Your dad only turns 80 once...

[Capn Ron]

Fifth Leg, Day 4: Redmond, OR to Boise, ID (350 miles)

Today, I'm on my way to Boise, Idaho to visit my sister.  Due to no other reasons than distance, timing, life's adventures and the fact that Boise isn't on the way to or from anywhere else I'd be going, I hadn't seen my sister in a long time.  It has been, as near as makes no difference, twenty years.    Well, on this trip, I've taken multiple 300-mile detours just to see some waterfall or a recommended city...I had NO excuse to not get myself to Boise! 

This was my ride for today:



I decided to ride up through Prineville as I once had a coworker who grew up there and had heard a lot about the town.  It was only thirty or so miles from Redmond, so off I went.  I'm sure Prineville has something to offer, but I was just passing through...a quick stop for fuel and I was off.  On a side note, Oregon is one of the states where customers aren't allowed (by law) to pump their own fuel.  I had a standoff or two with gas station attendants while in the state about filling my own motorcycle.  I always prevailed and pumped my own, but they would have to stand next to the pump and push the buttons, hand me the nozzle, select my fuel grade, take back the nozzle, re-hang the nozzle, etc.  This seems highly inefficient and other than that minor annoyance, I really enjoyed Oregon! 

Looking for an interesting route out of Prineville, I found this squiggly line:



It was a 45-mile "shortcut" over to highway 20.  The first thirty miles were amazing!  Good pavement, rocky canyon walls and nice views of the Prineville Reservoir!  Then the pavement ended.  The road surface turned into dirt and very loose, 1-3 inch deep gravel in places.  That was a white knuckle ride for 15 miles all the way to the highway.  I just kept thinking, "Well, they must have paved it IN from the other side...how long can this last?"  I kept that in mind and kept going...Then by the halfway point, it was easier to keep going than to turn back.  I stopped to get my "Long Way 'Round" shot:



As shakey as that ride was, it offered great views...even on the desert side:



The rest of the ride had pretty much that same view and I rarely saw another car.  I checked into a hotel near the Boise airport and am planning on staying a few days.  I'm looking forward to visiting my sister and getting to know Boise, ID!

Cap'n Ron. . .

[movenon]

All right ! My neck of the woods. In Oregon if you take charge of the pump they will leave you alone. They don't like refueling bikes anyhow to many potential owner related problems  .  But they will hang around while you refuel and that's OK.

My my hats off to you Ron.  You traveled all across the U.S. and Canada on a older bike relying on your own abilities to navigate, problem solve, do your own repairs and servicing. That is no small feat. That tells me a lot about you and your character. Glad to know you. 

I hear on the news that there is an international wine shortage now ? More is being consumed than produced . Better stock up......
George

[FJmonkey]

I hear on the news that there is an international wine shortage now ? More is being consumed than produced . Better stock up......

Ron IS the reason for the wine shortage... 

[Capn Ron]

I hear on the news that there is an international wine shortage now ? More is being consumed than produced . Better stock up......

Ron IS the reason for the wine shortage... 

I'm workin on it!!   

Cap'n Ron. . .

[movenon]

I hear on the news that there is an international wine shortage now ? More is being consumed than produced . Better stock up......

Ron IS the reason for the wine shortage... 

Oh, I will notify CNN and FOX so we can get the full story.   Satellite trucks will probably be headed his way for an interview....
George

[aviationfred]

[/quote]

Just love the small towns!  There's a town east of San Diego that's famous for their Apple Pie.  It's called Julian and is up in the mountains...just a perfect destination drive in the Roadster or ride on the FJ...Can take in Palomar Mountain on the way there or back.  At the end of the day, though...it was all about the apple pie!   

Cap'n Ron. . .
[/quote]

I have ridden to Julian, CA. It was in August and all along the I-15 area it was brown and ready to be fire kindling. Got into some curvy roads and ended up in the town of Julian with lush green grass and trees looking more like Ohio than California.

Fred

[movenon]

Just love the small towns!  There's a town east of San Diego that's famous for their Apple Pie.  It's called Julian and is up in the mountains...just a perfect destination drive in the Roadster or ride on the FJ...Can take in Palomar Mountain on the way there or back.  At the end of the day, though...it was all about the apple pie!  

Cap'n Ron. . .
[/quote]

I have ridden to Julian, CA. It was in August and all along the I-15 area it was brown and ready to be fire kindling. Got into some curvy roads and ended up in the town of Julian with lush green grass and trees looking more like Ohio than California.

Fred
[/quote]

Great apple pie there   When in Yuma we try to make it over there a couple of times during the season.
George

[Capn Ron]

Just love the small towns!  There's a town east of San Diego that's famous for their Apple Pie.  It's called Julian and is up in the mountains...just a perfect destination drive in the Roadster or ride on the FJ...Can take in Palomar Mountain on the way there or back.  At the end of the day, though...it was all about the apple pie!   

Cap'n Ron. . .

