START HERE --

FOREWORD --

"Assholia" is the local nickname of Astoria, OR . . . also spelled "Asstoria."

We're going to try something different in blog format: Instead of a narrative "blog" thread arranged chronologically from newest, down the page to oldest, we're going to add commentary at the end of this singular entry. We'll date the entries, and separate them with a horizontal line in an attempt to make chronology more accessible to our readers.

Several days into this format, we've discovered that the narrative is organic and iterative. It grows and revises holistically as ideas coalesce. We're adding dates to the bottom end of the text, day by day. But we also go back through the copy and make revisions, reorganize, update. We've been deleting, changing photos, moving sections around. The up-side of all this is that you, my loyal reader, get to see the process of a work in progress.

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Jan. 24, 2013

ROAD TRIP --

This is a 2010 Harley Davidson Street Glide, FLHX -- set up for touring. Cruise Control, AM/FM/CD/MP3/WB stereo. I've added LED headlight and stop light, H-D Air Zeppelin pneumatic adjust saddle, 10" H-D WindSplitter windscreen, windshield pockets, fairing lowers, passenger grab rail, highway pegs. It's set up to tour -- miles and miles, day in, day out.

We've been talking about this ride now since last season. I never got around to it last season. This season we're going to go riding, come back to Assholia when I damn well please.

Basically we're heading out the Columbia River to The Dalles, south to LaPine, 31 and 140 to Denio Jct. NV, Winnemucca and then we're looking at "scenic routes" toward Tonopah, NV, Rachel, NV (Area 51 / Extraterrestrial Hwy), and then south, southwest toward Death Valley.

Although we could very well head northeast toward Elko, NV, Jackpot, NV, Twin Falls, Boise and back across Oregon.

But if we do Death Valley, we're headed toward Reno, then to the Pacific and up the coast back to Assholia.

It's all in flux.

More --

We looked at the H-D Ride Planner, heading from La Pine OR to Denio Jct and Winnemucca NV. This is a new route for me. I've never been, but I've blasted past Denio a couple times. On to Winnemucca. I want to see Winnemucca in the daylight. Last trip, 2011, I sailed through at about 1 AM, got gas, and looked for a roadside rest area (west on the Hwy toward Reno), to crash. I have photos --

OK -- From Winnemucca it's east to Battle Mt. and then south to Tonopah NV. According to the AAA map, this route from Battle Mt. is "scenic." I just discovered that AAA maps have scenic routes designated. That's nice, because I've never been there, and not sure what to look for.

Tonopah down to Beattie NV and then into Death Valley, another "scenic route" and work my way over to Las Vegas. I have ABSOLUTELY nothing in particular I want to see in Las Vegas -- I could stop and say "hi" to Pam & Hope . . .

But it's Vegas, and I get claustrophobic in the glitz. Hopefully I'll be able to run through on the highway and back out into the desert. Headed toward Pioche, Ely, some more "scenic" stuff and then work my way west into Reno.

From Reno, across CA to Redding, Eureka and then up the coast and back home. It's looking like about 3,000 miles -- more or less -- Come up the coast. When I get to Florence, OR I'm in very familiar territory. Actually, it's all familiar from Coos Bay.

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Friday, Jan. 25, 2013 --

We're pretty definite about a route from Assholia to Winnemucca, then Battle Mt. and south to Tonopah. But then we're tossed about heading to Rachel . . . Rachel is Area 51 and the "Extraterrestrial Hwy." but mostly it's a super, top-secret Air Force test site. This is also the area where they used to test atomic bombs, and Earth Google shows a lot of bomb craters. 160 miles from Tonopah to Ash Springs, NV -- the distance between gas stations. Range on my tank is 220 miles if I behave (keep it under 85 mph), and I have a dedicated 1 gal. spare container which fits precisely in the saddle bag, with a special, super secure cap to keep gas from getting into whatever else is packed away.

Gear --

Lindsey asked me once why I camped out rather than staying in a motel. "Because I can't hardly justify spending $$$ on a motel when I'm riding by myself."

And Lindsey says, "If you'd spring for a motel, you wouldn't be riding alone."

OK, but gear-wise I'm set up to camp. I have a 3 person tent which is roomy, and the same size packed up as my 2 person tent. Yes, as a matter of fact I have set it up in the dark. I got tired of hunting for the Therma-Rest pad all night, besides which it wasn't padding my hips, knees, and I'm getting too old for that. I'd wake up stiff and un-rested.

