Author Topic: Eastbound and Down-Seattle to Kansas (Read 9472 times)

travelingbyguzzi · « **on:** April 11, 2015, 11:22:41 PM »

Dragged out at High Noon today. Lots of liquid sunshine for the first 225 miles...until it turned into snow while crossing the Cascades near Mt Hood on US26 in Oregon. Rolled into Burns OR about 7:30 with teeth chattering.
It is going to be very cold..but clear...tomorrow morning. I am going south on SR205 thru Frenchglen and Denio. This might be the emptiest 200 mile piece of road in the US.
I plan to burn out a 600 mile day (most of it on I-80) and end up in Heber City UT.

Bill Lovelady IS
Eskimo Spy

nunzio · « **Reply #1 on:** April 12, 2015, 05:34:57 AM »

How Cold Is IT?

Lannis · « **Reply #2 on:** April 12, 2015, 06:44:48 AM »

Quote from: nunzio on April 12, 2015, 05:34:57 AM

How Cold Is IT?

It's so cold that a hooker at an Oregon truck stop charged Bill $20 to blow on his hands.

travelingbyguzzi · « **Reply #3 on:** April 12, 2015, 07:29:06 AM »

Quote from: nunzio on April 12, 2015, 05:34:57 AM

How Cold Is IT?

It was 53 and sunny when I left Seattle. The 1st rain squall 15 miles out droopped it to 45. The coldest I saw was 34 near Government Camp OR. This was at 4000' el. It got dry on the east face of the Cascades, which is typical for this area.
It is currently 21 in Burns, but should be in the low 30s and sunny by 8am. In this country the wind BLOWS but should be calm in the morning hours.
Lannis, my hands and feet are the cold spots(electric vest). For $20 I would have her suck my toes. I mean, if your gonna pay for it.........

delrod · « **Reply #4 on:** April 12, 2015, 08:30:49 AM »

;-T ;-T See you in kansas

Stormtruck2 · « **Reply #5 on:** April 12, 2015, 08:48:07 AM »

I'll see you in CV. I'll having something available to help warm yer innerds when we get there!! :BEER:

rodekyll · « **Reply #6 on:** April 12, 2015, 02:08:42 PM »

Got your hippo hands, Bill?

travelingbyguzzi · « **Reply #7 on:** April 12, 2015, 10:21:19 PM »

It can be a problem going from cold weather to warm weather. Where do you put your cold weather stuff?
On this trip, I have some ratty thermal underlayers that will probably end up in a Kansas landfill.
It was 25 in Burns when I rode out this morning, but sunny. By the time I got to Frenchglen, 60 miles away it was 40 and very tolerable.
Oregon 205 was great fun. I almost ran out of gas. The IDIOT light had been on for 25 miles when I got to my planned gas stop. I must not have filled the tank completely in Burns.
I had over 400 miles on I-80. The data collector on Sweet Leaf said I averaged 77 mph on the first tank over 201 miles. 78 mph on the second tank over 165 miles and 74 mph on the third tank (thru Salt Lake City) over 74 miles into Heber City where I have stopped for the night.

rodekyll · « **Reply #8 on:** April 12, 2015, 10:27:29 PM »

You're making good time., especially for marginal weather I ran Steamboat Springs to Seattle in one sitting a few years back and it was a LONG haul. I did the Ontario/Boise/Ogden route.

Frulk · « **Reply #9 on:** April 12, 2015, 10:40:07 PM »

Just came through Heber last weekend. Roads were bone dry east of there. Not sure what route you're taking but guessing your heading east into Duschesne on the 40. Coming out of Heber early AM it will be nippy going over Daniels summit and past Strawberry Reservior. Beyond that it should warm up as you get closer to Duschesne. There's currently a lot of heavy (fracking) truck traffic on that road but it's in decent shape. One option you have is to take the 191 south out of Duschesne into Price and from there taking the Hwy6 to I-70. That road is a great scenic byway but it too has some heavy truck traffic on it. However, there are plenty of long straight stretches on the north side so passing isn't an issue. summit is close to 9,100 feet

travelingbyguzzi · « **Reply #10 on:** April 12, 2015, 11:29:55 PM »

I AM going east on 40. I have to aee a guy in Vernal and will then backtrack to Duchesne and go south to Price. From Price I will go south on 10 then72 to Loa and Bicknell, then East thru Capitol Reef and up to Green River. I like to stay in Green River becauae I enjoy eating at Rays Tavern.
Weatherman says 75 tomorrow so I may be overdresed.
I am thru riding hard and now have a bit of cusion so I can play.
The big question is: will it be warm enough to stay at the nekkid hot springs on Tuesday night?

Arizona Wayne · « **Reply #11 on:** April 12, 2015, 11:34:31 PM »

What bike are you riding, krazy Bill?

travelingbyguzzi · « **Reply #12 on:** April 12, 2015, 11:53:31 PM »

I am on the 1200 Sport, also known as "Sweet Leaf".
So called after the Black Sabbath song. If you listen to the song, everywhere Ozzy says "Sweet Leaf", you can substitute 'Guzzi' and it tells the exact same story!