Great apple pie there  When in Yuma we try to make it over there a couple of times during the season.
George

I have ridden to Julian, CA. It was in August and all along the I-15 area it was brown and ready to be fire kindling. Got into some curvy roads and ended up in the town of Julian with lush green grass and trees looking more like Ohio than California.

Fred

At very different times, Fred in Kansas, George in Idaho and I in Los Angeles have all bonded over the apple Pie in Julian, CA...nice! 

Cap'n Ron. . .

[Capn Ron]

R&R Boise, Day 1-3: Boise, ID (50 miles)

So, I spent a few days in Boise, Idaho...I had passed through the town around twenty years ago on a road trip with my old college roommate, but we didn't see much.  I was looking forward to seeing more of Boise and did I ever!

My sister was a great host, showing me around the different neighborhoods...taking in some of the history and some of the great food!  I never would have pegged Boise as a town where there was a fervent night life and great restaurants!  My sister does a lot for the community and is well known around town.  It was rare that we could walk somewhere without her being recognized and this allowed me to meet a LOT of interesting people!  One of her great friends was a 76 year old woman from the Basque Country.  I was fascinated to hear her speak of her childhood, the struggles back in Europe and what brought her and her family to the United States.  As it turns out, there is a very large Basque community in Boise and I got to enjoy the culture and the amazing food!

I did a little bit of riding while I was there...Mostly short trips up into the mountains to the north.  The Boise area is very pretty...certainly in the summer!  We took an afternoon to go visit the Old Idaho State Penitentiary...Originally built in 1872, it was a true relic from the old west!






There's a very ominous feeling when you're in an old prison:



I dare say, I'm the only person EVER to smile when behind those bars!



I was fascinated by all the old belt-driven machinery...this is the original laundry room:



Cell #3...Looks rough, but a little nicer accommodations than that motel in McCormick, SC!!!



There were a couple of riots at the prison in the early 1970's over living conditions and a fire that ultimately closed the prison down after 101 years.  They have done their best to keep the buildings structurally sound:



It was a great place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there!

We went to a Basque restaurant that evening that was really just someone's house outside of town...we were treated like family!  Before we ordered, we were introduced to the owner...and the chef who would be preparing our food.  In the standard Basque tradition, we were served enough food for five very hungry people!!!  Not wanting to insult our hosts, we happily stuffed ourselves on salad, fresh soups and lamb shank.  We waddled out of there and walked around downtown Boise for a bit.  My sister was interested in learning a bit about wine, so we went to a nice tasting room in town.  They had suggested Hors D'Oeuvres pairings with select wines, but being as stuffed as we were, we just tasted the wine.



The '09 Duckhorn Decoy Zinfandel from Napa Valley was SPEC-TACULAR!  Highly recommended if you like your reds big and bold!  We spent the evening chatting about life, our perspectives on things and how fortunate we both are to have great parents and a solid upbringing.  It was great catching up with my sister...She's done amazing things for the city of Boise and it's easy to see why she has so many friends.

The last three days seemed to have gone by in a matter of hours and I need to get heading to Utah...I took a quick look at the maps and it seems like there's a lot of slab work for me tomorrow.  I'm itching to get riding again and I'll do my best to make the miles interesting!!

Cap'n Ron. . .

[~JM~]

Boise has repeatedly popped up in articles on "The Best Places To Retire". Of course those same type of articles can often ruin a town.

I have also been to Julian, Ca. & enjoyed some apple pie on several occasions. That & Palomar Mountain road were two of my favorite rides when I lived down that way in the 80's. That area is awesome for recreational opportunities & riding!

~JM~

[Capn Ron]

Sixth Leg, Day 1: Boise, ID to Utah (360 miles)

As much as I enjoyed my time in Boise, I needed to be moving on to Utah.  Looking at the maps, there doesn't seem to be any option other than hitting the interstate...the very thing I've been avoiding on this entire trip.  About the only way to get from where I am to where I'm going is to run interstate 84...My day looked like this:



Nothing too exciting...a LOT of slab work to be sure, but I did try and take the lonesome desert roads south of I-84 whenever I could.  Even then, it was long stretches of open desert and straight roads that really start to get into your head.  You start looking forward to a left turn onto some other desert road fifty miles out...Hey, at least there's a stop sign and a chance to rest for a moment...reset your thinking...and continue on until your next turn an hour or two later.  I kept this up for most of the day...about six hours of riding and I made it to my destination.

I would be spending a week at my girlfriend's mom's farm up in the mountains east of Salt Lake City.  The moment you get there, your perspective is reset...In this case, it's all about the destination.  After a tedious day of riding...I was welcomed by the view of their horses in the pasture:



My girl and her brother working the water turn to irrigate the farm:



And the horses reaping the benefits of a job well done:



Life really doesn't need to be any more complicated than that...I'm looking forward to my week of visiting...relaxing...helping out on the farm where I can...maybe going for a ride...and generally realigning my perspective on what's important.

Cap'n Ron. . .

