The MOA Rally and a bit of Oregon

After a bit of tarmac we were soon up in the hills again 

Only had one small hitch to my progress besides a few missed turns.. I run an App called Gaia on my phone and if you don't zoom in real tight you can't tell if you have made the right turn until you have gone a 100 meters or so.. I turned around a few times to stay on track.

This slowed me down a bit

Quick work with the Silky Big Boy. 🙂 

Once underway again on the right tracks you get some wonderful vistas of the Okanagan valley above Omak ??

First glimpse of Lake Chelan 

I took a break once in town as it was hot in the valley. Decided I need to make up time so stuck to Highway 97 with a short diversion down the Yakima river valley. I was tempted to stop and camp at one of the many State camps but I needed supplies and it was too early. so a stop in Yakima for said supplies and to have Garmin get me lost. Grrrr. Why don't I just turn around instead of being stubborn.. Oh well twenty or thirty lights later I was back on the highway.. F@%#@# Garmin sometimes 

Being late now I stopped at the Brooks Memorial State Campground. There were lots of tent sites but hard to find a level one.. anyways I did and the people from the Bay Area I had met at Loup Loup were camped right next to me.. Nice couple. 

Their van in the distance, They were just returning from a big loop up into Canada through our National parks. Banff, Jasper, Yoho and Kootenay. 

The next morning it was a short run down to the Columbia River valley and there are lots of these 

The wind had them all spinning nicely 

I always stop at Stone Henge when ever I am through this way. It is quite the memorial to the First World War. 

The view of the valley is a good one from there 

Beautiful part of the countries. 👍 

I actually didn't cross over at 97 but went over to The Dalles to cross into Oregon.. I had a rough plan to head, west, then East. But of course my rough plans get even rougher when I see a side road that calls my Name.. 

So after running to the end of one and back tracking I found another. 

Got some nice views of Mt.Hood

And some empty farm land

I then took pavement all the way over to Highway 38 and right to the base of Mt hood. My plan was to head in the direction of Detroit Oregon and camp for the night but I got distracted. 

I took 48 ( twisty heaven, oh to be on two wheels ) ( what am I thinking, bad me, three is just as much fun) over to Maupin and found this nice little section of gravel before I got there.. 

The most wonderful colour Red.. They were doing some fresh grading so it was smooth smooth. 

Now this is where I got muddled, I took a break in Maupin, It was hot and the wind was blowing hard. I had gotten my self a long way off track and I could have made it back on to the course of my plan but I had volunteered to help at the rally Wednesday After Noon. What to do. I decided to just head to the Rally site a night early.. I had info that they let volunteers in early so that is what I did.. Ran the Gauntlet on 197 in the wind and then down to Redmond. 

The area for club Camping was empty except of a few early birds. Bonus was all the volunteers got fed that night.. Real bonus 

A map. I was here ten years ago but nothing seemed familiar 

Wednesday Came and went. The Area soon filled up 

Dave from Nor Cal got busy and organized all us Cats ( sidecarists ) together for a picture 

We had 22 rigs in the picture but missed a whole bunch. Some one said over 30 rigs were there with a few extras showing up daily 

Dan and Chuck's camp. 

A line of RT's and GS's 

My humble abode 

I had volunteered to help with clean up, by the time I showed up to the gathering spot, on time by the way, every one had been dispersed and given jobs to do.. Damn early birds, LOL. So I was given a golf cart and told to go gather and garbage that was laying around.. I did the job but it was more of a visit with others late to leaving and packing up. 

Once under way and a stop in Prineville for lunch I took this wonderful scenic road heading south. This hooked up with more of the Oregon BDR-- 

As with all BDRs they start out nice and tame then get slightly rougher then turn totally spicy. Ha!  

Here it looks nice and smooth but I am sure the grader had square tires when he did this.. 

Actually this route was pretty tame, rutted up a tad and a few gates but for the most part easy peasy.

The high point.. This is where I got fucked over by Garmin again.. It was late so I started the search for camping.. If I had gotten out the big map. Too windy, I would have realized that I was real close to the Hot springs below Summer lake.. Sadly I headed the other way following a route Garmin had picked to the nearest Campground.. I almost turned back, should have as it was only 11 miles down to Summerlake, the village. But I didn't, so I did 40 miles of questionable paved roads in the cold wind to end up at Summerlake, the village. I had abandoned the Garmin campground by this time as it took me in the wrong direction, ??? stubborn again. Probably tired and brain dead would be more the case. 

Any ways I resupplied and fuelled up then headed South. If I would have consulted the big map I would have had a better plan but instead I followed the cursed Garmin. 

Ended up at a Nice little RV park, Grabbed a spot right by the building for a bit of a Windbreak. It was a struggle to get the tent set up. One of the fellow campers took pity and made me a coffee and gave me the code to the washroom. No one else around. I was tired and slept good, even the RV furnaces coming on at random times didn't keep me awake for long. 

Awoke to a clear crisp day, frost on the bike, Packed up fairly quickly and hit the road after it had warmed up a tad.  Had paid for a tent site but had camped in a fancy RV site.. Still lots of others that were open, so no foul, I figure. 

Now we get into some good stuff.  The next morning as I headed out I came across several good spots to camp. Ah well next time.. Went past Summer Lake Hot springs that had been recommended by chuck and Dan.  Some times I need to look at the map and just ignore what Garmin is telling me.. Could have saved a bunch of time last night.. Still it was pretty exposed to the wind so might have been fun setting up.. Next time I will know. 

Stopped in Paisley, the gal there had just opened and I got breakfast. Then topped up with fuel.. The rig is thirsty when fighting head winds. Went a bit further south then turned North and found the BDR track that heads into the desert.

Pretty country but empty 

Starts out nice and smooth then turns spicy 

Goes forever 

Here is a you tube clip.  See if it works

  https://www.youtube.com/shorts/MS9cl6qqmr8

Did I say spicy.. Damn rocky is what I really mean.. 

Some more You tube stuff

And some of the Leading link doing it's thing  

About the only time is was smooth was when I had the front wheel in the air.. :-0.

some time around here I went to shift back to first gear.. 

Something was missing,, Locktite is your friend until it is not. 🙂 

After a brief look back up the trail, unsuccessfully, I found the quick fix, worked rather well I might add. 

We carry on, the cattle guard every one yaks about.. Damn near high centred. Some do this at speed but be careful it could kill you if you don't have the skill, the landing is foot deep fesch fesch 

Might be what happened here. The previous rig rider that came this way.