First Solo ride

[Stoker100]

Well I am off this coming Monday on my first solo long distance ride.
Here is the agenda:
Leave Monday at 2PM, spend the night in John day OR via hwy 395.
Spend the day in Hotel working, leave at 2PM and hit SLC via 26/I-84.
Spend 2 days in SLC for company training
Then Thursday leave at 2PM up 91/28/93 to spend the night in LoLo MT
Spend Friday in Hotel working.
Leave LoLo Friday bout 2PM and hit SEA via 12/95/195/26/260/24/243, to
I-90.
Be home friday night.
I will do some trip reports along the way!
Weather looks OK, NO SNOW!

Been MIA on the last couple rides, due to working on my boat, probably for the last time, I just don't enjoy it anymore, I'd rather ride!

larry

[AlaskaFish]

Nothing like a working trip on the Bike Larry. It's like you're getting paid to do what you love: Ride! Have a ball, but do watch out for the weather, it can change in a heartbeat!

John

[Stoker100]

Thx John,
How's 395 looking, any idea?
larry

[meese]

You can always check the ODOT Trip Check (http://www.tripcheck.com/Pages/RCmap.asp?curRegion=0&mainNav=RoadConditions) website for detailed info.

And the US Road Conditions (http://usroadconditions.com/) website will give you links to the other states.

Have a good ride.

[AlaskaFish]

Larry, Ken beat me to the answer to your question on 395! You should be able to get answers there. If you are looking at any california roads, CalTrans has a site for that state also:
http://www.dot.ca.gov/

John

[Stoker100]

sweet!
thx
larry

[reelman]

Larry,

Have a great time. We will be watching for your reports. Ride Safe!

Dan

[Stoker100]

Ride report

Day 1 left SEA 1:30, arrived John Day 7PM
Camera battery dead, so no pics. Bought charger, so will have pics of ride back.

395 to john day was awesome! Little gravel and a 50 or so deer, but dry pavement the whole way!
Was being cautious due to solo, but then a huge desiel truck passed me, so I used him as the deer deflector. The guy was crazy! Could barley keep up with him 100+ on straightaways. He definitley knew the road!
Thanked him when we got to john day.

Met Bill the map man in John Day!

Day 2
Left john day at 1:30, arrived SLC 10PM
Hwy 26 was a little wet and sandy on top, but once you got over the pass the road is very cool long curves in open terrain. Nice 85mph cruisin

I-84, boring intil past Pocetello, then flipin scary! Signs like Servere weather area, dust storms game migration! Got slammed with high winds and rain. Once in the hills sky cleared, road dry. Moon shone on snow covered hills/mountains, very cool.

STay in SLC until Thursday, then 95/93/12 back to SEA through LoLo

ld

[Stoker100]

Figured I'd better finish my trip so you wouldn't think I stayed in SLC. Left SLC about 2PM on 3/20 did 91 to Pocatello-Idaho Falls, then 28 to Salmon ID. I can tell you the Revit Gloves and the heated grips work good to about 30deg, then below that they start not working! 8 Deg over a pass on 28 to salmon ID! 3/21 left Salmon ID about 1PM took 93 to Lolo MT, then 12 over Lolo pass to Kooskia NICE ROAD! Took 13 to Grangeville, another nice road. from Grangeville took 95/195/26/260/17 to my place at Crescent Bar, by Quincy WA. 3/22 got up and took the canyon road by vantage and back roads to Roslyn, then I-90 home.
Total trip 2200mi, 9 passes, longest seat time at one time 11hrs.
Was really bummed when I drov in the drive way at home, was ready to turn around and do it again. The weather Gods were on my side. Only ran in to a little packed snow on road a couple of times, heavily sanded.
Thx
larry

[AlaskaFish]

Welcome back Larry! Sounds like you managed to skirt through the worst of the weather unscathed. I did notice quite a bit of road slush in one of your pics though. Hopefully you will have time to give the fat lady a good bath now that she's home, eh?

Happy to hear a positive report like yours after a decent ride.

John

[Sereman]

Larry: I wish I was as brave as you are. I'm amazed you chose the route you took...this time of year. So what is the secret of riding at 27 degress and below?

Best

AL

[Steve_R]

So what is the secret of riding at 27 degress and below?Stupidity?? :p Just kidding. Sounds like you had a good time Larry. I make my first for business runs on the bike this week.

[Stoker100]

8 deg was as cold as it got.
I did have alternate routes, but even those could have beed risky, so I'd probably vote for the stupidity rational as well!

When there was slush, there was usually a good path between. It was the packed snow that would have put the road out of reach if it wouldn't have been heavily sanded, it appears LTs don't do well on packed snow up hill :-)

One of the "issues" about the ride was the "worrying" about the weather on route, the other was the legal requirement of carrying chains.

Probably won't do this again this time of year, but it definitely was one of those challenges that I can now say "look what I did", and everyone says "what an idiot" under there breath.

Ask me if I care! NOT!

It was really fun!

I'm staying at Crescent bar thru the end of April. Will have the bike over in a couple of weeks. Would love to hook up with some of the eastern WA folks to go on some rides. Al, your only 3 hrs from me?

thx!
larry

[Steve_R]

Probably won't do this again this time of year, but it definitely was one of those challenges that I can now say "look what I did", and everyone says "what an idiot" under there breath.

Ask me if I care! NOT!

It was really fun!:thumb: Larry, you sound like my kind of guy. I hope to meet you on the road sometime.

[Stoker100]

Steve,
Are you going to CCR?
I'll be there.

If not maybe I could meet you 1/2 way!

larry

[AlaskaFish]

Larry, Steve will most certainly be at CCR! He is as addicted to them as we are, if not more so.

John

[Stoker100]

Yea, after I sent the note, I saw it on his signature!
larry