customsteve01:

Sput,

Looks like earliest to be in Bozeman would be in two days.  I really took my time coming uyp the coast and plan to start putting miles behind me again.

 

Need to find a new camera soon tho.  I am having a really good time an tink I might make Indy in 4 days if I'm lucky

 

Steve

Hey Steve,

Hmmm two days.....I'll be heading up to our project site in Conrad, Montana on Wednesday and I'll be back in Bozeman Friday night.  You'll have a couple of options at Missoula - you could continue on your planned route but we might miss each other if you hit Bozeman before Friday or you could divert to Kalispell and go through Glacier Park for a day or so and then hit Bozeman on Saturday.  Let me know where you're at when you get closer and maybe we could figure something out.  Looks like a great trip so far.  I'm sure you know that you'll be close to Sturgis after you leave here and isn't it about party time there?

http://www.sturgis.com/calendar/scheduletest.php

Day 17   07/21/09

After talking with some locals in Reedsport decided to take the faster route.  I was going to head up to Florence and take 126 over to 12 and up to Walla Walla, WA.  They told me the weather was going to be really hot in the center of the state and there was not that much to see.

So I took there suggestion and took 38 east from Reedsport, 99 east to I-5 North bipassed Portland to I84 East which runs along the Columbia river which has been damed up in several places to form quite a few resivors.  They incorporated locks into the dams so the ship and barge traffic could still travel up and down the river.  If this was the cooler route I would not have wanted to be in the center of the state where they said it would be hotter.  It got up to 103 yesterday.  I thought by taking the northern route I would be blessed with some cooler weather.  So far in 16 days I have only had to wear my light jacket 3 times and it wasn not all day any time.

I took 82 up to Kennewick to stop at the Harley store there and then back down to 730 over to 12 and on to Walla Walla, WA where I stayed the night.  It was a fast day and was able to get 513 miles behind me.

I got a new camera in Eugene so no pictures between Reedsport and Eugene, and that was the prettiest part.  The new one is a Sony Cyber-shot model DSC-S980.  Its alot smaller and lighter than the one that broke and is taking some getting used to.  Its not as easy to shoot on the fly due to its size and wieght the wind blows it around more.  But It does take some decent pictures.

Well let me show you some pictures.

I-5 North between Eugene and Portland

Lots of farm land

They were cutting wheat and stiring up alot of dust

More on the way to Portland


I like these windshield pictures if you can't tell

Leaving Portland on I-84
For some reason I didn't get a picture of Mt. Hood.

Here is a tunnel picture instead...  lol

More along I-84

Then it started getting brown again.

saw lots of wind mills

The lakes seemed to run on forever

Irrigated fields started popping up

Then this wierd tree farm

On 730 between I-82 and 12
the sun was right for this shadow shot

This lake did go on forever

Washington.....

the same lake

Caroline would have made me stop at all the wineries.....

Going to try and make Bozeman today.  Sorry Sput but I want to get home by the first part of next week.  I really would have liked meeting you.  I think the rest of the trip will be mostly interstate and lots of miles per day

Amy,The duck?????.  Oh, yea, The Duck.  He is safe and sound in the compartment in my right lower fairing.  I keep forgetting to get him out when I stop.  Most of my pictures are taken on the fly and I can't pull it out while riding.  I will make it a point to get some pictures of him today.

Colter,

Looking Like Saturday night or Sunday for hitting Indy.

Steve

customsteve01:

This lake did go on forever

Steve, that lake has gotta be the massive Columbia River.

Its dams do create some reservoirs, but basically it is a HUGE river because it drains all of NE Oregon, eastern Washington state, all of Idaho (!) and the part of Montana west of the Continental Divide, and a lot of SE British Columbia.  That's some serious water outflow.

You're making a very nice, special record of a wonderful trip.

[EDIT:]  I went to Whitman College in Walla Walla.  Nice little place, even today.

[PS EDIT:]  The Columbia is the 52nd longest river in the world, at 1,250 miles!  It starts in British Columbia.  The reason it gathers so much in one stream:  it's the only river for hundreds of miles that cuts through the Cascade and Coast ranges to make it to the Pacific.

Man...I'm speechless and envious at the same time!!!  What a trip, what nice pictures.  Do we live in a beautiful country or what!!!?