So I purchased an Intex, "double size" flock top air mattress. It's 8 1/2" deep, inflates off the ciggie-butt lighter on the bike. (Babe not included.)

This mattress seems to solve the "getting some sleep" problem. If the babe were included, we'd be back at square one . . . *LMAO*

I pack an iPad in the saddle bag, iPod in the windshield pockets. The iPad is large enough to search the web when I'm on the road. The iPod can be hooked up to charge while I'm riding, run the MP3 tunes "Rode Daze" playlist, and serves as a handy camera for getting digital evidence of just exactly what I've managed to get myself into.



Laundry --

I'm thinking maybe a month, six weeks, or more. I'm thinking probably I'll not be able to reasonably wear the same clothes over that period. I should pack two sets of clothes: One for wearing, one for washing up in whatever laundromat I can figure out. I expect I can rinse out stuff in the laundry tub at a laundromat, dry in the dryer. May very well be facilities for this at some campsite -- wash in the shower, hang on a line. (Death Valley area is Mojave Desert. I expect "line dry" is a viable option.)

Food --

Last serious ride through Nevada was all about looking for the Golden Arches (McDonalds) because it's fast, cheap, AND THEY HAVE WiFi!. I'd check my email, update the blog, chow down on an Angus Deluxe, (no mayo, 1700 mg. sodium, 750 calories, 60 carbs 35 grams fat -- maybe part of a caloric restricted daily intake of 2,000 calories), sit in a corner and charge up the iPod. Since that ride, I've learned that places like Fred Meyer (Kroger), Safeway, have a bit better selection in the deli (and WiFi).

I pack along a "six pack" padded cooler (Spirit Mt. Casino), and pick up fresh fruit, dried fruit, sometimes veggies like green peppers, carrots, "granola bars" (It's candy, high sugar.), dried Italian salami, and whatever else might pack well, not crush, not spoil.

I have never cooked on a ride, but I suppose I could if pressed. I just can't quite envision packing a small kitchen, heat source, pot/skillet, utensils -- and then cleaning up after. Much easier -- and somehow more literary -- to go with the "road trip diet"


David Bromberg - The New Lee Highway Lyrics

All through Northern Oregon
Always at my side
Sleepin in those narrow beds
And then we'd ride
Drinkin in those dirty bars
Keepin out of sight
Sleepin in that cold back seat
And then we'd ride

You know that Goddamned road seemed like it went forever
Exhaust fumes made our eyes turn red and swell
With our clothes stuck to the seat and to our bodies
It was a stinkin summer trip through southern hell
Eating carbonated crap
Churning up inside
Gas soaked service station johns
And then we'd ride

(fiddles chorus)

Silence in the front seat

Tryin not to start the fight
Quiet half-hid cryin'
And then we'd ride

You know you can grow to hate these crummy little one horse towns
With the seamy movie houses long closed down
No where to go from here but up or down that road
And nothin' over there but the same goddamned town

Another sour coffee cup
One more piece of cardboard pie
Buy a tooth brush and change of clothes
And then we'd ride



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Saturday, 26 Jan. 2013 --

DEATH VALLEY . . .

Death Valley is below sea level, also notorious for having recorded the highest reliably reported temperature in the history of the world, 134 F in 1913, at Badwater Basin. Maybe just coincidence, but having never been to Death Valley, ol' Badwater Basin is the first place on the map I've been looking at.

Zabriski Point is just north of Badwater Basin, on the north end of the Amargosa range.

Checking my iPod app, Badwater Basin is about 179 miles from Las Vegas. That means the idea of sort of "hanging out" in the Death Valley region and using Las Vegas as a "home base" is not going to work.

Shoshone, CA is 85 miles from Las Vegas, seems reasonably civilized. They have a gas station, post office. I'm betting I can find WiFi and a laundry.

Street view of Shoshone. I'm not seeing any Golden Arches. (No obvious WiFi locations.) When the sign says "pool" I'm thinking the table game, but in this area, it may be that hole in the ground full of water.

