Suzie Q, 6 months later

[gustovh]

After arriving home from picking Suzie Q http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w.../suzieq001.jpg up from Fresno CA. I put it in the neighbors shop to work on the buggs that occured on the return trip. Removed the tank and carbs and cleaned them both as well as doing a thoural inspection of the bike. All systems worked and conections bright after 22 years.

I installed a National Cycle windshield, universal crash hoop up front and dug through my bits and pieces and found a universal tail rack which I nstalled after makeing a couple brackets. On this I mounted an old trunk that my brother had given me and I removed from my old 1100 GL.
All this occured between January 02 and July 02. During that time I was in contact with a good friend who flies for Alaska Air named Joe http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w.../suzieq001.jpg and his brother Johny http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w.../suzieq001.jpg . Joe lived in Vancover WA. and Johny in Frisco.

Johny drove up to Joes house and came over the day before we were to leave, I was syncing the carbs on the 850 which Johny was to ride, when it quit, no spark and no time to fix the bike. I offered Johny the LT and told him that I would ride my Rebel, "oh my poor rear" thankfully they declined and head for the Honda shop three blocks away. There they bought a 750 clasic 25th. aniversy machine. This would be Johny's ride.
We would leave the next day at noon, no reason to rush things.

The forcast was for sunny, light winds and temps in the high 90s. The route would take us through 4 states, Or. Id. Mt. and Wa. on nothing but 2 lane rd. spanned over 8 days. A truely epic journey to contemplate.

The next post will include the route and the first few days of that trip.

[gustovh]

Sorry fellow riders, but the complete story will have to waite until next week.

[gustovh]

Suzie Q 6 months later.

Joe and Johny arrived around 11:30 the next day, their bikes had taken on quite a transformation.Joe had a full bag hanging off his sissy bar, saddle bags hanging over his rear wheel with stuff all piled up on his pillion seat. Johny must have thought that he was riding a cargo van or something, hisw bike was piled high with all kinds of stuff http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w...firstnight.jpg Suzie Q had that large trunk whick was full of tools, air pump, Pledge and the like. Saddle bags, tent, bag, and of course air mattress. It had been a while since I had ridden a bike with this kind of load so the first few miles would be interesting.

Our route takes us south out of Gresham on Hogan rd. which connected us up with Hwy. 211 to Hwy. 224 out of Estacada. Hwy 224 is the Clackamas river rd. and follows the river to Detroit lake. This is a pretty windy rd. and much fun to ride. At Detroit we took Hwy. 22 south heading tward Three Sisters and our first camp site at the headwaters of the Metolius river, Camp Sherman, just south of the Santiam pass. Now you have to understand that there where forest fires burning all over the west at that time, and when we arrived at the turnoff to camp Sherman we stopped and had a pow wow. The smoke was quite heavy, for there was a fire burning not 12 miles away and not far from Sisters. We determined to keep going and see if we could find a camp ground around Redmond, due east of Sisters about 20 miles from there we would take Hwy.26.

We rode all around the Redmond area looking for a cg to no avail. We stopped had a beer and berger and decided to go on and camp the other side of Prinevill in the Ochoco mts. We had been on the road now for about 6 hours an our butts were beginning to get tired. We bought fresh food for dinner and breakfast, some fat tire and st. polly girl and left for the final leg that day. So after another 20 miles or so we pulled into a nat. forest cg for the night. We set camp first then Johny and I went looking for firewood while Joe started to fix dinner. While I was tromping through the woods I ran across "Suzie Q" the doll that now rides with me everywhere that I go.
The first leg of the trip 240 miles, 100 miles further than planned.

The second leg would take us on Hwy. 26 through John Day into the Malheur nat. forest, we would set up cam just east of the Blue mts. pass at another Nat. forest cg. This leg would only be around 130 miles, hey there is no reason to rush, we pulled in around 3 in the afternoon. Being at around 4000 ft elevation the day was a cool 93 deg. Tomorrows riding would bring us to Stanley Lake Idaho.

On the 3rd. day we hit the road around 9 am. to beat some of the heat. We stopped at Borgan, a quaint town of around 5 houses and 1 resteraunt. Pretty good food and nice people. We crossed into Idaho around 2 pm at Onterio. We took a back rd to Payette http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w...nchlunch12.jpg and connected to Hwy. 52 to Horseshoe bend and a short stint on 55 to Banks and then east on a back rd to Hwy. 21 which would take us to Stanley Lake. Stanley lake was full for the night so we rode about 15 miles back to the Payette river to set camp http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w.../thirdcamp.jpg we arrived around 7 pm. with the temp. just over 100. Thae next day we rode to Stanley Lake early and grabed a camp site just as it was being vacated. We didn't do much that day but lay around and chill. The next day would be a long one for we would be shooting for just short of Misoula Mt. That day would prove to be the ride of the entire journey.

But that is for another day.

