GypsyCat

I had to look up the numbers because I don't know the roads by their "proper names". First and foremost, do not take Hiway 7 or 161 to get to La Grande. You'll hate yourself and Washington State and that would be unfortunate. When I go out there I head out through Orting and take Orville Road along Lake Kapowsin to Eatonville. Or you can 264th out to 161 and miss all of Graham and it's multitudes of stop lights. The last time I was on 7, it was also multitudes of stop lights and detours. Others may have different route suggestions than Orting, but I would suggest avoiding 7 and 161 until you're past Graham. You can't avoid civilization completely, but you can limit its impact. Two, if you're doing this during the weekend, Hiway 7 past La Grande attracts squids of the two and four-wheeled variety. It's a nicer clientele during the week.

If you like old Iron Horses, you could take a short side trip to Mineral (continue on Hiway 7 out of Elbe instead of getting on 706) and check out the train yard on the east side of Mineral. You drive all the way through town (all 3 blocks of it) and it's on the left side of the road. It's the depot for the Mt. Rainier Scenic Railway and has old steam engines and some other steam driven gear that's pretty cool if you can get someone to tell you what it is.

While I haven't taken the route you're looking at, Destination Highways for Washington rates Hiways 706 and 123 as the 9th best motorcycle roads in the state. 706 is Paradise and Stevens Canyon Roads. It was on my to-do list for this summer until my mother decided to show up for nearly 3 weeks and totalled July for me. I still might get out there this month. My copy of the DH book is almost 10 years old but the road should still be pretty darned good, I doubt they've straightened it out any.

Not sure how you're getting to Yakima, you have a choice of 410 and 12. If you go 410, there's a nice restaurant - Whistlin' Jacks - on the east side of the pass that makes a nice stop for lunch or a beverage or just stretch your legs on the path around the building and watch the river. I've not taken 12 all the way to Yakima, I usually go 410.

You might encounter land barges along the way, it is summer and the motorhomes are out there. There were some detours on 12 the last time I rode over to Yakima but they may have fixed all the damage. The detours were just as nice so it was no loss. And we have elk in and around that area. They are awfully large and I wouldn't advise close encounters. You're from BC, you probably have just as big 4 footed road menaces as ours...

That's my input for what it's worth. Enjoy your Dave-cation...

Diana

"Epilog ...what do you do with a drunken sailor?"

If I remember correctly, you shave his belly with a rusty razor, early in the morning (Razor -noun - a keen-edged cutting instrument for shaving or cutting hair. Not a phone.) But it really depends on which version you're listening too. If you had some surgery for this ailment, hopefully the razor wasn't rusty and neither was the scapel.

Glad to hear you're mending. How's you friend doing? What did he do?

I've ridden some of these roads on my way to and from Tahoe. Went through Lassen in July 2006 (?) during a 107 degree heat wave. I just wanted to sit at the top for a week and cool down. I fell in love with my Camelback that trip. Didn't have a cooler but folks in restaurants and sandwich shops were more than happy to let me fill the Camelback with ice. What a relief to sip some cold water without having to take off my helmet...

Looking forward to the wrapup...

Diana

Oh come on... "Huge friggin elk"... The last one that stepped out in front of me was only the size of an elephant... Are they bigger than that in Canada?

I think the PNW forum fell asleep about a year ago. I'd love to tag along... but I have this job... and my next week day off will probably be sometime in September.

Do you have a copy of Destination Highways for WA and BC? If you do and you ride any of them on this trip could you post a report? I was thinking this summer I'd try to do some Destination rides, day trips here and there just to get away from stuff for a Sunday ride... Maybe hit the top ten in one summer. How hard could it be, right?

Diana

It took about 5 more websites but... NF-25 is closed a few miles south of Randle to replace the bridge the flooding took out a couple years ago. It should be open by July 4th. If you come in from the south end of 25, you can make it to Windy Ridge. I'm not sure he wants to do that big of a loop, he mentioned maybe taking a day off from riding and going to see a movie instead... It's all good... I'm just the guide, he gets to pick the destination.

Baileyrock... I've been in school. I'm back in school hoping to convince my company that I'm so darned educated they need to keep me around for another 10 years. When I'm not working or doing homework, I'm walking the dog or sleeping. I am very boring these days. Aren't you glad you asked.

Diana

aka GypsyCat

Is it open? I have looked on about 14 different websites and have yet to find a definite yes or no. A wandering rider friend from Tennessee is showing up Saturday evening and I was trying to figure out where to take him - Windy Ridge or out to the coast. We'll get rained on either direction (we're riding on Sunday) but it might be dryer down at St. Helens. Before I drag him down there I wanted to make sure we could actually get to the Ridge.

Then again, any ride is better than sitting at home.

Thanks much!

Diana

Oh come on guys!!!! It's kind of cute in a "demented Hello Kitty on steroidal LSD" kind of way!

I live in Washington, I either ride in the rain, or the bike needs a lot of dusting. I hate to dust so I ride in the rain. I don't particularly like traffic, I see no reason to give them any more chances to hit me than I already do. I do NOT like riding in crosswinds. 30mph gusts may not seem like a lot but I don't weigh much and my Zed doesn't weigh much and getting moved into another lane by the wind is not my idea of a good time. When that lane is the oncoming traffic lane, it's even less of a good time.

Least favorite windy spot so far??? The Washoe Valley in Nevada where you get to lean left to go right because the wind is about to blow you over. The first time I went to the Topaz Lodge it took me 3 tries to find a parking spot sheltered enough that the bike didn't blow over. After I got home a friend of mine sent me pictures of the tractor/trailer rigs that blow over in that valley every year.