 I would love to live in Oregon. One of my favorite places. Too many hippies but they make up for it by having so many microbrews.

seti:

 I would love to live in Oregon. One of my favorite places. Too many hippies but they make up for it by having so many microbrews.

how can you have 'too many hippies'? 

colterphoto1:

seti:

 I would love to live in Oregon. One of my favorite places. Too many hippies but they make up for it by having so many microbrews.

 

how can you have 'too many hippies'? 

Ignore that guy Michael, I know for a fact he loves Hippies

Steve, looks like a fun bike tour I caught that early shot when you went through Texas and thought I'd post this one These boys are 6 and 8 now, were does that tme go

colterphoto1:

seti:

 I would love to live in Oregon. One of my favorite places. Too many hippies but they make up for it by having so many microbrews.

 

how can you have 'too many hippies'? 

The Oregon  variety seemed to have an odor you could smell at 50ft and not a good odor.  The non bathing hippies. The last time I was in Oregon I had a Chocolate Oatmeal Espresso Stout : ) Heck yeah....

Steve,

Just for the record you suck, or should I say It sucks that I could not go.

Maybe next time.

Day 18   07/22/09

Left Walla Walla still on Route 12.  This is the Lewis and Clark Trail.  Leaving Walla Walla it is mostly pretty flat farm land which quickly turns to really pretty rolling hills.  I did get a geography lesson of sorts, I really didn't think they grew this much wheat this far north.  Road thru Lewiston and Clarcksville they divide the boarder of Washington and Idaho.  Leaving Lewiston is where the road starts to follow the Clearwater River and continues along it all the way to Montana at the Lolo pass.  It is a great ride other than tons of road construction.  The road was shut down to 1 lane in so many places I lost count, this made for some slow riding.  Made it to I-90 and continued east.  We stopped in Drumand at Swede's bar.  This was recomended byb a friend of a friend.  Had a really big rid eye steak sandwich and a few beers.  Camped for the night across the street in the city park.
Now for the pictures.

Statues in Lewiston

Clearwater River outside of Lewiston


I saw this guy fishing and made a u-turn to go back and take this picture. 


This little lodge at Lolo pass was a life saver.  I was in dire need of gas "AGAIN".

Montana..........

Swede's Bar

These were taken the next morning

Camping in the city park.  Drumond only has about 350 people in it.

Day 19   07/23/09

Left Drumond with a full stomach, had a great breakfast at a little cafe.  Jumped on I-90 east to Butte and stopped at the Harley shop just to say we did.  Found out that the Evel Knievel Days were going on starting today.  Just had to go....  Lotgs of street venders and the highlight was the stunt bike guys were practicing.  Left Butte and headed east again thru Boseman and then headed South on 89 toward Yellowstone Park.  We arrived in Gardiner (North Gate of the Park) about 8 PM, the rangers said all the campgrounds in the park were full and directed us to Eagle Creek Campground, which was up a 2 mile dirt road from Gardiner.  We that campground was full to but a friendly guy from Texas told us to pitch our tent in a grassy area near his fifth wheel.  After setting up camp we headed into town to get something to eat.  We stopped at K-Bars and got a pizza and some brews.  We found out tha K-Bars was the local hangout for alot of the people that work in the park and the rafting companies.  We had a good time talking with them about what to see and do.

I-90 east out of Drumond


Butte Harley, notice no sign on the front door side

View from the Harley shop

Entering the town of Butte

I wish I would have grabbed Devil Duck from the bike and he could have played with his yellow cousins

They were raffleing off this custom Street Glide

The stunt bike riders were cool to watch.  They were just doing a warmup


I took some pretty good video of them too.

Heading to Bozeman

another windshield pic....   pretty cool lean huh???  This was at 75 mph..........  The Ole Ultra will stick in a corner

Yellowstone Harley in Bozeman

89 South headed to Gardiner and Yellowstone Park

a little prong antalope right by the entrance to the park

Town of Gardiner

I didn't get a picture of the campsite my battery died and the new camera doesnt use just regular AA's.  I did get the lady at the laudry mat - shower place to carge it

Day 20 07/24/09

Left our camp and had breakfast before entering the park.  Spent most of the day in the park and only went from the North gate down around the little loop and out the East gate.  We didn't go all the way down to Old Faithful dure to traffic and road construction, I don't think we would have made it out of the park in a day if we would have tried to make the big loop.  Saw Mammoth springs, Obsidian creek, Geyser Basin, Lower Falls, Yellowstone River and Yellowstone Lake.  Left out of the East gate and headed to Cody where we spent the night.

