WA & OR Motorcycle trip - May 11-14, 2006

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We timed our gas stop to be at the town of Long Creek (population 150). Unfortunately, Long Creek's gas station had closed about eight months ago. Tommy (on left) was working on a go cart across the street, and I asked him if we could buy a gallon or two of gas from him. We lucked out. Casey (on right) and he scrounged up enough gas to get to the next town.
A typical gas station in this part of Oregon. Above ground tanks, manual pumps. No built in credit card readers here.
We called a handful of stores and restaurants on both sides of the road between Ukiah and Heppner to see if it was open yet after being warned that it might still be snowed in. It rises to well above 5,000 feet. No one knew if it was, so we chanced it and lucked out. It's a great 38 mile stretch of curvey, high quality pavement with no traffic. This picture shows the hay fields along the descent into the town of Heppner.

Leaving Heppner, south-bound on Rte. 206/207. This was a really nice stretch of curves heading up out of the valley.
Crossing the high plains between Heppner and Condon on Rt.e 206 was fascinating. I heard there were some good curves, and the map shows them, but expected a lot of straight road. This was not the case. I highly recommend this road.
A big horse shoe bend descending down into a deep canyon.

Just northwest of the town of Condon is a big wind farm with these cool, giant windmills. I'd guess that there are about 50 or a 100 of them. They all spin in unison and are eerie and distracting to drive by.
Dave putzing with his Aprilia after we jump started it on the last morning of the trip. His bike had charging problems and was difficult to start much of the time. Time to do the wiring mod for charging.
Curves on Wind River Highway north of Carson, WA. This is a destination road. Beautiful linked twisties rated at about 25 or 30 mph for quite a few miles.

Snow along the upper stretch of Wind River Highway.
Mount Saint Helens with lots of snow viewed from the scenic overlook on Curley Creek Road (famed for it's sweepers).
Forest Service Road 90, on the way to the town of Cougar, WA.

Map | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

We timed our gas stop to be at the town of Long Creek (population 150). Unfortunately, Long Creek's gas station had closed about eight months ago. Tommy (on left) was working on a go cart across the street, and I asked him if we could buy a gallon or two of gas from him. We lucked out. Casey (on right) and he scrounged up enough gas to get to the next town.	A typical gas station in this part of Oregon. Above ground tanks, manual pumps. No built in credit card readers here.	We called a handful of stores and restaurants on both sides of the road between Ukiah and Heppner to see if it was open yet after being warned that it might still be snowed in. It rises to well above 5,000 feet. No one knew if it was, so we chanced it and lucked out. It's a great 38 mile stretch of curvey, high quality pavement with no traffic. This picture shows the hay fields along the descent into the town of Heppner.
Leaving Heppner, south-bound on Rte. 206/207. This was a really nice stretch of curves heading up out of the valley.	Crossing the high plains between Heppner and Condon on Rt.e 206 was fascinating. I heard there were some good curves, and the map shows them, but expected a lot of straight road. This was not the case. I highly recommend this road.	A big horse shoe bend descending down into a deep canyon.
Just northwest of the town of Condon is a big wind farm with these cool, giant windmills. I'd guess that there are about 50 or a 100 of them. They all spin in unison and are eerie and distracting to drive by.	Dave putzing with his Aprilia after we jump started it on the last morning of the trip. His bike had charging problems and was difficult to start much of the time. Time to do the wiring mod for charging.	Curves on Wind River Highway north of Carson, WA. This is a destination road. Beautiful linked twisties rated at about 25 or 30 mph for quite a few miles.
Snow along the upper stretch of Wind River Highway.	Mount Saint Helens with lots of snow viewed from the scenic overlook on Curley Creek Road (famed for it's sweepers).	Forest Service Road 90, on the way to the town of Cougar, WA.