On the jacket vs. vest question, I bought the jacket liner because my primary riding jacket is the Kilimanjaro Air with mesh sleeves. So I could either buy a jacket liner, or wear the liner that came with the jacket AND the vest AND the jacket and resemble the Michelin Man (or Woman) once I got it all on. No thanks, I bought the jacket liner and have heated sleeves.

I bought Gerbings because they're across the bay from here and I could roll up to the factory outlet, try on several different sizes and get the one that fit, then walk out to the parking lot and hook it all up. You know, instant gratification....

Enjoy the heat once you decide what you're getting. It's worth every penny!

GypsyCat

When I used wd40 on the riser bolts on my Vulcan I had to let it sit overnight. I saturated 'em pretty good and let them soak overnight. When I put risers on my Zed, I used hot water. Poured it over the bolt head and let it heat that way. A hair dryer would have worked better. Heat may be the ticket since that's what they use to get most adhesives off. Not blowtorch kind of heat, just a hairdryer or hot water...

FWIW...

GypsyCat

Thanks for the photo's Keith. I need to ride down that way so you can show me where the spot is.

I first met Rich at the gathering in Newport. I'd ridden my Vulcan down to Nevada and back the month before and had decided that long distance on a cruiser wasn't for me. I was thinking sportbike/standard, wondering if the VFR was the bike for me, and talking to Rich about would a sportbike be what I wanted. Would it be more comfortable, would my dirtbike background translate to a sport or standard bike the way I thought it would. He had me sit on the RC while he held it upright and gave me helpful hints and pointers on how to turn the thing. :blink: He was so easy to talk to and and one of those people you feel like you've known forever after knowing them for 5 minutes. His encouragement and riding lesson convinced me that yup, I needed a different style of bike. I sent Keith photo's of the 750 after I bought it, he sent them on the Rich, who sent word back through Keith that it was a darned fine choice and I would enjoy it immensely. He was right, but I never got to show him the bike in person.

It's about time I dropped by to show him where his encouraging words led me.

Last summer I was down in TN and found myself at a dealership with a group of friends. Jimmy has the soul of a sport tourer, but was riding a Shadow. I had him sit on the Concours and the FJR and basically repeated the riding lesson from Rich. Jimmy is now the proud owner of an ST1300, and is loving the bike. So Rich is still having an impact on peoples lives. What a legacy.

GypsyCat

If the ride is less than an hour, I wear foam ear plugs. If it's a day ride, I wear ear buds (Shure) and listen to the mp3 player. I don't keep the volume all that high, but I like having the background music. My mp3 is set to random and it's really talented about picking the right music for the road. Not sure how it knows what is right for the moment but it always does.

GyspyCat

The only person I know of that had a switch to turn off the headlights did it so he could escape the scene of his crimes and no one would see the bike. He broke into other peoples homes for a living. He was running from the cops one night and because no one could see him, a Ford Bronco pulled out in front of him. He and his stealth bike actually bent the frame of the Bronco (an older one, when they were still kinda big and made of steel). He and his stealth bike both died. Cops figured he was doing in excess of 80 mph when he hit, and that was a conservative estimate.

Good luck with your science experiment. Hopefully you'll live to tell everyone how well it worked.

Out of curiosity (I'm a cat, can't help it) what illegal activities are you doing that you need to sneak home? And please tell me you're not in Washington state. I'd hate to meet you one night performing a bit of B and E in my home, or the homes of my friends.

GypsyCat

First, let me add my congrats to all the others. What a major accomplishment!!!! Hope it's just the first in many many more.

Second... I'll add my little bit, if I may be so bold. I saw this 650 Burgman at the dealership where I bought my bikes and took pictures.... Wasn't sure why, maybe this is it. I had a chance to talk with the man riding it. He has multiple sclerosis and "walks" with crutches. We talked about his choice of the Burgman, and why these outriggers. He chose the Burgman because he didn't have to make modifications to ride it. It was already all hand controlled. The outrigger are from a small utility trailer. He picked this method because he thought he might get longer life from these tires than some other options he'd seen, and they had some suspension built in. They actually give in corners so he can lean rather than have to drive through them.

Anyway, side and back views. The red thing on the back is a golf bag he installed so he can throw his crutches back there while he's riding. I talked to his wife and she said he has no problems keeping up with her on her Gold Wing. Matter of fact, he's railing through corners faster than some of their riding buds.

Side view

Back view

To you continued success! :beer: :rolleyes:

Will be thinking of you guys on Sunday. Ride safe!

GypsyCat

( Ps. He is going to KILL you for that pic when he grows up, not to mention the lawsuit!) :dry:

Hey,,, at least he wasn't nekkid. Those bare-butt-baby photo's seem to be the ones that parents love to trot out when it's most embarrassing... :rolleyes:

GypsyCat

I'm looking for some opinions on Kevlar (or other) motorcycle jeans. Price is always an issue...but so is my tender skin!

Thanks

Greg

I've got a pair of Draggin' Jeans. Thankfully, they've not been tested so I can't say how good the protection really is. Three observations. 1. The kevlar that keeps your skin on also tends to keep the rain out. So if you get caught in a shower without rain gear, it doesn't soak through to your skin. They certainly aren't "rain pants" but here in WA anything that can provide weather protection is a good thing. 2. The kevlar that keeps your skin on also keeps sweat in. They don't wick sweat away, they keep it right where it came from. Riding through NV a couple years ago in 110 degrees was kind of uncomfy. 3. Kevlar is scratchy. I started wearing knee length spandex bike shorts under my Draggin' Jeans.

Motoport makes custom fit kevlar jeans that are supposed to be stretchy and breathe. They are also pricey. I think they're almost 300.00 bucks. But they are kevlar top to bottom instead of patches of it.

GypsyCat