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Motorcycle Stories and Other Assorted Tales
by C. C. Crow
1997 Sawtooth Rendezvous
9-2 TUE
We'll be a little late, as I'm checking things on the bike, I'm
going through the junk crammed in my faring, I notice I can see
right through to the floor. The floor! I shouldn't be able to see
through the faring to the floor- there's a big hole in my faring,
big cracks and a chunk is missing. Great. I go to Bent Bike, I'm
in luck, there are four to choose from, an old white one, too
banged up, one somebody has sprayed green with a rattle can, and
two gray ones, an older style without turn signals, and a
Windjammer V, in good condition. I ask how much? $200 and $250.
How about $225 for that one, sure. Only I get home and discover it
has cracks too. I'm pissed.
9-3 WED
So I take the faring back in the morning and exchange it for the
other gray one. Looks like I'm not leaving today. I cut holes in
it for the clock and voltmeter, it's mine now. Mount the turn
signals which I didn't realize were stuffed away inside it. A
package deal, it's brand new. I tighten the front steering bearing
while I'm at it, and change out the points while I am at it. They
are very difficult to adjust. I set the timing but wonder if they
are correct for the ignition booster. I don't recall if Bill ever
told me. I just remember him saying, there, you'll probably never
have to touch them, but that was 75,000 miles ago. I notice the
left carb float is sticking, drips when turned off. The bike is
getting old. This is a lot of work! Takes all day.
9-4 THUR
Finish tuning and packing, eat lunch, I'm not out until 3:30 p.m.
Oh well, traffic isn't that bad, up over Stevens Pass, I swing
into Snohomish, nothing moving, a double stack is set out with the
doors open- I see a train stopped at Berne so i go back and check
it out. The engineer tells me the stack train went through the
tunnel with a door open and tore out the phone lines, it wouldn't
be till midnight that trains would be moving again. I go to GAINER
and camp, explore and find the hobo camp, have a nice fire and
watch the stars.
9-5 FRI
Trains start moving around midnight, good spot to watch. I break
camp and head down the hill towards Wenatchee, check out sub-
station, security guard lets me go, noting I'm on public street.
Stop at Safeway, right on guy checks out my bike, right on. Stop
at Quincy for lunch, down through Orthello, look for remains of
Milwaukee, can't find any at all. Down through the wheat fields to
Lyon's Ferry, $10 but only 25 cent showers. I debate if I should
go on, decide to stay, have to cook a steak, Canadian neighbors, I
was going to cowboy camp but lightening on horizon scares me, it
starts to rain just as I finish, lasts about half and hour and
that's it.
9-6 SAT
Talked to neighbor Ron again, told him some favorites. Stopped at
Starbuck to check out bank, talked to lady about town history,
used to be a turntable and roundhouse. Saw Ron go by, play cat and
mouse with him all day. Stops at Dodge, Pomeroy, then into
Lewiston, stop at Hell's Canyon info center, closed on Saturdays!
New Oregon map shows road is paved between Enterprise and Ocbow
Dam, cool short cut, or at least a new way to go. Stop in Asotin
for haircut from Daryl, kids want to trade bikes with me, they'll
even throw in a snowmobile. Ride up the grade across the wheat
fields then drops back down into canyon, great road! I see Ron's
bike at GRANDE RONDE cafe so I stop for pie. Looks like a good
place to fish. Well, I'd better get moving. Up grade onto the
plateau through pine forests and fields into Enterprise and
Joseph, nice place, check out WALLOWA LAKE, even more nice. Ten
miles out at junction I notice a small sign that says road is
closed to Halfway. I'm screwed! I ask a pick-up if this is the
only way across- Have a nice ride! So I jet back and round on rt
82 through Elgin and La Grande. The light is gone through UNION
and I camp at Catherine Creek.
9-7 SUN
I'm up early but it still takes an hour to get packed and going.
