Homeward Bound

Sunday May 20

If all goes to plan, I should be home sometime after 8:00 PM Eastern tonight. The weather report last night indicated possible thunder showers for the Illinois area but there's not a cloud in the sky. That's interesting because I've barely seen a cloud for the past 24 days of this trip. I've been extremely lucky with the weather as it relates to rain and cold.

Since I said my good byes at two households, I'm a bit late starting out. I finally get off in earnest at around 11:30 PM eastern. I'm determined to get home as quickly as legally possible. I've developed a major case of home sickness.

I'm taking the most direct course possible and hit the "Home" button on my GPS. This route takes me for some time on S-127 south until the interstates come into play. From there it's super slabbing all the way.

Just around Clarksville TN, I run into some very ominous clouds and wonder if I should put on my rain gear. I decide no and pass up the rest area. About a mile down the road, the bottom falls out. I stop under the first overpass and put on the rain gear. The storm is really severe with hail and gobs of rain. I'm going to have to sit this out a little.

After about ten minutes, the rains subside to the point that I can safely ride again. I climb aboard with my rain gear on and it's very comfortable for the first twenty miles or so due to the light rain and cooler temperatures. It doesn't take long for that to change and it's back to high 80's with no rain. I ride the rest of the way in my rain gear; I don't want to take time to change.

As I'm approaching Atlanta on I-75, my MP3 player, which was set to play random songs, starts playing Alison Krauss'  version of "Oh Atlanta". How appropriate.  After navigating I-285 onto I-85 north, I'm on the last stretch north to my house in Lawrenceville. There's a very brief and light rainfall about ten miles from my house when low and behold, I see a rainbow. Over the horizon, that rainbow appears to end in the area of my home. I am reminded of the biblical verse "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also".

I pull into my driveway about 8:00 PM and await the welcoming committee. Eventually they show and I get my hugs and kisses.

Happy To Be Home

I've covered 585 miles today in less than nine hours. This is the second longest leg of the journey, but the most tiring due to it's non-stop nature. Total miles for the trip is 7770.

The Yamaha FJR1300 is an exceptional ride and I had zero problems related to the motorcycle.

The Shinko tires lasted the whole trip and I would give them an overall average-to-good rating. The low-to-medium speed handling was getting a little squirrelly toward the end. Considering what I paid for the tires, I would say they are a good value.

I will amend my earlier comments about the stock seat. For my next epic journey, I think I will get a seat upgrade. The stock seat is OK for a leisurely two-tank (400 miles or so) ride, but serious miles with minimal rest can be painfully uncomfortable. For the whole trip, I averaged about 350 miles per day so usually the seat was not an issue.

This has been one of the most exciting and challenging things I have ever done. I have no regrets but If I were to do it again, I would certainly revisit my equipment list -- particularly the camping supplies and footwear. Overall though, the experience was a blast. I saw some amazing sites and met some interesting people. The daily rides sometimes challenged my patience and endurance, but overall they were most enjoyable and at times exhilarating. Everyone should take their own epic adventure journey at least once in their lives -- whatever the mode.

Now I must return to the daily routine of earning a living. For now, the wanderlust has been satisfied and I'm content with my domesticated day-to-day. I'm sure in time, dreams of far-away places and new experiences will invade my thoughts and the old wandering spirit will once again compel a new adventure. Perhaps next time, I'll leave the motorcycle at home. I've always been fascinated with sailboats...

Until then, thanks for reading.

Cheers

Thar She Blows

Thursday May 17

Last night I had a most pleasant rest at Al's Oasis Motel in Chamberlain, SD. I had seen Al's signs on I-90 for a bunch of miles and thought I would give it a try. The price was reasonable and the place turned out to be very nice with a friendly staff. There was a whole Al's conglomeration including a restaurant so I also gave that a try. It too was pretty good. Way to go Al.

After yesterday, I was hoping the winds would be less today. After looking outside, I saw that was not the case. They appeared to be worse if that's possible.