Shoshone NV and Pahrump, NV have gasoline. Pahrump has major highway intersections, "Golden Arches" (WiFi). Seems like anything in the Death Valley region is pretty much about 100 miles from anything else. Death Valley is Nat'l Park -- lots of national parks along the western border of Nevada -- Sequoia, Yosemite, Stanislaus, Lassen . . . So it looks like I'm good for a place to pitch a tent using my National Park Access Pass. Nevada is mostly "open range" which means being able to pitch a tent most on any open space along the highway.

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Reno --

I'm looking to bypass Reno, head along 395, 89 through Lassen Volcanic Nat'l Park, then 44 to Redding, 299 to Eureka, 101 up the coast. Last time I was near Reno they were having an antique and custom car hoopla whatever. The place was over-run. I want to stay out of the traffic, the city grids, freeways. It should be possible to travel decent paved highway and yet stay off the main aterials -- mostly scenic routes through national forest, rural areas.

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Now I'm looking up climate data for Death Valley. I can see a need to pack raingear, heated gear, leathers, warm weather gear -- and some serious on-board hydration. It's notoriously the hottest, driest, lowest elevation place on the North American continent. Time to ride would be just as soon as Burns/Denio/Winnemucca look like they're not freezing at night. Mid-March I'm guessing.

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Sunday, 27 Jan. 2013 --

Downloaded the app. "Intellicast HD" last night. This is a weather application, shows histories, futurecast, temp. precip. radar, satellite images. Covers the world and out to sea. Lots of nice features -- and it's FREE!

Harley-Davidson Ride Planner for the navigation -- I'm looking at coming north along the western edge of Nevada.

Basically the subduction zone of the continental plate and pacific plate creates "wrinkles" along the western Nevada border. Mostly, this region is Nat'l Forest, recreational area, nice scenic stuff.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geology_of_the_Death_Valley_area

The passive margin switched to active margin in the early-to-mid Mesozoic when the Farallon Plate under the Pacific Ocean started to dive below the North American Plate, creating a subduction zone; volcanoes and uplifting mountains were created as a result. Erosion over many millions of years created a relatively featureless plain. Stretching of the crust under western North America started around 16 Ma and is thought to be caused by upwelling from the subducted spreading-zone of the Farallon Plate. This process continues into the present and is thought to be responsible for creating the Basin and Range province. By 2 to 3 million years ago this province had spread to the Death Valley area, ripping it apart and creating Death Valley, Panamint Valley and surrounding ranges. These valleys partially filled with sediment and, during colder periods during the current ice age, with lakes. Lake Manly was the largest of these lakes; it filled Death Valley during each glacial period from 240,000 years ago to 10,000 years ago. By 10,500 years ago these lakes were increasingly cut off from glacial melt from the Sierra Nevada, starving them of water and concentrating salts and minerals. The desert environment seen today developed after these lakes dried up.


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Main article: Geology of the Death Valley area

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_Valley

Death Valley is one of the best geological examples of a basin and range configuration. It lies at the southern end of a geological trough known as Walker Lane, which runs north into Oregon. The valley is bisected by a right lateral strike slip fault system, represented by the Death Valley Fault and the Furnace Creek Fault. The eastern end of the left lateral Garlock Fault intersects the Death Valley Fault. Furnace Creek and the Amargosa River flow through the valley but eventually disappear into the sands of the valley floor.

Walker Lane --

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walker_Lane

The Walker Lane is a geologic trough roughly aligned with the California/Nevada border southward to where Death Valley intersects the Garlock Fault, a major left lateral, or sinistral, strike-slip fault. The north-northwest end of the Walker Lane is between Pyramid Lake in Nevada and California's Lassen Peak[1][2] where the Honey Lake Fault meets the transverse tectonic zone forming the southern boundary of the Modoc Plateau and Columbia Plateau provinces. The Walker Lane takes up 15 to 25 percent of the boundary motion between the Pacific Plate and the North American Plate, the other 75 percent being taken up by the San Andreas Fault system to the west.[3][4] The Walker Lane may represent an incipient major transform fault zone which could replace the San Andreas as the plate boundary in the future.[5]

The Walker Lane deformation belt accommodates nearly 12 mm/yr of dextral shear between the Sierra Nevada-Great Valley Block and North America.[6][7] The belt is characterized by the northwest-striking trans-current faults and co-evolutionary dip-slip faults formed as result of a spatially segregated displacement field.[8]
Eastern California shear zone

The eastern California shear zone is the portion of the Walker Lane that extends south from Owens Valley, and continues across and south of the Garlock Fault, across the Mojave Desert to the San Andreas Fault.[9]

I've figured out a "rural CA route" which follows Sierra Nevada range running west of the "Walker Lane" formation.

