“....it’s about the journey, not the destination...”

US 59 south going towards US 34 that would take me east. Notice the clouds!

     Sometimes you can’t help what you can’t help. When the mechanic at BMW Motorcycles of Omaha was putting the new tires on my bike he found several other problems. As a result I didn’t leave Omaha until 12:30. This meant that I would have to ride through the worst of the heat in the afternoon. One of the big incentives for me to get going was that from 2pm on there was a severe thunderstorm watch for Omaha. I wanted to get east and see if I could get beyond the storms. 

The "main street" of the town of Hancock Iowa an a hot June day.

     One of the strategies that I learned to deal with extreme heat was in Rider Magazine, in my opinion the best magazine for the touring motorcyclist, a number of years ago. The author was an assistant editor of the magazine I think. Anyway, he lived in Arizona and what riders there did in the extreme heat was to carry a water bottle or canteen with them. As they rode, when they got too hot they would douse themselves with water. This would cool them off temporarily. What I did today was to buy two water bottles when I filled up with gas. Then I drank one bottle, the other was for my shirt. I took my shirt off, laid it on the cement, then poured the other bottle of water all over my shirt. Then I put the soaking wet shirt on and started to ride. Very refreshing! My wife could tell you a story about a ride we took to Ocean City New Jersey and how I got her to try this technique on the very hot ride home. As  gentleman I won't go into any details!

Late in the afternoon on US 34 riding east. Notice the clouds are broken up. I had ridden beyond the thunderstorms. 

     Although I wanted to get to the motel to get out of the heat today was still about the journey. The heat, and thunderstorms, are part of the journey. They have a HUGE impact on the journey. I pushed it; no stopping to read along the way. By the time I reached Mound Pleasant Iowa it was 6:30pm. I checked into the motel (aaaahhhhh air conditioning!!!!) 

Suzzie bartender at Keo's in Mount Pleasant Iowa.

     I looked on my phone for restaurants where I could get a steak and found Keo's Grill and Back Bar on Jefferson Street in Mount Pleasant. A 6 minute ride later I was parking right near a beautiful park in the middle of Mount Pleasant, and just down the street was Keo's. I went in and was told I could seat myself. I sat in the back, ordered a very nice NY steak dinner with a tossed salad and grilled asparagus. The woman who waited on me was named Suzzie. Once again what makes this traveling so great is the people you meet. Suzzie and I talked off and on for probably 45 minutes. She has three children, two daughters and a son. I told her about my daughters and we generally had a very nice conversation. She is one of the nicest, most genuine people I've met on the trip.

     After dinner I got to ride back to the motel in the dark for the first time on the trip. I actually enjoyed it. I finished up my entry into the blog for today and posted it. Tomorrow Logansport Indiana. To be honest I'm really getting excited about getting home!

“…its about the journey, not the destination…”

Fields along US 20 just outside of Valentine Nebraska.

     As I got ready for this trip I found that I couldn’t get my mind around the trip. I planned the trip to Fairbanks, and then just had a general idea of where I wanted to go. Then from Fairbanks I planned the trip as I went. Yesterday as I was riding to Valentine Nebraska I realized I finally had my head around the trip. Today Omaha; tomorrow Iowa; Sunday Indiana; Monday Ohio; home Tuesday. 

This land was largely for grazing cattle. Soon the land I passed would be all corn! 

     Today there was a sad moment. I turned off US 20 after Inman Nebraska and headed down towards Omaha Nebraska. I had been on US 20 off and on since Burns Oregon. A great road, a great route. Now I will look for a road, perhaps route 92 or 34 across Iowa. The fun is that you pass through neat towns, like Beemer, where you can find local restaurants that the locals use. You can generally run at 65 or 70 mph, with little traffic. This really enhances the trip. 

Decided to take a break after filling up with gas in Neligh Nebraska. I found a table near a stream in the city park.

     Lunch in Beemer Nebraska (how could I resist?) at the Beemer Cafe.  Mary, the proprietor, is a very pleasant lady who spent some time explaining some of the history of Beemer, and that they had recently has such a bad rain storm the the road had been closed. Glad I didn’t pass through then! 

My Beemer in front of the Beemer Cafe in Beemer Nebraska ( no kidding!).