The Winds They Are A Blowing

It's going to be a long day of riding. I was hoping to cover a lot of ground, but I see that will be a challenge. My original goal was to be in Illinois Thursday evening. That would be optimistic under ideal conditions. I'll just take it as it comes.

I'm out of the hotel and under way at about 10:00 and immediately the wind is making the ride miserable. My route today is I-90 to I-29 which turns south at Sioux Falls, SD. I'm counting the miles until I can turn south to alleviate the side pressure on my neck and the constant lean to the right. I don't want to speed but I don't want to endure this wind any longer than I have to so I'm going as fast as possible while avoiding tickets. That means I must pass a whole lot of large trucks.

This is a very delicate maneuver with the constant 30 MPH and greater wind blowing directly across the highway. My technique was to approach the truck as far left as possible and when I came along side, quickly adjust to the apparent wind blowing from the left caused by the wind shielding effect of the truck trailer. Since the bike is leaning to the right when the wind is blocked, the bike immediately turns toward the truck to match the lean. After the emergency style course correction required to get straight along side the truck, I accelerate quickly (thank you FJR for that marvelous power) past the truck and execute a rather sharp turn into the cruise lane as I pass the front of the truck. This counters the blast of air that wants to blow me off the road to the left otherwise.

Passing trucks and cars on bridges or overpasses this day was completely out of the question. Overpasses with high earth embankments were particularly crazy due to the acceleration of the air over the embankments. The air would gust unpredictably until the bridge portion of the overpass which had side walls. Then there was no side winds and it felt like a blast from the other direction. The only consolation of the morning was the cool temperatures.

After about 150 miles of that dreadful side wind, I finally turned south. The wind was more manageable, but my gas mileage suffered even more and the temperature was creeping upward. I'm guessing I had an apparent wind speed of over 100MPH in my face for the next 300 miles or so. I was only getting in the low 30s for MPG. Normally, I get in the low 40s.

Toward the end of the I-29 stretch, I stopped at a rest area for a break and to take stock of my situation. It was pleasant with shaded picnic tables which I utilized to have some refreshments and rest my weary bones. At this point it's obvious that my Illinois destination is out of the question so I take a little longer for my break.

When I turn east again at St Joseph MO, the winds are still right-to-left but they had subsided such that it wasn't pure torture any more. It's getting toward sunset and I'm determined to make as many miles a possible. I finally pull into Macon, MO after dark. For the day, I had made a couple of deviations to enter Nebraska and Kansas; I had never been in those states before and I was so close. The day's total miles are 620 according to my trip-meter. This was the longest leg of my journey.

I have a quick bite to eat at the local McDonald's before landing in the last hotel of my trip. It was old school for sure but clean and quiet.

Who Needs Neighbors?

May 2013

PS: I've wondered for some time now about my wind speed estimation in this post, so today I checked the historical data for winds that day from the closest official weather station in Winner, SD. I've always thought I had been a little conservative, but from the numbers below, my original guess of "30Mph and greater" was essentially correct. The official numbers also explain the crazy winds I sometimes encountered on the overpasses where the wind was magnified by the embankments. I suspect that I experienced 60Mph and greater gusting side winds on those overpasses. That would not surprise me given the intense lean angles I had to hold just to stay on the road.


WINDS:
Wind Speed         19Mph(south)
Max Wind Speed 38Mph
Max Gust Speed  53Mph

http://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/KICR/2012/5/17/DailyHistory.html?MR=1

Friday May 18

I'm up bright and early determined to get to my destination of Donnellson, IL right at noon central time. I was originally going to go through Springfield, IL but instead decided to take the St Louis route.

I'm on the road at 8:00 AM which is a first for this trip. I'm feeling pretty good considering the pounding I took yesterday from the winds. Today the winds are not a problem and the miles go by effortlessly. Soon I come to St Louis and make my way over to the river street where the Arch is located. I park right in front of the thing in the no-parking zone to take a picture. Since it's a week day there's light traffic and nobody seems to care.

