Friday, May 22, 2009
Ontario - Visiting Sam
My day Thursday started at 1:23AM. It was supposed to start at 1:00AM, but the cheep a** alarm had yet another internal power blink and reset itself. It's a miracle that I woke up when I did, since I went to bed at 9:00PM. I got dressed, ate a quick banana and drank a little ice tea and was on the road by 1:45.
The trip to Ontario was uneventful other than the cold. It was well below freezing for most of the Eastern portion of the trip, and I could have used another layer or two. I had more with me, but was running behind and did not want to stop and put it on. The sky started lightening about 4 and by 5 or so it was pretty well up. That sure helped.
Self portrait at speed.
I was a little late for the start of the morning visit, but at least I didn't have to wait in line! It was great to actually be able to hug Sam after 2 years. I didn't get on the visitor list before he was sent to DCU (solitary) and all of our visits have been between glass, talking on one of those silly phones. In person is so much better. We sit across a table and can hug before and after. I can buy junk from the vending machines that we can share. Sam looks really good, and has been exercising again.
After lunch we got even more visiting in (the other visits we limited to 2 hours) and finally at 3:45 it was over and time to head home. I'd told Lisa I did not expect to ride all the way home, that I'd just grab a room when I got tired and finish coming home on Friday. I've done I-84 so much lately that I wanted to come home a different way. I decided to take US26 to OR19, then go through Kimberly, Service Creek, Fossil, and turn in Condon and then turn onto 206 to Wasco. From Wasco it's a quick trip down 97 to Biggs Junction and then hop on I-84 once it's dark to home.
Near Vale Oregon
I'd been on 26 from Prairie City west, but had never done the Eastern portion. From Vale to Ironside it's mostly farm land and rolling hills. Across the Blue Mountains the road was fantastic! No traffic to speak of on a Thursday afternoon, and I just had a great ride.
Near Prairie City, OR
I stopped in Prairie City for gas and a quick picture. The attendant confirmed my belief that it'd been freezing the night before; when she came to work at 6am it had been 32 degrees.
OR 19 is in my opinion one of the best motorcycle roads in Oregon, particularly the stretch through the Fossil Beds from the US26 junction to Kimberly and then to Service Creek. By the time I got to Kimberly, the shadows were getting long the sun low, which slowed my down a bit. :-P Nothing like riding fast into a shady corner with the sun in your eyes to slow you down.
Outside of Condon the wind was blowing (who knew? OK, all those windmills should give a clue!) and I had to stop and put more clothes on. Coincidentally, I stopped at the mountain identifier where last Friday I hosted the first SAG stop of the day at the RAO camp.
Mountain Identifier on OR206.
I stopped in Biggs Junction for gas, dinner and to call Lisa to let her know I'd be home by 11. She was happy that I would make it home and said she would save a spot in the bed for me (with 9 cats that is sometimes hard to do!)
Total ride, 839.2 miles, elapsed time including visit: 21 hours, Rear tire is toast.
Yeah, it's a little worn. Out.
In usual LDR fashion I had ignored the rulz and made 2 changes to the bike before leaving; a Suzuki Gel Seat and a set of ROX anti-vibration risers. The seat is harder than I like (but not harder that the stock seat) but fits better and is taller. The ROX risers worked well, but I need to play with the position just a little. I picked up some HERO ear plugs a while back at WallyWorld, and love them. I have 2 boxes (of 500!) of different ear plugs in the garage, but have issues with both - one is too big diameter and the other a little long. I usually use the long ones, and cut some off. I had to have George dig one out of my ear with tweezers the other day which worried me a little. Mostly George and pointy objects worries me. :D
The trip to Ontario was uneventful other than the cold. It was well below freezing for most of the Eastern portion of the trip, and I could have used another layer or two. I had more with me, but was running behind and did not want to stop and put it on. The sky started lightening about 4 and by 5 or so it was pretty well up. That sure helped.
Self portrait at speed.
I was a little late for the start of the morning visit, but at least I didn't have to wait in line! It was great to actually be able to hug Sam after 2 years. I didn't get on the visitor list before he was sent to DCU (solitary) and all of our visits have been between glass, talking on one of those silly phones. In person is so much better. We sit across a table and can hug before and after. I can buy junk from the vending machines that we can share. Sam looks really good, and has been exercising again.
After lunch we got even more visiting in (the other visits we limited to 2 hours) and finally at 3:45 it was over and time to head home. I'd told Lisa I did not expect to ride all the way home, that I'd just grab a room when I got tired and finish coming home on Friday. I've done I-84 so much lately that I wanted to come home a different way. I decided to take US26 to OR19, then go through Kimberly, Service Creek, Fossil, and turn in Condon and then turn onto 206 to Wasco. From Wasco it's a quick trip down 97 to Biggs Junction and then hop on I-84 once it's dark to home.
Near Vale Oregon
I'd been on 26 from Prairie City west, but had never done the Eastern portion. From Vale to Ironside it's mostly farm land and rolling hills. Across the Blue Mountains the road was fantastic! No traffic to speak of on a Thursday afternoon, and I just had a great ride.
Near Prairie City, OR
I stopped in Prairie City for gas and a quick picture. The attendant confirmed my belief that it'd been freezing the night before; when she came to work at 6am it had been 32 degrees.
OR 19 is in my opinion one of the best motorcycle roads in Oregon, particularly the stretch through the Fossil Beds from the US26 junction to Kimberly and then to Service Creek. By the time I got to Kimberly, the shadows were getting long the sun low, which slowed my down a bit. :-P Nothing like riding fast into a shady corner with the sun in your eyes to slow you down.
Outside of Condon the wind was blowing (who knew? OK, all those windmills should give a clue!) and I had to stop and put more clothes on. Coincidentally, I stopped at the mountain identifier where last Friday I hosted the first SAG stop of the day at the RAO camp.
Mountain Identifier on OR206.
I stopped in Biggs Junction for gas, dinner and to call Lisa to let her know I'd be home by 11. She was happy that I would make it home and said she would save a spot in the bed for me (with 9 cats that is sometimes hard to do!)
Total ride, 839.2 miles, elapsed time including visit: 21 hours, Rear tire is toast.
Yeah, it's a little worn. Out.
In usual LDR fashion I had ignored the rulz and made 2 changes to the bike before leaving; a Suzuki Gel Seat and a set of ROX anti-vibration risers. The seat is harder than I like (but not harder that the stock seat) but fits better and is taller. The ROX risers worked well, but I need to play with the position just a little. I picked up some HERO ear plugs a while back at WallyWorld, and love them. I have 2 boxes (of 500!) of different ear plugs in the garage, but have issues with both - one is too big diameter and the other a little long. I usually use the long ones, and cut some off. I had to have George dig one out of my ear with tweezers the other day which worried me a little. Mostly George and pointy objects worries me. :D
// posted by Ken and Lisa @ 8:10 AM 