     Arrived in Omaha by 2:30pm. Checked into my motel, unloaded the bike, and then drove to the BMW dealer. Once there I set up having new tires put on the bike. Then a taxi back to the motel. Hopefully the bike will be ready fairly early in the  morning. Then off and away to Mount Pleasant Iowa, about 253 miles east. 

     

“…its about the journey, not the destination…”

Along I25 east of Casper Wyoming.

     I rolled out of Casper at 7:45am on Interstate 25. There was some construction, but after I cleared the construction the speed limit increased to 80. Of course what this means is that most of the traffic is moving at 85 or 90. Generally speaking I am not comfortable running at a speed greater that 70 or 75. I have my moments where I go faster, usually when passing traffic. I’ve found I can cover plenty of ground at 70. As you go faster you have less time to react if something happens in front of you. I know this is a matter of personal preference, but another advantage of running 5mph above the posted limit is that you don’t have any negative encounters with the local sheriff. Knock on wood I have’t had any issues in this area, and I’ve still managed to cover around 9,000 miles on the trip in a little less than 4 weeks. I just hope my luck continues!

After getting off I25 US20 took me away from civilization

     After around 60 miles on I25 I took the exit for US 20 towards Lusk. Quickly I was in the middle of nowhere, riding through rolling countryside with few people and fewer towns. It occurred to me that I was right where I liked to be when I went riding. Cruising along with little traffic. The route takes me through little towns, which makes the ride more interesting. I don’t want to go where everyone is going. I want to explore the forgotten corners. I passed a town called Lost Springs Wyoming, population 4! My kind of place!

The Antelope Creek Cafe in Gordon Nebraska.

     After a GREAT lunch at the Antelope Creek Cafe in Gordon Nebraska I rode east towards Valentine Nebraska. I had about 90 miles to go, so I planned to stop in an hour for a break as the temperature had risen into the low 90s. About 60 miles later I pulled into Cody Nebraska and found the town park. I spent a nice quiet hour under a tree at a picnic bench, then on to Valentine. 

"Downtown" Cody Nebraska.

     The final 36 miles or so into Valentine were very interesting. The topography of the land felt like I was riding through a giant golf course that had closed and had become overgrown. The ground had rolling hills, dotted with high level areas, often with places that looked like unkempt sand traps near them. It was weird. There were some cattle grazing here and there, but largely it was empty. 

Read the sign!

     I pulled into Valentine, filled up with gas, and then checked into my motel to get out of the heat. This Super 8 has washers and dryers for guests to use so I'm getting my laundry done as I type this. The last time I do laundry until I get home. I just talked to my wife and she said "...guess who is in charge of doing the laundry from now on?" Oops!

This is outside the American Legion in Gordon Nebraska.

“,,,its about the journey, not the destination…”

As I ride towards the Grand Tetons...

     What a beautiful day! Literally not a cloud in the sky, and temperatures in the high 50s. The ride from Rexburg Idaho towards Casper Wyoming started out through agricultural land and small towns that were really at the foot of the Grand Tetons. I passed through several small towns as I rode towards the mountains. When I reached the mountains the road started to climb dramatically, signs said 10% grades. There were a series of 25 mph curves and then we passed through Teton Pass. It was clear by several signs that stated if their lights were flashing then you couldn’t get to Jackson. 

That is the road down there. At the bottom is where traffic started to back up.

     Jackson itself was real touristy. Route 26 out of Jackson ran right along next to the Grand Tetons. Beautiful. However I encountered something I hadn’t seen or been involved in since Toronto. Traffic. A steady line as the road out of Jackson was the route to Yellowstone Park. When the traffic made a left turn onto route 89 I was finally free of the traffic. 

The Grand Tetons along the road leaving Jackson.

     As I rode away from the crowd I glanced in my rear view mirror and I saw what people going in the opposite way were going towards. Wow. A very scenic run to Dubois for gas and lunch. 

Dramatic views of the landscape.