There's a couple there parked in front on a BMW K1600. He had just bought the thing and they had flown in to pick it up. We conversed for a brief time, but it was a no-parking zone so after a couple of snap shots, I left for my final destination of the day.

The Gateway Arch... Or Most of It

In about an hour, I arrived in Donnellson, IL just after noon. Mission Accomplished. The rest of the day was devoted to laundry, rest and dinner with the family. Thanks Tim and Sharon for hosting a very pleasant evening.

Saturday May 19

Today is a down day with no motorcycle at all. This is the first time in 23 days that I won't touch the thing. I'm OK with it.

Tonight the plan is to visit one of the local wineries in the area. Sounds like it could be interesting. At the winery, there is a nice outdoor pavilion to sit and enjoy the evening and the procedure is: buy some wine and eat whatever cheese and crackers you might have brought. I'm not a big wine person, so no reviews of any substance shall be forthcoming.

It turned out to be a fun evening. The weather was perfect and the wine was good enough. We had enough to get the local flavor as well as remove any conversational inhibitions.

My Sisters: Linda and Sharon

Tomorrow I head home to Atlanta.

Mount Rushmore and the Badlands

Wednesday May 16, 2012

Only two more major sites to see on my long journey. I'm expecting to be underwhelmed at Mount Rushmore, but it would be a shame to pass it up being this close. Also what would be a shame to pass up is Sturgis. It's just off the interstate so I take a quick detour to get a snapshot.

Cross That One Off the List

The road into Rushmore is chocked with tourist attractions and the little town of Keystone is just before the monument complex. Having bought myself a season pass to the national parks, I assumed today's visit to the memorial would be inexpensive. I was wrong. It was $11.00 to park and my pass was worthless. Begin the underwhelming process.

The monument itself is impressive and I did enjoy my time staring at it. I particularly enjoyed my chat with the young lady who was kind enough to snap my photo in front of the presidential quartet. Bethany had just gone inactive from the Marines a week earlier and she was taking the slow road home to Pennsylvania from San Diego. Having been in the military myself, we had common ground which contributed to a most delightful conversation.

Bethany

From Rushmore, the next stop was the Badlands which is about 40 miles or so down the road. It's very similar to the Petrified Forest with a road of about twenty miles winding through the bad land. The Badlands also has campgrounds which the Petrified Forest did not. I can see why it's called bad. It looks like a bunch of big dirt clods. It is spectacular though.

It's So Bad

From the Badlands, I head east on I-90 for Illinois to visit my sister. The winds had picked up considerably from the morning. There was a very strong northerly wind which made my ride on eastbound I-90 very tiring. It was so strong that I had to lean my head and body to the right to take the pressure off my neck. Passing large trucks was an adventure that required extreme concentration to avoid bad things. After a while, I couldn't take it any more and stopped to rest hoping the late afternoon drop in temperature might ease the wind a bit.

After an hour or so at a rest stop, I begin again. The winds are a bit less but still strong. I stop at a little town called Chamberlain. Maybe tomorrow conditions will be better.

Photos:  https://plus.google.com/photos/117227791501639555776/albums/5743742204760578993?authkey=CJndxKPnpp71zAE

Yellowstone and Beyond

Tuesday May 15, 2012

After spending a pleasant evening sitting on the deck of my hotel relaxing to the sounds of the river, I'm energized and ready for my eastward trek to Mount Rushmore and the Badlands. To get there, I need to reenter Yellowstone and catch highway 212 to the northeast exit. I must admit that I was a little disappointed with the park yesterday and was wondering if I was in the right place. The drive along highway 212 changed my mind. The scenery is stunning and there's something magical about seeing all the large wildlife roaming free on the vast plains with snow-capped mountains as a backdrop. I saw bison, deer and yes, a grizzly bear. The bear was rather far off in the distance and there was a mob of folks trying to take pictures so I passed on the photo op.