Back down to I-84 in jet mode for a while into Ontario, I take Rt
30 to 52 up to Horseshoe Bend, stop for corn, and along river for
lunch and a shampoo, then up to Banks, road is washed out around
every other bend, closed on weekdays! Beautiful day. Old Lowman
Lodge burnt down, up road for gas, meet friendly girl from 'Iowa'
at view point, had cowboy music on real loud. Lots of places to
fish and camp. On into STANLEY at 4:30- no Rooti. Call home to
report in. Wait till 5:15 and head up to camp, traditional site 7,
$9. Set up tent, go back into town, finally, there's Rooti, okay,
let's party, go to store, no chops, but chicken, the corn I bought
is good, actually great, but the chicken- Party and tell stories.
9-8 MON
Run into town for fishing license, no meat but we're told to go to
Jerry's, good store. Fish down lower river, catch 9" Rainbow, fun,
back to camp, chops for dinner, quick goof off day, yard in fire
wood.
9-9 TUE
We take a run up to REDFISH LAKE for Mexi- chicken sandwich lunch, do some
fishing below the lake, nothing but nice wade, back to store for
spaghetti supplies. I run out to stream for evening bite, catch
three small brook trout, beauties.
9-10 WED
The hike- ate breakfast and up Iron Creek trailhead, started up
and I can barely remember it, key points are the sign and trail
box, then the hill sides, and then the Sawtooth Mountains. I'm
surprised by how easy I can hike- guess those walks are good for
you. The first 1 3/4 miles seemed like nothing, we are surprised
by sign 3-1/4 miles to Sawtooth Lake. It looked like 3-1/2 miles
total on the map, not 5! Oh well, the trail goes through the
trees, then along the side of the mountain, then that. We begin to
remember the views, which are very nice, reminds me of Wheeler
Peak or Surprise Lake in the Tetons. Then the lake which is one
thing I definitely remember, cupped by the jagged peaks. Some nice
clouds are threatening, the rangers give us a list of the rules-
that go into effect next week. The rangers have goats. The fishing
is supposed to be good over there, yeah, right. I try over there
and maybe have one bite. Oh well, I was just doing it for fun. We
eat lunch and enjoy the view. The water is so clear. We check out
the next lake, no fish. Finally we head down. My legs begin to
feel it, but not bad for about 12 miles. We have hot dogs for
dinner. It begins to rain, hail.
9-11 THUR
It rained for an hour or two with thunder and lightening, the
works. Just when you think its over it starts back up again. We
spend the morning in the tents with tea and cookies. I catch up on
the journal and look at the star chart. I almost have the sky
down. Adding a couple new ones each year seems to work. For lunch
we get a fire going once the rain stops. My tent is spattered with
dirt and a little wet inside. Need to treat it. When we get a
chance we go into town. Everything is fine until we turn around,
the rain has snuck in on us. We wait it out at the Merc. It passes
but the dirt road is a mess. I can't decide if it is bugs or
stones, both I guess, yuk, or just road chips. We start another
fire when we get back and cook our chops for dinner, with rice,
good, about the time it stops not raining. So much for my
prediction. We go hang out with the neighbors under their canopy,
tells stories and call it a night. I notice my tail light assembly
has come loose.
9-12 FRI
Fortunately, it's not raining in the morning, but it's not sunny
either like we had hoped. We have breakfast and start packing, the
faring go back on, then piece by piece all the junk. We keep a
fire going to keep warm. Just when I get to my tent, just when a
little sun comes out, it begins to rain. I'm pissed but oh well, I
needed to wash my drop cloth off anyway. The tent goes in wet. I
decide to dress for rain- to make it stop. One last time down the
dirt road, with a full load, its more scary- the only way to do it
is above 30. Finally onto the pavement, through Stanley for the
last time, we head down the highway to Galena Pass. It's chilly
and spits rain here and there- but its a beautiful ride, the
mountains and the clouds. Rooti stops and puts on his long johns.