     

     As I rode towards Casper it got hotter. I stopped to take the picture above and checked my rear tire. I don't think its going to make it home. As a result the afternoon, after I arrived at the motel, was devoted to finding a BMW dealer on the route, which there wasn't. However there is one in Omaha Nebraska. I then called them, made sure they had tires in stock, and set up an appointment to get the tires on Saturday the 30th. Then I looked at my itinerary and made some adjustments. In the evening I went to a neat diner in Casper called Johnny J's Diner. Really good fried chicken, and GREAT milkshakes! What a treat!

Johnny J's Diner; great food and a great atmosphere!

“…its about the journey, not the destination…”

Just a thought…when I got up this morning I reflected on the fact that the “fastest” way to get somewhere has never been a factor. The ride this morning from Ontario Oregon to Rexburg Idaho would be faster if I used the interstate highway. However i’m going to stay on US 20 across Idaho to Rexburg. Not worrying about what is fastest makes this a more enjoyable trip. I go out to breakfast at a local restaurant rather than the “free” breakfast at the motel, I stop when I want, have lunch when and where I want, as often as possible at an unique place like the Oasis Cafe yesterday. It really doesn’t matter what time I arrive at the motel, simply because I’m not in a hurry. Its very liberating. 

Meechan’s Brig Haus Grill in Payette Idaho.

     I looked on the iPad for breakfast places and found Meechan’s Brig Haus Grill in Payette Idaho, which was 12 minutes away. What a GREAT decision. I had a really good breakfast, and talked to a number of guys about motorcycles! The first one was Larry Phelps. He was on his way to the men’s room and stopped by my  table on the way to talk. 20 minutes later he still hadn’t gotten to the men’s room! Larry is planning a TWO MONTH trip east with the goal of seeing Nova Scotia. I suggested Prince Edward Island and the Gaspe’ Peninsula might also interest him. He rides a Goldwing Trike and pulls a camping trailer. Two bikes are going along with him. 

Tracy is on the left and Larry is on the right.

     After breakfast I went outside and there was Larry looking at my bike. He is seriously considering buying one and I extolled the virtues of my R1150GS. As we spoke another of his friends, named Tracy Laufer, walked up and joined the conversation. Over the next 1/2 hour or so several other guys walked up and joined us. These were guys, like me, that REALLY loved motorcycling! After about 45 minutes we said good bye, with me giving Larry my number and an invitation to call me if they come near Delaware. On the road at the crack of 9:45!

You can see the road twist as it climbed up into the mountains.

     Once again a spectacular day of motorcycling. The scenery was dramatic and captivating. At times the road was twisty, particularly before lunch. I took several pictures trying to capture the panorama but I just can't seem to capture the depth and breath of the country I am passing through. 

My bike sitting out front of the Soldier Creek Brewing Company.

     By 1pm I decided to stop for lunch. The next town was Fairfield Idaho,  out in the  middle of nowhere. By this time you could see a change in the ecosystem. I started seeing grass growing along the side of the road, and the mountains ahead began to have green on them. As I rode by Fairfield I didn't see a restaurant that attracted me. Then I decided to turn down the main street of the town, which was about 3 blocks long. Outside of a pub called the Soldier Creek Brewing Company a guy was sitting at a table drinking a bud from the bottle. I asked him if this was a good place to eat and he said, "...yeah." I parked and went inside. Another neat place. I had a great  turkey on  pita bread, and a glass of water. The service was excellent and the waitress was very pleasant. Often if you want to find the place where the locals eat just ride down the main street. Usually the best restaurants are there. 

     Another surprise of the day awaited as I left Fairfield. I rode into a bizarre landscape called the craters of the moon. Created by volcanic eruptions they stretch for quite a ways. The volcanic rock is mostly black and it does look otherworldly. After this the road really straightened out for the next 60 miles or so to Idaho Falls. From there I took a left and rode up to Rexburg Idaho. Tomorrow on to Casper Wyoming. 

“…its about the journey, not the destination..”

The One Street Down Cafe, a great place to have breakfast in Redmond Oregon.

     I left Redmond after a great breakfast at the One Street Down Cafe. Really neat place! To be honest I was really ready to get on the road. Today I would make the left turn that would start the journey home in earnest. I spoke with my wife this morning and she reminded me that one week from today I would be riding to Ohio. The next day I would ride from there home. A week left.

The Millican Store in Millican Oregon. Another victim of the Oregon badlands.