We'll ride north and parallel to Reno, then west to Redding, Eureka. Most of this route is in national forest, "study areas" or some sort of scenic preserve. Redding is just about precisely at the northern edge of the "Great Valley" formation.

Some moderate concern about where I might pitch a tent. I have Oregon state park permits, National permits. Nevada is mostly open range, and you can camp anywhere. I'm expecting I'll be able to find camping areas available in California. Push comes to shove, I'm willing to PAY (Gawd! forfend!) for a campsite. Part of the expenses, like food and fuel.
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I don't know how long this ride is going to be (take/last/endure/protract) . . .

Part of me envisions (Picaresque poetics here.) spending weeks and weeks and weeks on the road, a sort of idealized "vision quest" -- something of a literarily bent, metaphysical pilgrimage. Part of me frets about sleeping in tents, eating on the road, living in the same clothes for the duration.

Then there's the "golden mean" issue of taking the right amount of "stuff" -- not over packed, and not leaving too much behind. This is a Waldenesque/Thoreau, sort of allusion -- with some Kerouac tossed in to keep things contemporary.

Weather (whether) --

Death Valley can run 90F during the day in March, drop below freezing (not average, but possible) at night. Burns, Winnemucca can get into the freezing temps at night. That means packing the "electric underwear" (H-D Gerbing heated pants, jacket liner). Raingear is a no brainer -- "better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it."

The freezing temps aren't a concern for me; it's the frost/ice on the highway. Nothing quite like finding a slick patch on the road w/ a 900 lb. Harley.

Last tour of Nevada (2011), in August, I was riding w/ full leathers (chaps, jacket, gloves, boots) in 100F heat. I was fine so long as I was moving. Stopping was tolerable, but I didn't want to stop and "take a break" in the heat. The breaks were taken in air conditioned restaurants/gas stops. (Seems gas stops these days are like "truck stops" -- food, notions, gas, WiFi, restrooms. In Nevada, they usually have slot machines . . . )

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Monday, 28 Jan. 2013 --

Spending time now researching Death Valley, locating camping areas along the route. Open range in Nevada, we can mostly camp at the side of the road out in the midst of no where. California route is national forest from Death Valley to Eureka and up the coast to Oregon. Seemingly the "primitive camps" available for free are located off the paved roads. iPod Maps is not showing me a lot of campsites -- mostly commercial RV parks.

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Thursday, 31 Jan. 2013 --

Some reflection here, reconsideration, reassessment . . .

Looking at Death Valley, camping access, and some of the other places I've never been and want to casually hang out in, I'm considering leaving the Harley at home and taking the truck instead.

2005 Ford Ranger XLT, extended "Super Cab", 4WD, 16" wheels rather than the standard 15" wheels, V-6 3 litre, 182 in. engine, AC -- AC being a very nice thing to have in Death Valley. I'm thinking mostly that I'd be able to have wider wardrobe options, able to park and go into maybe a Casino in Las Vegas or Reno, able to lock up the rig and leave it parked somewhere without feeling like I need to keep an eye on it. I'd be able to hike around in the woods, head out on the gravel roads around Area 51 (Rachel, NV), pack a small kitchen, full-size cooler, not be required to pitch a tent every night. I could likely stay out on the road longer. It'd be easier to "persevere" the inevitable "road rigors" -- more comfortable, more spacious, more amenities, less work.

Yeah, I think probably the truck is a good idea. Easily worth the added expense in fuel. I'm thinking $450 for truck fuel -- 3,000 miles / 19 mpg @ $3.50 gallon.

Bike would be maybe half that amount. I'm estimating $280 at 40 mpg. The bike has less than half the amenities. It'd be nice to have the amenities, probably a LOT better diet, and more or less the cost of a couple nights in a motel. (I don't stay in motels, but it's a good measure of what expenses on the road are about.)

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And so . . . for a whole lot of pretty obvious reasons . . . I need to start getting in shape. If I want to hike in Death Valley (Motivation motivation . . . ) I need to shed some pounds. I'd feel better, get the blood sugar levels down. Doc is on me about blood sugar, A1C, cholesterol. Hopefully HOPEFULLY now that I'm off the meds that were making feel like ick, I'll be able to expend some energy toward walking, getting fit, losing some weight.

