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3 days of hard riding and made it half way home

August 21, 2014
From Seattle

Got to hang out with Gearard, Selena, and Theresa for 2 day. We got to do fun stuff like watch Gearard and Selena buy a car. He was nice enough to let me and Joe ride in the back seat. Maybe next time i can drive it… We also got to eat some nice steaks and hang out with Theresa.

After hanging out for 2 days we finally headed home. We decided to head a different way home and headed south east down route 84 to route 80. Other then Snoqualmie Pass we didn’t really hit any crazy mountains like the way hear. This route seems to be a more gradual increase and decrease over the ranges. We did get to see mount Rainer in the distance.

So i learned something new the other day, Washington state has ideal conditions for growing grapes for wine. At least that’s what all the signs said when we drove through Washington’s wine country. I was tempted to stop and dry some samples, but we probably wouldn’t of gotten any riding down after. Later that day we drove through the north western part of Oregon. From what i saw its pretty nice. But need to see more to get a real opinion.

We went through the southern area of Idaho this time. Still didn’t see any potatoes (and yes mom, i did expect them to line the streets for me). We did drive through an area that smelt like potato chips; but there is a chance i was just hungry.

The next day we drove through the northern area of Utah. So far this is the only state that looks exactly like its post cards (and license plates). Also so some interesting cloud formations, lots of big ones with little ones surrounding them. Nearly every cloud in the state looked like it was painted on the sky. Sadly not photos, the roads were to windy to take out a camera.

Today we made it through the rest of Wyoming and about half way through Nebraska. South Wyoming looks different then the northern part. I like both but prefer the north. Nebraska looks exactly like i pictured it to look. We did stop at a gas station in a small town and I can’t believe how quite it was. We could here a car coming from blocks a way. The few people we spoke to were very nice though. If the commute wouldn’t suck so much I’d consider living there.

This weather is driving me nuts. I look like a raccoon with the odd sun burn of i have. 3 times now we’ve spent the first half of the day in 40 degree weather and the later half in scorching hot weather. My skin doesn’t know if it should be sun burned or frost bitten. Driving through so many weather systems in a single day keeps us having to stop for wardrobe changes. We’ve hit rain 3 times since last week but the first time we think its going to rain and actually put on the rain suits the sun comes.

Hopefully tomorrow we make it to Iowa.

Learning to ride

Playing in new Harley outfit

So many toys!

Parking in Seattle

hanging with grandpa

Theresa hanging with uncles

Eating ice cream is hard work

Theresa giving grandpa a goodbye hug

Who says baby motorcycles don’t have baby seats?

Gearad learning to ride

Theresa trying to be daddies girl

Theresa playing with truck

Snoqualmie pass. Stuck in traffic

Idaho gas break

Last break of the day, in Wyoming

Rain gear changing

Last break of the day, in Wyoming

Wyoming gas station

Wyoming gas sation

Sums up a big portion of the trip

racing to the east coast in Wyoming

They’re trying to follow the leader…

Showing us the proper way to take a wide unneeded turn into the parking spot

Typical small Nebraska town

Nebraska

Nebraska looks the way I imagined…

Trying to catch up, but try harder i’m taking a photo!

Over the Rockies and Cascades Range and into Seattle

August 16, 2014
To Seattle

Well we finally made it to Seattle. Technically Bothell, but right next store. Over the Rockies and Cascades Range and into Seattle. We road over 680 miles today to go from Bozeman, Montana to Bothell, Washington. We passed through three different weather systems to go here. The day started out cold and wet in Montana and Idaho. Then as we go to the Columbia Plateau in Washington state it was hot and dry. Finally as we crossed the Cascades Range it was very suddenly cold.

We woke up early this morning with a goal of no more hotels. It seems like and easy task, Seattle was only a 11.5 hour ride away, according to google maps anyway. As we were starting we say clouds and fog creeping over the Rocky Mountains but we had already set our goal. So we put the bikes in gear and hopped for the best.

Th Rockies were a steep going up and even steeper going down. I wouldn’t mind the steepness if they didn’t insist on putting tight bends and curves in the middle. Going up and down in Montana was fun and we figured they would all be that easy. However going down the mountains in Idaho was crazy. Long, steep, curvy, and a giant drop off the side if we messed up. But it did smell nice. Not sure if I’ve ever scene that many pine trees in my life. Didn’t see any potatoes growing, so not sure what that’s about.

Driving through the Columbia Plateau reminded me of South Dakota. Just fields of grass as far as the eyes can see. Since there were no trees or mountains in the way, the wind just pounded us for a couple hours as we kept trying to push forward.

Crossing the Cascades was exciting and contained some breath taking scenery (see photos below). We crossed through the Snoqualmie Pass to get through the mountain range. Lots of ups and downs and twists and turns. The experience beats any roller coaster I’ve ever been on. Technically there are no upside down loops on this road, but we also didn’t have the luxury of being attached to rails.

After the Mountain range we got to deal with fun interstate merging and construction. But after going up, over, and around mountain range all day, this was nothing.

Now we get a few days rest before we go back the other way… or maybe its easier to just stay.