in Washington

[Jared]

in WA right now ... my buddy from over this way was in Rapid for the V-Strom rally, so I rode back with him.  We went back via Glacier which I'd never been to before so that was fun! Saw several big horn sheep and a mountain goat too!

Couple pics ---




at Glacier:





oops had my headlight turned off

Wenatchee WA (holleee schnikes it was hot going through that valley):

(notice the DDSR representin!)





Had a bit of a hiccup on the way: my alum fan was a little cracked and I thought I could make it ... turns out not! Blade broke and got wedgedm and burned out the motor in Three Falls Montana!
Called all the area dealers (Bozeman, Missoula, and Butte) and of course no one had one in stock, and so it would take at least 3 days, and would cost ~$400! 
Met a guy at the gas station while I had it all torn apart (had attempted to fix the broken fan, the maintenance guy at the Montana Bread company welded it for me ... I'd brought a new fan but with my crooked radiator the pitch of the blades was too steep ... anyway, welded fan didn't matter since it was the motor)
Anyway, guy saw me working on it, calling around, etc. ... he remembered a shop in Bozeman that he called and sure enough the guy had a KLR fan assembly for $50!!! 
He drove to Bozeman to get it for me, and he's in sunglasses, short sleeves, shorts, and sandals --- and hits a HAILSTORM on the freeway! Borrowed a helmet for the ride back.  But he brought the part and it worked like a charm!  Plus he rode a cool BMW.

Man I must be living right because I surrrrree lucked out in this case!

[fringefan]

Looks like one hell of a good time. That karma is a bitch when your living on the wrong side of the fence.

[Caseyjones]

Excellent story, I hope you have a good time in WA. You might try the North Cascades while your there, well worth it, great day ride and dont forget to have lunch in Twisp or Winthrop.  Mt Rainier is great to but probably overcrowded this time of year. The I5 and 405 are really dangerous places for a bike anywhere in King or Pierce county. Enjoy! there are really some great sights to see outside the cities.

Peace.

[Hank]

Sounds like a fun adventure.  Did Glacier to WA in '88 on a streetbike.
Glad you found help when you needed it.. its great when it works out that way!

[Dratharr]

Nice, that is some great country, my wife and I were on an extended trip a few weeks ago on our touring bike we were 5 days into the trip, we did WY, UT, NV, CA, OR, and we followed the Columbia river to Kennewick WA, we were planning on hitting Glacier the next day. While in Kennewick we were searching out a hotel room. Going through town in bad traffic a pick- up pulled into a string of cars in front of us causing a chain reaction, several bumper to bumper hits, and i was at the tail end of it. I rear ended a Nissan Maxima, long story short we didn't make it up to Glacier, or Yellowstone, however we had a most enjoyable trip back in a Budget Moving Van with the bike in back. Thirteen hundred miles in a Budget Van with your totaled bike in back is not a great end to a vacation! But we where ok, we both had our full face helmets on, full protective gear, it really saved our bacon. Anyway looks like you had a great trip, I wish we would have made it that far!

[Hank]

Nice, that is some great country, my wife and I were on an extended trip a few weeks ago on our touring bike we were 5 days into the trip, we did WY, UT, NV, CA, OR, and we followed the Columbia river to Kennewick WA, we were planning on hitting Glacier the next day. While in Kennewick we were searching out a hotel room. Going through town in bad traffic a pick- up pulled into a string of cars in front of us causing a chain reaction, several bumper to bumper hits, and i was at the tail end of it. I rear ended a Nissan Maxima, long story short we didn't make it up to Glacier, or Yellowstone, however we had a most enjoyable trip back in a Budget Moving Van with the bike in back. Thirteen hundred miles in a Budget Van with your totaled bike in back is not a great end to a vacation! But we where ok, we both had our full face helmets on, full protective gear, it really saved our bacon. Anyway looks like you had a great trip, I wish we would have made it that far!

Glad you both came out of that OK!   When in rush hour traffic in Salt Lake City Paul and I nearly, very nearly did the same thing.  Rush hour and a chain reaction of braking.  It was 2 miles before our exit on the interstate and just as it happened Paul and I were both reading the exit sign, trying to figure out when/where/what.  We both stopped about 12 inches behind the car in front of us, full binder panic stop.   Fortunately the car behind us didn't plow us over.

So your bike is totaled (what kinds of bike?).    Again, glad you and your wife weren't hurt.   How did she feel about it?

[Dratharr]

Yes, unfortunately the bike is totaled. The frame was bent and pretty much every component up front. It was a 2008 HD Ultra Classic, just paid it off two weeks before the trip started! It is the first time I have ever been in a traffic accident. We had been riding hard, we had just finished a 650 mile day, and we were looking for a hotel. Not sure if I was gawking at the hotel, or my GPS or both but I just couldn't get that big pig stopped in time! It sure pays to wear full protective wear, I had my AeroStich combat touring boots on, and I am pretty sure I would have broken both legs with out them via the crash bars, all I ended up with was some serious bruising and lumps. My wife sailed over me and landed in front of me, her only injury was a swollen wrist and stiff and sore. Very lucky indeed. My wife is a real trooper, we are taking off this weekend for a trip to CO on the new bike!