St. George to Oregon...to Alaska?

[pdedse]

Day 3 Sunday

I made the trip plans about six weeks ago, and didn't realize that my return would be on Mother's Day. Oops! My son and his GF promised that they'd take good care of mom, and they had a fun day while I sheepeshly made my way home.

Slept till 4:15 and the first hint of light was on the horizon. An hour later I was underway.



It's pretty special to have the hiway to yourself. I can't remember what time it was when I first encountered another car. Maybe an hour later?



Northern NV and southern OR can be pretty devoid of much of anything. The sunrises are worth a few extra photos




There's a section of hiway 140 just after crossing over into Oregon where you descend a high plateau with 7-8% grades. Very curvy and and expansive views. Zero traffic makes it even more fun.







This northern NV / southern OR on 140 to Lakeview, OR is one of my favorites. Canyons, curvy roads, views, shallow lakes, foresty areas, farmlands...expanse.





From Lakeview to La Pine is wide open, free-feeling riding as well. Only when you get to north/south running hiway 97 do you encounter any traffic. It's hard to back off the 85-90mph speeds that are easy to maintain on the straights to the reality of 65-70.

Made it home by 2:30pm...and no family in sight. They wouldn't get home till 7pm by which time I had cleaned up and stowed away everything so the Mrs. wouldn't have that to look at on Mom's Day.

Now I've got a BMW shop date for oil change, some new sensors installed and new tires for the rest of the trip which starts around June 20.

I hope my body can hold up!

[Gone in 60]

Wow, beautiful country! Good on you for getting home in time for Mother's Day!

[pdedse]

Interesting topic. MotoQuest recently released their spring transport specials, and most run from Portland to Anchorage, riding GS 750, 850 or 1250. Tried to work it nine ways to Sunday, but just couldn't make any of them work with my current work travel.

Of all of their bikes, I prefer the smaller models like the 750 and 850. Just as good as eating up the miles as the big bike, but less work getting into the twisty stuff through the mountains and on the trails that I dip a toe on to get some better views. Yeah, chain vs. shaft, but hey, it's not mine, so I don't even look at it. On all of them, I have a buffeting issue at high speed with the tall windscreen, but not enough to be a pain.

Always think though, if I were to do long distance rides on my own bike, what would I want? It would have to bias to highway comfort, so as much as I'd like an anvil-simple KLR, might not be the best choice.

As for the NY to West Coast, there's a guy on YouTube, can't remember his handle, who does it on an air-cooled Bonneville. Gives me some thoughts that I can do that... heck, I already have one, and it's the most comfortable of my current bikes.

Ooh, I need to look more seriously at this idea. My friend is basically giving me the chance to do this on his 1200. I helped him paint a house once free of charge, so it balances out.

Interesting topic. MotoQuest recently released their spring transport specials, and most run from Portland to Anchorage, riding GS 750, 850 or 1250. Tried to work it nine ways to Sunday, but just couldn't make any of them work with my current work travel.

Of all of their bikes, I prefer the smaller models like the 750 and 850. Just as good as eating up the miles as the big bike, but less work getting into the twisty stuff through the mountains and on the trails that I dip a toe on to get some better views. Yeah, chain vs. shaft, but hey, it's not mine, so I don't even look at it. On all of them, I have a buffeting issue at high speed with the tall windscreen, but not enough to be a pain.

Always think though, if I were to do long distance rides on my own bike, what would I want? It would have to bias to highway comfort, so as much as I'd like an anvil-simple KLR, might not be the best choice.

As for the NY to West Coast, there's a guy on YouTube, can't remember his handle, who does it on an air-cooled Bonneville. Gives me some thoughts that I can do that... heck, I already have one, and it's the most comfortable of my current bikes.

Sometimes the best cross-country bike is the one you already have matched with a generous helping of "attitude".

Wow, beautiful country! Good on you for getting home in time for Mother's Day!

See? There's a case to be made for the GS1200...had I been on my DR650 or the KLR, I'd still be out there.

[the Ferret]

Awesome pics pdedse. Sometimes when I am riding out west, I am overcome by the sheer expanse and the feeling of being alone in it.

[Gone in 60]

Interesting topic. MotoQuest recently released their spring transport specials, and most run from Portland to Anchorage, riding GS 750, 850 or 1250. Tried to work it nine ways to Sunday, but just couldn't make any of them work with my current work travel.

Of all of their bikes, I prefer the smaller models like the 750 and 850. Just as good as eating up the miles as the big bike, but less work getting into the twisty stuff through the mountains and on the trails that I dip a toe on to get some better views. Yeah, chain vs. shaft, but hey, it's not mine, so I don't even look at it. On all of them, I have a buffeting issue at high speed with the tall windscreen, but not enough to be a pain.

