:popcorn:

So I'm heading towards the Palouse country of S.E. Wa. on a dead straight 2 lane road with the sun setting in my rearview mirrors. Just picked up a sixpack of tallboys for less than you can buy a pint in Ak. Life is eeeeeeeasy. There's a tractor trailer comin up towards me and just as we meet, this Streetglide goes flyin by at about 90 -splittin' the difference between me and the truck. Right on the yellow line. I couldn't see him coming up behind me due to the sun an' all, but as he passed I could sure see the three-piece patch on the back of his vest. Miles roll by and I'm hoping there aren't 30 more of them up ahead just dyin' to hear the story of the asshole outa-stater who wouldn't move over to share the lane when I see him pulled off at an abandoned gas station. So naturally I stop to see what'll happen next. While having top and bottom rockers on your club's patch generally means you're not as socially house-broke as most, this fella turned out to be a pretty nice guy. Asked how he was doin' an he says just fine. Tell him I woulda given him some room if I coulda seen through the glare in my mirrors. He laughs and says it's all good -plenty of room! So we spend about twenty minutes havin a dip and shootin the shit. Bikes, Sturgis, weather, bikes... It's gettin on towards dark and there are deer all over this country so we hit the road. He goes on to Lewiston, and I peel off at the Snake River on the Wa side for some beer and shuteye.


I'm happy to hear there's still some interest in this tale, I'll post some more pics and stuff when I get home from the oilfield. Take care all.

:hail:

Someday I'll have to make this run. Yes, I must. I hear they tolerate all kinds of bikes in Sturgis now, so I won't disappear if I were to show up on a Bandit or something like that.

Oh yeah, it takes all kinds man! As long as you don't show up in a vehicle possessing more than three wheels you're in!:drink:

You have to ride all the way to Sturgis.. If you want to do it, I'll get my 48 Pan back on the road to ride with you. So when...........?:nuts:

Down into Lewiston, Id. and over to Orifino, where I met Arlen Ness and the rest of the "Hamsters MC" on their way to the rally. One of them was obviously a bit of a baseball buff.


It's over a hunert degrees at noon and I'm looking forward to getting up into the mountains. Back on Hwy 12 for Lolo Pass. If you ever are in this neck of the woods, this ride is a must! I didn't stop to take a picture, but there's a sign as you begin to follow the Clearwater river up the valley that says "curves, next 77 miles."

Didn't get a picture of the sign, but here's one from where I stopped to soak myself for a minute.

Up at the summit, Lolo Hot Springs makes a perfect spot to take a breather.

Lotsa shade for you and your mount, general store, and for a little while Arlen's entire motorcade of support vehicles and enclosed trailers. Same old story, met a couple people out for a ride and had a great time BS-ing and swapping stories. But I'm bound for Dillon, Mt for the night and have to hit the road and make some time. Once in Missoula, I opt to hop on I-90 :barf: Running so far behind I decide in Butte that I have enough gas to make it to Dillon without stopping. After all, it's only 60 miles or so as I remembered. Yeah, it's 90 or so. :censored: Not gonna make it. Start straining my memory trying to recall if there were any other towns on the way and not coming up with anything. Not seein much either -gettin dark too. Finally see an offramp and a couple buildings, so I pull off to see if there's any go-juice to be had. Because God loves me, there was a gas pump in the booming metropolis of Melrose. In front of a tavern. After having a beer with a couple Marines just back from the sandbox and on their way to the "Testical Festival" in Missoula, the scooter and I head out refreshed and ready to reaquaint ourselves with the Metlin Hotel. To be honest, it was scooter's first time there. But me an' the Metlin go waaaaaay back.

It may not look like much, and it ain't. But back in '96 or '97, I spent a summer over here doing some geologic mapping as an undergrad and we tore that place up almost every night. Schmidt ina can for a buck. Well times have changed -now it's two bucks. And they don't rent out rooms anymore. Nor is it a very exciting place without a dozen or so geology students raisin hell and trying not to get killed by the cowboys. Had a couple beers and split. It was like seeing an old girlfriend after she's "gone to seed" -so to speak.

Keep it coming brother as the spirit moves you. :thumbs_up: I'm into it.

Yeah Vette, I'm back into it. Been working with another biker up here in the oilpatch, we swap stories all day long. Got me all motivated to write em down again. The last few have been kinda slow, but just wait till I get to the night in Red Lodge, Mt. chapter. My wife still just shakes her head over that.:whistle:

I'm ready to start shaking my head yo. Let's light this candle.