WA, ID, UT, CO, NM, TX

After seeing Vickie off at the Vancouver airport, I picked up my bike, newly fitted with fresh oil, a tune up, and tires and started thinking about what route to take home.  Having been warned that getting through Seattle at rush hour would take several hours, I opted to go east and the mountains instead of south and west along the coast.  Riding through the Cascade mountains was beautiful and I made it to Winthrop, WA, that night.

Continuing south and east, through the apple orchards on the plains of eastern Washington, I saw a sign for the Grand Coulee dam.  As with most large civil projects, the dam was controversial, but was finished in 1942 and is still today the largest electric power producing facility in the US.

Traveling on the back highways of eastern Washington is an invitation to gain some time and miles.  With few cars and miles of visibility, I was cruising pretty fast when I passed a white Tahoe.  As I passed him, I saw the Sheriff sign on the door.  Being committed to passing, I didn't slow down until the flashing lights came on.  Realizing the speed limit was 60mph and I was probably doing 85, I was expecting the worst.  Observing my Texas tags and the fact I was about his age, he let me off with a verbal warning and a reminder that no matter the speed limits in Texas, I was still in his state.

Crossing into Idaho at Lewiston, I continued southward thru rain and sleet and a day and night of generally crappy weather.  Breaking my rule of no interstates, I jumped on I84 and I15 and stopped at Brigham City, UT.  With a massive Mormon temple and the somewhat famous Maddox Ranch House restaurant, this was a welcome rest stop.

Grand Junction, CO was my next stop, followed the next day by a beautiful, but muddy dirt mountain trail into the back side of Crested Butte for lunch.  Riding familiar roads now led me to the last night of this adventure and our old standby, the HI Express in Raton, NM.  Enjoying a cigar and drink by the firepit, I was thankful to God for His protection and favor and the chance to make another set of memories.

postscript:
I'm just now (May 2016) publishing this 2015 trip.  I'm about the depart on the first leg of my 2016 Summer adventure soon.  I'll be writing about that in the near future.

Thanks for following along.

  A massive structure, still providing electricity and recreation.

Brigham City, Utah

Grand Junction, CO. Sticking to my plan of no chain hotels.  

Aspens just beginning to turn, as I came over the pass into the back side of Crested Butte.

One last look at the mountains and the cool weather of Raton, NM before returning to Texas.