Backroads of North America

So as 2012 begins and I have returned from Christmas Vacation-and now it’s time to start some trip planning for 2012, and to finish some maintenance on the two motorcycles, and begin performing some road testings of riding gear and camera equipment.

The first trips of the year will explore Whatcom, San Juan,and Skatgit Counties in Washington State. Some of the first journeys will visit the town of Blaine, which is one of the four corners of the Four Corners Motorcycle Ride, which also includes Key West Florida, San Ysidro, California, and Madawaska, Maine. A rider can start from any one of these points of their choosing but must complete the journey within 21 days.

Other rides will include a visit to the San Juan Islands, Bellingham, Lynden, Friday and Roche Harbor, Anacortez, Orchas Island, Edison and Bow. These are but a few places I plan to visit.

So welcome to the new year.

Backroad ADV

Well I have been out in the shop working on the TW200. Today I am working on cleaning and lubricating the steering head bearings.

But before getting into anything serious for the New year I thought I would share some winter pictures. I hope all is well for you and your family in 2012.

TW200 in Snow

A Winter Cattle Drive in Kittitas Valley

I90 Rest Area westbound over the Cascade Mountains

Brown Bear Cafe-Silverton Colorado

Molas Pass Recreation Area-Hwy 550-Colorado

Coal Bank Pass-Hwy 550-Colorado

Homestead-Rush Valley Utah-SR36

I will be starting some new posts after New Years. I hope you have had a nice holiday.

Right now I’m working on some projects in the garage and contemplating some road trips. But mostly I’m spending time with family and friends.

This blog will also be going through some changes in 2012. Some format changes, some new categories, and improved multi-media capabilities. I purchased some new cameras and camera mounting systems that I hope will provide higher quality videos.

A wooden frame motorcycle

I also purchased Lightroom and I’m impressed with what this software can do for organizing photographs and enhancing image quality. Also the ability to transfer photos to various social networks seems to work quite well reducing the image size to manageable sizes when traveling and bandwidth can be very limited.

Well that’s it for 2011.

Pony Express Trail-Utah

Happy New Year

Backroad ADV

Here are some additional pictures from 2011 that did not get cataloged but though it might be fun to post.

Happy Holidays-Backroad ADV

I 84 Oregon- Old Oregon Trail Route

I90 Winter Snowstorm

Silverton Colorado

Ouray Colorado

US550

I have been out in the shop working on the TW200. The bike now has received a bit of a face lift getting a new rear sprocket, front counter shaft sprocket, and chain. I have been working on an installation of an oil cooler which is about half done now and lots of cleaning and polishing. I still have to work on the front forks, brakes, and the electrical system and then the bike will be ready for the 2012 riding season.

Until then I though I would share some pictures from 2011 some out takes that did not make it to this blog.

The Pumpkin Tree on Mission Ridge

Bedrock Colorado

Silverton Colorado

Ely Nevada

A Strange Nest-Eastern Washington

Dog House-Western Idaho

Leadville Colorado

Well the holidays are upon us and I have been out in the shop working on the TW200. It has been rather cold this week and while taking a break from wrenching I found these pictures taken at the Family Fun Center located in Birch Bay, Washington. For quite a few years the Fun Center has offered a Santa Train, but unfortunately this year the train is not running. So in memory of the Santa Train here are some pictures.

Queuing Up and Waiting for the Train Ride

Wishing all of you a happy holiday.

Naah! What's Up Doc

Backroad ADV

Usually after Thanksgiving I start planning trips for the new year. Some places I am think about are Haida Gwaii, Yellowknife NWT, West Virginia, and New Hampshire. Nothing is definite at this point but as the weather gets colder it’s fun to pull out the maps and dream.

But before any trip can take place in the new year, the bikes are in need of their annual inspections, maintenance, and repair. One of the bike’s is over in Seattle getting some work done to the side stand and it’s also getting a hitch so that it can pull the Unitrak Trailer. The TW200 is up on the rack and is getting new sprockets, a carburetor adjustment, an oil cooler, and a few other goodies.

And so starts the winter maintenance and there is lots of cleaning of parts to be done.

Happy Holidays

Backroad ADV

I was sorting through my photographs and discovered these pictures from John Day, Oregon. Adventures and surprises seem to occur when they are least looked for. Little did I know that a damaged tire would lead to a wonderful pre-Christmas holiday experience.

