The adventures of Mister Whiskers. Vernonia, Oregon to El Paso, Texas and back again.

[CeremonialDogfart_imp]

Start.



Finish.



Because it's 39 images, I'm just going to link to the Imgur album for the rest of the pics: http://imgur.com/a/T1xJ9

Had a great solo trip. Started out going down the Oregon coast down 101, then into the California redwoods and a long twisty ride down Hwy 1. After San Francisco I tried to avoid the big urban areas through Cali and I cut across Northern Arizona, hitting a lot of Rt 66 along the way. Made it to New Mexico and scooted around for a week visiting family all over Numex, then shot down across the Guadalupe Pass to El Paso to visit friends. After that I started home, up through New Mexico and across the corner of Colorado. Started hitting some rain in Colorado then it really started hammering me in Utah. (Didn't take a lot of pics of the last few legs of my journey in part because of the weather, in part because I have explored that area a lot in the past, and in part because after two weeks on the road I was beat and just wanted to book it home.) Came up through Moab and then across the mountains to Provo. After that it was a freeway shot up past Salt Lake and into Idaho, then a pretty straight run to Oregon. Missed the Oregon sign because it was on a bridge. Went across the beautiful rolling desert of Eastern Oregon and up to the Columbia River Gorge, which is an absolutely stunning view the whole way. After that I just followed the river past Portland and home.

My tush was wrecked and my back was sore, but it was a hell of a trip and I loved it. No traffic incidents other than a few annoying but harmless cagers. No mechanical problems either, other than needing to adjust the chain and change the oil in New Mexico, but I knew the oil would be due and was planning for it, and the chain had gone 4000 miles since it's last adjustment. No tickets either, though on a long flat stretch between flyspecks in NM I passed a cop going 95 in a 65. Didn't realize who he was until I was too close to slow down. I just waved and he waved back and we went on our merry ways. Whew.

Anyways, it was a great ride. I had a ton of fun, even if my butt is redder than a babboon's after 4300 miles. Love this bike.