[Capn Ron]

Utah R&R: Evanston, WY loop (217 miles)

So, I'm here in Utah for a week and WOW is it relaxing!  I don't have to plan any routes, I don't have to figure out new sleeping arrangements every night and I'm generally in "follow mode" in regards to what's for dinner.   

First order of business, another oil change!  This will be my fifth one on this trip and I have a garage to do it in.  Much nicer than the parking lot behind the auto parts store in Texas!  I also had plenty of time to get the 10w-40 Mobil 1 synthetic motorcycle-specific oil that I prefer and a new filter to go along with it.  I also did a more thorough job of wiping down and lubing the chain since I had plenty of time to fiddle.

My girlfriend's brother in-law has a bike and was itching to go for a ride.  With me in town, he had the perfect excuse!  He led the ride and my girl came along with me.  We did a 217 mile loop up through the Uinta mountains and down through Evanston, Wyoming.  The mountains were gorgeous and we rode up over 10,000 feet:



A very nice ride and I got to check off another state!!   

On the way back we saw a moose on trapper's loop:



A freakin' moose!!!  I spent three weeks riding across the entire country of Canada and not a SINGLE moose sighting!  The first ride in Utah and sure enough...moose!

The next day, we went out to Promontory Summit, Utah...the place in Utah, where in 1869, the Union and Central Pacific Railroads joined rails completing the first transcontinental railroad!



They had replicas of the original trains there on display:






It was pretty cool to be in the exact spot where the golden spike was driven to symbolize the completion of an amazing effort!



On the way out there, we stopped by the ATK Missile Systems location:



Inside the nozzle of a missile!



It's pretty amazing what goes on out in the desert!



That was a nice day out.  If you've never spent time in the desert, give it a try...there's beauty in just about everything...even in the complete silence of the desert.

On my last night in Utah, we stayed in a 100 year old cabin up in the mountains and had this view:



It was beautiful!  We all sat around the campfire and grilled up some food.  I'll be getting back on the road tomorrow heading west.  I'll miss Utah...I always enjoy myself there.

Cap'n Ron. . .

[movenon]

Utah has some real spectacular scenery in the Eastern part of the state. Another good run is to down to Furita (Capitol Reef N.P.) , Hwy 12 to Bryce N.P. then on to Zion N.P.. And if you have time shot on into Las Vegas-Grand Caynon N.P.-Oak Creek AZ-Jerome-Prescott......... Maybe next year  Never gets old...
George

[Dan Filetti]

A freakin' moose!!!   I spent three weeks riding across the entire country of Canada and not a SINGLE moose sighting!  The first ride in Utah and sure enough...moose!

Bill Bryson, a travel author whose writings I enjoy, in perhaps his most famous book "A Walk In The Woods", describes a moose as "a cow, drawn by a 3 year old". Always struck me as funny.  

Dan

[Capn Ron]

Seventh Leg Day 1: Morgan, UT to Carson City, NV (600 miles)

I set off this morning riding down through East Canyon State Park...Just amazing scenery and beautiful winding roads!  Getting through the Salt Lake City area was much as expected...Lots of interstates, finding exits and traffic...  I was looking forward to getting west and into the solitude of the desert.  I rode just south of the lake on interstate 80 and although it was easy going, the temperatures were rising quickly!  By around noon, it was 106 degrees!!!  I was ROASTING!  I knew I wanted to get to Carson City at some point...maybe tomorrow...to then head up into Lake Tahoe.  As hot as it was, I did NOT want to roast for two days of riding and decided to do the 600 mile run in one day!



It's interstate 80...Not a whole lot to report here.  Just a lot of VERY hot slab work for hours on end.  I would pretty much ride until the tank was low, fill up and ride again until the tank was low.  Repeat, repeat, repeat...  Today was ALL about the destination and I was missing those cold rainy days in Canada!!!

The slab work really bores me...I needed to do something to pass the time.  I started poking around with my dash-mounted iPhone...I pulled up the weather...checked my e-mail...looked at Facebook...sent a LAT/LON location to my girl to let her know where I was...and even took a selfy in the hot sun!



Did I mention it was HOT???

As I got closer to Carson City, I dropped south and took highway 50...which is best known for being the "Loneliest Highway in America."  It was even more dull than the interstate.



Towards the end of the day, I did take a short detour up to Virginia City...a proper old mining town in the Nevada Hills



I'd like to get back there one day and really spend some time!

By this point in the day, I was hot, a bit dehydrated and very tired of riding.  I was also noticing decreased brake performance...I only had about thirty miles to get to my hotel in Carson City, so I just took it easy.  When I got to the hotel, I did my typical routine of wiping the bike down, looking for anything out of the ordinary and lubing the chain.  While I was at it, I got a good look at the brake pads.  The fronts were PAPER thin!!!  The rear wasn't much better.  I had installed brand new pads when I left the house close to three months ago...I just never considered that I'd go through an entire set of brake pads on ONE trip!  I'll have to sort this out tomorrow...right now, I'm just happy to be in a nice cool air conditioned room for the night!

I'm looking forward to getting up into Lake Tahoe tomorrow!

Cap'n Ron. . .