I was heading to southern Utah in early December along Interstate 84. By the time I arrived in Pendleton, a snow storm had closed the pass over the Blue Mountains between Pendleton and LaGrande. So I decided that it might be prudent to travel southbound on Hwy 395 to John Day, from there I could pick my way back to the Treasure Valley then on to Boise and continue on along my planned route. I had traveled Hwy 395 many times before. Though this route would add several hours onto my drive, I felt that this would be a better choice than sitting around in Pendleton with all the truckers waiting for the pass to open up.

South of Ukiah while following Camas Creek a semi truck (opposite direction traffic) had crossed the median and forced me to move over hard right to avoid a potential collision. As I veered right the right rear tire struck something under the snow which shredded my tire’s sidewall, causing my SUV to swerve violently toward the creek. Fortunately there was no more on coming traffic and I was able to use the entire paved surface to recover from this upset. I was very lucky not to have ended up in the creek.

After discovering the tire damage it took some time getting the car stabilized on the icy road conditions in order to be able to ‘jack’ the vehicle safely. When I lowered the spare tire I quickly discovered the tire was in poor shape and it too needed replacement.

I continued on to John Day cautiously. When I had cell phone reception I stopped the SUV and called ahead to the Les Schwab Tire store, (it’s times like this you are thankful for having a cell phone and adequate reception). I arrived at the tire store slightly after closing but there was someone there to meet me. Because the one tire was badly damaged and the spare was unsafe, I elected to purchase two tires. In about thirty minutes my tire issues were resolved and I located a motel for the night. It was here at the motels cafe, I learned about the Truckers’ Parade.

So after getting a quick bite to eat, I walked into town to find a spot to watch the parade from. This parade is held on the second Saturday in December and this event has been going on since 1993. The parade is about 90 minutes long. So if you find yourself around John Day on the second Saturday of December maybe you might want to check it out.

Happy Thanksgiving to all.

Backroad ADV

Back in the 1970s Port Townsend was a beat up town that had seen better times. But since then much has changed. The town was founded in 1851 and is the County Seat of Jefferson County. The city has some very nice Victorian buildings from the late 19th-century and the town at one time was an important maritime center.

Today the town relies greatly on tourism for it’s livelihood. The town also acts as a gateway to the Olympic Peninsula since there are ferry connections from Port Townsend to Keystone making it a convenient option for those on the east side of Puget Sound to get to the Olympic Peninsula rather than driving south to Tacoma and taking the Narrows Bridge or continuing further south to Olympia.

The town boasts about its lodging, shopping and dining. And I have to admit I do enjoy visiting the water front and having a bite to eat while watching the ferry boats come and go, the kayakers paddling around and the other boats gliding by on a nice summer day. I also enjoy walking up the hill and viewing the waterfront from a higher vantage point and looking at the older homes of this neighborhood.

You can plan some fun road trips to Port Townsend. If your following State Route 20 it will take you past Deception Pass as you travel south on Whidbey Island to the Keystone Ferry.

Should you be in the Seattle area another approach to Port Townsend is via the Kingston-Edmonds Ferry and then following State Route 104. You will have several options to get there. If you have some time I recommend going through Port Ludlow and staying along the water on Oak Bay Drive. And if you are approaching from the south then US101 along Hood Canal will get you there just turn right on SR20 when you get to Discovery Bay.

I would also suggest getting a more detailed map like a Delorme Gazetteer or Benchmark Maps in order to locate smaller backroads which are so much fun to explore.

Backroad ADV

This week the weather people are forecasting light snow. The easy bit of fall is over and the 2011 riding season is coming to an end. Soon I will be starting to work on the bikes so that they will be ready for the 2012 riding season.

The TW200 and F650GS both will need some major inspections and some extra maintenance like pulling the front forks, fluid changes, coolant on the 650GS. The TW200 is getting an oil cooler installed and some other modifications are planned as well. I plan to do some write ups on these modifications sometime this winter.

But for now I just want to post some fall photos.

This first picture was taken in Colorado on SR62.

This second picture was taken in New Hampshire on the Contocook River.

The picture below was taken in Nevada south of Baker in the Great Basin Region.

The next picture was taken on a cool fall morning in Rangely Colorado.

Here is a picture of the Weston Creek Reservoir along SR36 in Idaho

SR150 through the Unitah Mountains in Utah is a great place to see fall colors in this part of the world.

Below is an early fall picture from Alaska along Hwy 1.

Two final fall pictures from Oregon taken east of Mt Hood.