Bisbonian
Cruisin' Guzzisti
The plan started to come together at the end of the 2011 Roosevelt Dam ride as I
realized that not only am I horrible at riding on dirt but the Guzzi just exacerbates that
fact so if I'm going to insist on riding on dirt roads then I need something a little more
suitable. The easy answer would be to just come up with a used KLR or DR and go to
town but I wanted something a little less pedestrian. I decided on the KTM 640
Adventure as more of a do-it-all mount and started looking. I found a few that were in
my price range but narrowed it down to one in Olympia that seemed to be all I was
looking for.
Emails were sent and phone calls were made then April 11 I flew up to Sea-Tac where
Russ was to pick me up. I deplaned, made it out to the pick-up spot and proceeded to try
to call Russ on my cell only to find that the number I had stored for him wasn't going
through. This is lesson number 1, if you're meeting someone and are supposed to call
then make sure you have the correct phone number for them written down. A few more
calls and I figured out what I had written down wrong and Russ was on the way to me.
I knew that Russ was driving a red VW Westfalia and soon enough I saw him coming around the corner.
About an hour later we arrived at Russ' house and I got my first glimpse of my new
mount. My box of riding gear that I had mailed out the week previous was sitting
waiting for me and we went out to the garage to start loading stuff up. Lesson number 2
would be to get the measurement of panniers beforehand if you intend to stuff your bag
inside instead of strapping it on the back of the bike.
We went over to the license bureau which was just across the street and I picked up a
temporary Washington plate to get me home, of course I was pretty sure that 3 days
wasn't going to get me all the way home but I got to choose my own dates so I just left
them blank for now. As I got set to leave we went to start the bike and discovered a
massive gas leak which made my heart drop but quickly narrowed it down to a leaking
gas hose at the fuel pump. We clipped the end of the hose, refastened it and all was fine.
My next challenge was actually getting on the bike as I had never actually been next to
one in person. I tried to throw my leg over the seat and immediately kicked one of the
panniers as I couldn't get up that high. I finally realized that I needed to put the bike on
the side stand and just sort of lift my left over. I got moving and the first thing I noticed
was that my eyeballs were vibrating in their sockets. After awhile I got used to the
vibration and the discomfort stopped.
My friend Melissa lives in Seattle so I headed North before going back South so that I
could visit with her. I got rained on a little bit and then stopped at a rest area to take
stock of what I'd got myself into and take a few pictures.
The bike needs some TLC but runs great and everything seems to work fine.
Before too long I made it to Melissa's house and we piled into the car to go visit the
Fremont Troll. I always try to check out Roadside America before I go on a road trip
just to see what I should detour to go see, the Fremont Troll was only a few blocks away
so it was a no brainer.
The troll was built in 1990 as a wayto clean up the underpass which was becoming a haven for
drug dealers, it holds an actual VW beetle in its left hand.
We got back and then walked up to get some dinner. It was a near thing at the Pig N Whistle but
we decided on the Naked City Brewery.
Since I'd been up since 4 and Melissa had to work in the morning we made it an early
night and hit the sack.
I got up the next morning with the sun streaming through the windows, well maybe not
the sun as it was pretty overcast but at least there was daylight. I met at least one of
Melissa's roommates (Alicia?) and then spread my stuff over the yard so I could sort it
out while Melissa went to work. I made it a point to try to get my gear packed up the
way I wanted it.
First thing was to fasten Poo Bear to his new home, every good ride needs a mascot and Poo
Bear has been with me for a few years now and yes there is a story behind him.
It turns out that Melissa lives just around the corner from Moto International. This is where I
had bought my Moto Guzzi in 2009 and I had never seen the dealership let alone step foot in it
as my whole deal was done over the phone and via email with the bike shipped to my door. The
shop was smaller than I had imagined but I went in and met Dave (author of Guzziology) and got
some route suggestions from Jason. I picked up a Guzzi key chain and some chain lube
(never thought I'd need that again) and hit the road.
I spent most of the day getting used to the new bike, weather was variable with rain on and off. I found that
the rest areas in Oregon all seemed to have some sort of interesting display, this one had trees associated with
every state. I say every state but I don't know that I saw one for Pennsylvania and I was looking. Initially I
thought that the state trees would be in place for each state but I'm pretty sure that's not the case.
Evidently trees in Arkansas aren't that impressive.
And Nevada isn't any great shakes either.
A little further down the road I came upon a rest area that was dedicated to WWII veterans.
These were the first panhandlers I'd seen on the trip. The guy on the right is a paralyzed
vet which seemed appropriate in a rest area dedicated to veterans, I felt sort of bad for
the woman on the right whose sign says that she's a homeless nursing student because she
is totally not going to be getting the notice of the other guy. Then I noticed that they were
quite chummy and I think they're here together. She kind of blew it for me when she whipped out her cell phone.
As I was leaving I noticed this sign for the sponsor of the rest area. I'm sort of hoping that their idea
of a job isn't a choice spot at a rest area.
