MALAKING PULA RIDES AGAIN

This year’s American adventure started with a little work trip. I was invited by Selene America to attend the Anacortes Trawlerfest. The event asked me to participate in two sessions; my good friend Jeff Merril’s “Expert Panel” and to give a presentation on my adventures and cruising in SE Asia. Yikes, back to work! Had to procure actual work clothes, long kaki trousers and polo shirts. The show was a great success, and I got to see so many old friends.

I have a working relationship with the new and very active Selene America, assisting clients who want to avoid the perils and expense of US deliveries and come straight to the Philippines. The savings are immense and they get to start right in the greatest cruising grounds on earth. I can provide all “local knowledge” 14 years of SE Asia cruising have provided.

Once the kaki’s were sent back home, I donned the Harley and started this year’s adventures. First stop, $$ ouch, the Harley shop for new tires, brake pads and full service. All shined up and ready I left Yakima on another hot springs tour.

Firs stop was a repeat, Hot Lake Oregon. I had such good service and price I returned to the cheap travelers hotel in La Grande. This place is dull average hotel with amazing staff. It was a joy.

The weather was unseasonably fantastic so I opted o camp out he next night. This was the first time erecting the new huge tent, providing my neighbors a bit of entertainment I am sure. Camp set up, enjoyed the campsites hot springs pools. Ahhhhn after 9pm adults only, fun group.

A 4 hour highway ride into Idaho, brought me back to a favorite place, Miracle Hot Springs.  I was there last year, great place and pools, only angst is the owner is stubbornly anti internet and no phone service. That caused me to go dark unexpectedly and gave poor Donna anxiety  until I left and connected.  This year I met the elf like Camp Host, 86 year old chain smoker and WWII history nut like me. We bantered war trivia for several hours, great fun. He had a satellite internet connection and shared his password, problem solved.

Traveling alone I tend to engage a lot of people, made some wonder new friends. Old saying it is not so much the travel as it s the friends you make along the way.

Next leg headed north, I took the scenic route off the highway. This took me through Sun Valley skie area, land of the rich and famous. The road took me over Sawtooth Pass, and down a spectacular mountain lined green valley. As I left that oasis the land got back to sage brush and volcanic rocks. Always with snow capped mountains not far away.

Riding down a rural road, I came head on to a real, cowboy driven cattle drive. The were moving a herd down the road to another pasture. About 100 Black Angus cattle, four cowboys and cowgirls, and their herding dogs, drove the cattle right around me and a few stopped cars. One large bull came up to the bike, gave a snort and moved on, yikes.  As it all passed by, I thought of the Bruce Willis line, “now that’s something you don’t see every day”.

Next one the hot springs quest, Challis Hot Springs. Once privately owned and recently sold to the state park system, this is a truly resplendent find.  Pitched the tent, getting better at the new one, and hit the town for supplies. I am enjoying cooking and eating camper style. As the saying goes; camping, paying a fortune to live like a homeless person, I fired up my camp stove and heated my can of beef stew!

Last night after closing the hot pool at 8:30 and another camp special dinner, this time a small steak, I was enjoying the cool evening and catching up on computer stuff under the stars. About the time I decided to turn in, I noticed a snake curled up by the tent entrance. Wow looks like a rattle snake, rattler and all. I sat watching it for almost an hour, sent Donna a pic as we were chatting, and tried to figure out what to do. I was drastically under armed to do battle, just a pocketknife and not long sticks handy.  I saw my neighbor was awake, so got him. He had a pistol and a broom, both better suited for battle. By the time we returned the snake had moved on.

The next moring the news spread around the campground; it was all the talk. One neighbor is a “snake handler” and quite the expert. I showed him the picture, he id’d it as a Great Basin Rattle Snake. I would have really felt silly if he said it was a Gardener snake haha. He was really disappointed he missed my visitor.

Two nights of fun at Challis, I hit the road north, into Montana. The next on the hot springs tour, Lolo Hot Springs.  Up went the tent, faster each time and off to their springs. Nice soak, great dinner at the resto and chilly night’s sleep in the high altitude and a new hot springs for the list.

The ride down the mountains from Lolo Pass follows the Locksa River down the famous highway 12, a breath-taking ride for sure. I usually only do 3-5 hour rides a day, but there was not much to see after I got past Idaho so pushed on back to Yakima. Crossing the SE Wash prairies and wheat fields I was hit with high wind most of the way, glad to have that heavy bike and fairing.

I was just counting the critters I encountered: several deer, one nice 4 point, Rocky Mountain Sheep, a nice group of antelope, one bear fishing in the river, countless eagles and hawks, Lola the Alligator, one curious squirrel and colony of shy Prairie Dogs, and a full on cattle drive, and of course, my first rattlesnake. All of which managed not to hurt me, thank fully.

Back at my friend’s house in Yakima, I began preparing for the next adventure. As much as I love these explorations and rides, I miss my family.  We will be together soon for another Canadian adventure!