I went to Lacey to meet the group and was a little early, that is the kind of guy I am. Had some coffee and talked a bit while others came in and had breakfast then we went outside to gather and get pictures and go - kick stands up at 9 AM (not close). There was a HOG gathering mass - over thirty bikes, trikes and a couple trailers getting ready to move out. Cell phones and text messaging were used to find our missing riders, I would learn many strange habits people using those little thing have developed. On the highway and hitting it hard, group stays together well and the day is perfect for riding. Still everyone catches up in Kelso, and then riding through town and traffic lights breaks apart - some going the Northern side of the Columbia and main group in Oregon on the South. Federal Highway, Route 30, the western end of the Lincoln Highway, only important for anyone that knows where I grew up, on the southern side of the Loyalhanna Creek just south of Route 30 as it goes through Chestnut Ridge in Pennsylvania. (Way too much information, Earl!)The ride was great, Trusty was up to the fastest and best (if his rider would just pay attention and hold formation), the scenery awesome but in group rides one really looks at formation and dangerous automobiles with weird and wired driving habits. We turned down on Highway 101 for the follow the coast fun. We stopped for lunch and fuel in Cannon Beach, the group broke in two parts, and then re-joined and broke apart immediately again, sigh. Happens when a lot of independent bikers get together. Finally, rejoining on the road and riding into Lincoln City, splitting immediately to find our lodging (I had none and got lucky about where I stopped and who with). I got a room, took hot shower, and fell asleep on the bed watching some hunting channel. I missed the two calls on the room phone, but did get up to the insistent knock on my door, grabbed my gear except for the key to the motorcycle, went back for it and rode to the Casino for buffet supper - I had called my wife and left message before falling asleep. Priorities.
I am not one for gambling unless it is that totally honest rip-off called the State Lottery, so I watched a little Black Jack and sad people at the slots, saw some others of our group and then went back to my room to resume the sleep and see the tape delayed NBC Olympic coverage - no Canadian Broadcasting in Oregon? Sleep with a strange dream about building collapsing, old library school buildings that should have never been neglected, message there? I wake at six, and it is time to go - check the weather (rain rolling in later in the day) and pack out and get back on Trusty Triumph and depart this town... I am riding alone, wanting to get back and surprise my girl friend and my wife. So from 7:30 to 1230 I was on Highway 18 or Interstate 5 going back to home country, and we were burning up some fuel, passing speeders like they were standing still (yep, you know I am old and slow but I can still tell a story).
Oregon has two Aviation Museums, one in Tillamook and one in Sheridan, the latter looks really spiffy and top notch, and there were planes in the sky as I went by. The Oregon forest is wonderful, I love trees that reach each other across the road (growing up in wild Pennsylvania would do that) and in Oregon they also have those firs that stand tall and scratch clouds drifting by. There are lots of great roads to ride your bike at its limits (and the law's) and for hiking, biking (pedal power!) they are very accommodating. Remember that Oregon has all the hippies that succeeded in living as they preached, and the state is people friendly and comfortable to wrap around one's self. It is Summer (sometimes) and the beaches were crowded and the children and adults were having the best time, didn't hear anyone talk about the Election or the Olympics - these folks have a real life. As I flew up 99N and got on I-5 in Portland I thought about the old skateboarder - hope he was skating somewhere, or in church (it is Sunday).
Well, I had about run out of fuel and food, so I stopped at a MacDonalds south of Chehalis (you can't say that properly if you aren't from the Great Northwest - no, not MacDonalds, Chehalis!) and had some breakfast wrapped and a large Hot Black coffee to wrap my hands around - I don't care if it is seventy outside, wind chill at seventy to seventy-five is cold and penetrating. I take my time watch the people moving along up the highway, stopping for food and space (cars are so small when packed with stuff and people). I go get topped off with Shell and am roaring back up the highway and home. No longer going to surprise my girl friend, only my wife could love the man I am - I checked myself out in the mirror at MacDonalds - grizzled, gritty and grandpapt! One teenager helping me fill up in Oregon (they do that there) thought I was cool on a motorcycle but I was still fresh from coffee and shower and hadn't accumulated much road ravage. Looking at my helmet when I got home I know I need a second full face one - the number of hard knocks that thing took in my defense that left marks I don't want on my face - amazing.
Home, wife went to early church so she opened the door for me, welcomed me and fixed my lunch and I can unwind (how does that become a long "i" sound anyway?), download the pictures and check on Kevin and Tam in a Gunslinger's Disneyland East... but only to see they are still having fun, Breda knows how to shoot rifle better now, but isn't talking about why it hurts, yet. She probably needed a couple of Drill Sergeants and a couple of weeks of other stuff before the rifle marksmanship training (but I am just showing my age or orientation).
I lost my AMA handkerchief, that was tied around my neck, but loosened and then blew off in some violent passage of wind, caused by my violent passage through the air at ground level as I sped homeward, I will get a replacement. I did find out that people sitting at the same table will text message jokes (they can store them) to each other while at the table (without disturbing the other diners). I am so never going to get a PDA or Cellphone extraordinary - not when two nice ladies were at the same table. Priorities!
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