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Friday, 1 Feb. 2013 --

Today we got a break in the weather. I called Paradise Harley-Davidson to see about getting the warranty work done on my primary drive. Compensator sprocket needs replacement. Evidently there's a design fault in these. The compensator sprocket , as I understand it, which is on the margin of nil -- is a mechanism on the end of the crankshaft that absorbs shock between the engine and the transmission. So like when you hammer on the throttle, the acceleration and all the drag in the drive train -- transmission, primary drive, secondary drive belt, wheels, tires, and 900 lbs of bike, a fat assed rider -- doesn't get hammered back to the drive shaft and the engine. Don't ask me how. I looked at the assembly, the mechanic showed me the parts, explained it, but basically it seems like some sort of a slip clutch rig. I don't know. I'm not into "wrenching." I'm into riding.

Harley has improved, re-engineered the design. Apparently the weakness in the design has been fixed. I got a new compensator on my extended warranty, AND the shop billed it to the same work order as for my brake rotors -- saving me the $50 deductible

I can't believe I didn't get arrested riding today. Backing up a bit here . . . at 9:59 AM I called the shop to see if they could squeeze me in today. It's a two-hour, two-and-one-half-hour ride in, if all goes well. I was all checked out -- check tire pressure, suspension pressure, oil levels -- when I called the shop, got an OK and pulled on the riding gear -- heated pants/jacket (The pants are a major hassle to get on and buttoned up) boots are a hassle with the pants on, polar fleece, some long-johns, leather jacket, helmet, balaclava (head warmer), gloves, dark glasses, swap out from the clear to the smoked "sun" visor on the helmet. It's heavy, bulky, and HOT if you're not riding.

Damn bike won't start -- nothing, except the "theft detection lights" keep flashing.

Call the shop. Darin says to check the key fob, which has a sensor. Check the spare fob. Open them up, clean them out if needed. They're clean; looks like dead batteries. So that's a 20 mile drive in the truck into town for lithium ion batteries, two of them at $4.49 each. But mostly, the errand takes an hour, half hour to figure out I need the batteries. AND, I'm wearing the long-johns, polar fleece, heated gear . . . bulky and HOT.

OK, that fixed, an hour-and-a-half gone, I'm on the road and want to make some time. Naturally road crews are out clearing trees along the highway. Flaggers, long lines of stopped cars/trucks with the flaggers. It's unlawful, but I roll past the line and up to the head of things, in front of everyone else. No place to pass on this highway, I'll be damned if I'm going to work at passing a dozen cars/trucks that are pulling away from having been stopped for road work. I rolled to the front of the line twice. Each time the traffic behind me put up with it, and faded far behind me when we started again down the road. I don't feel guilty.

Then the freeway in Longview. Three lanes, speed limit is 70 MPH. Everyone drives at about 80 or 85. And inevitably, there's some turd in the passing lane (It's marked for passing, and you can get cited for being a drone in it.) driving at about 60 MPH and absolutely clueless. Commercial trucks tend to spend the day passing each other and obstructing the flow in the center and right lanes.

Today I was weaving in and out, all three lanes, accelerating and threading some pretty tight spaces between vehicles and lanes. I watched the needle on the speedometer touch 105, 110 a couple times. Most of the time it was 85, 90.

I look for the constabulary, but these days in Washougal they have a very sneaky looking un-marked Chevy Silverado, with a contractor's tool box in the rear bed, and the blue flashing lights hidden in the interior. I saw this rig on the other side of the freeway today. The speed limit in this stretch slows to 60 and the police tag drivers a lot. I see two or three people pulled over every time I drive this stretch.

Same situation on the ride home, in Friday rush-hour traffic and everyone headed to the beach on Hwy 26, which is two lane most of the way and 55 MPH The passing lanes are marked "slower traffic keep right," and drivers figure if they're passing someone doing 50 MPH, and they're doing 55 MPH, that they're not "slower traffic" . . . even though they have a motorcycle on their ass doing 85 MPH. Threaded a lot of tight gaps on that one, in the passing lane areas, on wide sweeping curves at 85 MPH, which is interesting as hell. Not at all pushing the bike to the edge, just riding 30 MPH over the speed limit.