Frulk · « **Reply #13 on:** April 12, 2015, 11:56:13 PM »

Quote from: travelingbyguzzi on April 12, 2015, 11:29:55 PM

From Price I will go south on 10 then72 to Loa and Bicknell, then East thru Capitol Reef and up to Green River. I like to stay in Green River becauae I enjoy eating at Rays Tavern.

Man, Hwy 24 heading through Capitol Reef and on to Hanksville is a BEAUTIFUL stretch of road! Posted up a trip report couple months back with some pics on that route. Take a hard look to the right as you cross the Dirty Devil River bridge just outside of Hanksville. I launched a kayak back in 2006 down that muddy slurry. 6 days later I hit the Colorado River.

If you're coming back this way PM your itinerary and I'd be happy to put you up for the night. Bike will garaged/you'll have a private room and my Guzzi will finally see that it's not the only one on the planet. As it was you came within 30 miles of my house on your way through SLC to Heber. I'm just off I-84 in South Ogden

travelingbyguzzi · « **Reply #14 on:** April 13, 2015, 08:03:00 AM »

Thanks for tge offer, Fruk, but we will be stashing the bike in Arkansas and flying back. Probably doing a flipflop in Sept. to get it back to Seattle.
Bill Lovelady

travelingbyguzzi · « **Reply #15 on:** April 13, 2015, 07:07:02 PM »

Today was the best day so far, by far. And the best road was UT72 fromI-70 to Loa. Too bad it was only 30 miles long. It does dump you out on the East side of Capitol Reef NP, which was a beautiful road but in a totally different way.
Left Heber City with temps in the low 30s but US 40 to Duchesne is so much fun I didn't notice. Also great was US 191 from Duchesne to Helper.
Rolled into Green River to find that The Sleepy Hollow Motel had succumbed to blandness and sterility. Closed for eternity.
The good news is that Ray's Tavern is fiscally solid.

Frulk · « **Reply #16 on:** April 13, 2015, 07:14:31 PM »

Helper has a great greasy spoon on Main Street (second exit from the 191, then turn left) called the Balanced Rock Café. Rock solid home-style breakfasts at a reasonable price in turn of the century surroundings served all day long. Afterwards, walk across the street for a killer cup of joe or espresso at the coffee bar.

How were the fracking trucks?

travelingbyguzzi · « **Reply #17 on:** April 13, 2015, 08:47:29 PM »

I didn't notice a huge amount of truck traffic. A utility truck probably sqved my grits between Duchesne and Vernal. I was cooking along avout 85 when he flashed his lights and sure enough a half mile up the road sat the state patrol. They were thick on that segment. I saw at least four between the two towns. However, all is well with TravelingbyGuzzi.

travelingbyguzzi · « **Reply #18 on:** April 14, 2015, 05:58:16 PM »

Progressing nicely! Had planned on a short day today. Was gonna stop at Orvis Hot Springs in western CO, but reports of high wind followed by rain pushed me over Monarch Pass into Florence CO where my falllback plan is in effect. Soaking up the sun at Dakota Hot Springs instead.
Dakota is actually a hot artesian well. While drilling for gas in the 30s, they got hot water instead. It has been gushing ever since.
The best road of the day was CO92 eaat from Delta. 60 miles later it ties into US50 for a quick trip over Monarch Pass.
There IS NO SNOW this year.

Lannis · « **Reply #19 on:** April 14, 2015, 07:28:13 PM »

Quote from: travelingbyguzzi on April 14, 2015, 05:58:16 PM

The best road of the day was CO92 eaat from Delta. 60 miles later it ties into US50 for a quick trip over Monarch Pass.
There IS NO SNOW this year.

I would say it's something like the "Best Road" you'll ever find. That's Black Canyon of the Gunnison country, nothing more impressive anywhere .... !

Lannis

travelingbyguzzi · « **Reply #20 on:** April 14, 2015, 08:32:36 PM »

Quote from: Lannis on April 14, 2015, 07:28:13 PM

I would say it's something like the "Best Road" you'll ever find. That's Black Canyon of the Gunnison country, nothing more impressive anywhere .... !

Lannis

I hope to find a better one tomorrow. Or maybe next week. Gotta keep looking.

travelingbyguzzi · « **Reply #21 on:** April 15, 2015, 04:43:12 PM »

The first 100 miles today from Florence CO to Walsenberg were pretty. Had a near deer event. The best sight of the day was a constipated bison hunched up tight to poop.
Other than that, lots of wind. Lots of sun. I am overdressed in the 80° weather.
Holed up in Ulysses with a sixpack of Miller lite. About 300 miles out of Cedarvale.

LowRyter · « **Reply #22 on:** April 15, 2015, 07:37:54 PM »

Quote from: Lannis on April 14, 2015, 07:28:13 PM

I would say it's something like the "Best Road" you'll ever find. That's Black Canyon of the Gunnison country, nothing more impressive anywhere .... !

Lannis

the southern half of 92 and BCoG great stuff. ;-T

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Author Topic: Eastbound and Down-Seattle to Kansas (Read 9472 times)

nunzio

Frulk

Frulk

Frulk