C'mon Bill, keep it coming
Pacific Northwest & Yellowstone Sept 2014
- Thread starter Tommy Gunn
- Start date
This is great stuff... and someone who writes as 'downbeat' as this is always worth reading!
That's the least of his issues........
Before I start today's leg I feel I should add something about California that I missed out earlier. As well as the fantastic roads, triffic scenery and wonderful weather I was amazed by the no. of birds of prey that we saw. I'm pretty sure there were many, many bald eagles among them. Can anyone confirm that they live in that area? Whatever they were, they were an added bonus & not something I'd expected to see around there.
Tuesday 10th September 2014
We had been told that today was going to be a long day, so it was up early doors, nip across the road to the handily placed supermarket (with the most miserable staff I've ever come across - so much for this legendary 'American Customer Service') load the bikes up & away we go.
In theory.
I rolled my bike back to join the main grid & got off her for a few minutes whilst everyone went through their pre-race ritual. When I looked down there was a puddle of something right under my bike. Right under the rear shock. Great, whatever normally lies within the shock absorber now lies without. Chins were rubbed, mainly mine, discussions were had & the concensus was that this was not a trip-stopper. I could carry on but it might be a boingy ride, technical term of course. As it happened Paul Vernon also had a problem with his bike which had manifested itself the day before. His brake warning light was on & he only had a sporadically functioning speedometer.
As luck would have it there was a BMW dealer in Eugene, just off our route for the day so Paul & I agreed that we'd head there to get the bikes fettled as the day wasn't already going to be long enough without that added interlude.
The proscribed breakfast stop had been given as McKinleyville (I think) where Chris had recommended a particular cafe which, of course didn't let us down.
This was to be the 1st time I'd encounter a recurring dilemna. Up to this point we'd pretty much eaten as group. Today we'd splintered slightly, some people setting off earlier, some people a little later. This meant that when we got into the cafe it was all couples, and me. This wasn't a problem when Pete & Andy were with us, I'd just join their table, but today they had set off early & stolen a march on us.
So where to sit? I didn't want too just join a table, that would have been presumptious, but I didn't want to go and sit on my own, that would look rude & anti-social. This was a dilemna I never really did manage to resolve throughout the trip. Pretty much everyone was absolutely lovely & made a point of inviting me to join them wherever we went but again, mindful that that they might just be being polite I did try to not take the mickey.
On this occasion Chris & Jo drew the short straw. I'd made up my mind not to overdose on those fabulous American cooked breakfasts but today was an exception. We wouldn't be arriving at the hotel until late on so I allowed myself to carb up.
All parked up neatly
Mine's the one with the ham, Jo was on the lady-like portion & Chris decided to go Native with a plate of hash browns, sausage patty & vomit.
It was a cracking breakfast & brilliant to see Glyn clearly enjoying it.
Maybe he'd seen this sign in the gents?
This was typical of the Mom & Pop type places Bilco likes to use, both for food & accommodation. One of the other customers was chatting to the owner about business & she told him that some days they take zero dollars. It really would be a shame to see places like this disappear in favour of the bland chains.
Above the counter there were a few flags. I was particularly impressed to see the Starry Plough, ironically alongside the Union Flag. More of that later.
This town was typical of the places we were going to become accustomed to. Pretty much one street, very quiet & 'proper' America. The weather was pretty typical too from here on. Cold, damp start, warming up nicely as the day went on. I've never seen so many stops to layer up/layer down/layer up/layer down etc etc etc.....
We're still in Redwood country so the town has a tree showing the aging process. I'll leave you to make up your own 'aging process' & '2 short plank' jokes here.
We carried on along the PCH to Crescent City before turning inland on the 199. You do get the occasional signpost reminder that you're travelling somewhere completely different to anywhere you've ridden bike before.
The 199 was another great road. Some lovely scenery at the outset
before heading into Oregon & long stretches of straight road with a lot of obvious poverty along the way. Again, something we were going to see more of as the trip progressed.
The 199 was a wonderful road. I've been lucky enough to have been to a few places in America but this was like nothing I'd seen before. You really feel that some places haven't progressed the way others have, I wouldn't be surprised if these small communities & hamlets haven't changed since the 50's.
No photos as I was still feart of losing touch with other people at this stage.
We fuelled up at Grant's pass in a sweltering 34C before Paul, Sam & I headed towards Eugene & the BMW dealer via the I5.