Grazing Bison -- Look Closely

Upon exiting the park, I stopped immediately to get something to eat and take a break (all that picture taking will wear a person out). A man with a John Denver hat and Duane Allman haircut was grilling in front of the place so I opted for a grilled polish sausage in a bun. It was tasty indeed. Turns out the man was from an area in Illinois that I had lived so we conversed for quite some time.

After the extended lunch and conversation break, I mounted my steed and hit the starter button only to hear the dreaded clickety, clickety sound that is indicative of a drained battery. Great... When I had parked, I put the kickstand down while the bike was in gear which automatically kills the engine. Note to self: when killing the engine using the old kickstand while in gear method, make sure you turn the ignition switch off! Motorcycle lights are always on when the ignition switch is on and that will drain the battery very fast.

My new friend was quick to give me a push so this was only a minor catastrophe. The bike started right up and I was off with no permanent damage.

Lights Out

Grand Rapid SD is my next destination and there are two ways to get there from the current location. Fortunately, highway 212 was closed so I had to take the Chief Joseph scenic highway. This route had amazing views. The roads weren't that good going up the mountain. They were full of tar snakes that had deep groves and would grab the front tire scaring the expletives out of me. Fortunately, the pavement was pretty good going down. I had a blast navigating that stretch.

Fun Navigation

The Chief Joseph scenic highway led to Sheridan WY. I stopped to get some supplies at the grocery while there and when I returned to my spot in the parking lot, there was a congregation of teen-aged girls and a matronly figure around my motorcycle. Taking advantage of the opportunity, I struck up a conversation and got good advice for the next leg of my journey. Highway 14 from Sheridan to Gillette is also a designated scenic route and that was to be my next course.

The scenery was very different from the first scenic byway. This was a more arid type of mountainous terrain and reminiscent of the Arizona landscapes.

After a long day of riding and picture taking, I'm exhausted and stop in Gillette WY for the evening.

Tomorrow Mount Rushmore and the Badlands.

Photos:    https://plus.google.com/photos/117227791501639555776/albums/5743738283567217281?authkey=CJSH9_755JGKjQE

Grand Teton and Yellowstone

Monday May 14, 2012

I'm up bright and early ready to go at 9:00 today. The little town of Driggs doesn't seem to have any restaurants open for breakfast, so I head on down the road. After about ten miles or so, I see a gas station with a snack bar and grill. I stop to refuel and get some breakfast. I still have forty miles to go before I get to Jackson Wyoming which is the entrance to Grand Teton.

Jackson looks like a nice place. It's very quaint and trendy looking in a Sundance cool sort of way. It's probably way too cool for me so I just keep going on toward the entrance to the Grand Teton park. My season pass I bought at Carlsbad Caverns sure is coming in handy.

Grand Teton is essentially a lake and mountain range with the usual hiking trails, picnic spots, etc.I didn't engage in any activities other than snapping photos off the main road. The scenery was spectacular.

If you follow the road north through Teton, it will lead to Yellowstone. I was told that the road had just opened the weekend before so I was a bit lucky. I didn't call ahead and ask about road conditions before committing to the south to north route. Even so, I was surprised to see so much snow. BTW, the temperature while riding through this winter-land was about 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

While driving away after getting a snapshot of the continental divide marker, I was flagged by a woman offering to take a picture of me next to the marker.  Why not I thought, so I dequiped (my word which means to yet again remove your helmet, gloves, stash the sunglasses, etc.) to pose for the picture.

The woman was with a group of riders composed of two couples -- in the traditional sense. Jenny was riding her own machine with two other bikes in the group. I didn't get the names of the rest of the group, but they were all good company and we had a pleasant conversation about our experiences touring.

Jenny in Yellow and Friends

On up the road I come to the most famous landmark of Yellowstone. I can't resist so I stop in and find that I just missed the eruption. I sit for the next hour waiting for Old Faithful. Sure enough, it didn't disappoint.

Old Faithful

After that grand event, I head on north out of the park and land in Gardiner Montana. It's a nice little town and I scored on the hotel for the evening. It's right on the river with a beautiful view.

