Eric’s Road Trip ‘07

Round Tripping Complete...

Tue, 14 Aug 2007 22:11:54 -0700

... I did it! And “The King” is stabled for the evening, having delivered me safely home from this most excellent inaugural road trip. Pretty amazing feeling to know I rode approximately 4,300 miles to Sturgis and back. The Road King is a solid performer. We bonded, a kind of “Zen” thing. I know all the machine nuances, from the engine power band to the quirky noises it makes at different temperatures, and times of the day.... I was in the saddle almost 12 hours today, I should know these things. Absolutely, I do know that I am very comfortable riding this bike, and never worried that any component was going to fail.

Just arrived, taking off the helmet.

Tish, happy I made it home alive.

Me, proudly displaying my,
“I rode mine to Sturgis...”
patch... no trailer for me!

I got up this morning in Bliss at 6:15 A.M. The morning air was fresh and cool, a perfect time to clean up the bike for the final run of this journey. The bug slime clung to the rag I was using and formed a scummy film at the water line of bucket. Two rinses and lots of detail scrubbing, I was ready to roll. Eric, the manager, came out to talk with me about the finer points and opportunities of living in Bliss during the winter, which included 4-Wheeling in the snow, shooting guns at the local range, and other entertainment possibilities during the slow months, while managing the motel. If you are ever in the area traveling I-84 and need a place to stay for the night, I highly recommend The Amber Inn in Bliss. These folks are serious about making your stay enjoyable and comfortable.

After riding with cool temps to Boise, the day got hot in a hurry. I shed my leather jacket in Baker City, and felt the heat until I got to Eugene. Portland was very hot, and I hit the fringe of rush hour, which made it feel even hotter - the 96 cubic inch engine on my bike runs a little warm ;)

The view just before dropping into Pendleton is vast, panoramic.

Expansive view outside Pendleton.

The ride into The Gorge was beautiful, not too windy, and as the road kissed the Columbia, I welcomed the cooler air as it pushed across the water. I was really intent on getting home at a decent time, so I didn’t stop for any more pictures, but I should have... The Gorge was extremely picturesque today.

Beginnings of The Gorge, Boardman.

So, I did it! Tonight is most likely my last entry... unless, tomorrow evening finds me missing the routine of rambling on about my day’s experiences.

It’s been fun sharing this trip with all of you.

Peace, and until the next time (I already feel it coming ‘round again!),

Eric

When good fortune comes...

Mon, 13 Aug 2007 22:50:14 -0700

My ass was kicked so hard today by the winds on South Pass, West of Lander, WY. They have signs warning of high wind gusts, ha! South Pass equals CRAZY Winds... they were so intense and buffeting from all directions, seemingly at once. My vest was literally ripped open repeatedly - I’d slow down and do the snaps again, only to have it ripped open again. I finally took it off and put it in the rear pack. The breathtaking view above was taken near the top of the pass. The winds didn’t calm much after dropping into Kemmerer, but I was able to put a good cruise on into Pocatello.

I had reservation to stay in Boise, but the trip through South Pass over to Idaho, took much longer than I expected. I got to Twin Falls, ID as the sun set, a huge ball of red slipping over the mountains. I decided that I’d call it a day as I really didn’t favor the idea of riding at dusk and then in darkness through deer country... at least not on a motorcycle. Twin Falls was completely booked - every room available, taken. The manager at the Holiday Inn Express called around and finally found a room for me in Bliss, ID, 30 miles West. I found this a bit ironic, as approximately 25 years ago, I broke down on New Year’s day in my 1969 VW bus, in Bliss... 10 degrees out, and the one, the only gas station at that time, let me use their garage repair bay to stay the night, and then try to find a fix the next day - I spent the night, in the UNHEATED garage spooning my crazy Irish Setter, Barney, with every jacket and spare blanket thrown over us so we both could stay warm... what a night!

But, as my Rock and Roll hero Tom Petty wrote in his “King’s Highway” lyrics:
Oh, I await the day
Good fortune comes our way
And we'll ride down the King's Highway
Yeah Yeah

So, I finally got to Bliss, ID tonight, barely able to see the road through my bug splattered windshield, and pulled up to the Amber Inn. What a surprise! The managers were very cool, let me park my bike under the front walkway, and were genuinely friendly and hospitable. They even have internet Wi-Fi, and I get a great signal from my room. I couldn’t get my cell to connect though, and Eric Tharp, one half of the management team. offered me his cell phone so I could call Tish and let her know I was safely off the road, very cool! Tish was certainly appreciative, as she hadn’t heard from me and was starting to run worse case scenarios through her head... sorry I couldn’t get through any sooner ;(

Randy(trucker guest at the hotel),
Jodi and Eric Tharp - Managers of
The Amber Inn, Bliss, ID.