At this point I still had the Nav V set to Vancouver WA & as I joined the Interstate it was showing the next turn as being in 252 miles, an indication indeed of the size of this country. Not to worry. I'd put a shed load of music onto the SD card & this was the time to be listening to it. This was also the time the Nav 5 & Sena headset flatly refused to communicate with one another. The ONLY time it happened on the trip. - naturally.
Whilst not a great road the scenery along the I5 was pleasant enough & this was a reminder of the benefit of going with someone who knows the best routes of getting from A-B, not just the quickest (which was was reqd for today).
The very helpful chaps in Eugene sorted Paul out with a replacement ABS sensor, which did the trick and had a quick look at my bike before deciding nothing was wrong with it. This gave Sam time enough to buy herself an anniversary present of some new gloves.
This interjection along with Paul insisting that we do a scenic tour of Eugene on the way out meant we didn't get to Vancouver until 1930 hrs, some 12 hours & 500 miles after we'd set off.
It was good to see Portland on the way through, with it's cable car arrangement going over the motorway - it certainly looks like it's worth a visit some time.
I was convinced that this hotel was going to be a dump, having read Trip Advisor before I set off on the trip. I couldn't have been more wrong. It was a fabulous place.
When I mentioned this to some of the others it turned out the shitty reviews were for the hotel awaiting us at the end of the following day.
Tuesday 10th September 2014
We had been told that today was going to be a long day, so it was up early doors, nip across the road to the handily placed supermarket (with the most miserable staff I've ever come across - so much for this legendary 'American Customer Service') load the bikes up & away we go.
In theory.
I rolled my bike back to join the main grid & got off her for a few minutes whilst everyone went through their pre-race ritual. When I looked down there was a puddle of something right under my bike. Right under the rear shock. Great, whatever normally lies within the shock absorber now lies without. Chins were rubbed, mainly mine, discussions were had & the concensus was that this was not a trip-stopper. I could carry on but it might be a boingy ride, technical term of course. As it happened Paul Vernon also had a problem with his bike which had manifested itself the day before. His brake warning light was on & he only had a sporadically functioning speedometer.
As luck would have it there was a BMW dealer in Eugene, just off our route for the day so Paul & I agreed that we'd head there to get the bikes fettled as the day wasn't already going to be long enough without that added interlude.
The proscribed breakfast stop had been given as McKinleyville (I think) where Chris had recommended a particular cafe which, of course didn't let us down.
This was to be the 1st time I'd encounter a recurring dilemna. Up to this point we'd pretty much eaten as group. Today we'd splintered slightly, some people setting off earlier, some people a little later. This meant that when we got into the cafe it was all couples, and me. This wasn't a problem when Pete & Andy were with us, I'd just join their table, but today they had set off early & stolen a march on us.
So where to sit? I didn't want too just join a table, that would have been presumptious, but I didn't want to go and sit on my own, that would look rude & anti-social. This was a dilemna I never really did manage to resolve throughout the trip. Pretty much everyone was absolutely lovely & made a point of inviting me to join them wherever we went but again, mindful that that they might just be being polite I did try to not take the mickey.
On this occasion Chris & Jo drew the short straw. I'd made up my mind not to overdose on those fabulous American cooked breakfasts but today was an exception. We wouldn't be arriving at the hotel until late on so I allowed myself to carb up.
All parked up neatly
Mine's the one with the ham, Jo was on the lady-like portion & Chris decided to go Native with a plate of hash browns, sausage patty & vomit.
It was a cracking breakfast & brilliant to see Glyn clearly enjoying it.
Maybe he'd seen this sign in the gents?
This was typical of the Mom & Pop type places Bilco likes to use, both for food & accommodation. One of the other customers was chatting to the owner about business & she told him that some days they take zero dollars. It really would be a shame to see places like this disappear in favour of the bland chains.
Above the counter there were a few flags. I was particularly impressed to see the Starry Plough, ironically alongside the Union Flag. More of that later.
This town was typical of the places we were going to become accustomed to. Pretty much one street, very quiet & 'proper' America. The weather was pretty typical too from here on. Cold, damp start, warming up nicely as the day went on. I've never seen so many stops to layer up/layer down/layer up/layer down etc etc etc.....
We're still in Redwood country so the town has a tree showing the aging process. I'll leave you to make up your own 'aging process' & '2 short plank' jokes here.
We carried on along the PCH to Crescent City before turning inland on the 199. You do get the occasional signpost reminder that you're travelling somewhere completely different to anywhere you've ridden bike before.
The 199 was another great road. Some lovely scenery at the outset
before heading into Oregon & long stretches of straight road with a lot of obvious poverty along the way. Again, something we were going to see more of as the trip progressed.
