It all begins the first part of June.... I'm without a bike in the garage for the second time in my life and this needs to come to an end. I spend countless hours on the web looking for that perfect bike....one that fits not only my 6'7" 330 lb frame but my lovely girlfriend also. Hours and hours go by as I search for a bike that will not look like a mini-bike under me. I have been riding since the age of 5 and even spent years working at a multi-line dealership (Honda/Yamaha/Harley Davidson). Every bike I have owned was a Ducati, Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki, VOR, Suzuki, etc....but never once a Harley. The last time I even rode a Harley was at the dealership back in 1996 and I took a new Heritage out for a spin and couldn't get back to the dealership fast enough to get off of the thing. I mean what were you guys even thinking about? That thing wouldn't accelerate fast enough to get out of its own way....and stopping power? dear God, no wonder you all got killed running off the roads.... the thing needed a runway just to get slowed down from 55mph.

So, the last thing on my list was a Harley.... I look and I look and not even the Goldwing was big enough for my body. Then I remember the Kawasaki Concours C-14! Thats the ticket for my needs. I run down to talk to my buddy at the dealership and he says he can get me one in a couple days. But passenger seating leaves a little to be desired....especially the funky optional trunk and the little pad for my girl to lean on. A little searching and I find that Mike Corbin has the solution... a huge trunk with a wrap around backrest for my girl. Problem solved...sort of.... Mike wants about a grand for the silly box! I have had plenty of his seats and know while he isn't cheap...his quality is usually rather good. OK, its all good...except that I'm scrolling though the pictures of the trunk mounted on a C-14 and notice this one picture that shows the trunk hanging off the rear of the bike about 2 and a half feet!!! Dear God thats the ugliest thing I have ever seen and I wouldn't be caught dead riding with that box dragging behind me....

Feeling quite depressed now and with vacation time looming closer every day I decide to slink down to the local Harley dealer to just have a looksy... I see a row of big fully faired bikes outside and wander over to have a closer inspection. A few minutes later a guy comes out and greats me and we talk about my needs and he begins to tell me about how much better the bikes are now then they were back in 96'..... I'm thinking "yeah buddy, go ahead and try:-)". I spot a nice looking used example (FLHTCU) complete with pipes, ECU and intake kit...Jerry asks if I want to go for a ride? I'm thinking the last time I rode was in the fall right before I sold my tricked out ZX-14 land missile and since it was a nice spring day....why not? I helmeted up and Jerry hopped on another bike for our 20 mile spin. The first few miles were weird to say the least...feet out forward were they shouldn't be... riding position all wrong.... but the sound coming out of those pipes was magical This bike had some get up and go and when we got to the twisty section I was actually carrying some good corner speed...yeah, I'm liking this bike a lot. A mile from the dealership it's acting like it's loading up on me, but this can't be with fuel injection? as I accelerate from a stop I look in the mirror and see a HUGE cloud of smoke behind me....This bike only has 10k on the clocks and is two years old.... we pull up to the shop and I tell Jerry what happens just as I notice oil pouring down the side of the bike out of the injectors. Jerry takes the bike to the shop and out of view rather quickly...lol... He then asks if I want to ride a new model... I'm game and take another spin on a stock bike. Nice bike but lacking the needed power for myself and my pretty. I thank him and head home.... I then call up the Harley dealer over the mountain and they ask why I didn't ride the 103? What 103 I reply? The salesman tells me about the 103 limited and now he has my attention. The following morning I march back down to the dealership and ask if they have one of these marvelous 103's in stock. Why yes Jerry say's...I have 4 of them! Do you want to take a spin on one? A few minutes later we were tooling down the highway and I had a huge grin going on... this would be my new bike. Papers were signed, pipes, ECU and intake were ordered, drivers backrest was installed and huge piles of cash were handed over... vacation here we come....

A quick shakedown run over the mountain to Portland a day later to meet up with my sport bike friends at dyno days didn't bring the laughs and finger pointing I had assumed (being 6'7" tall and 330 lbs has that effect sometimes)... but only some good natured ribbing from my buds. Back over the mountain and around the desert for a couple days then down to my buddies shop for a quick once over and a change to Redline fluids.





