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The trip report is at:
http://www.users.cts.com/king/d/drlubell/lride97/lride97.html
if you prefer .html

Day 5 10/1:
Bad weather catches up

The next morning, wanting again to use the plumbing, we found the
doors still locked.  Enough is enough, so Bethany and I walked to the
host�s house.  I was just reaching for the gate latch, when the host
bursts out of his house and claims to not have known we were there.  I
worry about a caretaker of public land that does not see 6 motorcycles
coming into his campground (twice), setting camp 50 feet from his
dining room window, making a LARGE camp fire (isn�t fire a big thing
for these park types?) and generally making some noise.  Though it
seemed odd that he also came out of the house as we walked up, meaning
he was watching us.  After unlocking the showers, he drives up in his
truck (a whole 50 feet) to tell us that we owe for 3 sites and extra
vehicles (each bike counts as a car or a motorhome he says) even
though we were all next to each other, the only people in the camp,
and we did not get the service we were paying for.  He came back and
gave us a lower price about 10 minutes later when he overheard us say
that there would be 3 EMPTY envelopes in the drop box.   What I am
saying is that this camp host is a pathetic old liar and has made
Jospehine County, Oregon a shit-hole on our maps.

Needing a target for the day�s ride, we chose Crater Lake.  Why Crater
Lake?  Why not?  As we neared the Crater, the weather started to look
nasty.  Winds were strong enough that we had to make a race tuck and
hang-off to keep from being blown sideways off the road.   True
"counter steering" is when you lean left in a right hand turn because
of the wind.

We hit the lake with the temperature dropping rapidly and clouds
moving in.  Suddenly Crater Lake seemed like the wrong place to be.  A
park ranger watching us park the bikes from the inside the lodge warns
us that precipitation is coming in 1 to 3 hours with a snow line a
thousand feet BELOW us.  Suddenly Crater Lake IS the wrong place to
be.  Quick hot chocolates, and we are suited up in all the colors of
the rainbow in our rain suits.  Don�t leave home without one!  There
is just enough time to do the rim tour of the crater before heading
for lower altitudes.   We stop for pictures to prove we were here.  As
I am taking a picture of Bethany in front of the lake, I hear a horn,
and locked wheel sliding, and a sickening crunch.  Brian this time
found a patch of sand while doing the horn and stoppy maneuver.  I
think his front tire is a divining rod for loose surfaces.

With weather fast approaching, we decided to all it a day in Klamath
Falls. And for the first and only time this trip, stay at a KOA.
Don�t get me wrong, KOA�s are all right places, but if you want to
camp someplace with scenery or in the woods, KOA is not for you.  This
KOA was a big stop for retired people in motorhomes.  This time we
just rented two small cabins with roofs and heat to keep us out of the
rain and cold.  For the first time, no camp fire, but we did have cold
beer!

Day 6 10/2: Get your tires in Reno

With our traditional Denny�s breakfast in us, we headed south in US-97
into California.  The weather front of the previous day left things
pretty cool, so layers were the style of the day.

After crossing into CA, and declaring that we have no fruit, we make a
beeline for the little mountain town of Weed.  Sometimes you pick a
destination just to take a picture in front of the town sign.  We
picked Weed.

From the hot coffee in Weed, we went SW on CA-89 for Lassen Volcanic
Park.  If you haven�t been there, this a must-see if you are in the
area.  Not great riding, but some great sights (and smells) of
volcanic activity.  Part way through, at a great picture stop, I
happened to take it upon myself to make a tire check, in case there
were any good tools, I wanted first dibs.

Bethany�s tire which was fine, though well worn it had tread, at the
beginning of the day (less than 200 miles earlier) was showing cord
about 90 degrees about the circumference along the center, and ALL of
the tread was gone.  There is no excuse for tread to go the fast, and
the tire only had about 5000 miles on it.  The tire was the Dunlop
that came from the factory.  Yet another mark on my list of bad
experiences with Dunlops.  For my money, Metzeler is always a sure
bet. (Ed. note, my last Metz Z2 rear lasted for 13 kmiles and still
had some tread left in the center)

This tire issue changed our plans.  A look at the map shows that there
are no big cities for over a hundred miles.  We passed a local husband
and wife motorcycle shop, but their sport bike tire selection was
small, but their snowmobile supplies were huge.  These were some good
people.  I wish I had remembered the name, but they know who they are.
Despite the fact they would get no sale from us, they called all the
nearby shops (including long distance areas) and said the only tire we
could get would be in Reno (where I shot a man, just to watch him
die).

Also, it was the same model Dunlop.

From the town of Chester (we are on a first name basis), the group
split up with Bethany and me riding to Reno, and the rest going
through the rural areas.  We planned to meet in Tahoe and would
coordinate with cell phones and answering machines.

For us, the road to Reno was long, straight 2 lane highway with little
traffic.  As night settled down around us, we entered Nevada.  Reno
was just minutes away.

Despite the fact that staying cushy hotels and eating good meals goes
against my definition of what a motorcycle camping trip should have,
that night of cheap prime rib and a luxury room after a night of
gambling and entertainment really felt good.  Plus Bethany won enough
at Blackjack to pay for the hotel and then some.

Dan Lubell	drlubell@cts.net
AMA and Texas Mini GP
'96 VFR;'82 C-10 "Slut Truck";'68 Mustang-needs no name 
Biker Scum Site:
http://www.users.cts.com/king/d/drlubell/bscum.html