View From Balcony

Tomorrow, I go through the park east to South Dakota and the Badlands.

Photos:  https://plus.google.com/photos/117227791501639555776/albums/5743733062370444817?authkey=CN3N28mP7OOYCQ

Scenic Idaho

Sunday May 13

Got up bright and early determined to get away by 8:00AM. I actually pulled away from the hotel at 8:40 or so. Not bad, but not what I had planned. Add to that a minor repacking chore and a fuel stop just after leaving the parking lot, and the real time I got underway was about 9:10. Oh well, it is what it is.

I'm off for Yellowstone National Park today and I'm taking a scenic route that I found on a motorcycle forum. After leaving Ontario OR, the towns I passed through in Idaho are: Emmett, Garden Valley, Lowman, Warm Springs, Stanley, Challis, Arco, and Idaho Falls.

The scenery is outstanding for the route just described. There are mountains, rivers, plains, snow, cliffs, forests, scrub, and most everything else. It was the most diverse stretch of road that I've encountered to date. The only negative was some sections of the road were too narrow and a bit scary with the constant mini cliffs into the river or gulch. Large sections of these stretches had no shoulder to speak of and if you run off the road, you are off into the abyss. For the really high cliffs, there was metal railing which is just as bad as nothing for a motorcycle. The bottom line: pay attention and don't mess up.

I've added pictures in chronological order to give a flavor of the diverse landscapes.

From Idaho Falls, I decided to go to Grand Teton before Yellowstone since I want to go to the  Badlands afterwards for which the route change makes sense. I ended up in Driggs which is about 50 miles from the Grand Teton park entrance. I'm in a nice little mom & pop establishment called the Pines Motel. It's very reasonable and the wireless works very well.

I spent most of the day traveling and had zero interaction with folks so I got nothing for human interest stories today. Well, that's not completely true now that I think of it. This morning when packing up, I asked my neighbor at the hotel to please alert me when she was finished with the only luggage dolly because I have a lot of stuff to carry out to the parking lot. Sure enough, she left the dolly in the parking lot never to return or alert me to anything. Oh well, maybe she forgot.

Tomorrow I'll spend most of the day in Grand Teton and Yellowstone.

Photos: https://plus.google.com/photos/117227791501639555776/albums/5742247553166973697?authkey=CPiV2YL_7P7VMA

Columbia River Gorge

Saturday May 12

After getting a day's rest, you would think I could get away and on the road before noon. That wasn't the case of course. I started my trip today at noon and that was without breakfast which of course meant that I would have to stop for at least 30 minutes to take on nourishment.

My route today was through the Columbia River Gorge. It was a delightful ride with beautiful scenery all around. There were no winds to speak of which made for some pleasant piloting. Sitting in the saddle of an FJR at interstate speeds with no winds on good pavement is a soul satisfying experience. Too bad Oregon has has no faith in their motoring public. I couldn't believe the maximum speed limit of 65 on the best of I-84 sections. Similar roads in Texas were set at 80.

Columbia River Gorge

Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to get any photos of Mt Hood as I thought it would appear at any moment while in the gorge. It never happened. I did manage to get the tip-top of the mountain in one shot.

Top of Mount Hood -- I Think

Oregon is geographically very interesting. It is lush on the coast and quite arid to the east. The transition to arid happens fairly quick. It seemed as though it only took a few minutes and I was out of the green and into the gray.

Arid Scrub

The scrub lasts a good long time and then the mountains come into view. It's visually appealing particularly after riding in the scrub for over an hour or so.

Mountains in the Distance

The temperature drop is considerable after scaling the mountains and the vegetation becomes green again. This change was drastic and sudden and welcomed. The views are nice.

Green Again

No human interest stories to report today. I ended up in Ontario OR, ate dinner, went to the hotel room and prepped for tomorrow's ride to Yellowstone. I'm going to try really hard to be on the road by 8:00AM.