Friday comes and we pack for our trip....
Not much sleep Friday night, 4am comes quickly and we head out the door even though the temp is only 36 degrees. We set off across the desert to Boise, Idaho. We stop in Burns, Oregon to eat some breakfast and to fill up and then were on our way again. Boise greats us with open arms and we find our motel room (the only one reserved for the entire trip). Clean up and head to the Boise Zoo along the river downtown.







Sunday morning greets us and we head down stairs for "the best free breakfast in Idaho".... I'm thinking those Idahoans must be crazy...lol

We head up into the mountains but take a quick break at Lucky Peak Reservoir for some pictures...



Idaho City is our next stop...the former capitol of Idaho was having the yearly rodeo and the town was buzzing....

This is a home in town...one of the more unusual ones.....



Our next stop on the way up the mountain to Stanley was this overlook. A nice feller from back East offered to snap our picture with the Sawtooth's in the background....





We make it to Stanley and hit the local bakery for lunch....except this is Sunday and they only serve breakfast on Sunday's...lol... We wound up ordering some eggs and black beans for breakfast...

This is possibly the most beautiful place in the world... Stanley, Idaho.



We stayed in Salmon, Idaho the next night. But silly me I forgot to take any pictures of the mountain town. Google the town and you will be amazed at the setting.

We head out and up the mountain to the Montana border. Stopping to take the mandatory picture...



We then head down the mountain into Darby, Montana... (note...we did not stop to buy large quantities of illegal fireworks:-)... Stopping in Darby at my favorite candy store takes several hours.... the shop is a block long and consists of several interconnected shops. After our fill of dark chocolate covered "stuff" we push on Northward to Missoula...but after 30 miles of muddy...gravel road construction I wonder why we are even going to Missoula? Me thinks that the lodge at Lolo hot springs sounds much better. So a quick phone call to the lodge and our room secured we head into the rugged mountains again. Arriving at the lodge and checking into our enormous room we head for the springs... sorry folks for no pictures...I'm trying to keep it clean...lol

Down the mountain we go....another 30 degree morning...Brrr...but those heated hand grips are doing their job....

We stop along the river and walk across a wooden foot bridge...Terri yelling at me to stop making the bridge sway back and forth....lol



We motor into lewiston, Idaho for fuel and then a quick stop in Clarkston, Washington for water to douse our burning flesh. We head down into the depths of large rugged canyons not far from Hell's Canyon....

Climbing out of the first canyon I stop to look at heaven.



We make it to Joseph, Oregon and I take Terri up to Wallowa lake. She says I was correct about it being one of the most beautiful places in the world.



We run the back road over to Hell's Canyon...



We stay in Baker City this night. I lived there for 7 years so I invite a good friend of mine to dinner with us at the Geiser Grand. In the morning I pack early for the last day and then home. I'm going to give Terri a huge treat and run her over Anthony Lakes pass and then through the wilds of Eastern, Oregon.

Somehow I must have missed the road closed due to snow sign at the base of the mountains.... but Terri says she thought I knew what I was doing?



The end of the road.......



So after backtracking 25 miles to the bottom of the mountain we head North to Lagrande for several cups of hot chocolate before we head West into wild Oregon....

One last photo just West of Long Creek, Oregon on our way home to Bend.



Our first road trip was about 1,500 miles or so. I couldn't have picked a more perfect motorcycle for the adventure. Even before getting unpacked we are planning our next adventure. I think we will run the coast of Oregon down to wine country and over to Lake Tahoe....

Happy motoring......

 

Looks like you had a great trip Fred. Thanks for the awesome pics! Hang on to that gal also. My wife might not have been so understanding with a little 25 mile detour to the end of the road......LOL. Welcome to Harley touring and the forum.
Best, RR

 

Great write-up and pics. Sounds like you had a great trip! When does it warm up out there? July? August?

 

Wow Fred, felt like I was there with you guys. 10 of us did a similar trip through the Sawtooths a couple of years ago. And last year we did the PCH to San Luis Obispo. Came back through northeastern Oregon (Wallowa) and had a blast. Great write up and welcome to the forum.

 

We just went camping on the bikes in Stanley this weekend and stopped at that same overlook - Emile Grandjean.
Gotta love the Sawtooth Mtns!

 

I'd love to move to Boise just to run up to Stanley every weekend