9
July 2010
We managed to get underway before 8, which I guess will be the goal
from now on, and got gas before leaving Bishop. The morning was
pleasant, with a bit of a chill still rolling off the fields.
I always think of eating when I go through Lee Vining; the Whoa Nellie
Deli at the end of Tioga Pass is one of my favorite 'road food' places,
but it was too early after the continental breakfast at the motel.
We stopped for gas in Gardnerville; I don't like riding through the
part of 395 from there north through Carson City and Reno, so stopping
and 'getting my mind right' helps some. Eventually we got through it
all, only to be stopped for a few minutes for some road construction.
Then up through Susanville, which I'll always remember as the town
where I got the last available room one fall when the fires were
burning.
Up 139 and a couple of deer sightings, too late to do much but cringe;
fortunately both turned and ran. When we got to an intersection with a
sign that said "Next services 37 miles" I stopped and asked Boyd if he
could make that. He thought he could, so we kept going, with me
constantly watching the rear view, looking for signs of distress. I
went on 'reserve' for the first time since I've been riding with him,
and by Adin we'd gone 198 miles since the last gas. And his reserve
light hadn't come on yet. But we'll continue to be conservative.
At the little corner station we had to go inside to pay, and I was
surprised to find a guy in an Aerostich lounging in the cool. He said
his bike was around the corner; an 1150 GSA--he was from Minnesota,
recently retired, and taking a roundabout way to the Redmond MOA rally.
Since we're collecting stamps, and it was so close, it seemed a shame
to pass by the Lava Beds NM, although the road in is in even worse
shape than it was in 2008. When we got to the visitor center, Boyd was
chagrined to note that one of his saddlebag lids had popped
open--fortunately, nothing seemed to be missing. We got our stamps and
took a couple of pictures, and headed north through some nasty winds.
The MapSource (Navtec) maps show the road north as unimproved dirt,
even though the ranger said it had been paved for more than 20 years.
After that, it was a short run up to Klamath Falls where we stopped at
a Wal*Mart for sunglasses for Boyd and groceries for dinner, then to
the Comfort Inn, where we once again had reservations.
States: California, Nevada, Oregon
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