Sunday 4th September 2022
The Artemis launch has been scrubbed and they are taking it back into the VAB at Cape Canaveral. Bummer...
Yesterday evening, over a meal of one of Jorge's superb salads - this time enhanced with spiced bratwurst
Jorge and I discussed security. We both have a pretty good feel for when things aren't right, but for the first time, Jorge suggests I disk-lock the bike when stopped for the night, and gives me this...
...as a self defence measure if approached by someone wishing me ill. The homeless problem has grown enormously since my last visit, and apparently the use of meth has exploded.
As usual, I will be avoiding large conurbations during my trip - but Jorge is not someone who cries wolf, so I take his advice to heart and put the pepper spray in an easily accessible position.
I sleep reasonably well - as ever, prior to the start of a holiday or journey, my mind keeps searching out things I might have forgotten. I get up late, around 0900, and resume the packing that I'd mostly completed yesterday afternoon and evening.
Suddenly, I'm finished. I express my gratitude to Jorge - both for all the hassle he has been through prepping the bike, and of course, for loaning it to me.
"Don't fucking wreck it Oughton"
I take a pic of the mileage for the stats geeks...
Put on the rest of my kit and start off down the driveway. I'm very conscious that it has a new rear tyre that wil need scrubbing in*, but today is going to be hot and dry, so it shouldn't prove difficult.
It's just after noon on a glorious day - 85F with hardly a cloud in the sky. The vents in my jacket and helmet are fighting a losing battle with the temperature...
I have put this evening's motel address into Betty, and asked her to provide me with a 'winding route'. I start off on small suburban roads which take me on a meandering tour of southern Portland...
I am wearing sunglasses and using a dark visor - although in town I have the visor raised (except when taking a pic - I look like a superannuated hamster stuffed into a drainpipe - keeping the visor down at least gives my self image a fighting chance)...
I climb up into some very nice neighbourhoods - this is Skyland Drive. These guys travel First Class everywhere I expect...
Betty soon has me out of town and following some lovely farm roads, heading broadly in the direction of Corvallis...
This part of Oregon grows all types of fruit, and lots of ornamental trees and shrubs...
Our first barn of the trip - huzzah!
The roads are almost empty - which is great (especially as they will also prove to be empty of members of Oregon's Law Enforcement community).
Bloody power and phone lines. Anywhere you want to take a pic, some lumbering engineer has come along before you and destroyed the view with a damn great loop of cable...
Betty takes me through some gorgeous roads. I'm very conscious of not having ridden here for three years or so, and not ridden any distance in the UK in the same timeframe. I feel rusty as hell and compensate for this by staying slow, smooth and gradually getting back into the groove of riding.
There's a definite temperature drop as I enter the dappled shade of woodland...
...but out in the sun, even at speed, it's pretty warm. I'm wearing my unlined elkskin roping gloves, which I have completely sweated through. Despite this, they are the most comfortable gloves for this type of riding, and if a pair wears out, it's like losing a friend...
I ride through a few small towns...
...until I find what I want on the outskirts of Keizer - the Hitching Post Bar and Grill...
It's darkish, cool and quite busy. The lovely Gabby brings me...
...a huge iced lemonade, as I peel my sopping base layer off and try to make myself look like a member of the same species as the rest of the bar. I drink five of these during my stop - delicious.
I only had a couple of cups of coffee for breakfast, so order a taco salad - expecting it to arrive in a bowl shaped taco shell...
...but what arrives is an excellent salad, built on top of a layer of crushed tortilla chips
They make their own salsa (I asked, Jorge!
), which I'm pretty sure I can still taste now...
With the inner man satisfied, I kit up (after settling the very reasonable $12.50 plus tip bill) and head out into the sun. Half a mile up the road I stop at a Mobil station and fill up with Super at $4.46 per gallon.
Back on the road, I am behind this chap (presumably Pancho) for a while. Whilst driving along he's raising and lowering alternate sides of the front of the car with hydraulic rams...
When we move away from this juncton, a police cruiser pulls into traffic behind us, and the bouncing suddenly stops...
Betty keeps turning me onto different farm roads, but they are generally pointing me south west, towards the Pacific coast...
I ride through Corvallis, which seems very pleasant...
Agriculture here has changed to cereal crops - most of which have been harvested. The ploughed fields are
vast...
It's getting pretty warm. Due to an oversight, I'm not wearing a CamelBack - and this weather calls for one (I'm going to buy one tomorrow). I decide to stop again for something to eat, as it's now a couple of hours since lunch and I still have a way to go...
This little gas station appears - that'll do...
I leave my sopping gear on the bike, using it as an 1150cc clothes horse...
Yep - not going to be discussing politics here...
A couple of ice-cream sandwiches and a large bottle of diet Dr Pepper helps rehydrate me, as well as giving my blood sugar a bump...
The road is now very pleasant - Highway 101...
...which will take me all the way to Florence, my target for tonight.
There are long, cool, shaded sections - which are very welcome...
Look - first bridge pic! Huzzah!
Nearly there now - and I won't be sorry to see the motel...
Pretty soon...
John, on reception, is great - welcomes me and gives me a rundown on where to get anything I need. Top of the list will be a visit to a nearby Mexican Café who does a speciality breakfast - crab omelette...
As requested, he's given me a ground floor room and told me that I
can park the bike under the canopy if I want to, but advises parking directly outside the room, where it is clear sight of his CCTV security camera. I decide to take his advice.
I carry some stuff into the room, which is small, clean and adequate, then return to the bike to ride it around. It doesn't start first time, so I double check it's out of gear, sidestand up etc.
When I try it again it just clicks and the warning lights dim. I notice the clock is showing zero. Dammit! What new Hell is this?
I push the bike to outside my door, fully unload it and lock it up. I know Jorge fitted a new battery and a new alternator belt as part of the major service prepping for this trip. The generator light is clearly visible to me when riding and I would have noticed it being on...
I text Jorge to tell him I've arrived safely and give him a report on the bike. He immediately thinks the alternator belt has been slipping. If this was happening, the generator light would glow dimly - and the panel has been in full sun most of the day (plus I've been wearing sunglasses).
So - what to do. I have a chat with John at reception and he is immediately helpful. He has a jumper pack there in the office and he'll hold my room for another night in case I need it. Outstanding.
It's not a particulary complex job - the only additional work involved on Jorge's bike (as on mine) is that the bottem bolt of the front (Öhlins) shock needs to be removed to allow room for the front cover to be removed. I should have the necessary tools in my kit. It would be great to have a proper garage's tools, though.
I have roadside assistance from State Farm. I'll put up a distress rocket on ADVrider to see if there's anyone in the area that might be able to help - failing that I'll give State Farm a call...
Bugger
STOP THE PRESS!
Roger (ChipSeal on ADVrider) has just PMed me asking for the motel's address - he'll be arriving equipped with everything needed to do the alternator belt tension, as well as a spare battery.
ADVrider slides smoothly into gear...
Roger - take a bow - you are an awesome individual...
*For those who are not motorcyclists, new tyres have a light coating of quite slippery chemicals, partly to aid getting them out of the mould during manufacture, and partly to extend their shelf life. When riding with new tyres (especially in the wet) you have to gently increase your lean angle and be aware that you might easily lose traction...