North Gate entrance

Elk at the park headquarters.  I think they must be on the payroll some how

Area around Mammoth Hot Springs

Geyser Basin

I really thought Lower Falls were great.


I hiked the 3/8 mile trail right to the top of the falls.  It was ok going down but the 600 foot elevation change going back up was tough.  I think it was worth it for the view.

Bison

Yellowstone River.

Heading East on 16,20,14 to Cody.  there had been a fire here at some time.

My camera battery died again, was only able to get one partially charged this morning. 
spent the night in Cody

Day 21 07/25/09

I have taken some unplanned excursions and extended my trip by several days.  Until yesterday I was kinda wishing I had headed home instead.  There have been lots of people that I have talked to tell me that you have to ride through Beartooth pass.  Since so many people recominded it, headed North out of Cody on 120, turned left on 296 "Chief Joseph Hwy" and over Dead Indian Pas, at the T turned left onto 212 an over Beartooth Pass, then through the town of Red Lodge (which is pretty cool) to I-90 and into Billings.  This Ride took all day because I took so many pictures and pretty much stopped at every pull off and stopped in the middle of the road sometimes. 

Note:
IF YOU ARE EVER IN THIS AREA YOU MUST DO THIS RIDE, PERIOD.

Like I said, I took tons of pictures and only uploaded a few to photobucket.  There are alot more pictures in my photobucket albums than I have posted here if you want to see more you can go there.

Also on another note.  The weather started out great and deminished as we got over beartooth.  So some of the pictures later in the day ar not as good as earlier.  I think that just is what you get with point and shoot cameras.

Ok lets start with the hotel from last night

Heading out of Cody

Chief Joseph Hwy




Met some friends up in the mountains

MMMMMMMMMMMM "twisties" say it like its a dirty word.......

Looking off a bridge overlook

Some people drive things other than bikes up here.  he said it has 100,000 miles since the restore.  "56 Chevy"

Road construction

some people brought snowboards up and would ski down and hike back up, I didn't get a picture of anyone skiing tho.

You can see the road down from heere

Red Lodge

Wasn't that a SWEET ride? 

I'm only 2,000 miles from home.  I'll post as I can.

Day 22    07/26/09

Left Billings on I-90 and took the I-94 split toward North Dakota.  Speed limit was 75 and only one 5 mile spot of road constrution and it only slowed down to 65.  Had a really strong cross wind coming out of the North that made it interesting but later in the day it deminished. Road 500 miles to Valley City.  Really though it was going to be a down pour a little before Miles City, MT.  You could tell it was raining hard up ahead and when the road got wet, pulled over and suited up and put the rain covers on all the bags.  I think stopping let the rain move on out.  Only road in light sprinkles and the spray from the trucks as you passed them.  Stopped in Miles City to gas up and eat a bite, it was still sprinkling after lunch so left the suit on, only to stop 30 miles down the road to take it off.  The sun went down before getting to Valley City and the bugs were out in full force.  I have never riden through bugs like this before.  You could watch on the windshield and just see them spatter in multiples.  i will shoot some better pictures in the AM before I wash them off.  I'm only 1500 miles from home.........

Leaving Billings

Rain clouds

Cleared up after lunch

North Dakota Line

Oh, I took the exit to the scales by accident (they were closed) they had a digital readout in the window so I rode across and stopped.  I don't know how accurate they are at lower wieghts but it said I wieghed 1300 lbs.  Didn't think about taking a picture.

A really big cow.

A cool mirroe sunset picture.  I think it would have come out better if the mirror was clean.

Bugs....................................

Till next time.

I want to appologize to you guys (my friends) for not keeping you up to date on my little adventure.  To be honest This thread is pretty much a copy of the real thread on a Harley forum.  I had gotten about three days behind on that thread and only today got caught back up.

I am in Valley City ND and am going to try my hardest to get as close to Indy as I can tomorrow.  Its over 800 grom here to Indy and I know I can get at least 600 behind me tomorrow. 

Mike I will call you sometime tomorrow while getting gas.

Sput, Sorry it didn't work out to get to meet you, I really wanted to.

Amy looks like Devil Duck will be back home on Tuesday.

I am having a great time and have seen so much it is truelly unreal to me.

Steve