http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=523499
Moab freakin' rocks. That is all.
Edit: just a little taste, to entice you to click on the linky:
]]>However, for the rest of us that live in the civilized world who have traveled to this mysterious land, post up where you get your favorite burger! ]]>
I will Start
Leaky Roof Burger at the Leaky Roof off of Jefferson in Downtown Portland.
This was one of my favorite burgers when living in Portland. A small little place, but excellent food. It is kind of a yuppy atmosphere, but well worth the annoying yaps for a taste of the burger.
Twin Peaks Jumbo Cheese with Bacon - Across from the Hood River Airport on Tucker Rd. Not only is this a great burger, this little place (And I mean little, it has 5 tables) is one of the gems of the Northwest. For about 6 bucks, you get yourself a 2/3lb Burger, and a "Small" fry. Their small is equal to about 2 McDonald's Large Fries.
They also have a 3/4lb "Jumbo" burger. All the fixins are fresh, and the meat is fresh from the grill while you wait. Behind the counter you will find Linda and either her Daughter or one of the regulars who help her out during the week. Open from 8am for breakfast, and close at 2pm after lunch, Monday through Saturday. ]]>
Cue reality.
I woke up late on Friday and missed my intended 8 am departure time. Like, 6 hours late. What the hell...I rolled out (well-rested) around 2pm, because I'm hardcore like that. Or that's what I keep telling myself.
It was overcast, as normal, and the drizzle that started as I passed Bellevue became a downpour as I neared the top of Snoqualmie Pass. No problem. I had anticipated this. I've never gone over that pass when it hasn't been raining. Except this time I had to be out in it, with water somehow creeping into my boots through the soles (I swear my boots filled with water from the bottom up) and all three pairs of pants I was wearing quickly soaked through from the knees down. I experienced some pretty nasty power loss at this point as well. I'm not sure if it was the water, the slope, the altitude, or possibly a combination of all three, but I crept up the hill with full throttle at 50mph. I made my first stop for gas at the top of the pass (did I mention the bike has a 2 gallon gas tank and gets 40mpg? yeah) where I took the opportunity to warm up and wring out my socks.
The bike slowly resumed its normal behavior as I crested the hill and left the rain behind, and all was well until a slight miscalculation left me out of gas on the side of the road just outside of Moses Lake. It was getting dark, and I was pushing down the road toward a tiny red ball on the horizon that I hoped signified a gas station. Luckily, a guy in a black pickup stopped and donated the dregs of a mostly empty gas can he happened to have with him. It was only about a cup of mixed lawnmower gas, but it was enough to get me to the aforementioned gas station. I'm afraid I may have seemed a bit ungrateful as I raced off to find a gas pump before I ran out for a second time, but thank you, whoever you are.
The further east I got, and the later it got, the colder it got. Thank God I was stopping for gas every hour anyway, because it was getting downright unpleasant. I'd occasionally ride one-handed while I snuck the other hand down to caress the engine block until the feeling returned. I felt lucky that my clothes had mostly dried out by this time, or it could have been really, really cold, instead of just really cold.
By midnight, I mostly had the highway to myself, which sometimes seemed a little creepy in the wooded mountains of Idaho. Creepier than that was the the occasional "watch for deer/elk/moose 5 mi." sign, and still creepier were the eyes reflecting my headlight from the ditch. I started to wonder whether I'd impale myself on an elk, get dragged off into the wilderness by a sasquatch, or get probed by aliens. Rear view mirrors are creepy in the mountains at night with a clear sky. Stars seem to follow you. Of course, there was always the possibility of a run-of-the-mill breakdown, but I had a nice heavy blanket in my backpack for that possibility.
Anywho, I pulled into Missoula around 3 am Saturday morning. I spent three days there playing tourist and hanging out with my sister's college friends, and generally having a good time.
And then on Tuesday morning I had to ride back. It was quite a bit colder this time, with the mercury reading just 24 degrees at 9 am, but I didn't really have a choice since the forecast was calling for snow the next day. I had to git while the gitting was good.
On my way out of town, I stopped by Walmart and picked up a ski mask to keep my chin and neck warm, and a pack of those little 10 hour chemical hand warmers. I opened two of them and put one in each breast pocket inside my jacket. I told myself it wouldn't be any worse than when I used to run around on a snowmachine at sub-zero temperatures as a kid. Heck, it was even fun then.
Thankfully, I didn't run into any precipitation on the way back. It had even warmed up to around 35 degrees by the time I hit Spokane that afternoon. I spent a lot of the time tucked in behind tractor-trailers to block the wind in a futile attempt to stay warm. By the time I made it back to Seattle at 9 pm though, it had warmed up to a shocking 60 degrees.
I understand Snoqualmie pass got dumped on a couple days later.
Things I learned:
45 degrees is cold at 65 mph
Waterproof pants are a good idea
Everything is creepy when you're riding through the mountains alone at night
Discover likes to shut off your credit card at every third gas station.
Steering with your palms can warm your fingers up.
Also, I learned a lot about the sort of qualities I want in a bike. A little more power would be nice. The 400 did ok. It cruises along happily at 65-70mph/7500rpm, but it comes up a little short in the passing department and on the hills. While I really like the naked bike look, I'm starting to think a fairing and windshield would be really, really nice to have, especially in the rain. And while I appreciated the opportunity to stop for gas/warmth every 50-60 miles, I'd like to have at least a 200 mile range for those fair weather days. I think I may start saving up for something on the order of a used 650r for spring, and the next long distance trip. ]]>