Did I mention that it's Friday PM and this is traffic headed to the coast because the weather is nice and it's Sooper Bowl Weekend? Yeah, suburbanites in mini-vans, with the wife and kiddies. The kiddies in the "cage" (Motorcyclist speak for a four wheel, enclosed vehicle) are watching cartoon DVD's in the back. Mom is texting on her iPod tablet. Dad can't hardly believe, "That god damned motorcyclist maniac just squeezed between us and the van we're passing; he's doing 95 MPH ! ! !"

All in all a decent enough ride. Hadn't been on the bike in a month and it was good to get out, 250 miles more or less to the shop and return. I managed to get out of the Coast Range -- with snow on the shoulders and patches of wet which might turn to ice if the temps drop -- get out before it got dark. Much safer to ride on marginal roads when it's light out and you can see the pavement.

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That said, the truck for Death Valley is making more and more sense to me. I mean, I'd be able to hike around, not have to watch the bike, or dress for riding. The Ranger has AC, cruise control, a nice sound system, is quieter, less physical exertion to drive over the long haul. The truck is 4WD. Death Valley points of interest are on the unimproved roads. Yeah the truck makes a lot of sense. I can ride the bike on day-rides, over-nighters. Save the month long road trip for the truck.

Also, I paid off the Billy Goat brush mower and my expenses are way down right now. That means I have extra $cratch to spend on a road-trip. Today I'm watching my carb intake, calories. I need to get some exercise, which will bring my blood-sugar (Diabetes Type 2) under control without meds. That's the plan . . .

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17 Feb. 2013 --

BACK AT IT

A couple long rides on the Harley and I'm thinking long rides on the bike are a nice concept. That said, I like the idea of having the truck in Death Valley . . . Room to live, options to hike, cook, explore. Options to leave the truck parked and head out, dressed in hiking gear, boots, hydration, food stores, GPS, etc.

Wednesday, 13 Feb. the weather cleared and I decided to run the bike north, up Hwy. 101 along the WA coast. I'd been looking at Forks, WA / Port Angeles. The round-trip is about 500 miles and once past Aberdeen, you're committed to a 285 mile loop heading north, to Forks, Port Angeles, Quilcene and around Hoods Canal to Olympia.



Aberdeen to Port Angeles is 165 miles. 120 miles from Port Angeles to Olympia. Aberdeen to Olympia mileage is 50 miles. So if we decide/commit to the "loop" it's a 235 mile ride, pretty much doubles the mileage for a ride up the WA coast, over to I-5 and back down to Longview, then Astoria.

We started this ride at 4 PM -- arriving back in Asstoria (sic) about 4:30 AM.

Valentine's Day proved stormy, wet, but we headed out again on Friday, 15 Feb. --

Initially this was going to be a ride to Paradise Harley in PDX. But then it got sunny and warm (60F) and so we decided about the I-205 exit to head south at least to Salem, then Eugene. We would have continued to Cottage Grove, Drain, Reedsport -- or even Roseburg/Coos Bay, but it started clouding up and sprinkling in the Willamette Valley. Once over to the coast it cleared again. This was a strange weather trough coming up from the south in the Valley, missing the coast.

I got stuck in drizz north of Lincoln City. Lots of thick fog, drizz, poor visibility.

Taking my time, this ride was 470 miles. I got in about 2 AM. Everything is working perfectly, except I'm getting some sciatica in the left hip. I think probably some exercise, conditioning, stretching is going to remedy this issue. We're working on it.

My Harley jacket broke the main zipper. I wore my "bomber jacket" from about 1988. It's OK, but not black, and not the motorcycle jacket that the motorcycle jacket is. We're going to have the zipper repaired by the guy who does leather in Vernonia.

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Monday, 18 Feb. 2013 --

V & V Leather in Vernonia can replace my broken zipper while I wait. $70 standard charge, maybe less because I've already removed the old zip and the threads. The coat is ready to sew in a new one. They use BRASS. I commented, "The zipper they had in the jacket originally was pretty puny. I've seen heavier zippers on a negligee."

So at Paradise Harley-Davidson in town (Technically it's Tigard, OR.) I called Langlitz Leather about used jackets. Used Langlitz run from $400 to $900. Paradise had an "El Camino" classic style in my size for $450.