We stop at a viewpoint going up the pass and notice there is snow
on the peaks. We stop a couple more times on the other side and
recognize the backdrop of Clint Eastwood's movie Pale Rider. I
hope my photos come out all right. Its spectacular though the
lighting isn't that good. We stop at the visitors center and ask
about the weather but they don't know. The mountains and the
boulders. Into Ketchum, there's some money there, we stop in
Hailey for groceries steak, potatoes, beans and bread, Paul's
angled isle. Last night chow down. We stop at a trailer court
desert for lunch. Down back road and across to CRATERS OF THE MOON
CG, site 9, $10, wait till morning. The sun and wind dry us out
instantly, start a fire and cook the potatoes, tin foil method,
Rooti cooks the beans, everything comes out great. We have Nigra
Modes with dinner, then get down to some star gazing- get through
everything we know and add Andromeda, pick out Scorpio and Speca
beyond, Sagittarius is real obvious. The moon is at 3/4 but hides
behind some clouds. We watch the clouds too and wonder why they
form the way they do, then finally we can't put if off any longer-
it's time for bed.
9-13 SAT
Good-bye Rooti day, time to get up, put everything back onto the
bikes, the ranger comes early, Rooti says he doesn't have any
money, I cover him by asking for change for a fifty. It looks like
a nice day, billowy white clouds line up in the sky, finally
loaded up we say our good-byes, come visit or maybe we should do
Hawaii. Rooti turns east and I head west. Bye Rooti, be safe. It's
the same ride I did two years ago, but that was evening and this
is morning- its nice not to have the sun in your face, I move
right along thinking about the things I might have to do when I
get home. I pass by the horses I tried to take a photo of last
time, then bust onto the Interstate in jet mode. I get off before
Oregon so I can pump my own gas. I almost go for more corn, it's
just a mile or two up the way. Back to the highway, zooming along,
crazy people in Boise make me nervous, I pull off in Lime for a
rest, check out the destruction of the old cement plant, then into
Baker City, look for a laundry but can't find one so I look for a
phone book, which are equally as elusive, finally find one and
wash all. I should climb in. Go to Safeway and buy some ribs, why
not? Head for Sumpter Valley, check out steam train and town,
looks like I should have gone to the steak house, its crowded, up
the road to GRANITE CG, a junk camp but it will do, I yard out a
tree, start up a fire, set up camp, and enjoy my corn and ribs.
9-14 SUN
Do I have to get up? I'm not sure which way to go, up the road to
Granite, old mining town, dredge piles all over the place, "Bottle
of Ice", dog tries to steal my ribs, across mountains through Uurm
(?) lunch break at view point, down to Ukiah, gas up, call home,
it starts to rain. Head down hill to Pendleton, take old highway
along Umiltila River and UP RR, chase train on lousy road, , check
out Hinkle Yard, but its raining, cross Columbia River and down Rt
14 to Maryhill CG, site 67, windy, side shows, eat ribs and beers,
take nice over-due shower, check out Stonehedge at dusk.
9-15 MON
It rained most of the night, neighbors pulled out, all the tenters
but me gone, I wait for a lull. It doesn't look too bad but starts
up again about the time I leave with my rain gear on. I skip
Maryhill Museum and head down the Gorge stopping here and there,
check out Wishram with a train coming in, Take photos of tunnel
and check out side roads, then it really starts to rain. Stop in
Washougal for burger, think about going to Irene and Fred's but
turn north on I-205 where it is really bad but break through about
the time we hit I-5. Check out Castle Rock, a no nothing town, no
interesting RR industry, back to highway, at Olympia it starts up
again and pours all the way home. I love this stuff, just add rush
hour, you gotta love Seattle. I make Pa take a drown rat photo of
me.
1997 Short Trips and Car Camping
For years I had been mostly ignoring my own state of Washington
and kept thinking someday I should spend more time touring there. For
instances, it had been years and years since I had been out to the
Olympic Peninsula. I knew it was a great place but I just haddn't
gotten around to it, I supposed because all of my trips headed mostly
east, not west. In 1997 I toured it twice.
