The never ending tour comes home NV OR CA

[demenshea]

The time had arrived. The new house had slowly become a home and we were feeling comfortable. We loved our neighborhood, our yard, and most of all we love what we found in the backyard. Ahhhh, content in CA.


Now I needed to check on my father in Yerington and that involved whipping the Bandito in shape. Miles had sneaked up the odometer and tried spreading rumors of retirement, though I had no intention of letting my friend rest. New shoes were applied, new oil and fluids and over the river and through the woods to my father’s house I go.

The roads to my father’s house were all good! I could take any pass road into NV, however this trip I had new tires and wanted to get a good scrub so chose Carson Pass, by way of Fiddletown Rd and Shake Ridge Road. The new tires were splendid and following the advice I got here, I used the listed tire pressure on the sides of the tire and considered the additional weight since the bike was loaded. The ride was excellent.

A quick stop in Minden kept me from riding over Monitor Pass, I will simply have to go and visit my dad again riding Ebbetts to Monitor. Awwww, poor me.

Yerington, a very strange place to visit provided its usual form. My dad wasn’t home when I arrived so I was given the opportunity to “hang out” and wait. In the meantime, a Hispanic lad arrived to do some work, the neighbor who is dating my 82 year old father came for a visit with her little dog and I was instructed to pick some ever-ripening tomatoes. Hmmm, I mostly saw green.



My dad’s yard is lovely and I got some pix of the local foliage. When dad arrived home, a serious Martini was made and I got to my paperwork. Bills paid, and there aren’t many, new phone numbers entered into his phone and my work was complete. Dinner, a few more martinis, his not mine, and WWII stories abounded. It seemed I was revisiting my youth hearing the same tales, with some new embellishment. At 11:30 I threw in the towel and headed to bed, knowing before I could leave in the morning, I had to visit the bank and sign some papers.





I was up early, got the bike packed and ready made a necessary phone call to make a dr.’s appointment for Dad at the VA and we headed to the bank. The bank took nearly 1.5 hours and I was off to a late start. We said our goodbyes and I took Steve’s (Bosozoku) advice and headed for the Steens’s Mountains in southern Oregon.

Two different modes of transportation! At 82 he still drives this truck to Mexico! He is quite a dood!

I found this little guy stowaway in my bags...guess he wanted to go for a trip once again!!



Me and my Dad


From Fernly to Winnamucca I slabbed I80, with one interesting diversion. Imley, NV.

Now this place is just weird. Thunder Mountain, the earthly home of Rolling Thunder.



















To be continued as I am able...tis finally warm enough to go tour...this am 34 degrees in Burns!!

[deeayers]

Donna, glad you guys are feeling at home now. Love the pics from Imley. Agreed pretty strange but cool.

[demenshea]

Riding the wind...or so they say has a different meaning when riding In NV as you are truly riding the wind!

On I80 before exiting in Winnemucca, the wind was roaring, but couldn’t decide which direction it was going to blow. Right and then left, you would have to brace yourself for the blast crapshoot.

At the Hwy140 turnoff, I was beginning to rethink whether or not this was a good idea seeing no one in sight in any direction. I knew I had enough gas to get to Denio and that there “should” be gas available there.

Well, there was gas. $4.85 a gallon for mid-grade. Well worth thre price given the cowboy eye candy! And I was certainly an object of discussion. I felt like pasting a sign across my back, “no I am not riding with anyone.”

When I had explained myself for the final time, I remounted the Bandit and heading toward the Steens Mountains, but not without ample verbal warning. “When you reach Fields take the left fork, the right it full of sand, several miles worth and washboard”. I heeded the warning and headed to French Glen, bypassing the unpaved roadway.



















I found this great house for sale in French Glen. Hmmmm.....




When I got up in the night, I discovered that the Bandit had been out picking up the riff raff. Although a Stealth Weestrom was rather sexy!


The Steens Mountain Road from the north was all gravel but packed and well traveled. I rode several miles then decided that I truly needed to make Burns before dark, so doubled back and headed north. When I arrived, I grabbed a great steak at The Meat Hook and then headed for bed.

Morning met me at 37degrees.

[demenshea]

Since I seem to be a fixture in PDX presently, I thought i'd update my report.

After Burns, I headed back up to John Day, OR some of the best riding roads in OR. I toured the area, found some fantastic roads, some goat and some dirt and had a blast!!

When stopped to grab a bite outside of John Day, I met another tourer, who oddly enough I had met last year on the coast of OR as he and his wife were headed to Fortuna for the Sporttouring.net meet. This year one of their meets was in John Day, so here we were again!!! What a small world we motorcyclists are immersed in!

I spend the evening with the group there and had a great time sharing tour stories over a few drinks!

The following morning, I arose to discover my Bandito had been out tarting around again and this time went for the Italians!!

Here are the pix!

Forest Road 21 or Field Creek Road from Hwy 26 Gorgeous, but one lane with pull-outs




Bunny checks out the wild...




My Bandit and his sexy Italian!



More later!!

[Tyler]

Oh goodie... Donna's on another adventure... someone pass the popcorn!!

[pawprint2104]

Great ride, but it sounds like it was ch-ch-ch-chilly. 34 degress??! I like riding in the cold, but sheesh, girl!

I apologize for the following joke in poor taste:

Was that a wild hare up your a**. Just my poor attempt at channeling RoxxieRae. I haven't had a good chuckle, since PGR 2008. Where's Yikes when I need her??

[Black Eye]

Nice pics, thanks for sharing. Are those Pilot Road 2's your running on that bike, how are they?

How do they handle?
Hows the grip?
Hows the wear factor - mileage so far?

Thanks.
Luke

[Ally House]

Great post, Donna. I think we saw your bunnie's alter ego at Cape Meares. He did let us get really close, although this was telephoto a bit.

[demenshea]

Originally Posted by Black Eye

Nice pics, thanks for sharing. Are those Pilot Road 2's your running on that bike, how are they?

How do they handle?
Hows the grip?
Hows the wear factor - mileage so far?

Thanks.
Luke

Good eye Luke! They are indeed PR2s. I really haven't given them a good workout yet. Gary put them on the day before I left so I was a bit ginger over the summit as those were the first miles I put on them. Now they are ready for some serious testing! I'll let you know when I return from this run.

Thanks everyone for your comments. I will continue to post as the ride commences...once I get Bandito back on the road.

Love the bun, Ally!!

[Eryx]

Donna, why did you ever go and picked that bandit up? It is just too much of a treat to read your trip tales. Inevitably, I prefer the pic focused on the asphalt since this is all I can remember when I take a road. Somewhere, somehow there are flowers, rusted cars and dating dads, but without you, they would not be so real.
Blue skies,
~oSò
Eric