Always think though, if I were to do long distance rides on my own bike, what would I want? It would have to bias to highway comfort, so as much as I'd like an anvil-simple KLR, might not be the best choice.

As for the NY to West Coast, there's a guy on YouTube, can't remember his handle, who does it on an air-cooled Bonneville. Gives me some thoughts that I can do that... heck, I already have one, and it's the most comfortable of my current bikes.

Ooh, I need to look more seriously at this idea. My friend is basically giving me the chance to do this on his 1200. I helped him paint a house once free of charge, so it balances out.

Interesting topic. MotoQuest recently released their spring transport specials, and most run from Portland to Anchorage, riding GS 750, 850 or 1250. Tried to work it nine ways to Sunday, but just couldn't make any of them work with my current work travel.

Of all of their bikes, I prefer the smaller models like the 750 and 850. Just as good as eating up the miles as the big bike, but less work getting into the twisty stuff through the mountains and on the trails that I dip a toe on to get some better views. Yeah, chain vs. shaft, but hey, it's not mine, so I don't even look at it. On all of them, I have a buffeting issue at high speed with the tall windscreen, but not enough to be a pain.

Always think though, if I were to do long distance rides on my own bike, what would I want? It would have to bias to highway comfort, so as much as I'd like an anvil-simple KLR, might not be the best choice.

As for the NY to West Coast, there's a guy on YouTube, can't remember his handle, who does it on an air-cooled Bonneville. Gives me some thoughts that I can do that... heck, I already have one, and it's the most comfortable of my current bikes.

Sometimes the best cross-country bike is the one you already have matched with a generous helping of "attitude".

Wow, beautiful country! Good on you for getting home in time for Mother's Day!

See? There's a case to be made for the GS1200...had I been on my DR650 or the KLR, I'd still be out there.

That, or some esoteric electronic component would fail and you'd still be out there.

[the Ferret]

Adventure "style" bikes are very comfortable for most people ergo-wise, but for the most part are very much street-oriented machines. They can take most dirt roads, forest service roads etc, but are too big, too heavy, and not suspended enough for much adventure riding for the average person. There are exceptions of course like the guys who ride Goldwings off road

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJG7SiPg9Ek

(Check out the 4 min to 8 min mark ..but the whole vid is entertaining)

My NC is considered an "Adventure " bike by Honda but trust me, it's a street bike lol. However riding position is very much Adventure bike style, and in that respect it's a very comfortable upright riding position ride.

[misterprofessionality]

Adventure "style" bikes are very comfortable for most people ergo-wise, but for the most part are very much street-oriented machines. They can take most dirt roads, forest service roads etc, but are too big, too heavy, and not suspended enough for much adventure riding for the average person. There are exceptions of course like the guys who ride Goldwings off road

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJG7SiPg9Ek

(Check out the 4 min to 8 min mark ..but the whole vid is entertaining)

My NC is considered an "Adventure " bike by Honda but trust me, it's a street bike lol. However riding position is very much Adventure bike style, and in that respect it's a very comfortable upright riding position ride.

The general rule of thumb is that if the wheels aren't spoked, they're not serious about the "adventure" moniker.

[pdedse]

Awesome pics pdedse. Sometimes when I am riding out west, I am overcome by the sheer expanse and the feeling of being alone in it.

I like that feeling. You can see a range on the horizon and it can take an hour or two to pass by or get to...and in some places in Nevada you have to deal with all that 2 or 3 car traffic.

[mvk24_imp]

Thanks for the feedback, ride looks amazing im dying to ride cross country, up country down country etc lol.

Attitude is the one thing I have and have always just toured on w.e I had. I road long island to Maine in a day on a 1981 kz440 Ltd with no windscreen and no face shield and a bunch of the older guys thought I was crazy lol.

I'm just hitting that point where I know there's "better" bikes for what I like to do. My original plan was to use the CB for Dalton because its my most reliable bike and pending the season I still may. But I know that'll be slow going once I'm up there avoiding every pothole along the way.

I want to strip down and rebuild one if my 93 XJ600 Secas and go "ADV" build with it real bad as the comfort, reliability, ease of maintenance, and range are just right. but I dont have the extra space or money to do that project for awhile.

There was like a 3 year old Triumph tiger 800 fully loaded with panniers and all at a local shop for a good price a few years ago and I beat myself up for not grabbing it still lol

2014 CB1100, 1981 KZ440 LTD, 1993 Yamaha XJ600 Seca, 1994 Yamaha XJ600 Seca

[Cormanus]

Thanks for sharing your trip, pdedse. What country to ride through! Lovely.