My wife Deb and I before setting off.
Jim's home | Motorcycle home | 10k Home
Am at my son Max's in Salt Lake City now. Will leave for Colorado in the morning. Made over 500 miles the first day and ended at a beautiful campground by the north fork of the John Day river. I was the only one in the campground and could really belt it out on my ukulele. Had a close call with a deer near the end of the day. A good wake up call.
My wife Deb and I before setting off.
Ready to go early in the morning.
Windsurfers on the Columbia River near Hood River, OR.
Looking east up the Columbia.
My Norge in full travel mode.
Crossing the wheat fields of norther Oregon to get down to the Strawberry Mountains, Blue Hills and John Day River.
Mount Hood in the distance.
The famed horseshoe bends just south of Shaniko, OR on the way to Antelope, OR. Antelope was where the Rajneeshpuram, a "religious intentional community" was located in the early 1980s.
Painted hills approaching the Strawberry Mountains near Service Creek, OR.
Beautiful roads in OR on the Kimberly, Monument, Spray corridor.
Middle fork of the John Day River. The road from Ritter Hot Springs to Austin, OR is a gem. Runs along the river flanked by forest and basalt rock formations.
My campsite at the Middle Fork Campground. I was the only one there. Still early in the year I guess.
Good campsite. Nice having a picnic table.
Click to hear Jim rant about deer and motorcycles after a very close call.
473 miles the next day riding through agricultural towns in Idaho, including the alleged onion growing capital of the world. Then I84 to Twin Falls where I crossed the Perrine Memorial Bridge. Base jumpers were preparing to make there jumps there. Made it to Wells, NV in time to swim laps at their nice municipal pool, then a Super 8 motel for the night. Pretty slim pickings for lodging and restaurants in Wells. 2.5 hours the next morning to Max's, across the salt flats to the west of SLC. My back tire is getting flat in the middle from the straight road travel. Did some nice hikes with Max and have enjoyed talking to his very nice roommates. Pics below show Deb and me, windsurfers on the Columbia, my campground, a golf course by the Perrine bridge, that bridge, the Morton Salt facility, Max and me at the Alta ski resort and Max on our hike. After Colorado it'll be northern NM, TX, OK and then my next real destination, the curvy roads of the Ozarks.
The Perrine Memorial Bridge in Twin Falls, ID.
Looking west from the bridge over the Snake River. Golf course visible above the basalt cliffs.
A close up of the golf course.
Base jumpers getting ready to jump off the bridge.
My destination that night was Wells, NV. G
A Morton salt facility by the salt flats. Interesting seeing the mountains of salt. Years ago taking Max home from U. of Utah we stopped at a rest area only accessible west bound and collected some jars of salt. There was pure white salt as far as the eye could see. Huge crystals too. Couldn't access that rest area east bound, but the salt seemed dirty this time.
Where my son Max lives now. He's got a nice room in the basement.
View across the street from Max's house.
Son Max.
Us.
We drove up to the Alta ski area for fun. It's one of the few resorts that don't allow snowboarders.
Us at Alta.
Did a fun hike off the canyon road up to the Mill Creek Pipeline Trail. There are remnants of an ancient, disused pipeline. Maybe carried water? This is looking down at the trailhead by the canyon road after making the ascent to the pipeline trail. Off leash dogs are allowed on odd days, mountain bikes on even days.
Max on the trail.
Looking down on Salt Lake City.