same one? surprised it hasn't sold. Your going to make fun of my sissy bike.

Of course, why wouldn't I? By the way, You can ride ahead and clear the deer off the road for us, eh?

Getting close to go time. I hope everybody has good tires, because the weather looks to be hot and the roads are conducive to rapid riding!!!

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