The Home Stretch

Southbound U.S. 97 in Eastern Oregon

June 26, 2013 
Overcast sky and the threat of rain greeted me this morning at Biggs Junction, but not in a bad way. What would normally cause a dismal outlook was far outweighed by my excitement of knowing a five-hour ride was the only thing between me and being reunited with Sherry and the "kids" (Maggie, Nigel and Hope). As they say, "absence makes the heart grow fonder" and I've been absent one week shy of three months. 

Eager to get started, I ignored breakfast ... wolfing down a couple of granola bars and coffee instead ... and was soon rolling south on U.S. 97 across the treeless plateau of Eastern Oregon, which can be confusing to foreigners who imagine Oregon as one big, river-laced forest.  While that is true of most areas west of the Cascades, Eastern Oregon is a world apart, culturally and politically as well. Although larger geographically, the sparse population of conservative thinking cowboys who dominate the eastern side of the state are no match at the polls for the liberal progressives who fill the large cities on the west side, hence Oregon has been on the blue side of politics for many years.

Along with the drip and drizzle it was a day of reflection for me, thinking back those many miles ago since I shivered across Oregon's mountains that cold April morning and basked that evening in the warmth of California's San Joaquin Valley. I bounced over rough roads to the state's exit at Needles and enjoyed the cactus strewn scenery of Arizona before my windy crossing of New Mexico and and West Texas, remarkably different from the balmy Texas Coast. My tropical experience continued across the Gulf Coast and down through Florida to its far reaches at Key West, the apex of my journey.

I spent three weeks in Florida, making my first, only, and possibly last visit to the state count. It was the first of six states I'd never been to before. The next was Indiana where I arrived the first week of June after zigging and zagging over and through the mountains and hills of Georgia, Tennessee and Kentucky. It was Indiana where my good luck with the weather began to change, highlighted by a tornado threat that had we patrons of the Holiday Express at Portland, Indiana hunkered down in the hallways.

Ohio and Michigan were my next "never-been-to-before" states to cross. Although I expected Ohio to be as I found it --- rolling farmland --- I was pleasantly surprised to find Michigan was also predominantly rural. I'd expected it to be covered with crowded cities. The same was true of those areas of Wisconsin and Minnesota I rode through. They were the next states I could add to my "been-there-seen-that" list. North Dakota, the next state to add to my list, was exactly what I expected ..... flat, empty and windy. Montana, Idaho and Washington were old friends, but I'd never seen them in such a bad mood. Nasty weather every day only hastened my desire to hurry home and put an end to the meteorological torture. And so here I am, having come full circle, literally ---- a 10,292-mile circle. 

My final miles were mixed with rain but nothing serious. What normally would be considered a less than exuberant ride was instead laced with giddy anticipation as each mile brought me closer to home. Even the GPS and Harley were in that "headed for the barn mode" and it was hard to harness their momentum. And then we were there, enjoying the hugs, kisses, and tail-wagging-face-licks from Sherry and the kids.

It's good to be back home again.



(Video: Part One ... for best view select 480p resolution on video task bar) (Video: Part Two ... for best view select 480p resolution on video task bar)

Biggs Junction, OR To Oakridge, OR (233 Miles)

End Of The Road (10,292 Miles)