I’ll be up early tomorrow, getting the bugs off “The King”, and then making the final leg of this wonderful journey, home to Eugene. I hope to be in by early evening.

This has truly been an incredible and memorable trip.

E

Fire on the mountain...

Sun, 12 Aug 2007 12:14:51 -0700

Today was a down day of sorts, helping my mom prepare for the annual homeowner’s association meeting, errands to town, getting the “King” ready for the road tomorrow, and watching the plumes of smoke increase in size as the forest fire nearby continues to grow. So, this entry is a short one.

It was a beautiful sunny day here on the Wind River. I’ll miss the tranquility of my mom’s property. Tomorrow I head back to Eugene... going over South Pass towards Utah, and will either cut back up towards Jackson to Alpine, or head towards the Nevada-Oregon border. I’ll figure it out tomorrow morning before I leave, or throw the dice on on the road. Stay tuned ;)

Ramshorn Mountain, driveway view.

Smokey sunset.

Serving up the feast!

Sat, 11 Aug 2007 20:17:22 -0700

Every year, the second weekend in August, the Dubois, WY volunteer fire department puts on their Buffalo BBQ fundraiser. This was the 50th anniversary, so admission was free, donations optional, but gladly accepted. As noted in an earlier entry, my family has been coming to Dubois since 1966. Our long time family friends, the Blakeman’s introduced us to the BBQ as Stan was a volunteer for the Fire Department. Early on, he and his wife Twila, invited us to help out. I have fond memories of flipping Buffalo burgers with Stan, my dad, and my brother... my mom remembers cutting up lots of cabbage and onions with my sister and other Blakeman family members.

This year the town park was packed with locals, tourists, and dudes from the outlying ranches. We hooked up with Stan, Twila, and their daughters, Jacki and Traci, to take in this year’s event. While I don’t eat red meat, the consensus was the Buffalo burgers and roast were cooked just right... fresh corn, beans, and cole slaw rounded out the meal. Yummy!

Twila, Stan, and my mom.

Jacki B. styling at the BBQ.

Traci B. enjoying the event.

Micki McBride modeling the T-shirt.

Tomorrow I’ll get the “King” ready to roll - likely I’ll leave on Monday, and see how far I get on my final leg of the journey back to Eugene.

E

One step closer to return...

Fri, 10 Aug 2007 22:14:21 -0700

The picture above is of the backside of the Bighorn’s heading West towards Tensleep. It was cooler coming up over the mountains from Buffalo - beautiful panoramic views. I tool lots of pictures and had a really tough time narrowing the picks.

I would be remiss if I didn’t finish where I left off last night with the Rodeway Inn. The “stories” to tell aren’t anything to get your wag going, but it was a kicked back time sharing stories and NFL highlights with the manager and any guest who happened by. The jersey you see in the picture is from HIS TEAM - do I need say more? It’s real and he’s proud to wear it.

Allen and Misty, Buffalo Rodeway Inn.

I also met some interesting folks from Bend, OR, who were car show hopping in their vintage, circa 1930’s coupe. Their attitude was that they had their health, and time to do what they wanted, so what better than to travel the states and show their car... I loved their comments about trailering cars and motorcycles... they think it’s a joke :0 At any rate, I took off about 9:00a this morning and had an awesome ride over the bighorns to Tensleep, then to Worland, Thermopolis, Shoshoni and finally up to Dubois. The winds were killer!

Bighorns from afar.

Moving on Tensleep, one handed ;)

Shooting from the hip...

I do have the history of how Tensleep got its name, but it will have to wait until tomorrow - TIRED!

Tensleep downtown...

And, the I had another spectacular ride through Wind River Canyon...

Just after entering the canyon.

Lava Mountain is on fire, literally. Approaching Dubois, I noticed that the sky to the West looked very dramatic. I was concerned that I was going to get rained on... but, the clouds didn’t look quite like your typical nasty thunderheads. I called home and my mom confirmed my suspicions - Lava Mountain was on fire, and the high winds had kicked up and accelerated the burn... over 400 acres this afternoon, having just started yesterday. Crews are currently working to contain it... thankfully, the winds have calmed tonight.

Lava Mountain Fire,

Made it safely back to Dubois, will hang out here for a few days, then back to Eugene... already missing the open road, and of course, my Road King!

E

 