     The trip today was on US 20 across what a sign in Oregon called Oregon’s Badlands. A look at the pictures shows why this is true. Truly desolate land, but in some places, with a great deal of irrigation, there were some crops being raised. 

     I stopped at a rest area about 78 miles east of Redmond. There was a historical marker there explaining that that area had been home to a Native American tribe called the Burns Paiute. Encroachment by American expansion had created conflict with these people, and President Grant in the 1870s had created a reservation for them in that area. Continuing conflict resulted in a war, after which the Burns Paiutes were pushed onto another reservation. Expansion continued and even that land was taken from them. The result was the native people suffered terribly, many on the brink of starvation. This area continues as a depressed area economically. Not a pretty story. 

The Oasis Cafe in Juntura Oregon.

     Lunch was at the Oasis Cafe in Juntura Oregon, which was about 2/3 of the way across the badlands. I had an excellent turkey sandwich and some of the best macaroni salad ever. From here to Ontario Oregon the road was great. Although the temperature climbed into the lower 90s by the time I reached Ontario, the road twisted and turned and provided some great motorcycling. I lost an hour as I passed into the Mountain Timezone, so I pulled into the motel around 4pm. Nap, dinner, back to finish the blog. Just another typical day. 😎

A good lunch, then back into the badlands. 

“…its about the journey, not the destination…”

Riding along US 2 and US 97.

     Logistics…one of the most difficult factors in motorcycle touring is heat. When its cold you can use heated vests, jackets, gloves, grips to stay comfortable. In the extreme heat you can  only take off so much clothing. What you have to do is stop more often, maybe 100 miles. Drink a bottle of water at each stop. Put on sunscreen several times during the day. If you can get your riding done as early as practical. The hottest part of the day is in the late afternoon. Get the bulk of your riding done before late afternoon. That way you can stop more often when the heat is at its worst. 

A chilly morning ride, with the temperature due to be in the mid 90s.

     What an interesting day. From Wenatchee I rode south on  US 2 west and US 97 south...again, great road. There were parts of it out of Wenatchee that wound along a river, like in a gorge.  It was chilly because it was near water, and in the early morning the road was in the shade. Within 20 miles I emerged from the mountains, and made a left on 97 south. The road climbed, and as it did it once again became desert like. I was riding on high plains, and would do so for most of the rest of the day. Because of this heat never became a problem until I was 30 miles or so from Redmond OR.

The scenery changed as I rode up onto the high plateau.

     Once again the ride in was uneventful. I rode into Redmond by 2:45pm, and was in my air conditioned room by 3pm. I found a good Mexican steak house, got into a conversation with the owner, had a good dinner. Once again back in my room, the bike with a full tank, settling in to watch a movie and relax.

Mount Rainier on the horizon.

"…its about the journey, not the destination…”

Along the road riding south from Kamiloops. 

     Logistics…One of the factors that many riders don’t pay enough attention to is staying hydrated. If you get dehydrated you get drowsy, inattentive, and can often make poor decisions. On of the strategies that I use is to wear long sleeves as long as I can. I have several light weight long sleeve cotton shirts that I bought at Bass Pro Shops. I find I can wear these even as the temperature approaches the mid 80s and still be comfortable. Another obvious strategy is to drink plenty of water during the day. I have been on this trip for 3 weeks, riding every day, and I have no trouble with chapped lips. I think keeping yourself hydrated is a factor in this. 

Great cabin by a lake along BC 5C.

     This morning I left Kamiloops at 8am. I decided to stop for breakfast along the way. Truth be told I was anxious to get back into the US. The entire day was spent riding through varried landscapes. The road was great, and traffic was light. One particular section of BC 5C ran along a river and a lake, once again lots of curves and twists. Many of these curves called for speeds of 50 or 60 kph so they were tight curves. I needed to pay attention and focus on riding the bike. We all know that's the most fun!

Moments after crossing the border near Nighthawk. 

