KRATZMC

Thurs/Friday, June 3rd/4th, 2010…………Wenatchee, Wa to Redmond, Oregon…….308 Miles

We awoke to satellite images showing a major storm system moving into Central Oregon. We would have light rains on this day and I opted for us to try and make it to Bend, Oregon by night fall. We had been chased inland by continuously unseasonal weather, so why should the next few days be any different?

NOAA Weather Satellite image for June 3rd, 2010. You can see the front developing and moving directly over the state moving West to East, over us and our route.

I opted for a course due south. If we reached Bend, we could wait for the weather system to clear and resume a route along the west coast. As we left Wenatchee of Hwy 2, we soon turned south on Hwy 97. It was pretty much a “No Brainer”, for all we had to do was stay on Hwy 97 until we reached Bend. I was looking forward to seeing the High Desert Museum in Bend. One of my favorite routes to Eastern Washington originates in Bend on Hwy 26 through Prineville to John Day, to Hwy 395. Another favorite route to Eastern Washington from California was picking up Hwy 395 from Hwy 108 and taking 395 all the way up.

Wenatchee is surrounded by hills void of trees, having high desert scrub. As soon as you leave the valley, the scrub soon gives way to beautiful forests and trees galore! The skies were clear and the threatening weather system seemed far from being a possibility.

An hour into the ride and after we turned south onto Hwy 97, I needed to get rid of my morning coffee. On the curvy mountainous road there were few places with the privacy to stop so I began looking for a suitable location. I noted that we were paralleling some mountain streams so I tried to find a well groomed dirt road to explore. After a few minutes, I found a likely candidate. A small dirt road which dead ended at a creek. The road was approx 1/4 mile long and the Uni-go handled it like a champ, having almost identical ground clearance as the ST.

Here is where I deposited a Cafe Amarillo. Some unidentified dirt road off of Hwy 97, S/W of Wenatchee. I dub thee, Highway “P”.

I usually associate a pile of Scat with Flies. This unidentified stool on Hwy “P” seemed to attract these black moths. Never having witnessed this phenomenon on the Animal Channel, I decided to document it. “I felt like a Moth drawn to a flickering stool”. It just doesn’t seem to have the same ring to it.

Merritt egressing Hwy “P”.

Hwy 97 is a beautiful ride and we continued on enjoying the scenery and very little traffic. At our first fuel stop of the day we had stopped at a Chevron, when I noticed something unusual, educational and entertaining posted on the pump island. It was a chart for identifying smashed bugs on the wind shield, to keep kids entertained.

Smashed Bug I.D. Chart.

Soon we had left the Mountain Roads and started entering the low lands of Southern Washington and the Columbia River which divides Oregon from Washington. Winds can be extremely high along the Columbia, which is a favorite spot for Wind Surfers.

Hwy 97 as it crosses the Columbia River into Oregon, from the Oregon side.

This section of Hwy 97 of Oregon reminded me of the Palouse Valley region in Idaho. Merritt enjoys watching my Uni-go do it’s dance.

As we made the transition into Oregon, the weather began to change. I pulled over in Madras and suggested Merritt put on his rain gear. With my Aerostich I am good to go in the rain and unless it is unbearably hot, I usually keep my “Stich” on all day. Merrit has a separate rain suit that goes over his riding gear, so when ever he has to change for foul weather I have to occupy myself for 20 minutes. As it gets hot he changes into his perforated summer gear, when it gets cold he puts on his electric vest, so he can change his riding gear 3 times during a ride day. As a result, I dubbed him “Fashion Show”.

I saw this cool Museum in Grass Valley, Oregon, while I was waiting for Merritt to change. I think it is the Porta Potty Museum.

Prior to leaving Grass Valley, I put some “Zook” anti-fog stuff on my face shield. I hate looking through foggy, rain beaded plastic! My intuition paid off, cuz no sooner than we left Grass Valley it started to rain. We just couldn’t beat the weather! I told Merritt if he had put on his rain gear earlier, it wouldn’t have rained. I have this theory, if you think it may rain and put on your rain gear it won’t rain. If you wait until it rains to put on your rain gear, your gonna put on your rain gear over your wet clothes. Same goes with a good tool kit and roadside emergency gear. If you carry them, you won’t need them but the minute you leave something at home, you will need it.