The 199 was a wonderful road. I've been lucky enough to have been to a few places in America but this was like nothing I'd seen before. You really feel that some places haven't progressed the way others have, I wouldn't be surprised if these small communities & hamlets haven't changed since the 50's.
No photos as I was still feart of losing touch with other people at this stage.
We fuelled up at Grant's pass in a sweltering 34C before Paul, Sam & I headed towards Eugene & the BMW dealer via the I5.
At this point I still had the Nav V set to Vancouver WA & as I joined the Interstate it was showing the next turn as being in 252 miles, an indication indeed of the size of this country. Not to worry. I'd put a shed load of music onto the SD card & this was the time to be listening to it. This was also the time the Nav 5 & Sena headset flatly refused to communicate with one another. The ONLY time it happened on the trip. - naturally.
Whilst not a great road the scenery along the I5 was pleasant enough & this was a reminder of the benefit of going with someone who knows the best routes of getting from A-B, not just the quickest (which was was reqd for today).
The very helpful chaps in Eugene sorted Paul out with a replacement ABS sensor, which did the trick and had a quick look at my bike before deciding nothing was wrong with it. This gave Sam time enough to buy herself an anniversary present of some new gloves.
This interjection along with Paul insisting that we do a scenic tour of Eugene on the way out meant we didn't get to Vancouver until 1930 hrs, some 12 hours & 500 miles after we'd set off.
It was good to see Portland on the way through, with it's cable car arrangement going over the motorway - it certainly looks like it's worth a visit some time.
I was convinced that this hotel was going to be a dump, having read Trip Advisor before I set off on the trip. I couldn't have been more wrong. It was a fabulous place.
When I mentioned this to some of the others it turned out the shitty reviews were for the hotel awaiting us at the end of the following day.
Nice one Tony. 
As you can see poor old Chris & Jo drew the short straw that night too. 
As you can see poor old Chris & Jo drew the short straw that night too.
The Palm cafe is in a small town called Orick. Quiet how it survives is beyond me and the day before, they took no money whatsoever. Got to use these places before they disappear and get replaced by a mc shite.
By the way, my breakfast was utterly delicious biscuits and gravy
By the way, my breakfast was utterly delicious biscuits and gravy
Thanx Chris. Good to get the correct place names on these things. I'm not doing so well am I? 
I've just checked google maps. I was about 30 miles out.
I suspect there's more of this inaccuracy to come yet. All help in getting it right greatly appreciated.
I've just checked google maps. I was about 30 miles out.
I suspect there's more of this inaccuracy to come yet. All help in getting it right greatly appreciated.
The Hotel in Vancouver WA was, Red Lion Hotel Vancouver at the Quay and it was right by the river and very nice too.
up the road was a great a great restaurant that did crab dishes so we just had to give it a go. well worth it
up the road was a great a great restaurant that did crab dishes so we just had to give it a go. well worth it
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JoJo
Registered user
Am loving this Bill, don't leave it until next weekend for the next instalment oh and having your company was NEVER the short straw !!
oh and having your company was NEVER the short straw !!
Oh thanx Jo, you're too kind.
.
I'm hoping the next update will be on Thursday or Friday.
. I'm hoping the next update will be on Thursday or Friday.
Enjoying this 
make up your own minds guys!
http://www.ukgser.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=269070&stc=1&d=1415367648
bloody hell wheres your thumb been!!!!
Wednesday 11th September
Yesterday had been a great day. I'd done some big miles on the GSA, a bike I hadn't gelled with at all since I bought her last year, and had the chance to spend some time with Paul and Sam. I already knew that Paul was a decent bloke having met him once in June but the couple of hours we'd spent at the dealers in Eugene reinforced what top people he & Sam are.
As for the bike, well I'd got off her with no aches & pains and the dealer confirmed that there hadn't been a shock absorber malfunction after all. It transpired, when something similar happened later in the trip, that it was just condensation dripping onto the floor.. Landing onto an oily car park made it look more critical than it was. Maybe I could grow to love her after all? 
So off we set on a cold, damp morning. I wasn't in the best of moods & I suspect a few others felt similarly. A quick blast up the I5 & breakfast at Castle Rock. This seemed a bit subdued, perhaps the big miles of yesterday had had an effect. It was still cold and wet. The waitress, however informed us that as we went up mountain the weather would clear & the temperature would improve. Let's hope she's right.
Time to fuel the bikes as well as ourselves, the fuel pumps had small TV screens in showing Fox News or ABC today or some such stuff, then onto the 504 to the Observatory at the top.