     When I crossed the border near the tiny American town of Nighthawk I had ridden back into a very dry climate. Once again I was in a landscape that totally surprised me. The road was very twisty demanding my attention. The ride from Nighthawk to Oroville was 12 miles of the twistiest road of the trip. Once I reached Oroville I made a right onto 97 south and rode towards Wenatchee. I stopped about 15 miles before the town at a park and enjoyed the day for a while. Wenatchee is located along the Columbia River. LOTS of boats, personal water craft on the river. After about 45 minutes, I rode into town and checked into my motel. Tomorrow on to Redmond Oregon.

The Columbia River along the road to Wenatchee Washington.

“…its about the journey, not the destination…”

     Logistics…I generally pack 7 days worth of clothes. Polo shirts, underwear, socks, a second pair of jeans, a pair of shorts, an old pair of Docksiders. On the GS1150 the left saddle bag is much smaller than the right one due to a cut out for the muffler. What I do is pack only soft things in the liner that goes in the left saddle bag, like three days clothes plus spare jeans and shorts, except for a spare bottle with distilled water in it for my CPAP machine. Hard stuff, like my CPAP machine, blue tooth speaker, “diddy bag” (toiletries, tooth brush, tooth paste, ect.) go in the right saddle bag. This allows me to take only one liner into the motel for 3 nights, then I take both in and the left liner becomes the dirty clothes “bag.” 

Lush, green farm land of British Columbia as I rode south out of  Prince George.

     Every 7 days I have to do laundry, which I did this morning at a laundromat in Prince George. It opened at 8am, so up and out of the motel by 7am, then breakfast at Tim Horton's. At the Laundromat by 8, clothes washer going by 8:08, done and out the door with clean clothes packed in the liners and on the  motorcycle by 9:45.  The ride this morning was wonderful. So very different from northern British Columbia. The mountains here were much smaller and green. LOTS of agriculture. The road was still great, mostly 2 lanes with passing areas frequently. 

Notice the clouds and how dark it had become. Soon I was riding in the heaviest rain of the trip.

     Stopped for lunch in Williams Lake. When I came out the weather had changed. Heavy clouds promising rain; and they delivered.  This afternoon I rode in the heaviest rain of the trip. The good news is that the rain only lasted 5 or 10 miles. The bad news is that I ran into more of it several times. 

I was totally amazed at the sight that greeted me as I left Cache Creek on BC97.

     The most amazing part of the day came when I made a left turn in the town of Cache Creek. Within a 1/2 a mile it was like I had been transported to the southwest of the US! The land was dry, and the plants looked like those you would see in a desert climate. The good part was that I left the rain behind. It was not coming in this direction. I don't think I've ever had such a dramatic change in such a short distance. REALLY dramatic!

Beautiful, but very reminiscent of the desert south west of the US.

“…its about the journey, not the destination…”

Nice place to have breakfast in New Hazelton BC

      There was no restaurant open at 7am so I went to a small grocery store and then went to the town park and had a  little picnic. I stopped early this morning at Moricetown, which had a nice park along the side of the road with picnic benches. As I sat there a nice older gentleman walked up and asked me where I was from. We talked for about 1/2 an hour. His name was Dominic and he was an “Indian” (his word, not mine). He told me that June 21 was a special day for his people, and he was walking to a meeting. He was curious about the motorcycle and asked me several questions about it. Later in the day I saw a sign stating that today was Aboriginal day. Another great encounter.

Dominic who was on his way to Aboriginal celebrations.

     Spent time riding with two women today. Deborah, from Alberta and Beverly who is from Minnesota. Deborah has ridden for 40 years. Riding with others has a special dynamic. The person leading must take into account that the other bikes also need room to pass, and to warn the following riders of danger coming up. The last rider also has a responsibility to keep track of what is happening behind the group. They need to stay close enough so that a car can’t get in between the bikes, which can be dangerous. 

Debbie is on the left, Bev on the right.

      When we entered the town of Smithers it was clear be were back in civilization. Lots of stores, restaurants, shops, ect. AND cell service! We rode on until the town of Houston where Deborah stopped by the largest fishing rod in the world (so it said). The day had warmed up so we took off some of our riding gear to get more comfortable. The ladies rode on, but I looked around to get gas. 

Stop in Moricetown where I met Dominic

     Lunch in Burns Lake, and then on south. I stopped for a break in Fraser Lake at a park they had there; great view! Then on for 90 miles to Prince George where I am spending the night. Time to finish the blog for today.