Eventually Brian on his hot new GSXR stepped up and crowdsourced some destination and route ideas, and we headed out. It took less than a mile before wheelies happened and speed limits were broken. No me of course, I followed all traffic laws all day long. We were having a great old time and missed one of the turns, no biggie we just rerouted through an agriculture highway. This time of year the highways have lots of gravel on them and the farmers are pumping shit water through their mega sprinklers, but on the bright side there's much less traffic and nobody notices when you use both lanes to maximize your corner entry and exit.
Just outside of Independence we lost our first rider to the cold. He went home because a perforated leather jacket, jeans, and summer gloves are apparently not appropriate riding gear on a 38 degree day. When I caught up to the group I saw everyone pulled over just outside town, and one of the bikes smoking/steaming. Well great, here we go again. Usually there's an unspoken rule of "don't bring a beater bike on a group ride".
I doffed my helmet and learned that the smoking bike had gotten a rock strike in the radiator and a new superfluous coolant drain hole. While hanging around waiting for people to get their trailer plan sorted, another rider who had been ripping around while we waited came back... with a rock strike in their radiator, leaking fluid. Don't remove the rock guard in front the radiator boys and girls, its there for a reason.
Eventually who was staying with the stranded bikes and who was going was sorted out. Brian was staying with the other two riders to help them sort out their rides, which left nobody with knowledge of the local roads to continue leading except yours truly.
I found out that the Portland contingent was looking to end their ride in Eugene and wanted to find a back way there. From Independence I lead our merry band out towards Kings Valley. The roads were mostly clear, I only found myself slowing down and signaling for gravel once in a while. This area was also nice and warm, maybe almost fifty, compared to the thirties and cloudy of the Albany/Corvallis/Lebanon area. We continued our jaunt down Kings Valley highway to Pedee to stop at the covered bridge.
I'm not a fan of the dirt and gravel on the roads this time of the year, or the cold, but the lack of traffic is really really nice. Its great for going the speed limit like a law abiding citizen in an orderly and legal fashion.
At the bridge the smokers smoked and we talked bikes and stuff. One rider indicated he needed fuel so we stopped in Philomath on the way south. Just out of Philomath we passed a Sheriff cruiser, while going the speed limit, in a school zone. I am one with the force and the force is with me.
I was having a great time down Bellfountain but I noticed that the other riders were all starting to lag. I should point out that all the Portland riders and one of the Salem riders were all attired incorrectly, in jeans with riding jackets. Just before Junction City I found out that one of them hadn't bothered to fuel up in Philomath and needed to stop, no worries we hit a gas station there. At the gas station I pointed them in the direction of Eugene, then went to Arbys with the two guys from Salem.
On the way back we blasted through the Halsey super S curves. I really like my bike. I like heated gear.
