7-29-10

Nez Perce ride

I rode over to Micah’s place spent the night and then we rode over to the Nez Perce ride which started near Burns, Oregon. The ride over the hills was OK..

We got to Enterprise and Micah found a nice brew place to spend the evening. They brew beer and serve really good food.

a very cool chair made from oak barrel staves.

The little bar that was very nicely done using old wood and someone has done some really nice iron work on it as well as the bar b que.

They let us put up our tents and stay the night.

The next day we made it to the hot spring and campground. It didn’t take long for the tents to go up. There were quite a few old R80GS bikes that showed for the ride too.

This is a R65GS that was made by a welder. There are lots of very cool custom-made items here. those big panniers are made of aluminum as well as the little extra gas tanks attached to the tank.

Yeah, there were some serious riders here. The Nez is limited to about 40 bikes and those that show up can ride….

There always has to be someone that breaks down and the first one was Micah.

In the morning we took off and spent a lot of time trying to figure out where we were supposed to go and how to get there. GPS, topo maps and dead reckoning were all used. I had my compass but no body wanted to use that old thing.

This was my favorite road.

there was a lot of water in Oregon with all the rain.

I just loved coming into the little valleys with small ranches and farms.

Micah broke down again.

The hot spring in the evening was wonderful.

Next day we stopped at the Round Barn.

They had a restoration project in progress.

about a half  mile away was a nice museum and store selling some high quality merchandise. I really liked these knives.

for my horse friends.

wouldn’t you have loved to have this complete set when younger. Hell, even now?

These fencing  pliers were just a treat to handle. Good tools are always nice to hold.

Back on the gravel roads.

Opps, cant find the trail here and had to go back.

We had a nice lunch at Frenchglen and when I came out there was this friendly snake checking out Eva’s bike.

We headed for the top of Steens montain

WOW,,,, what a view.

It was too windy for some wimpy types and he took cover behind his bike.

Higher yet we went.

A snow ball fight broke out.

The next morning I want down to the hot spring and found this guy was there before me. He rides a Ural with two wheel drive sidecar. It was really nice to visit with him about his rig before other folks showed up.

The upper hot spring was a lot hotter and I  liked it better than the big pool.

This was an interesting bike with a aluminium Paris Dakar tank that is very rare.

We were somewhat lost again going through the forest (notice the dead trees from the pine bark beetle. They used to call it the Japanese Bark beetle but I think that is not politically correct now). This trucker is giving detailed directions to our lead dog Eva. She was just the best lead dog I have ridden behind. She didn’t ride too fast or too slow and always seemed to be headed in the right direction. I just followed as the tail dog. Ah, the simple life, just follow the dust.

Here we are high again.

I had Erick kneel down for a photo op of the beauty and the beast….

I took a quick ride up to the top and found this….

Very cool little farm below using pivot sprinklers.

This was like coming home to me…. when I farmed I made dust just like  this  guy with his tractor. Ah, life in the desert as a farmer.

One less Harley but lots of  stickers.

We stopped and walked over to the Crack in the Earth.

The floor of the Crack was nice and sandy. I am not sure how long and deep that crack is but it sure was nice and cool down in that crack.

A small collection of Metro’s for sale.

looks like an interesting road headed up.

On top of the Fandango pass

Fandango pass is just wonderful for a GS motorcycle. There are lots of these tight little hairpin turns.

coming on down into Surprise Valley and Cedarville.

In Cedarville there is this buggy shop. Here ya go Steamboat Jack. it would be a nice drive up for a visit in your Model A.

Eagleville had  a guy fixing up an old barn with new metal roof and turning it into a house I think. 

Joe’s sisters restaurant and store was closed…. Jeez I was hungry too.

A local rancher that filled me in on all the ‘dirt’ about Joe…..  not much, only dust…..and old dust at that.

Yee Haww

a nice hot ride down new pavement

Ah, a wonderful little lake for a cooling swim.

Joe’s friend at Planet X was not around but I took a few photos of his work and place. He has one of the most varied collections of pottery I have ever seen. he has been doing it for many years and it was some of the best I have ever seen.

The Enemy (BLM) had a info wagon set up but locked. The bastards are always trying to get us to NOT take off our clothes and get in the hot springs. The enemy always hate to have the natives getting  naked and having a good time.

over a hundred miles of gas pipeline going in. those pipes are about three feet in diameter.

It was a nice ride down hwy 395 along the Sierra Nevada mountains

My three car garage is still looking well in Goldfield.

Ah, nothing like a nice dip in Alkali Hot Spring….. there is a swimming pool just out of the picture that I came back to and had a swim on a hot afternoon.

coming on down into Clayton (Silver Peak) valley

sitting in the shade and visiting over at the neighbors birthday party.

Tom, Karen and friends bikes.

Carl and Dusty have a radio station in Goldfield and they broadcasted from the party. They are also going to have a TV station and I think they are on  line too.

Tom blows out the candles… still  holding at 49 for another year at least…

Megan was there wearing one of my copper fat bunny hairclips. Looks good in read hair eh? I really like that copper for red hair.