At the pre-trip briefing Chris had said that he expected it to take a pattern. We'd start the first few days mainly riding together as a group but gradually we'd begin to do our own thing & bump into one another (quite literally on one occasion) along the way. This had started to happen yesterday & really began to manifest itself more fully today.
So it was that I was on my own most of the way up the mountain road. But what a road. Fabulous road surface, fantastic corners, stunning scenery & virtually no traffic at all, apart from us. Sure enough the waitress was right, the weather picked up too, in no time at all we were above the cloud & the sun was out.
Chris & Jo were having some fun
as was Dean, despite a design flaw in the LC.
Poor old Dean (as lovely a bloke as you could wish to meet) was complaining about the front brake on his LC. The lever was spongey & he just wasn't getting any feedback from it all. This, combined with the fact that he lives on a traffic free island in the most northerly part of England, had dented his confidence. As luck would have it, when we got to the car park at the observatory a German chap who had seen the bikes came across to have a chat & it transpired the he had been part of the design team working on the LC so he asked Dean what he thought of it. Dean explained the brake issue, Fritz (generic German name BTW, not necessarily the man's actual moniker) had a squeeze (of the lever, not Dean) & agreed. He said this was useful feedback he'd take back to the factory. At the end of the trip Dean mentioned the problem to the dealer in Santa Rosa & a quick tweak of the grommet screw & a turn of the sponge flange & it was sorted in 2 minutes. I hope 'Fritz' & his colleagues aren't still pondering how to improve upon the brake problem.
As we got higher the sun got stronger & the clouds disappeared. The road kept producing smile after smile & the scenery kept on giving.
After 52 miles (yes FIFTY TWO miles) of absolute motorcycling heaven we reached the observatory at the top.
Yesterday had been a great day. I'd done some big miles on the GSA, a bike I hadn't gelled with at all since I bought her last year, and had the chance to spend some time with Paul and Sam. I already knew that Paul was a decent bloke having met him once in June but the couple of hours we'd spent at the dealers in Eugene reinforced what top people he & Sam are.
As for the bike, well I'd got off her with no aches & pains and the dealer confirmed that there hadn't been a shock absorber malfunction after all. It transpired, when something similar happened later in the trip, that it was just condensation dripping onto the floor.
. Landing onto an oily car park made it look more critical than it was. Maybe I could grow to love her after all? So off we set on a cold, damp morning. I wasn't in the best of moods & I suspect a few others felt similarly. A quick blast up the I5 & breakfast at Castle Rock. This seemed a bit subdued, perhaps the big miles of yesterday had had an effect. It was still cold and wet. The waitress, however informed us that as we went up mountain the weather would clear & the temperature would improve. Let's hope she's right.
Time to fuel the bikes as well as ourselves, the fuel pumps had small TV screens in showing Fox News or ABC today or some such stuff, then onto the 504 to the Observatory at the top.
At the pre-trip briefing Chris had said that he expected it to take a pattern. We'd start the first few days mainly riding together as a group but gradually we'd begin to do our own thing & bump into one another (quite literally on one occasion
) along the way. This had started to happen yesterday & really began to manifest itself more fully today. So it was that I was on my own most of the way up the mountain road. But what a road. Fabulous road surface, fantastic corners, stunning scenery & virtually no traffic at all, apart from us. Sure enough the waitress was right, the weather picked up too, in no time at all we were above the cloud & the sun was out.
Chris & Jo were having some fun
as was Dean, despite a design flaw in the LC.
Poor old Dean (as lovely a bloke as you could wish to meet) was complaining about the front brake on his LC. The lever was spongey & he just wasn't getting any feedback from it all. This, combined with the fact that he lives on a traffic free island in the most northerly part of England, had dented his confidence. As luck would have it, when we got to the car park at the observatory a German chap who had seen the bikes came across to have a chat & it transpired the he had been part of the design team working on the LC so he asked Dean what he thought of it. Dean explained the brake issue, Fritz (generic German name BTW, not necessarily the man's actual moniker) had a squeeze (of the lever, not Dean) & agreed. He said this was useful feedback he'd take back to the factory. At the end of the trip Dean mentioned the problem to the dealer in Santa Rosa & a quick tweak of the grommet screw & a turn of the sponge flange & it was sorted in 2 minutes. I hope 'Fritz' & his colleagues aren't still pondering how to improve upon the brake problem.
As we got higher the sun got stronger & the clouds disappeared. The road kept producing smile after smile & the scenery kept on giving.
After 52 miles (yes FIFTY TWO miles) of absolute motorcycling heaven we reached the observatory at the top.
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