2011...Western US
September
Jimbo had sweet-talked us into another 3 weeks, this time for more dirt, more out of the way places, brilliant weather, lots of laughs, lots of backroads, some wild'n whacky places and some smooth cruising wrapped in the
STUMPING!! ~7000km loop.
As all good things...it started with a
BANG.
Of Jimbo's brandnew TKC80 rear hoop, that is.
We skimmed the South Oregon border through the Klamath Mtns
Trusted some shady characters
Checked out the "Painted Hills" of John Day Fossil Beds
Cruised one of the endless South Fork, or was it a North Fork?, roads, this one in the Malheur National Forest
Had the most bizarre overnight stay EVER...at the (now in receivership) BearCat lodge in Seneca
The "Little Dragon" produced tears of joy ...and one HELL of a DR650 v. KLR650 paint-swapper.
Frequented classy neighbourhoods
Met Wyatt Earp in the tiny hamlet of Ola, loaded 6-shooter in the waitband, Stetson and all.
Folks enjoying Hot Springs at the side of the road
From Idaho, into Montana and quickly through Yellowstone into Wyoming
....ohhh man, LOVE that place!
Jackson Lake, Grand Tetons N.P. in the late afternoon
The backroads into Capitol Reef N.P....bloody speechless, what nature can come up with.
Bryce Canyon
...and the red roads of Zion N.P.
No ride around here without some mystery
Fixed this 'n that
Back into California, Bear Gully and Sonora Pass, Ebbett's Pass....and into the Sierra Nevada proper.
Lost our hearts at Lassen Volcanic Park
Had enough bends??
For a while!! Wore the glove to shreds, bugga!
For another tour-de-force ride report and around 800 pics (oh yeah, it's a blockbuster) :
http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3787