A Quick Night Out
Mother's Day - Mom and Dad are back east visiting and the
weather was so nice I took off Sunday afternoon, 3 p.m. after the
ball game (M's lost in extra innings!) and went over NORTH
CASCADES - the first weekend it was opened for the year. 12 feet
of snow on both sides of the highway, just wide enough to get my
motorcycle through. It was great, in the 80s down below. For some
reason I refused to really prepare, no leather coat, I paid for it
when it started getting dark- no lantern either, when it was dark.
I camped at Early Winters CG. Drove around through Okanagan next
day, back home by Steven's Pass. Nice little trip, I hadn't done
N. Cascades for years.
Just Say No!
Portland NMRA Regional Convention- I got suckered into doing
a clinic. Glenn turkeyed out on me along with everyone else- I did
it anyway. Kept putting it off, and off, then finally at the last
moment, the week before I'm looking over my slides thinking that
they need all sorts of work, adding here, taking there, and oh,
dividing them in two, basic and advanced model building, so the
night before I need to leave I'm downstairs with slides all over
the place, trying to resort them. I'm supposed to be off early in
the morning but you know how that goes. And I'm supposed to be
stopping along the way taking photos. Yeah, right, I'm out of time
and driving like crazy non-stop, fighting with the traffic. This
is no fun. Finally, I get off the highway, take the back roads a
little bit. But I have to stick mostly to I-5 and arrive with ten
minutes to spare. After all that there are a dozen guys in the
room. I think they enjoyed it but I know to say NO next time. No
big deal. I go to Irene and Fred's for the night. Next day after
chopping some wood and stacking it, I follow the Columbia River
westward on the Oregon side, cross over at Longview, check out
Willow Grove. Nice ride up Abernathy Creek, camp above a clear
cut- top of the world view, huge campfire. Then around OLYMPIC
PENINSULA, to Lake Quinault, site 25 I think, very nice beach
site. I check out lots of places. Weather report is for drizzle so
I head for home. Have a little mishap when I leave motorcycle on
side stand for a moment to take a picture at Discovery Bay- big
mistake as I think truck passes and blows it over. Take picture
and turn around- Oh great. Run back and remove saddle bags, lift
up half way and notice State Patrol has just pulled up. Lost my
flip-flop somewhere. We both look for it. Gone. I'm thinking I'll
toss the other one in the bay as I cross Hood's Canal bridge but
just before I start to smell something burning, rubber! Now I know
where the missing flip-flop is, jammed down between my rear brake
and wheel. A little worse for wear, but okay. Tell the cop at the
next pull off. He must think- yeah, I'm nuts. 8 o'clock ferry to
Edmonds, stop at Glenn's for kebobs.
Fishing With A Smelly Dog
Glenn and I take his camper over to fish the Tenaway in
early summer- nice but running too hard to catch any. Harley, his
dog, goes and rolls in shit. Smart dog. He's thinking okay, this
is the part they warned us off in the kennel, someday just when
you think everything is fine your owner will take you camping,
grab you when you least expect it, pull you down into the stream,
and drown you!
Car Camping
I take another tour around the Olympic Peninsula with my
nephew Eric, in the Land Cruiser, across the Edmonds ferry to
Heart of the Woods, through to Lyre Creek CG, out to Cape Flattery
and Mora Beach CG, then to Hoh Rain Forest. Kalaloch Beach was
full at 10 a.m. So we went down to South Beach. Next day,
Saturday, back to Quinault, decide to come back home.
Also camped at Mt. Rainier with my nieces, Julie and Kris,
for two nights at White River. Where do I plug in my hair drier? What
a hoot. No, they loved it (I think). Went for day hike above Sunrise,
slide in snow, chicken dinner, then drive to White Pass for lunch,
and Paradise afterwards for hike, cheese and marshmallow incident.
Complete with bugs and campfire stories.
Next Log - 1998
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Cycle Tales
MOTORCYCLE TOUR LOG - 1997