We get a bonus map tonight because of the awesome road I found thanks to a local guy at McDonalds. He said "don't miss Rt 242 a little, but you have an enduro bike". OK, more of that later.
The motel last night was a dump next to freeway. Fortunately the dog barking ing the next room ("pet friendly motel") drowned out the freeway traffic and also masked the cockroach races. What a dump. But it was cheap!
I asked Google to send me to Bend with no freeways, which she did, and the morning was spent picking through side streets and finally old reliable Rt 30 which is the Lincoln Highway, the first road across America (but not the Oregon part). Still, pretty neat.
I had a nice morning riding along the Columbia River with Lewis & Clark signs all over the place since this is where they must have been ecstatic to find the river leading to the Pacific, the Holey Grail back then. The airport is right next to the river so i was riding with big jets landing to my right and the Columbia River to my left. Pretty cool.
Finally I landed on Rt 26 which took us through the Mt Hood National Forest. Mt Hood is a big one but not the only one. There were lots of other volcano looking snow covered mountains all around throughout the day. Easy road ith a reasonable amount of traffic but lots of slow vehicle (that would be me) lanes so I had an open road in front of me (just don't look in the mirrors). My rule is when you get 5 or more vehicles behind you, wave them by at a wide spot. Works great and you get appreciative toots of the horns. I really keep it at the speed limit (50 or 55) but most folks go over the speed limit (you guys clean the deer out for me..)
After climbing through the Mt Hood Forest, I hit the dry but irrigated plains above with wheat and what looked like sorghum (what do I know) and a turf farm or two. Lots of grazing horses, a little beef, kind of a mixed bag, but lots of people up here are stitching together lives with whatever they can find to do.
At a coffee stop (McD's) I chatted with 3 biker guys about whay the best road was to go over to the ocean tomorrow. The one guy was a local and he said Rt 242, which took a while to find, but it was incredible.
But first I had to get to Bend to stop at the Giant Loop company which makes the horeshow saddlebags on this bike. Google took me right to the front door. Two guys were in the back and one gave me a tour. The have an old Honda 302 in the showroom with the very first Giant Loop bag they made 10 years ago. The new models are better than the one I have but I'll stick with old reliable. I have had other bikers ask about the Giant Loop bag and they gave me a shirt and some stickers. I love small niche businesses and this is one with a unique product they run out of this little shop in Bend OR. Very nice folks.
They concurred about Rt 242 and while I was originally going to stay in Bend, it was early and they thought I could make it to Eugene in 2-3 hours, so off I go.
Google got confused about Rt 242. Must be I did not have "Goatpaths OK" checked because she kept trying to turn me around, and then just didn't say anything (so there). The road got bendier and bendier and then got steep and then got really twisty (15-20 mph turns), one of those "bulldozer roads" made wy back when. But it was paved very nicely (unlike the Mt St Helens road yesterday).
Once I got to the top, the road twisted through lava fields, which was really cool and weird. A few cars now and then, but again, pretty much my personal road for the next couple hours. Really neat doing 20mph corners through lava piles. (Old lava so not hot BTW).
The road back down the mountain pass (McKenzie Pass) was also very twisty and narrow, but good pavement. You twist down through dappled sunlight through the trees. And it goes on and on and on. Wonderful!!
So I hit Rt 126 which takes you into Eugene. I found a cheap motel in the town just before Eugene but it was another fleabag motel so i opted for something better in Eugene. A Harley with New Jersey plates in the lot so I'll have to track that down in the morning. Local brew-pub that was hopping, but no room at the bar so now new best friends tonight.
Awesome day and the ocean tomorrow!!!
P.S. Enjoy all the typos. I just blast these out, I'll edit them this next winter...
24,315 on the clock tonight and now I have more oil than I did this morning. The Beemer used to do this to me, so all is good with the bike.
Oh, I got lots of comments about my new bright orange flags on the mirrors. They work great at getting rid of helmet noise from the windhshield. Good conversation starters too!
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