I like this photo because it's a used jacket. This model is vented front and back (vertical zips), has a liner, lots of nice pockets, front coin purse pocket -- where I can stow my gas/credit card so I can refuel without unzipping. Heavier brass zippers, dedicated pocket for MP3, velcro tabs for the ear buds. What's funny is that it's "pre-distressed" and looks like it's 10 yrs old. Classic "bomber jacket" style.

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In other news, I'm into Week Two of the fitness routine. I've been walking 2 miles/day, along with some heavy yard work. It's beginning to make a difference in the way I feel. I think also, cutting out wheat/gluten, alcohol, caffeine is helping. I have a blog tracking all this progress --

I should probably link this blog to that blog too . . .

Allison Wunderland's Walk Your Butt Off Blogzilla

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Tuesday, 19 Feb. 2013 --

Now we're wrestling with the idea of another pair of binoculars. Big 5 has a sale on Redfield Renegade, 10 X 50 WATERPROOF for $119. That's about $50 under MSRP. I have Nikon 8 X 32 waterproof. Some old cheapie 7 X 50, some 7 X 35 from mom's birdwatching days -- probably Bushnell, and a pair of compact, I think they're probably 10 X 25. Add to this a 60x spotting scope. It's not like I don't have options. Mostly I don't hardly ever use them. But I owned a pair of Bushnell 10 X 50 waterproof which were stolen by Retriever Towing after my Yaris got whacked.

Not like I can't afford another pair . . . And it might serve as more impetus to get off my butt and rediscover the outdoors around here. If I'm headed to Death Valley . . . in the truck . . . it'd be nice to have a pair of 10 X 50 WATERPROOF.

We managed to get out and walk today, 2 miles. Tomorrow I head to V & V Leather in Vernonia, OR to get my zipper fixed in my H-D jacket. Getting fit is a good plan. Getting fit for this trip is going to make it more enjoyable.

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Wednesday, 20 Feb. 2013

60 miles to Vernonia. I got on the road at about 7 AM. Byron & Debbie opened early for me so Byron could work on my jacket without customers interrupting. Perfect heavy brass zipper, set in the jacket with the teeth area exposed on the zip as a contract to the black leather. Very nice looking. Setting the zipper like this keep the teeth from biting into the leather hem on the jacket.

Also found a nice buckle. V & V Leather is "old school biker" -- Lot's of leather, repairs, buckles, belts, knife sheaths, holsters, leather suspenders like horse tack, wallets, vests, jackets, knives, vest patches, vest pins. All the kewl biker stuff for the Billy BadAss regalia.

Here's my belt:



I picked up a nice pair of gauntlets too. Wrist straps, rivet snaps, lightweight but with cuffs over the jacket sleeve. That keeps out the drafts.

About 300 Roosevelt Elk out at the Reserve by Jewell on Hwy 47.

Frosty this morning, raining by noon. I took the truck.

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Friday, 1 March, 2013 --

I've been away . . .



It's a Lyle Gun, used to shoot rescue lines to ships. 28" barrel length, 2 1/2" bore dia., about 200 lbs. Built by Sculler Safety Corp. in New York about 1940. I fired it. 1/2 lb. of Pyrodex, 5 pages of newspaper wadding. Shock wave from the report disconnected the signal on my portable (not cellular) phone.

I've been waiting for the weather to clear up so I can do some riding. The 500 mile day trips from the Feb. 17 post were great. Weather has been wet. Wet doesn't make it.

We passed on the binoculars, picked up a CRKT knife, ordered four more from Smoky Mt. Knife Works. Those should arrive tomorrow, or Monday for sure. (Bored as hell here!)

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Tossed between taking the truck and riding the bike. Current plan is to do both -- Death Valley tour, hiking expedition in the truck, Nevada ride out to Rachel, out around Tonopah, NV, Area 51. Although when it comes to riding the bike, a run out along the Colombian (sic) River, The Dalles, LaPine OR, Paisley, OR on Hwy. 31 to Denio Jct. NV, Winnemucca, Elko, Boise, Baker City, Heppner, etc.


Heppner, OR --



There's a magnetic sort of attraction to Nevada. It's the desert climate, the geology, history. I can do several days of that on a bike, riding and looking, not hiking.

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Sunday, 3 March, 2013

Now comes the inevitable dilemma: Figuring the cost of a road trip, the effort required to live on the road and comparing that to having a house, hot water, showers, a place to cook, refrigerator . . . AND I could spend the $$$ on really cool Vance & Hines custom exhaust for the bike.





