A Less Eventful Second Day

Day 2
States: 4
Miles: 1410

The day began with a look at the local TV station where the big concern was a flash flood watch.  Uh oh.  Turns out that was for Reno, which was in my rear view mirror.  I was relieved to be heading toward Oregon - it hardly ever rains there, right?  I set off from Susanville on a course to Redding, and I was instantly grateful that I had decided to shut it down the previous evening.  It would have been an absolute shame to go through this area in the dark.  With smooth, sweeping twisties, Ponderosa pines and Redwoods standing at the roadside, it was easily the most fun and picturesque ride yet on this trip.  It was the kind of day that a motorcyclist lives for.  I was virtually alone on this two-lane version of heaven, and the temperature was perfect.  I half expected to see Hoss and Billy Joe come riding out of the woods on horseback.  

I was taking it all in, making sure to enjoy the moment.  It was pure bliss.  Until, that is, I felt the chinstrap of my cursed helmet come loose again.  I had attempted to restore the clip to its original condition using a small piece of the rapidly dwindling fabric, and it didn't take long to realize that the effort was futile.  Knowing that the helmet cam was in place, I momentarily panicked, but ironically the weight of the camera seemed to be holding it in place.  There was no place to pull over, as the side of the road was minimal and I had seen logging trucks barreling down the road, and had passed a few.  Having no other options, I stuck the strap in my mouth, reasoning that if it did blow off my head, at least I might prevent the camera from certain destruction.  Thankfully, it stayed put and in a mile or so I came upon a crossroad where I could pull over on and be reasonably visible and safe.  Out came the plastic tie wraps again, but this time I made a little modification that I'm hoping will preclude a trip to the Harley dealer for one of their $200 helmets.  So far so good.

Overall, it was a less eventful day than yesterday, which is probably a good thing.  But it was a gorgeous day, both weather wise and scenery-wise.  The Sierra Mountains were absolutely majestic, snow-capped and gleaming in the sun.  The roads, with the constant elevation changes and turns, offered a better view of the mountains around each bend.  I tried to take some pictures, but they don't really do justice to the fantastic sites seen from the seat of the bike.  That, plus the fact that I somehow managed to turn my camera into black and white mode.  Maybe the ghost of Ansel Adams caused this to happen?

Portland traffic bogged me down a bit, and it was unusually warm, but as was the case with Sacramento, once you clear the city and start heading eastward, you are rewarded with spectacular scenery.  I-84 winds along the Columbia River, featuring some of the best scenery that I've ever seen on any interstate highway.  Washington state beckoned across the river, and I eventually found a bridge that would take me over to that side so I could knock off my fourth state.  The bridge was one of those steel grating types which was a bit unnerving, both because it grabs the tires and takes the bike where it wants to, and also because when looking down, the grating is virtually invisible giving the rider the illusion that he is floating above the river.  Far above.  I'm not one that's terribly bothered by heights, but I have to admit that this got my attention.  I got to the other side, put both feet down in Washington (which is my rule for officially being in the state), and turned right about to get back to Oregon.  I was rewarded with a stunning view of Mt. Hood in the background of the bridge.  

I was still in Ansel Adams mode, so I'm not sure if the photo is better in black and white or might have illustrated things better had it been in color.  I do know that once again the photo does not do the view justice.  You have to look really close, but way back there to the left of the bridge is Mt.  Hood.  Trust me, it's spectacular.  Really.  I finally decided to find a place to stop and get some rest in Pendleton, Oregon.  I had hoped to be In Boise by this time, but I'm not too far behind schedule.  About three hours off, and that's OK at this point. 

Unusual things seen on the road today: 

• A street sweeper - sweeping the interstate
• A snow plow - driving down the interstate
• A bumper sticker on a car saying "Keep Portland Weird"
• A stuffed buffalo on the side of the road dressed like Uncle Sam