Wednesday, June 29, 2016

A hillbilly interlude: CA, OR & WA on street bikes (July 2016)




My usual partner, Dan, and I were recently planning ride possibilities over hot wings and beers.

Yes, we wanted to do the New Mexico Backcountry Discovery Route (NMBDR) but we 1. Didn't have the time required to do it right and 2. Didn't want to ride in extreme heat. Yeah, we may be getting old.

"What about Oregon?" he asked.

"What about it?" I responded.

We both agreed that a ride in the Pacific Northwest and down the coast would be enjoyable.

And so it began...

Dan was tasked with putting together the California portion, and he has some great ideas. My only job was to find somewhere cool to ride in Oregon and Washington. I chose Whidby Island, the Columbia Gorge and Eastern Oregon via the 395 or 97.

There will be a "brief" hillbilly interlude....not extensive banjo activity...as I stop to see friends outside of Dallas. I always have a good time with those guys who were born 200 years too late. Shouldn't be too wild and/or wooly, but there will be goats and beer and ammo, oh my. We plan to toss our tents out at his place when we pass through and enjoy some interesting times.

I'm not sure you'll believe the photos I post...it's a different world up there, to be sure. I may or may not be kidding when I say that he's one of the guys who found DB Cooper's stuff...

So, to summarize our ride plan thus far: We have no real destination except for Whidby Island in Washington. We also plan to explore the California and Oregon coasts, as well as some of Eastern Oregon/Washington and the Columbia Gorge.

That's it. Ideas?

Troubadour and Trobairitz?