Tuesday 23 September 2014

Ride to Palm Springs

I arrived home from the 3 Flags and started to prepare to take my F650GS to Palm Springs. I seldom look at the weather forecast but it looked like cold and rain starting Monday evening so I thought that I would head out Sunday morning. Such a beautiful day. I forewarned Art and Betty that I was coming and when I arrived Betty cooked a wonderful dinner.
Blairmore. Most of the snow is gone from earlier in the week.
The next morning I went with Art to Denny's for breakfast and was delight to see my friends Gerry Abbott, Roger Harbrecht's and Jim Schonrock. One never knows when we will meet up again. I was headed to Boise Idaho over the Lolo pass.
This is just before Lowell Idaho at the bottom of the pass.
 
I stopped in Kooskia Idaho for fuel and took a few pictures.
 
They have been having a lot of forest fires in this area and I passed through quite a few burned areas.
 
 
Kooskia is a great little town and I have been there several times before. At another small town I stopped for lunch and as I was sitting at the outdoor tables at about 30 degs C I called home to find out it was snowing furiously. Thank God I left early. I did however make a wrong turn later on and went through Council Idaho AGAIN. It put me about 60 miles west of Boise on the Interstate which is in a state of repair so I arrived late into Boise but Dave came and found me and guided me to their home and Bonita made stuffed zucchinis that were delicious. The next  day we went to a great place in Boise for breakfast and then Dave rode with me to make sure I got on the Interstate again out to Palma and south.
This lovely tree was in their yard.
I continued south towards Reno. It was very smokey and windy but nothing compared to the snow you guys were getting in Calgary. I stopped one I reached Nevada for lunch just at a service station.
I asked the lady what the name of the mountain was and she replied Sawtooth. Made sense.
 
This is a lovely rest area in Nevada heading to Reno.
Once I was back up on the Interstate the wind picked up and was blowing me all over the place so seeing as how I was very early I stopped in Lovelock Nevada and got a lovely motel room. My neighbors in a car said Oh seeing as how you are on a BMW you probably know our friend Tim. And soon we determined Yes I did know Tim so they called to find out he was already at Quincy. Good to know, so I knew I would not arrive early and be all alone. And I had great company for dinner with Gary and Missy.
The next day I got to Quincy fairly early and got set up. This was to be my home for the next 4 days.
Rode to Safeway and picked up supper to enjoy at the campground. The rally did not start til Friday morning so on Thursday I thought I would head to Lassen Volcanic National Park.
I had never heard of Lassen before but apparently it was the only active volcano on the United States mainland until Mt Saint Helen's erupted. It erupted in 1914 and 1915. Lassen peak formed 27,000 years ago as a volcanic vent on the northern flank of Brokeoff Volcano. It is one of the world's largest plug dome volcano rising 2000 feet to an elevation of 10,457 feet. Much of the park is like a little Yellowstone and school kids go to learn about volcanoes and changes in the earth's landscape. There is a new visitor's centre and as in all National Parks to watch the movie certainly provides a lot of insight into these great places. A fellow who was camped at the fairgrounds with us offered to go with me. Great company.
 
 
See the mud bubbling and the air was sulphurous
 
 I will continue this journey in another episode. Need to get some things done now.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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