Moto Guzzi National Owners Club (MGNOC) National Rally 2024 @ John Day, Oregon

[MotoKnee]

Thinking of riding west from Missoula across ID,then to John Day.Which is the most enjoyable way from there?

You can google any of these routes with the term "motorcycle" for lots of details.

Lolo Pass/Hwy 12.





Rattlesnake Grade





Wallowa Mountain road above Snake river canyon


https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/wallowa-whitman/specialplaces/?cid=stelprdb5226777


Dooley Mountain hwy

[Moparnut72]

You definitely need to go down Lolo Pass to Lewiston and then across the river to Clarkson. Then take 129 to Asotin which will change to 3 in Oregon. This will take you over Rattlesnake to Enterprise. At the bottom of Rattlesnake there is a cafe that also has some cabins in the back on the river but you may want to go further. From Enterprise you have three different options. The route to Joseph and then through the National Forest by Hell's Canyon on the way to Baker is a nice ride, not speedy though. Then Baker on to John Day.
kk

[MotoKnee]

You definitely need to go down Lolo Pass to Lewiston and then across the river to Clarkson. Then take 129 to Asotin which will change to 3 in Oregon. This will take you over Rattlesnake to Enterprise. At the bottom of Rattlesnake there is a cafe that also has some cabins in the back on the river but you may want to go further. From Enterprise you have three different options. The route to Joseph and then through the National Forest by Hell's Canyon on the way to Baker is a nice ride, not speedy though. Then Baker on to John Day.
kk

One of the options from Enterprise is the Elkhorn scenic byway from North Powder to Sumpter. I didn't mention it because it was closed for snowpack when I rode past it last Monday.  ODOT Tripcheck shows it now as open and it is also a great road that intersects with the route to John Day.

https://traveloregon.com/things-to-do/trip-ideas/scenic-drives/elkhorn-drive-scenic-byway/

Tripcheck is an excellent resource for Oregon road conditions.  There are several chip seal projects around the area that generally are worth avoiding.

https://www.tripcheck.com/

[Clifton]

Thanks for posting all the suggested routes near there, I'm highlighting them now!

Anyone have 2-lane road suggestions for going across say from Ohio westward? Last time that direction I rode up through Michigan and across U.P., Wisconsin, MN, ND, and MT. I'm thinking this time maybe a little south of that such as central Iowa, northern Nebraska, Wyoming, to Idaho. Or possibly across the northern parts of Kansas, Colorado, Utah, and Nevada.

[groundhog105]

ATTENTION TR4driver & Sempervee.

I have tried several times to respond to your pm but something is wrong with the website and keeps giving me an errors message.  Just call me at 619-884-7790 about the room.

[Tkelly]

Take 20 across Iowa,then 12 across NE to Valentine,north across SD to Interior ,thru Badlandsto Black Hills,west to Gillette WYO,Nw to Cody,Chief Joseph Hwy to North Yellowstone ,NW to Missoula the acros ID and OR to John Day as shown in this post.You will be really moving to get there on 2 lane roads in 5 days from WV.Good luck.Might have to take some interstates,we are doing this in 5 days from SW WI,hot weather all the way to the mountains.

[Clifton]

Thanks Tom, I've highlighted your road suggestions and will probably utilize some of them on the way out or back. 

[JJ]

The ol' "Yellow Horse" and "The Thrasher" are ready to make their debut appearance next Thursday at the Rally!!

[Nolan]

Yeah, me too. Some final fussing but I'm very happy with the way it works, a couple hundred miles later.  While I'd love to ride (and not haul) I'm really looking forward to exploring and reconnecting!

John Day or bust! =)

Nolan   

[Tom]

Start of my trip.  Fly-n-ride.  7hr flight to PHOENIX.  Tomorrow pack bike.  Out Phoenix by 10a.
North to east Ut.   

[kidsmoke]

You can tell the men from the boys by the price ergos of their toys....

Beautiful. But, damn. My body wouldn't/couldn't.

I doff my cap in your direction, sir. 

[JJ]

Start of my trip.  Fly-n-ride.  7hr flight to PHOENIX.  Tomorrow pack bike.  Out Phoenix by 10a.
North to east Ut.   

Safe travels!!   See you Thursday in John Day!!

[Utrider]

See everyone tomorrow afternoon.

Does anyone know if there are going to be demo bikes (V100 & Stelvio specifically) available?

[Tkelly]

Will need UT riding suggestions for a ride back to Durango CO.Hope to see some Utes .

[AH Fan]

Well boys turns out I will be there Fri some time rather than the start date............... . don't drink all the beer.   

I will be on the Gunmetal grey Stelvio                B.C plate

Ciao

[Brand X]

135 miles of mostly twisty roads for me.. No Moto Guzzi now, because I traded off my Stornello A big block will be in my future at some point..
In the mean time,I have to ride the sister brand over. on Friday. :evil:Don't throw rocks ... In Redmond,Or. the BMW deal had about 6000 campers
two weeks ago..I though it was funny that Triumph was there giving demo rides..   

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

We rolled into John Day about 3 pm this afternoon, after 2700+ miles.

[Tkelly]

Great looking cal3 and John Day or bust loop.

[jacksonracingcomau]

We rolled into John Day about 3 pm this afternoon, after 2700+ miles.