It's 85F today in Death Valley, CA.-- dropping down to about 55F at night. This is the time to go! Jump in the truck and head out! It's a thousand miles one way or the other, more or less direct route. I'd head down 97 east of the Cascades, just because it's better scenery for me than I-5.

Part of me is saying let's go. Part of me is saying I need more time to plan. (What's this blog been doing now for since it got started more than a month ago ???

God damn those are good looking pipes . . . ceramic black, Vance & Hines . . . They'd look nice along side the Lyle Gun in the garage . . . And I could be sleeping in my own bed, cooking in my own kitchen . . .

-- I'm hopeless. Lindsey talks about "getting out of your comfort zone" . . . but it's sooooooo damned comfortable!

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Sunday, 10 March 2013 --

Three days of sunny weather (First since October 8) and so Friday I rode into Paradise H-D, got a bid on pipes, installation, tuning, etc. -- $2,055.80. This for Vance & Hines power duals, black, like listed above. I looked at American Custom. They send you a catless header, you install and send them your header in exchange. That runs about $200, but the exhaust still need to be tuned, buy a tuner at $495, and then $95/hr in labor for tuning. The bike runs fine the way it's set up.

Friday I left Paradise H-D about 4 PM, down I-5 to Wilsonville for gas and then south to whatever turns up. Ended up in Albany, Hwy 34 into Corvallis, Philomath, Newport. Hwy 34 is epically winding, twisting. Weather was perfect, until it got dark and the temps started to drop. The bank sign in Tillamook said 37F at about 11 PM. I drank too much caffeine, right wrist got painfully stiff and sore from managing the throttle. Heated pants and jacket work well. The face shield is OK if I leave a notch open position so it doesn't fog up. I looked at goggles in Paradise, they don't fit over my dark glasses.

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And so now it's going on mid-March, Daylight Savings today. I should think about Death Valley. Thursday forecast for Death Valley is 98F during the day, 66F at night. I have appointments in two weeks -- dental and mental. *LMAO*

Probably not going to spend $2,055 on pipes, need to pay off the Lyle Gun -- easy peasy. Hard to believe it's pushing 100F during the day. Right now it's raining in Assholia, and moderately bleak/cold/damp. I'm having a hard time realizing that I could drive south 1010 miles and be out in the HOT desert -- 19 hrs. 14 min. according to iPad Maps.



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WEATHER WINDOW / WHETHER WINDOW --

Low temps in Burns, OR / Winnemucca, NV are dropping into the low 20's F, even down to 18 F. High temps in Death Valley are running into the 90 F range, last week they reached 100 F. See the discussion above for a rationale why I should take a truck and not a motorcycle on this trip. I think about just heading to Death Valley in the truck, direct route down I-5, skip the east side of the Cascades, the freezing temps. Even Reno is dropping into the freezing at night.

Somewhere in the midst of all this I figured out gas cost for the truck: 20 MPG, and gas at $3.65/gal. I figure 2,000 miles and in round numbers about $365.00 for gas. Not absurd, not out of control. Maybe when I get past the appointments on March 25, I should head south.

The other option I think about is heading into the Deschutes and fly fishing. Early in the year, but it would be good to get back at it. Wet fly at the favored holes, scope out some stuff I've never fished before, pack the rifles.



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Now it's February 6, 2014 -- I forgot I had this blog going . . . and about 20 min. to figure out how to edit to the end of the existing post.

It's currently snowing in Asstoria --

It never snows at the beach!

About two weeks ago, 11 AM, I got on the bike and headed south. At 5 PM I was in Florence. The bank sign was saying 60F. I kept heading south, Coos Bay, Gold Beach, Brookings about 8 PM. Brookings is maybe 4 miles from the CA border. It got cold when the sun went down, but I have "electric underwear" and so we're good down to about 36F.

199 from Hwy 101 in to Cave Jct. and Grants Pass is hairy! Narrow, winding, twisting, and dark -- I-5 from Grants Pass was cold, nasty, frosty. 29F coming through Clatskanie. Took me 2 1/2 hours to ride the 55 slick, frosty miles from Longview to Astoria. 825 miles all told, got home about 7 AM -- freezing cold! Hands and feet got pretty numb.




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