I decided to stop around 6:30 in Grants Pass, OR so that I could determine my route for the next morning
and read through the manuals that had come with the bike.
realized that not only am I horrible at riding on dirt but the Guzzi just exacerbates that
fact so if I'm going to insist on riding on dirt roads then I need something a little more
suitable. The easy answer would be to just come up with a used KLR or DR and go to
town but I wanted something a little less pedestrian. I decided on the KTM 640
Adventure as more of a do-it-all mount and started looking. I found a few that were in
my price range but narrowed it down to one in Olympia that seemed to be all I was
looking for.
Emails were sent and phone calls were made then April 11 I flew up to Sea-Tac where
Russ was to pick me up. I deplaned, made it out to the pick-up spot and proceeded to try
to call Russ on my cell only to find that the number I had stored for him wasn't going
through. This is lesson number 1, if you're meeting someone and are supposed to call
then make sure you have the correct phone number for them written down. A few more
calls and I figured out what I had written down wrong and Russ was on the way to me.
I knew that Russ was driving a red VW Westfalia and soon enough I saw him coming around the corner.
About an hour later we arrived at Russ' house and I got my first glimpse of my new
mount. My box of riding gear that I had mailed out the week previous was sitting
waiting for me and we went out to the garage to start loading stuff up. Lesson number 2
would be to get the measurement of panniers beforehand if you intend to stuff your bag
inside instead of strapping it on the back of the bike.
We went over to the license bureau which was just across the street and I picked up a
temporary Washington plate to get me home, of course I was pretty sure that 3 days
wasn't going to get me all the way home but I got to choose my own dates so I just left
them blank for now. As I got set to leave we went to start the bike and discovered a
massive gas leak which made my heart drop but quickly narrowed it down to a leaking
gas hose at the fuel pump. We clipped the end of the hose, refastened it and all was fine.
My next challenge was actually getting on the bike as I had never actually been next to
one in person. I tried to throw my leg over the seat and immediately kicked one of the
panniers as I couldn't get up that high. I finally realized that I needed to put the bike on
the side stand and just sort of lift my left over. I got moving and the first thing I noticed
was that my eyeballs were vibrating in their sockets. After awhile I got used to the
vibration and the discomfort stopped.
My friend Melissa lives in Seattle so I headed North before going back South so that I
could visit with her. I got rained on a little bit and then stopped at a rest area to take
stock of what I'd got myself into and take a few pictures.
The bike needs some TLC but runs great and everything seems to work fine.
Before too long I made it to Melissa's house and we piled into the car to go visit the
Fremont Troll. I always try to check out Roadside America before I go on a road trip
just to see what I should detour to go see, the Fremont Troll was only a few blocks away
so it was a no brainer.
The troll was built in 1990 as a wayto clean up the underpass which was becoming a haven for
drug dealers, it holds an actual VW beetle in its left hand.
We got back and then walked up to get some dinner. It was a near thing at the Pig N Whistle but
we decided on the Naked City Brewery.
Since I'd been up since 4 and Melissa had to work in the morning we made it an early
night and hit the sack.
I got up the next morning with the sun streaming through the windows, well maybe not
the sun as it was pretty overcast but at least there was daylight. I met at least one of
Melissa's roommates (Alicia?) and then spread my stuff over the yard so I could sort it
out while Melissa went to work. I made it a point to try to get my gear packed up the
way I wanted it.
First thing was to fasten Poo Bear to his new home, every good ride needs a mascot and Poo
Bear has been with me for a few years now and yes there is a story behind him.
It turns out that Melissa lives just around the corner from Moto International. This is where I
had bought my Moto Guzzi in 2009 and I had never seen the dealership let alone step foot in it
as my whole deal was done over the phone and via email with the bike shipped to my door. The
shop was smaller than I had imagined but I went in and met Dave (author of Guzziology) and got
some route suggestions from Jason. I picked up a Guzzi key chain and some chain lube
(never thought I'd need that again) and hit the road.
I spent most of the day getting used to the new bike, weather was variable with rain on and off. I found that
the rest areas in Oregon all seemed to have some sort of interesting display, this one had trees associated with
every state. I say every state but I don't know that I saw one for Pennsylvania and I was looking. Initially I
thought that the state trees would be in place for each state but I'm pretty sure that's not the case.
Evidently trees in Arkansas aren't that impressive.
And Nevada isn't any great shakes either.
A little further down the road I came upon a rest area that was dedicated to WWII veterans.
These were the first panhandlers I'd seen on the trip. The guy on the right is a paralyzed
vet which seemed appropriate in a rest area dedicated to veterans, I felt sort of bad for
the woman on the right whose sign says that she's a homeless nursing student because she
is totally not going to be getting the notice of the other guy. Then I noticed that they were
quite chummy and I think they're here together. She kind of blew it for me when she whipped out her cell phone.
As I was leaving I noticed this sign for the sponsor of the rest area. I'm sort of hoping that their idea
of a job isn't a choice spot at a rest area.
I decided to stop around 6:30 in Grants Pass, OR so that I could determine my route for the next morning
and read through the manuals that had come with the bike.