Left Darby, Montana and the Westfest Gathering and rode to Kalispel to have dinner with GS gal who is another ADV rider. Very nice meeting her and talking about South America and south Africa.

Monday July 25th said goodbye to Sasquatch and his dad! Had a great time with them and am very thankful to have share this past week with them. Thanks guys! Funny how ADV can bring about livelong friendships after riding together




Headed through Montana with some threatening skies, but it had very little rain. Lots of great smell of fresh trees and moisture after a rain!

Tricky towns like Lakeside have their old police cars along side the road. This one had a dummy in it, and I remember it from the last time I rode through!

Radioman 1 town 0

Riding along the back country roads, and you cannot see very well, but the car in front had a German Shepard in the back…as I rode up. He was barking like crazy. I’m sure that they were glad I passed them quickly.

Rode into Idaho on my way to visit a High school friend in Coeur d’Alene. First gas stop the cashier had these bright green nails….. “WOW those are bright” I say. Her reply “arctic cat green” Ok must be in Idaho.

While waiting for my Friend Andrea to meet me, I notice that Smokey is not really smiling.

Not sure about Idaho.

Andrea rolls in on her silver bike which is a Bimota Mantra (aka DB3 — it has a Ducati 900 motor). and takes me on a brisk ride to find some lunch!

Notice she is a three bike rider as well

had a great visit and tour of the area.

She happens to have pugs and they love to go for a ride!

waiting patiently

All aboard.

on the road they go…

It is amazing how facebook has connected me with so many friends from the past.

Guess what she does 😉

then riding back to Portland across the Palouse. Many memories of my college years crossing these roads.

Even made a detour to see the farm house where I worked a summer on a 2,000 acre Wheat Farm. Even made it into a BBC documentary on hillside wheat farming.

The barn.

The main house was really surrounded with Trees …. and some sculpture in the front yard.

found an old tractor up the road that I probably drove plowing up the fields

Wheat about ready for Harvesting.

lots of roadwork across the country. our tax dollars at work. New chip seal.

and cool old barns.

then I jumped on I-84 riding up the Columbia River.

Lots of headwinds….

really eating up a ton of gas…. only got about 40 MPG vs 53 normally

The Columbia river Gorge is something I have ridden many times, but it really is a unique and interesting area with the river cutting through the hills.

in recent years tons of windmills are all along the ridges….

Back home after 2,500 ride on the new 800gs. Have a few things to get set up differently for the rest of the ride, but think it was a really good choice for the ride.

Next part of the trip…… Fly back to Atlanta Tomorrow to pick up my 1150 GSA and ride along the east coast to Maine, then into Nova Scotia and New Foundland!! before returning back to Portland.