Sportbike Northwest - Logbook unedited

Saturday - August 27, 2005

08:15 - Departure
0 Km
Heading to Sportbike Northwest in the Columbia Gorge. Was out there on Thrusday to pre-register.
Return today to participate. Gagiva Cran Canyon packed. Depart Bremerton, WA 34,158.4 Km.

09:45 - Deer Creek, WA
71 Km
Lovely ride so far. Luggage OK, no worries! Next stop, Randal?

12:15 - Wakepish Snow Park
284 Km
Weather started to turn crappy in Oly.
I-5 traffic nasty to Chahalis and 12 East. Weather getting gloomier heading East.
Had to pass a clusterfuck of Hardley Ableson's in Morton. Damn people stopped all over the road, pulled out right in front of me!
Weather improved a lot as I approaced Randal. Did not seem to need gas so continued onto junction FR-99.
Damn cluter-f of Hardleys' coming up the valley. Shitload of noise. Those things are truely annoying. CRAP! They are pulling into the same stop area. Time to leave Wakeapish. Next stop Stabler? I hope I don't run out of gas!
Max speed 70 MPH.

13:30 - Stabler, WA @ Wind River Road
371 Km
Pushed the tank to 300 Km. Needed 4.4 gallons to fill it up (Getting about 42 MPG).
Met two guys hiking from Mexico to Canada! They were changing shoes. 690 miles on the sets they were changing out. It was the 5th and last pair that they were putting on. Very impressive! Took a picture of them. Bike running like a champ!
Had to pass some vehicles.
Goldwing / Voyager 2-up. Horrible lines and braking mid-corner. I hope they made it safely off the mountain.
Smelled brakes and 8-10 corners later came upon a minivan smoking it's binders down the mountain. It stank.
A while later came upon a slow-poke in a car with MTB bikes mounted on top. They finally waved me past. They were going UNDER the 35 MPH speed limit.
They were all so slow I took pictures of each of them.
Max speed 97 MPH.

14:10 - Stevenson, WA on the Columbia Gorge
391 Km
GORGEOUS WX!
Not as many tents as I'd expected. Bruce is out at Mary Hills Loop checkpoint. Area is sort of a ghosttown at the moment. No worries it's more the journey than the destination (and the destination is fine itself).

Trip Stats
Odometer 391 Km (240.8 miles)
Stopped time: 1 hour 11 min.
Moving time: 4 hours 32 min.
Total time: 5 hours 43 min.
Moving Avg. V 53.2 MPH
Overall Avg. V 42.1 MPH
Sunrise 06:21
Sunset 19:56
Moonset 16:08

Wow, the GPS even has tidal guides built in. This thing is cool!
The two hikers had already covered over 2100 miles hiking the PCT (Pacific Crest Trail) over the last 4 months from near Tecate Mexico. That's pretty hardcore. One of them had ridden down in Baja and suggested to stay off the roads at night because of lunatic truck drivers and to watch for bumps in the roads that can launch you out of your seat. Sounds like a hoot and a half! Time for a nap or to find some food. VERY hungry. I hope some of the VFR group return before 6:00pm!

23:08 - SBNW
Having a great time! Bruce bought the group a batch of extra raffle tickets. Invited to participate in a Lane Sharing roundtable on Sunday morning. First half of M/C camping going better than I had expected. Blankets instead of a sleeping bag working out OK.
Joe game me some info on REI gear for M/C camping. Ned to make a list and hit REI.
We'd just finished watching "On Any Sunday". Wow, what a well shot and narrated movie. No wonder that 35 yeas later it's still the pinacle of M/C movies! Must buy this when I get home!!
Tired, more writing in the morning. Hopefully I get some sleep!! Not sure how well I would be making out if Joe had not helpmed me figure out this baffling tent $ loaned me a flashlight to setup the tent and write these notes. THX JOE!

Sunday - August 27, 2005

03:05 - SBNW
TRAINS! FUCKING LOUD FREIGHT TRAINS! Been going on for what seems like forever. COLD!! I must get as sleeping bag. Blankets along SUCK! Might as well bio-break. Brrrr.

06:51 - SBNW
Finally got some rest! A tad hungover from a couple of beers at the beer garden!?! Not sure why, maybe headach is alergies.. feel like $10 otherwise! Off to get breakfast.

20:35 - Bremerton, WA
826 Km (516 miles)
After a great day of riding with Bruce, Mary Lee and a guy we met named Rich, I finally returned home. A little tired but really feeling rejuvinated!!
Getting lost trying to shortcut from Elbe to Olympia was just icing on the cake. Had to get lost at some point! Skys opend up to rain min. after I got my gear inside the house. Perfect timing.
First M/C camping trip into the book!