Day 3

Hello Everybody! Time to recap the day.

I awoke at 5:00 a.m. St. Louis time, so for everyone in Ogden, it was 4:00 a.m. I hurriedly got ready and then set about gathering up my things to go load up the motorcycle.

I love that all my bags are quick detach, and that I can just carry them into the hotel with me. It is SO convenient.

Anyway, I start to head out for my motorcycle and it occurs to me that I'm the ONLY person up. I walk into reception and there is a dim light at the desk, but everything else is dark. I look around for the desk clerk but he's nowhere to be found. It is just a little after 04:00 a.m. so I don't think too much of it.

I head outside to check on the motorcycle. Yesterday when I checked in, the friendly desk clerk took a look at my motorcycle and said I could park it underneath the portico to keep it out of the wind. I thought to myself, wow, what a guy, he's worried about my motorcycle!

Well this morning when I go out there, I realize he's really just worried about law suits. The wind is just HOWLING. All the trees, shrubs and bushes are bent over at a 45 degree angle. I set my motorcycle helmet on the ground and it starts to roll away!

The hotel is situated at the bottom of a big mountain and I guess the wind is all being funneled down the pass that I drove down yesterday afternoon.

I go back inside and again it strikes me...I'm alone. It's like all the guests and staff left sometime during the night and I'm the only one here. OK...now I'm starting to get a little Stephen King thing goin' on. I can't help thinking about "The Shining" and that hotel in Colorado.

Where the hell is everybody? Shouldn't there at least be someone manning the desk?

I take one of the luggage carts back to my room, load up my luggage and head back out to the bike. I get everything loaded up and then it's time to go settle my bill.

I walk over to the front desk and look around. No one to be seen. I stare down at the little silver bell...you know the one...the one that's to be used when you want to get someones attention. I press down. DING! Nothing. Comeon! I know it's early but for cryin' out loud I need to get on the road. Let's GO!

Emboldened (and a little bit angry) I press down again. DING!

Lurch, from "The Adams Family" strolls around the corner! I am NOT kidding. He scared the "bejesus" out of me! He's about 8 feet tall and has a lazy eye or something. Or, maybe he's just got sleep in his eye. What the heck was he doing back there anyway...sleeping? I...don't...think...so! Judging by the looks of him, I'm pretty sure he was trying to catch his breakfast.

He scrutinizes me briefly and asks "May I help you?".

Oh my God! Did I just squeal "Please don't eat me!". Maybe I did, maybe I didn't. I can't be sure.

I did manage to utter "Um, I'd like to check out."

Of course, I managed to leave. I'm sure the rest of it was all just my imagination.

I ended up getting out on the road fairly early. Ogden is quite a bit bigger than I first thought. Apparently, I had just touched the edge of it yesterday when I arrived. It must be spread out over...10 miles or so.

The sun's still not up. Temperature is about 70 degrees. But as I go riding up through the mountains around Ogden, I find myself in wildly fluctuating temperature zones. 70 degrees one minute, 53 the next. A few miles north of Ogden and a little before you enter Idaho, I came across a scene I just couldn't resist...



I actually stopped and took this picture. No more taking photo's while driving though...why, that's just crazy!

I have to confess, I was a little disappointed by the parts of Idaho that I drove through. I guess I've been spoiled by the country I've driven through the last couple of days, but honestly, some of the country between Twin Falls and Boise looked sort of...godforsaken? I mean, it didn't even look like anything grew there.

I wonder if that's where they faked the moon landing?


I finally ended up in Pendleton, Oregon. And, Adam was right, the long hill down to Pendleton is something worth considering. It must have taken 20 minutes to come down that mountain.

Today's mileage comes to about 530. A rather easy day compared to the first 2. And, my tail bone is not sore today, although I don't know if that's because I'm getting used to the ride or I've lost all sensation from the waist down. Either way, it's an improvement and I'm grateful.

Tomorrow, it's only about 250 miles or so to Kerry's. This ride should be a 'walk in the park'. I haven't said much about my new motorcycle so far, but it has performed flawlessly and is really wearing it's way into my heart. I haven't named her yet, but Ruby 2 doesn't seem right. I'll have to give that some more thought.

Kerry, I'll be there early tomorrow. Please have the Moose Drool all iced up!

See ya!