“Fashion Show Francies” ducks the rain south at a rest stop south of Madras on Hwy 97, Oregon. He has on his rain pants after changing in Madras but opted not to wear his rain top. Merritt likes gear made by “Rev It”.

After a another hour in the rain, we found ourselves in Madras, Oregon. The town sounded familiar to me but for what I was unsure. Cold and wet, I began looking for a Starbucks. Unfortunately most of the Starbucks we encountered were located in Grocery Stores. The idea of drinking a $3 Cup of Joe with a bunch of Soccer Mom’s milling about just doesn’t epitomize that special coffee moment. In a effort to locate a decent stop, Merritt ended up going the wrong way down a “One Way” street, surprising some motorists. Realizing his error, Merritt quickly changed course 180. I shook my head in silence and I thought I would let him bring it up later.

We left without our coffee and pressed onward, until we reached Redmond. Tired of the rain and just a few miles North of Bend, I thought it was good enough. The last 100 miles was filled with rain and I wanted out of the rain! With a Best Western of Redmond right off of Hwy 97 starring me right in the face, I was done. We had changed our route and plans several times over the last few days, so what was Plan “A” was now up to Plan “E”.

After checking in and with the rain still pouring, I called a cab to take us to dinner in downtown Redmond. There is a certain Artsy character to Redmond and its old downtown section is Wi-Fi friendly.

“The Brick House”, Redmond’s Premiere restaurant. It is good and I recommend it.

I had the Brick House Ribeye…my favorite cut of steak.

Friday when I woke up, the coast was still socked in with a forecast for light rain on Saturday and then clearing Sunday with a slight chance of rain. The weather in Redmond was partly cloudy and was actually a good day to ride locally but our route along the coast was still in the weather. I needed to catch up on my Blogging and the poor Wi-Fi connection in the room was hampering my catch up efforts. Merritt occupied himself by riding some of the local roads and I headed down town to the Toucan Coffee Shop. Although I wanted to see the High Desert Museum, I have already been there and done that. I suggested Merritt check it out but he opted out. If you are ever in Central Oregon, it is a nice place to take a break and is a unique approach to a living habitat museum.

My view from the Toucan Coffee shop on 6th St in Redmond, Oregon.

During the day, Merritt saw a poster across the street from the coffee shop for the “Hoka Hey Rally” and asked if I ever heard of it. I never had but apparently this was the first year. Basically, it is a 7 day ride challenge from Florida to Alaska with a half million dollar prize. It seemed tempting but it is open only to Harley’s. I guess that’s why the prize money is so high, the chances of making it are astronomical. At least that’s what I told my friend Paul Lewis of Boise Idaho, a Harley aficionado and my motorcycle nemesis. We banter back and forth on Face Book about Harley’s vs all other machines. I think Paul forgets that I rode Harley’s for a living, so my opinion is not totally bias.

Later that night, I agreed to go a a movie with Merritt. I thought I would put aside my attempt to catch up on the blogging and do something with him. There were three selections at the theater across the street from the motel. One I had already seen, the other a “Chick Flick” and the third the “Prince of Persia” by Walt Disney. About half way through “Prince of Persia”, Merritt got up and left. It kind of pissed me off since I really wasn’t excited about going to the movies but thats what Merritt does. I rode out the rest of the movie which wasn’t great but not worth walking out on. When I returned to the room, I found Merritt with remote in hand in his channel switching mode watching TV. Now Merritt is my friend and friends tolerate the quirks of their friends. I am not complaining but it illustrates why I like to room alone on a long road trip. After two weeks of being on a motorcycle day after day your nerves get raw, kinda of like being married.

Anyway, tomorrow would be a new day and a good day it would turn out to be. You weather the ups and downs with your friends because they will always do something to re-instill your faith in mankind. I admit I am no jewel. I am very stubborn and my way is the best way and I fart and snore….another reason to have separate rooms.

Well we got out ducks in a row for that night and went to bed. We would resume our trek to the coast line, hoping for the best weather wise. The Gold Coast of Oregon was one thing I was looking forward to seeing because it is such a start contrast to anything in Texas. I fell into a deep sleep, hoping I wouldn’t be cheated the spectacular views that awaited….

Wenatchee, Washington to Redmond, Oregon. 308 Miles.

Tags: Home page //