You talk'n to me?

Yesterday I looked the motorcycle gods right in the eye, struck an insolent pose, and snarled, "you talk'n to me? That's right, me - the go anywhere/anytime motorcycle king!"

Badges? We don't need no stink'n badges! Or, in this case, a wimpy U-Haul truck to avoid a few mountain passes. We got up early yesterday to a hard cold overcast sky but no fresh snow and bare roads. It was minus 7 when we rolled out VERY carefully at 7:30 and the first three hours were some of the most exciting, most beautiful but coldest riding either of us have ever done. We took our time and went slow as we climbed over two high passes with bare windswept roads all the way. Slowing down also really increases your gas mileage which is a VERY good thing when the gas stations at both the way points along the way were closed because of it being Easter Sunday! Anyway, after we dropped down out of the highest mountains it was some great riding through the rest of northern Nevada, a brief foray into Idaho and then much of eastern Oregon.

One final note; in the ongoing battle between gas pumps and windshields the gas pump won round one. I put my side stand down at a VERY remote out of the way, one-pump station, and didn't realize how soft the gravel was. The bike fell to the left and the windshield gave way well before the gas pump. Grrrr....

Oh well, a lesson learned.

We arrived here in Kennewick at ~ 5:30 which means it was a ten-hour/800klm day. We're tired but happy, and wouldn't change anything at all. (OK, maybe I wouldn't mind a little warmer but hey, didn't I hear somewhere.....if it was easy, everyone would do it!)

500 klm and 6 hours of riding to go.......