Goodonya Charlie, peanuts in the old days but I doubt many kids ride that far now.
Be sure to look out for my Aussie mates, Marc and Mick, both proper Guzzisti. Marc (T3) is 6’4” and wouldn’t say boo to a goose, Mick (G5) is the social butterfly, probably knows everyone there by now
They are on a mission to come home with left V700 sidecover for me, the tin genny cover you sent is already safe in a bag in LA, thanks.
Have fun

MH

[Pescatore]

......
Be sure to look out for my Aussie mates, Marc and Mick, both proper Guzzisti. Marc (T3) is 6’4” and wouldn’t say boo to a goose, Mick (G5) is the social butterfly, probably knows everyone there by now
......
MH

Is Marc the one who bought a bike from Moto Guzzi Classics and rode it to the Rally?

[Tkelly]

Marc bought the SP and he is the talker,the other guy not so much.You spot them by their drover hats.

[Brand X]

Some nice bikes there.. There was a new Stelvio there for demo rides . Pretty snappy, loved the brakes. I have ridden smoother air cooled guzzi's,and better shifting ones too..Just in the 70 MPH + ranges in more vibes than my 990 rotax..Less pleasing ones too..I want that master cylinder on my Aprilia . (Has the Mirror setup built into it) Same feel as my Daytona Moto two 765. When adjusted how I liked it.. Triumph had higher spec brakes,
the The Guzzi was that good to me.. Overall good bike, but not for me..

#380 over is a great road.,little traffic,,

I did not take a lot of pictures but the 1400 with a side care was a good looking bike .Guy was super nice to talk to ..For some reason picture of it did not take. Griso was very tasteful to me..











 

[jacksonracingcomau]

Marc bought the SP and he is the talker,the other guy not so much.You spot them by their drover hats.

Yea, I said T3,but it  is SP , but glad to hear he’s getting a word in, usually the other way round. If any of you get to ride with them, please post. Note the rules, first to gas station, use the least fuel. Tells the story.
If anyone has a V700 left sidecover, get it to these boys , please

[Moparnut72]

Camped right next to them. Mick has been the talker from what I have seen. Great guys.
kk

[Chuck in Indiana]

Marc bought the SP and he is the talker,the other guy not so much.You spot them by their drover hats.

I had a blue SP like that one, and gave it a hard look at MG Classics before Marc bought it. The other Mark  was concerned about it going that far, because he had only ridden it a short amount. I told him I'd put a can of DeOxit in the luggage and head out.

[Kiwi_Roy]

So how did the National Rally go?
Did I miss out on a good one?

[Tkelly]

Terrific food,camping weather,grass ,group ride,organization,location,amazing collection of bikes,other than that you didn’t miss much.My only gripe is that the long distance 2 up award went to a sidecar instead of an old Eldorado couple from Iowa,isn’t that a bit more difficult?

[twowheeladdict]

Terrific food,camping weather,grass ,group ride,organization,location,amazing collection of bikes,other than that you didn’t miss much.My only gripe is that the long distance 2 up award went to a sidecar instead of an old Eldorado couple from Iowa,isn’t that a bit more difficult?

Yes, the side car is a bit more difficult.

[Chuck in Indiana]

Terrific food,camping weather,grass ,group ride,organization,location,amazing collection of bikes,other than that you didn’t miss much.My only gripe is that the long distance 2 up award went to a sidecar instead of an old Eldorado couple from Iowa,isn’t that a bit more difficult?

Yep. The Jack-All rig was our traveling machine for a few years. There's no way we could have traveled 2 up and camp on a solo bike.

[Pescatore]

So how did the National Rally go?
Did I miss out on a good one?

I could not finagle a way to ride to the rally, but this is what I would have missed if I hadn't flown there and slept in a rental car (turned out peachy).
This is what I was greeted by at the entrance


This is the sunset I wouldn't have seen heading west on RT26


This is almost the italian police paint color I would not have imagined on a Norge. It's striking and well done.




This is a picture of how the crash bars are installed on a Breva 1100 that I would not have taken. I wish I could do this to my Norge without drilling the fairing.
This bike belongs to a lady who rode from NH, whom I wouldn't have met.






These are some of the stunning views of immense valleys I wouldn't have seen with my own eyes. Just like in western movies.






tree gif




That log house is on the John Day river...  what a view it must have.

I would not have seen a popup trailer for motorcycles.




I also would not have been able to test the new Stelvio. What a ride, in beautiful surroundings
I have an opinion on the bike compared to the Norge,  but I will post in the appropriate thread.

I would not have met people from Australia, Canada and Italy.
I wouldn't have met a retired sheriff from Washington state,  our beloved Charlie and his ride mates (one who slept in a hamac one night and like me suffered the 45F night temp), a guy who made a custom Off-road bike with a Guzzi engine (some 1100cc, but can't remember which).
I met many nice people from Washington state, AZ, Tom from Hawaii (everyone knows him) and JJ, whom I chased down as he was loading his bike on the trailer.

Roy, if the above is old news to you, then you didn't miss much. 
What I missed is not being able to find Moparnut72, PJPR01, SemerVee and Matteo. I got distracted looking at the many bikes there and talking to others.
Maybe next time.