 Photos:  https://plus.google.com/photos/117227791501639555776/albums/5741916079041666657?authkey=CJPZxfCzuNP-MQ

Portland Oregon

This post is about motorcycle stuff. You may want to bypass if your interest is more along the lines of the travel channel.

I spent two days in Beaverton (just outside Portland) taking care of some business and regrouping before heading back. The oil was changed on the FJR for ONLY $79.00 (there needs to be a Jiffy Lube for motorcycles; that was a bit much I thought). The wireless on my netbook works again after visiting the local library and copying the driver files to a thumb drive for later installation (no CD drive on my netbook). My laundry is now clean and I'm reasonably rested.

Typical Staging of the Crud

The mileage on my 2006 Yamaha FJR1300 to this point is 4333. The bike has performed flawlessly. There may be better sport touring bikes on the market, but I can't imagine them being much better. The most advantageous feature of the FJR relative to the other offerings on the market is the range. I was very appreciative of the extra miles while roaming the west Texas back country in the dark.

Tripometer so Far

Contrary to some reports I've read, I don't find the stock seat to be that uncomfortable. I'm sure an after-market product would be better, but my shoulders and neck usually give out before my backside. I am very active in the saddle keeping my circulation going by crunching my buns and concentrating on good posture.

Some reviews of the FJR have identified the lack of a 6-speed transmission as a weakness. I don't find that to be the case at all. IMHO, a 6th gear is completely unnecessary. One critique on which I agree is the lack of smoothness in the shifting. At times, it just seems to clunk unless you really get the groove. Nowhere near a Harley, but not quite the smoothness of my old Honda VF700. And yes, I think the clutch pull is too hard. For all these "shortcomings", the extra fuel capacity and high MPG more than compensate. Add to that superior handling, rock solid reliability, smooth power, great looks, and a very reasonable acquisition cost (particularly if you buy used as I did), and it's no contest for me.

When I left Atlanta, I put on a new set of Shinko 011 Verge radials. So far, they have performed well. They are very smooth at interstate speeds and seemed to do fine when I did encounter some knee-dragging (fantasizing...) opportunities. They have developed a flat spot, more so on the rear, and a slight low speed wobble -- due to the flat spot I presume. I think I will make it back home on these tires as they look to have a good bit of tread left.

The biggest riding complaint encountered to date has been the wind. Almost every day it seems like gale force winds are trying to knock me off the road. It can get downright freaky with all the bags I have piled up like a sail. I've since concentrated on moving the center of gravity of my luggage lower to the ground by packing the heavier items in the lower bags. It's better, but not perfect.

That's it for now...

The Golden Gate

Tuesday May 8

Got up this morning and was out on the road around 10:30AM or so. The weather started out very nice with temperatures in the low 60s. It didn't take long before the sunshine was consumed with fog. At first it appeared as waves coming off the ocean with breaks here and there. Finally it became complete with low visibility and cooler temperatures. I can only assume the scenery was awesome, but I couldn't see a thing other than the road in front of me.

All Fogged Up

On down the road, there were minor breaks in the fog and on one of my stops for a picture, a couple of Asian ladies, seeing the Pacific coast for the first time, wanted to pose with my motorcycle. I made them pose with me for the honor and they seemed more than happy to oblige.

It wasn't until I got past the Golden Gate Bridge did the fog break completely. After that, the skies became clear and the riding was most excellent.

Golden Gate Bridge Shrouded in Fog

The roads north of San Francisco on Highway-1 are very entertaining. They are a mixture of coastal sections that turn inland to adapt to the geography. After a while, they were getting predictable but never boring. After 3500 miles, my tires had developed a bit of a flat profile due to the constant straight line cruising I've been doing. Finally, I got to play a little navigating all the extreme curves on this leg of the highway. After a full day of intense banking for all those sometimes extreme curves, the flatness has appeared to smooth a bit and the low speed wobble that had developed is almost imperceptible. I must say it was most exhilarating.

