It always seems to start the same. This yearning desire to hit the road. It’s early April and the forecast is good for the first time all year. So with the help of DamTour 2009 (www.damtour.com) and Rose City Motorcycle Club’s Grand Tour (www.rose-city-mc.org) I had figured out a route that would net me 7 dams and 1 RCMC checkpoint. Mission launch is set for Saturday at 7. A quick little bit of computer time with google maps and it looks to be 1,000 miles plus in two days. Perfect! My Yamaha FJR-AE is fueled, packed and ready. Read More.

This, as with a lot of my rides, is a product of DamTour and Rose City Motorcycle Club Grand Tour. The goal was to get as many dams and checkpoints as possible in two days. First on the agenda is Moro. Most everyone would just head up I-84 and turn south on Hwy 97 at Biggs. Not me. I take I-84 to exit 97 (Celilo Falls) and follow the access road to the Fulton Canyon exit. This climbs out of the canyon and is a fun little diversion. The road intersects Hwy 97 just before Wasco. Head south now and you’ll be in Moro in no time. Read More.

This September 2007 ride was for my remaining Rose City GrandTour checkpoints and some scouting for new dams for the 2008 DamTour. So, my remaining checkpoints are all over the place. Steamboat, Paisley, Hines, Jordan Valley, Baker City, Joseph Canyon and Mt Vernon. After a little time with google maps it looks to be better than 1500 miles and a nice weekend trip. Saturday AM finds me on I-5 south, not the best motorcycle road, but OK for getting closer to the really good stuff. Read More.

Well all the good rides seem to materialize out of some need. In this case it was my need to get my ass in gear on the 2007 DamTour. This is a nice little ride to 20 NW dams. 8 in Washington, 8 in Oregon and 4 bonus dams that are more distant. I already had 15 dams, so the logical thing to do was plan a trip for the other 5 and put this year’s DamTour in my out box. Read More.

For years I have thought about riding my motorcycle to the Grand Canyon. Last September (2006) Steve Estrada and I decided to head out and make the ride on our 2005 Yamaha FJR 1300’s. Steve has the ABS version and I have the standard, otherwise they are the same bikes, it made the trip easier because we had the same performance, range etc. We took back roads the whole way except for a short run on the interstate from Wells NV to the Bonneville Salt Flats to get that prized picture. Read More.