Dodging Bullets

It's almost a given that when the first thing that you hear when you wake up in the morning is, "Oh, s*@t!", followed by, "It's raining!", your day is not going to be a good one.  There are exceptions to this rule, however.  First, it take the urgency away from the need to get rolling, and second, it's not going to get any worse so you don't have to waste time wondering what's coming next.

Fortunately, our guardian angels, gods, spirits, or whatever divine creature you care to imagine was with us today.  By 8:30 a.m. the rain had stopped, no doubt disappointing the hundred of firefighters who are struggling with the wildfires in the state, but, perversely,  delighting us.  We loaded the bikes and were ready to roll after talking to the young couple from Vancouver who had spent the night in the room next to ours.  He works for the utility department for the City of Vancouver, and she had just finished her first year studying International Relations at SFU, and they were headed for San Francisco on a ten day vacation.  We talked about alternate routes to SF and left them to decide what option they would choose.

As we headed north out of town we stopped at a Shell station for gas.  We found out that in Oregon there is no self-serve in gas stations.  Attendants are required to use the pump although they all make the exception for motorcycle riders because they are really particular about getting gas on their machines.  They do all the financial stuff with your credit card then hand you the nozzle & let you fill your own tank. It's easier that way for them.

Occasionally people make really bonehead moves for whatever reason.  As I was pulling back on to the highway, I made mine.  I turned north in the southbound lane, totally confusing Garry and totally surprising the guy in the SUV who was coming south right at me.  I realized as soon as I was in the turn what I was doing but there was no escaping it.  I had to complete the turn or hit the divider and when the SUV passed me, I quickly did a U-turn to go in the right direction, then make a possibly highly illegal U-turn on the red light to escape the scene of the stupidity.

The highway north from Klamath Falls runs through some quite rugged country that is very much a semi-desert.  Almost paradoxically, in the middle of this landscape of dried grasses and short light green shrubs there is a large lake that seems like it shouldn't belong here.  Klamath Lake is several miles long and both the highway and railway tracks hug its shore over that distance.  In the distance to right we could see the eat side of the Coast range with some of the mountains in the typical cone shape of volcanoes.

As we rode further north pine trees began to appear and by the time we had reached the area south of Bend, OR, instead of seeing brown grass and short shrubs to the horizon, we were surrounded by large pine trees that had virtually no undergrowth.  It was as if they had sprouted out of the arid semi-desert but nothing else would grow.

Bend, OR, is famous for it's outdoor lifestyle and its microbreweries, the most famous of which is the Deschutes Brewery.

The Deschutes Brewery. Note the kegs used for aging stout, in the window.

The entrance to the brewery.

For me it was a bittersweet experience.  I twas great to be able to go to a brewery that produces a wide variety of fine beers, but because I was riding, I was unable to vilate my absolute rule against drinking and riding so I could only watch as others stood around enjoying a wide variety of beers before doing the brewery tour.

Upon leaving the brewery we rode to Wild Horse H-D where I found that my rear tire had about 1500 km left on it.  I had it replaced and found out that me rear brake pads were just about done so I had them replaced as well in order to save the cost o removing the rear tire again if I had them replaced later.

While we were there I met a couple who had their dog with them. The husband had just bought a Harley trike and his wife loves riding with him and their little dog.  They were looking for a motorcycle helmet and goggles for their dog but so far hadn't found any.  So far the dog rides with the wife with a harness and a very short leash.

The Vietnam veteran with his wife and puppy.

I found out that the man had spent three tours off the coast of Vietnam in two carriers, the USS Bonhomme Richard,  and the Coral Sea as an ordinanceman, if I have that right.  We had a great chat.  When he asked me if I was a veteran I had to explain to him that I was a Canadian and that we haven't been in many wars over the past sixty years.

When my repairs were finished I spoke to the service manager about the microbreweries in Bend.  He admitted that he has become a 'beer snob', and his opinion is that Deschutes has become a tourist trap and that the best brewery in Bend is one called 'Boneyard' that makes an excellent IPA.  I would like to have had more time to talk beer with him but I did recommend Driftwood's Fat Tug IPA, and Hoyne Brewery's Devil's Dream IPA to him the next time he gets to Victoria.

We were on the road again just befre 4:00 p.m., heading to Salem.  Here we began to get into the Oregon that most of us know with mountains, tall evergreen trees, and water.  The road wound through the Coast Mountains but it was an easy ride and in the trees, the temperature was absolutely cool compared to the temperatures we have experienced during the previous week.

The mountains west of Bend, OR.

A volcanic type mountain northwest of Bend, OR.

We climbed into the mountains and the trees began to close in around us.  The highway has some viewpoints but not as many as it could have because there are so many great sights but no place to stop and enjoy them. 

Mount Washington (the third one I know of) in the Cascade Mountains.

The remains of a 2003 forest fire near Mount Washington, OR.

The US Army Corps of Engineers built a large dam near the village of Detroit.  The lake is a favourite recreation spot for much of western Oregon judging from the number of people camping and on the lake.

The lake behind the Detroit Dam

The downstream side of the Detroit Dam.

We crossed the mountains and arrived in Salem where we moved onto I-5 and headed north to Wilsonville, OR.  We were able to get a room at a reasonable rate and then go for dinner at the 'Wanker's Corner' where I had a chance to sample some of the Boneyard IPA called Hop Venom, that the service manager at Wildhorse H-D in Bend had recommended.  However, the beer was little more than a sample with a very small glass.  It was good though.

We are now two days from home.  Tomorrow we plan to ride at least to Burlington and perhaps to Bellingham where we will stay overnight before crossing the border, taking the ferry and riding home on Monday.  So far the weather has continued to favour us and the forecast says that it should continue to do so.  We have been very fortunate on this trip and hope that it will continue to be that way for the next two days.