From the Cockpit

One interesting observation while zipping around the coastal highway was a herd of cattle grazing on the side of a cliff. I didn't see the caution sign for this and was a bit surprised exiting a corner at a brisk pace to see cows beside the road. I was a more cautious from that point forward.

Cliff Grazing Cattle

What can I say, the country side is beautiful in coastal northern California. The landscape has changed to dense redwood forests intermixed with ocean vistas scaling along narrow cliff hanging roadways. The ride requires much concentration to avoid any mishaps.

I'm getting hungry so I decide to stop at one of the quaint restaurants along the way and have lunch. It's nice and as usual, I meet some interesting folks. Sorry I didn't get pictures, but they drove away before I could make my pitch.

Restaurant of Forgotten Name

It's getting later in the day and the roads are sparsely populated so I'm starting to look for a place to stop for the night. I'm toying with the idea of camping since I am seeing multiple opportunities with the state parks and private enterprises. After riding a bit, I see a sign for Gualala Point State Park campground and turn in. There are multiple sites available so I pick one and set up for the night. The site is on the river in a grove of Redwood trees. How cool is that.

Big Trees

It's so easy to make friends when camping. My neighbors were a young couple recently graduated from school in Florida who now reside in Squaw Valley. They were out exploring and apparently having a great time. They were kind enough to invite me over for food and drink and we sat around the campfire having a very pleasant time. Matt, Monica and Ricky their dog were the perfect hosts and I hopefully was an agreeable guest.

Monica, Matt and Ricky the Dog

I need to get more padding and a better sleeping bag or I'm going to get a bad vibe about camping. It was cold again and my bag just isn't keeping me warm and I never feel rested after the experience. Oh well, the campfires are nice.

Wednesday May 9

Packing up the tent and equipment is so much fun. NOT!

I get on the road about 10:30AM determined to make a few more miles today. I only did about 200 yesterday and I would like to be in Beaverton, OR on Thursday.

Today is much like the latter part of yesterday. The northern section of Highway-1 is arguably as beautiful as the southern section with the bonus of more exciting roads. I'm again burdened by the desire to stop and take pictures around every bend, but have to resist if I'm going to get anywhere today. I did manage to snap a few photos.

While enjoying the ride, I came up behind an Audi who's driver was determined to show me his racing credentials. I must say it was a spirited ride, but I had to bail when I came to a spot in the road that I couldn't resist stopping for a picture.

Northern California Coast

After a full day of the twisties and coastal vistas, I'm physically and mentally exhausted. While the roads are fun, they are also dangerous as they are narrow with traffic, cliffs, trees and boulders to ruin your day.

I stop in Crescent City at America's Best Value and set up to update the blog when I discover my netbook has been exposed to a little water that has leaked from my cooler. The wireless has stopped working. I'll have to get a USB dongle when I get to Beaverton.

Thursday May 10

I'm determined to get to Beaverton today before 5:00PM so I decide to bail on Highway-1 and take a more direct route to Beaverton. I take highway 199 to I-5 to Beaverton. Highway 199 is a beautiful route with many redwoods and scenic views. The roads are at times very entertaining through the redwood forests and mountainous terrain.

Miles and Miles of Redwoods

Back on the interstate, I can make some miles. The drivers in Oregon seem not give one hoot about the right-of-way for motorcycles. Three incidents of drivers willfully coming into my lane on the interstate caused me to brake severely or take to the emergency lane. So far, my journey had been incident free of this sort of recklessness. I'm offended.

I arrive in Beaverton at 4:00PM just in time to take care of some business. After that, I get a hotel room and try the netbook again. No luck; the wireless is completely non-functional. I head to BestBuy to get a USB dongle for wireless. When I get back to the room, I realize the driver for the dongle is on a CD for which my netbook doesn't have a drive. Dang.

Tomorrow I'll go to the library and copy the CD to a memory stick.

Bedtime.

Photos:   https://plus.google.com/photos/117227791501639555776/albums/5741545957265686273?authkey=CPnwmbfgnYP_Eg