sapest
Well-known member
Not the most dramatic or interesting Saddlesore attempt. I can say if you do this first, running Three Flags is easy.
On my way to the 40th Three Flags event, I thought I could complete a Saddlesore 1000 challenge on the way. Since I needed to be in Shasta Lake on Monday (un-related, getting seat adjustment) I built a route that took me first to northern Sacramento (Woodland CA, actually) and then back to Shasta Lake.
When I left Vancouver/Surrey on Friday Aug 28 the rain had already started. This after almost 2 weeks of perfect sunny days. Crossing the border, I get my gas receipt from Yorky's, time stamp is exactly 6:30am. It rained past Burlington, perhaps the first 90 minutes of my journey. I am warm and dry, staying away from big rig spray. Emily (name for my GPS) says nothing about the rain. Garmin's free access to their weather app is available for a week or two. Good timing for me. But no mention of rain, maybe Emily knows I know already, since I am riding in it.
After the rain stops, its overcast, dull gray and low clouds for most of the rest of Washington state. About mid way thru the state, Emily warns me that 'nearby roads may have snow'. And then about half an hour later, its 'nearby roads may be icy'. During the last bit of Washington and well past Portland, Emily finally decides to warn me about rain. The roads are dry, its sunny past Portland, but about every 30 or 40 minutes I get a warning until about Canyonville. As the day has progressed, its also getting warmer. Grants Pass is smokey, and HOT, over 30C. There is a lot of forest fire support activity happening. Trucks/equipment parked everywhere, staging areas piled up with gear, helicopters parked in what appear to be farm fields. Many many signs warning about fire dangers and NO open fires allowed. Maybe these signs are what finally shuts Emily up about the rain.
Coming into CA, its just getting warmer. 30C has become 35C. The bike is hot from running all day, and I can feel the heat coming off the highway surface. Poached Steve for dinner tonight.
I pull into the Woodland CA hotel at 8:45 pm. I am 15 min's ahead of my planned arrival. 844 miles, 1350 km's. The hotel parking lot is full of trucks loading gear and meals for the fire crews.
I set the alarm for 2 am, planning to leave by 3. The nice clerk lets me into the breakfast room at 2:30, "help yourself".
I am riding away at 3:01, and in about 2 minutes I know I am going the wrong way. Emily wants me to take one route, but I need to go another to be sure to get the mileage I need.
Its 3 am, its dark, its hot, and I am tired. I wrote out the directions I wanted to take, but its too dark to read them off the tank bag. Back to the light. I have it now. I-5 south to 99 north to 70 north to 99 north to I-5 north, back to Shasta Lake. Its an incantation, just keep saying it over and over until Oroville, then I can let Emily take over.
Around Chico I feel something hitting me in the neck. Little bugs? Now its hitting my hands too. IT'S RAINING. Emily, where is your warning? Maybe 5 minutes, and I am thru the rain. All the rain gear is packed away, I think what's wet, me, will be dry soon enough. Then another band of rain. What's going on here? 5 yrs of drought, no water left in Lake Shasta and now its raining on me, in the dark, at 4 am? This is serious, big drop, smarts when it hits your hand rain. Then it just stops. Now I am really wet in the pants and shoulders, but its over 20C, it will dry. Third band of rain and I have had enough of this silliness. I know how to make it stop raining. I pull over and get out the rain covers for my tank and tail bags, and put them on. A mile later, the rain stops. Not one peep from Emily. I am dry before Red Bluff.
I get to Shasta Lake and make my 24 hr window with about 15 minutes to spare. 1017.5 miles. The hotel clerk, a very young, very pretty lady is happy to sign my witness form. Time for a nap.
I submitted my package by mail on Sept 15, received "ride approved" email on the 30th.
-Steve
On my way to the 40th Three Flags event, I thought I could complete a Saddlesore 1000 challenge on the way. Since I needed to be in Shasta Lake on Monday (un-related, getting seat adjustment) I built a route that took me first to northern Sacramento (Woodland CA, actually) and then back to Shasta Lake.
When I left Vancouver/Surrey on Friday Aug 28 the rain had already started. This after almost 2 weeks of perfect sunny days. Crossing the border, I get my gas receipt from Yorky's, time stamp is exactly 6:30am. It rained past Burlington, perhaps the first 90 minutes of my journey. I am warm and dry, staying away from big rig spray. Emily (name for my GPS) says nothing about the rain. Garmin's free access to their weather app is available for a week or two. Good timing for me. But no mention of rain, maybe Emily knows I know already, since I am riding in it.
After the rain stops, its overcast, dull gray and low clouds for most of the rest of Washington state. About mid way thru the state, Emily warns me that 'nearby roads may have snow'. And then about half an hour later, its 'nearby roads may be icy'. During the last bit of Washington and well past Portland, Emily finally decides to warn me about rain. The roads are dry, its sunny past Portland, but about every 30 or 40 minutes I get a warning until about Canyonville. As the day has progressed, its also getting warmer. Grants Pass is smokey, and HOT, over 30C. There is a lot of forest fire support activity happening. Trucks/equipment parked everywhere, staging areas piled up with gear, helicopters parked in what appear to be farm fields. Many many signs warning about fire dangers and NO open fires allowed. Maybe these signs are what finally shuts Emily up about the rain.
Coming into CA, its just getting warmer. 30C has become 35C. The bike is hot from running all day, and I can feel the heat coming off the highway surface. Poached Steve for dinner tonight.
I pull into the Woodland CA hotel at 8:45 pm. I am 15 min's ahead of my planned arrival. 844 miles, 1350 km's. The hotel parking lot is full of trucks loading gear and meals for the fire crews.
I set the alarm for 2 am, planning to leave by 3. The nice clerk lets me into the breakfast room at 2:30, "help yourself".
I am riding away at 3:01, and in about 2 minutes I know I am going the wrong way. Emily wants me to take one route, but I need to go another to be sure to get the mileage I need.
Its 3 am, its dark, its hot, and I am tired. I wrote out the directions I wanted to take, but its too dark to read them off the tank bag. Back to the light. I have it now. I-5 south to 99 north to 70 north to 99 north to I-5 north, back to Shasta Lake. Its an incantation, just keep saying it over and over until Oroville, then I can let Emily take over.
Around Chico I feel something hitting me in the neck. Little bugs? Now its hitting my hands too. IT'S RAINING. Emily, where is your warning? Maybe 5 minutes, and I am thru the rain. All the rain gear is packed away, I think what's wet, me, will be dry soon enough. Then another band of rain. What's going on here? 5 yrs of drought, no water left in Lake Shasta and now its raining on me, in the dark, at 4 am? This is serious, big drop, smarts when it hits your hand rain. Then it just stops. Now I am really wet in the pants and shoulders, but its over 20C, it will dry. Third band of rain and I have had enough of this silliness. I know how to make it stop raining. I pull over and get out the rain covers for my tank and tail bags, and put them on. A mile later, the rain stops. Not one peep from Emily. I am dry before Red Bluff.
I get to Shasta Lake and make my 24 hr window with about 15 minutes to spare. 1017.5 miles. The hotel clerk, a very young, very pretty lady is happy to sign my witness form. Time for a nap.
I submitted my package by mail on Sept 15, received "ride approved" email on the 30th.
-Steve
