Three thousand miles, the distance from New York City to San Francisco. Three thousand miles, my trip to the green forests of Oregon. I crisscrossed the state, from ocean shores to grape covered hills, from desert range to winding rivers. What an amazing trip.
I departed Ogden at 7am and rode north towards Boise Idaho. It was a long interstate run but I burned miles a very fast pace arriving before noon. With half of the day left I turned my bike west and made the run to Bend Oregon. Over 600 miles, a good long ride so I checked into a hotel and hit the pool.
The next day took me through Sisters Oregon and along twisty forest roads that were green from the ferns covering the white lines along the side of the road to the tip of the tall pines. I camped by a river in the back part of a pasture. Adventure riders tend to stick together when they meet on the road or when at home and offering their pasture to riders on the road. Wes was a cool host and an excellent GS rider. I followed him on his 40-mile jaunt to work in the morning.
From Corvallis I headed north through the foothills of the pacific range then over to Oceanside. I parked the GS in the sand by the ocean. A quick call to friends in Garibaldi, above Tillamook, and I had a place to stay for the night. Oyster stew and fried oysters on a poor boy sandwich for lunch at pacific seafood in Bay City. A shower then dinner with friends at a seaside restaurant. They had to be up and out early so I was able to hit the road at first light.
An amazing twisting, winding, forest road covered by moss filled trees from Beaver over to Carlton. Fresh pecan sticky rolls and coffee before heading down into McMinnville to look at property. What an amazing little town. The bike was running like crap so I headed south to Eugene to buy new plugs and hoped it was not the stick coils. New plugs and running smooth I headed back to the coast, Coos Bay then down to Bandon for the night in an ocean side state park.
Coffee and fresh crab in old town Bandon. The bike started acting up again, an intermittent problem, the worst. Across a beautiful valley, Myrtle Point, camas Valley to Roseburg. Crossed the 5 and rode another amazing road to Shady cove.
Up in the morning, forest roads and campgrounds, back towards the coast. West above Medford, Eagle point, Gold Hill, Grants Pass then south down the Redwood Highway into the California Redwoods and to the northern California coast.
Arcata California by five in the afternoon but with no really cool place to stay I headed across towards Redding and made it into Weaverville by Seven. Cozy little hotel, my bike parked outside of the door, a short walk to an amazing dinner.
Only eight hundred and twenty-two miles to home and in time to take my daughter out for a birthday dinner with her friends I pointed the GS towards home and flew across the Nevada deserts. I arrived at 10pm after the longest ride I have ever made.
New stick coils and reliably running like a BMW should we are ready for our next adventure.
