Our September 2022 motorcycle adventure

I hadn't been on an extended motorcycle trip since 2020, when we went to Baja, California, Mexico and the world got COVID. I had planned on going with Stefan to Colorado in 2021, but my dog was injured and I had to stay home (Lucinda the dog is fine now, BTW). 

And so, off we went, in September 2022, for 16 days visiting historic towns and eating biscuits and gravy and riding almost 3000 miles in Washington state, Idaho, Montana and Oregon. We stayed relatively close to home and decided to concentrate on historic, abandoned towns - ghost towns - most new to us, but at least one we've seen before, many years ago, and wanted to see again. 

We had really low expectations for the trip - and it turned into one of our very best.

The travelogue is here, with photos. Or, just go look at the photos. 

Highlights:

• This bed.
• Thirteen Mile Trailhead, because it also had campsites.
• Molson historic site in Washington state, right at the Canadian border.
• Ovando, Montana.
• Return to Garnet Ghost town in Montana.
• Return to Highway 12 / Lolo Pass in Idaho.
• Washington state road 129 and Oregon state road 3 from Clarkston, Washington to Enterprise (wow!).
• Crystal Crane Hot Springs (outside of Burns, Oregon).
• Stefan saving someone's life (yes, really).
• Return to the Alvord desert.
• Rediscovering how wonderful US395 North of Burns is to ride!

Maybe I should take it back...

I'm kind of regretting that blog about Will I ever not be a novice motorcycle rider?. I posted a link to it on a discussion group for women adventure riders. Some of the advice I got in replies was quite good. But a lot wasn't at all.

I got chastised for how I ride from people who have never seen me ride. I got advice that showed people hadn't actually read the blog (like regarding where I might find a dirt and gravel expert to mentor me for a day). I got a long essay about "covering your clutch" and"clutch feathering" and "dry clutch" - I don't know what ANY of that means...

I also got a couple of statements about how I needed to get another bike. That makes me crazy. I love my motorcycle. Stefan has done so much to it to make it fit for me to ride, and I'm just not willing to downgrade yet. It also was frustrating - I wondered if men got this same advice if they ever admitted to what I admitted to. Of course, male motorcycle riders NEVER admit to any weakness, so... ;-)

Motorcycle riding keeps me humble, that's for sure. I'm an expert in a lot of things, but I'll never be an expert at that.

One person said I was going to have to accept that I was going to drop my bike more than once. Goodness knows I dropped my Nighthawk more than once... always when I was trying to park. But I've done so well at keeping this KLR 650 looking so beautiful - I want it to always be beautiful...

What I've decided I need, instead of the advice I was offered:

• To start doing arm and hand exercises three times a week
• To make and follow a plan to lose 20 pounds (weight loss helped me SO much on my first bike - less between my thighs means better foot placement)
• To take Stefan at his word that he's not going to get mad when I drop the bike. Especially if I dent his fabulous panniers. 
• To do my best at the Team Oregon class I'm going to take next month - and maybe even schlep up to Vancouver, Washington and take the Motorcycle Safety Foundation bike bonding class as well
• To keep riding
• To not share so much online about my motorcycle riding abilities.