[gustovh]

Suzie Q 6 months later/ finished

The morning of the fifth day, broke crystal clear with not a cloud in the sky. Joe and Johnny got up early to go climb a tall hill, while this old body slept in after starting a fire. When I woke up, I restoked the fire and started breakfast. Link sausage, hash browns, egg omelet with caramelized onions and sharp cheese and fresh hot coffee. I had just finished with the eggs and removed the coffee when Joe and Johnny returned from their climb. We broke camp early for us, around 9 am. and started out to beat some of the heat. Joe and Johnny say good bye to Stanley lake http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w196/gustovh/mooned.jpg

We stopped at the town of Stanley, about 10 miles from the lake, to gas up and pick up some liquids to drink on the way. Our route that day started out on hwy. 75 east then north to hwy. 93 north into Montana.
These two roads followed the Salmon river all the way into the town of Salmon Id. a distance of 134 miles by our 3 trip meters.

Joe was in the lead and set the pace, next came Johnny on the 750 and I pulled drag. Johnny was getting the hang of getting the R's up into the power band on the 750 and was having less trouble passing vehicles that slowed us down, which wasn't very often that day. I must admit, that the ride that day ranks among the most enjoyable of my 45 years of riding. Large two lane sweepers, right, left, right, left, right, on and on with a tighter corner thrown in once and a while. Enter the corner around 20 mph or faster above posted speed, accelerate through the corner, stand it up, off the throttle, squeeze the brakes and flop it over for the next corner. We had just come out of a good right and headed into a left with good speed, about two thirds through the corner, we all realized, each in his own time, that the corner was a decreasing radius corner that wasn't quitting. We were all on the ragged edge of traction at the end of that one which we figured ran about 130-150 deg. of radius. Our pace slowed a bit for a couple miles to let our hearts calm down a bit.

We pulled into Salmon 2 1/2 hours after starting out and had lunch and gassed up. The temperature at 1pm when we left was 104

From Salmon we continued north on 93 up into the mountains and Lost Trail pass, elevation 7,014. The road was very good, we were going fast and the day was hot. Toward the top of the pass I noticed that Suzie Q was starting to flag a bit, getting hot and lack of oxygen for the motor I suspect. about 10 miles down out of the pass, we started hitting evening traffic and our pace slowed somewhat and we pulled into our camp on a lake just NW of Darby Mt. Joe and Johnny when swimming in the lake while I started camp and gathered firewood. With the fire going I surrounded it with corn on the cob still in the husk, potatoes scrubbed with garlic and butter wrapped in tinfoil and tossed in the coals. While the stakes thrown right on the grate, were cooking, the green beans sautéed in olive oil, sesame seeds and saffron were cooking. A couple St Pauli Girls and a fine meal to finish a great ride. The next morning we were greeted by some locals. http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w196/gustovh/moose.jpg

The next day we rode the only 4 lane hwy, 10 miles in and out, that we rode for 2,000 miles, while traveling into Missoula for brunch and a bit of walking around looking for a good cigar. We left Missoula around 1:30, south on 93 then west on 12. This day is a short ride following the Lochsa river and camping just west of Jerry Johnson campground and resort. http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w196/gustovh/hotstuff.jpg The next day would find us all up early, the cigars and beer of the night before causing varying degrees of misery. The goal is to ride about 6 miles down river to a wayside, then follow a trail for about 1 mile on foot to a hot spring which we spent a couple hours recouping at.
Back to camp and pack up, then west on 12 aiming for Clarkston Wa. Traffic did not allow us to travle at speed so we pulled into Clarkston around 7 pm. At the first stop light that we stopped at, the temprature hit us, the sign board said 107 deg. Joe and I pulled into a Mexican restraunt and ordered Ice water and dinner. Johnny was about 45 min. behind, he took a sightseeing detour.

After dinner it was back on the road again, south out of Clarkston on 129 to Or. 3 into Joseph Or. for dinner and another night of camping just outside of Enterprise. http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w196/gustovh/7thnight.jpg We left Enterprise the next morning on what would be our next to last day, heading for Anthony lake. Our route tooks us W on Or. 82 then South on 82 out of Elgin. We picked up 237 just outside of La Grande south and crossed under 84 at North Powder. From there forest service roads to Anthony lake. We arrived early enough to take a swim and remove a couple days cumulated sweat and grime.

Our last day took us west on forest service roads through Ukiah and Wetmore to Fossile where we picked up Or.218 north through Condon where we picked up Or. 206 north to Biggs on hwy. 84 where we gassed up. Now I don't mind telling you that the most gas I have ever put in Suzie Q after draining the tank is 3.6 gal. When I filled up at Biggs, Suzie Q took 3.4 gal. There wasn't a gas station open west of Ukiah that day, which was a Sunday. At Biggs we crossed the columbia river and headed west on Wa.14 to Stevenson where we would have dinner and go our seperate ways.

Our total journey took 8 days and spanned a total of 2,043 miles. Breakdowns "0" Fun factor 100% When I started the trip Suzie Q a 1980 GS 1100 LT, had only 2,400 miles on the odometer. Shoot when I got back she was just broke in. Couldn't think of a better way to break her in.

[SabreJim]

I sure enjoyed reading your journey, thanks for sharing.

[gustovh]

you are welcome

[bradleymaynar]

Great story!=D> I would love to make a trip like that!

Brad bt

[renobruce]

Sounds like a great ride! And you tell a good story.

Are you coming to Yosemite?

[wharrah]

Most excellent! Its cool that your buddy was able to score such a nice 750 Honda when he needed it. Great story.