The Sea

When I woke up the next day I had a choice, go south (as sort of planned) or continue west, I went west and what an amazing ride it was, at the end I saw the sea.

The Pacific

Chris in Ottawa had been talking about how good the riding was in this area, especially in California. I have always been really intrigued by the coastline north of San Francisco up to Washington state, in particular the Redwood Highway. Also, somethings we may have to do, even though it's been done a few million times before, ride a bike over the Golden Gate bridge.

I left Great Falls and rode as far as Kamiah in Idaho, mosty along Route 12. Straight away the hills and mountains began to appear and the flat and straight riding of the last week was gone.

The hills/mountains begin, Info centre on the route out of Great Falls.

I rode via Missoula and by pure chance found myself passing a warning sign which read something like '99 miles of curves', I think it's called the Lolo Pass. Even in the rain it was great, not too tight just sweeping curves and hardly anyone else on it, it just went on and on until I stopped for the night.
  

Lolo Pass

My neighbour in Kamiah was Bill, who with his dog went up into the hills to survey the forest, either for the State or Federal authorities. Bill lives in Colarado and drives his camper around the US each summer doing this work. He showed me the maps he is given, already a lot of detail, and then using GPS he hooves it into the woods, now 60 Bill reckins he has 5 more seasons in him (he's due a hip operation in the fall, just can't choose the right specialist). He told me that there were other crews in the motel, younger than him and working long days, they were 'entitled to it', his days of hiking and using a tent were behind him, especially as the money was now worse than before. His dog, from the shelter so of unknown origin (Bill said it was a snow dog), sat watching use talk. In the last couple of years he had seen cougars and bears, plus he had been close to wolves.. 'damn government interfering bringng them back, they're dangerous and weid got rid of them'. Bill would appear each time I walked outside for a cigarette, he was no way 'gonna work in the rain'. The next morning, after breakfast with Bill, I headed for Portland, eventually joining the trucks on I84 to make sometime and get buffeted and blown along by the wind, as with Montana it just blew and blew. As I rode up out of Walla Walla it just hit, amazing scenery but focus very much on the road. I found a truck stop about 100 miles from Portland and called it a day, knackered.

A size issue

I was now in Oregan and had been following the Columbia river and at one stop the next morning, not far from Portland, I found this sign,

Those guys fron the navy get everywhere

The valley itself was, again, beautiful,

Columbia River

I got through a busy rush hour in Portland and headed for the coast, eventually reaching a place called Florence for the night. A great few days, wind, rain and sun, lots of amazing scenery and a few interesting characters along the way.

Yachats, Pacific coast, Oregan.

Ready now to plan the next phase of the trip, including where and when to enter Mexico. Many thanks for the comments and support, can't fault those WSM guys, cheers Tone..