2011-08-26 NERDS TwinFalls To LaPine OR and FJRAY

Wow. Day 15, if my count is correct. I started out using Day 1, Day2.. then by Day 7 or so was seriously cornfused.. hey, after all the cornfields in IA and NE.. you would be CORNfused too. 

I arrived into Twin Falls, Idaho, late. About 10pm. And the last 15 miles were killer hard. Dark, one headlight useless and pissing off on-coming traffic, no paint for the lane, no escape routes.
Serious road construction, bad pavement, lots of shit in the road.

While still OK and riding smart, it was not a great way to end the day. 

And, of course, a late arrival means a late start for a true Candy Butt Association member.. so after the free conti breakie, and a dip in the jacuzzi (ahhh, that felt GREAT for the back, which is still killing me but I've decided not to whine about it, much..) 

It was well after 10 am before leaving..

Snake River.. (I always think of EK when I see the Snake.. you know EK, right? Evil Kneviel? LOL

Let me blunt. After riding through Iowa and Nebraska, and what peeps told me would be the most boring and banal part of my life..  
I have to disagree and say this stretch of is and was the worst part of the entire trip..

Sure, factors add and multiply to only peak at the worst moments. 
Lack of sleep for the last 5 days or so - well past midnight, up at 4, 5 the latest.. 
Then why is it I'm not turning wheels by 6? 
"Cause I'm a CBA clown, you idjit"!

Anyway, we're going.. 
I'm and really looking forward to the destination, Ray's house. 

I've met Ray only a couple of times, if that - but he offered an invite to the house and I agreed - so finally, a night NOT in a freaking hotel. 
(ps - I have to learn to camp)

Brown, and boring..

Too much gear on, have to reduce.. It WAS hot..

Some parts of Idaho I like. Boise is not one of them, sorry.

I work at a U too.. Wonder what the politics, budget and what not are for the  U here?

For my bud Donnie..

..and a prof at my U, Dr. Caldwell. 

Finally. Freaking finally. Oregon. 6k? into the ride, and I have Oregon. For some strange reason, OR feels like the end of the ride, and I'm sad. Actually cried a bit, realizing this life journey was in conclusion. 
Told myself I still have 7 days or so - then why, WHY am I having this moment of sadness?

Then the flash - because, in my heart, I think this will be the last time I see Dad alive - and then the tears really flowed. Stopped here to recompose. 

When I was a kid, my Uncle Dutch and Aunt Ruth would bring my cousins Patty and Bob to our 1 acre 'ranch' in Reseda, CA. Uncle Dutch had a truck just like this, with a camper shell. I saw this restored truck (actually, Uncle Dutch had the superior GMC) and the mind went surfing..

On Oregon 20, West bound, on the 'Central Oregon Highway', Vale. 

Confession time... My hand, my fingers.. so tough to move them now.. I forced, FORCED my finger into this compression just to see if I could. It still hurts, 1 day later. Life happens. I have few complaints, this is one.

Finally, some green.

In Vale, Oregon..

You will find a hotel.. 

and the BATES megalopolis!

I would pay money to have this sign and will contact the owner...

How freaking cool is this? 
Perhaps the highlight of the trip - 

The BATES motel!

It was hot.. really hot. 
I stopped to wet my cool vest..
...which had been stored for over 2 weeks, damp, inside a plastic bag...

When removed, it stunk, bad, and was actually slimey. Gooey, slippery, infested.
So I did what any CBA rider would do, walked into the freaking river and  drenched it, put it on, and felt like slimely snail snought fo the next 50 miles.. LOL

The path to the water.

Funny who certain moments define a trip. I had worked hard to safely pass a bunch of cars/trucks/RV's.. then blew all credit by stopping to cool down. An older couple towing a small boat made better time than me.. But a CBA peep cares not about time..

Pole creek, the name of that water way..

Even the geezer in the old Chevy was making more consistent time than me.. But I had dunked my smelly fish vest in the cool waters of the creek, got my boot full of water when I stepped too deep.. LOL, love it. Goo and Slime on body parts...

I LOVE this pix - why? 
The hands. 
The analog watch. 
Uncle Dutch used to slow down to 40, then accelerate to 70, all the while smoking a pipe and declaring " I just love to hear that motor sing!"

Really? Snow, whatcha been smoking Oregonians?

For my buddy Dave..

Crappy pix of Burns, Oregon. Stopped for a DQ ice cream cone, called Ray. 
He had good news - "You're last fun road is over, you now have 2 hours of road with 2 curves".. Maybe not an exact quote but pretty close..

Looking for a rabito to follow..

No rabbits today.. So I started a new game.. 
Accelerate like crazy when the rear vehicle was known and prior to the rolling crest of the next hill.
Slow for the crest (55 mph is max in Oregon, the POS state) the repeat the sequence...
In other words, blast to 100, slow to 55, repeat.

You get the idea.

I quit taking pix and rode into Bend, then LaPine to Ray's place..

...to be continued..

2011-08-27 NERDS LaPine OR to Keizer, OR - FJRay's abode