The Plan: A 1,100+ mile loop counterclockwise around Oregon starting and
ending in Grants Pass at 11:00 AM with Verna, my spouse, as my start
witness.

The reality: A 1,128 mile loop beginning at 1:43 PM Saturday in Phoenix near
Hansen's BMW and ending in Grants Pass at 1:06 PM on Sunday.

The blessing: Less than 30 miles into the original plan, I had just exited I
5, heading towards Highway 140, feeling good, glad to be in motion, the
alternator warning light comes on. This never has happened in the 4 years
and 40,000 miles I have ridden the 2000 BMW R1150GS. Stop, up on the center
stand, pop the seat off and re-check the electrical wiring I added and
changed recently, nothing stinky. Thought about the symptoms a moment and
decided that it had to be an alternator malfunction. The blessing: my gel
battery was in good shape and would get me to the 5 miles down the road to
Hansen's BMW, the dealer who took this bike out of the crate originally and
has done all the maintenance work for the last 11 years.

Craig Hansen had his mechanics working hard to get some travelers back on
the road, so he picked up the tools, popped the front cover and diagnosed
the problem as a 2 year old belt gone shredded. His mechanic had me out in
less than 2 hours, right after the first-in travelers.

*Start Witness:* Mason Hansen signed my invoice as my SS1000 witness.

The SS1000 officially started at 1:43 PM a mile down the road in Phoenix,
topped off the Touratech 41 liter tank with .91 gallons. A re-start, a
blessing that the belt failure did not happen on one of the far away and
lonely stretches in Eastern Oregon.

Over the mountains on Hwy. 140 into Klamath Falls and on to Lakeview, my
first of four gas stops and the lower right point of my skewed pentagon
shaped route, 191 miles from the beginning.

North out of Lakeview on Highway 395, I watched 140 head off East as I
headed towards the Albert Rim and a gorgeous sunset. The sunset was almost
worth the bottom of the well darkness I experienced soon after. The only
deer I saw were 2 on the road at Lake Albert, right at dusk.

Recently I added a “1Off” HID low beam and PIAA extreme white high beam to
my existing PIAA 910s. I really appreciated the throw of the PIAAs and the
bright wide swath of the HID as I rushed through the darkness to Highway 20
and the Siamese twin towns of Hines & Burns. This one of the few times
through Hines that I have not stopped at Eddies Truck Stop and challenged
myself to eat the best (and biggest) chicken fried steak in the West.

On through the night to Ontario and I84 at odometer mile 473, 10:48 PM
Mountain Time, 8 hours into the trip, not halfway yet at the second, most
Eastern Point of the skewed pentagon. Highway 20 East of Burns is always a
satisfying adventure for me, only a little less so in the pitch dark. Again
used the Zumo 450 at the highest detail to anticipate the shape of the
curves coming up but always aware of the limits of my riding skills and
luck.

Glad to be on Interstate 84 with a somewhat higher speed limit, 65 vs the 55
mph of the first half, I headed North to my rest stop in Pendleton. A few
miles out of Baker City, the temperature dropped as it started raining, I
put the First Gear rain suit on over the Olympia “waterproof” and motored
on.

Feeling comfortable behind the tall Cee Bailey windshield, enjoying my LD
Comforts under my new Warm-N-Safe socks-pants-jacket. I will have to do
something about my foggy visor if I do this again.

Over the I 84 pass West of La Grand I descended into what felt like
rainclouds, very wet and very opaque, I couldn't see but 2 or 3 center
strips down the road. Major pucker time, down to 30 mph, flashers on,
grateful for the huge retro-reflective pieces on the back of the Jessee
Millenniums. Grateful for the 6% downgrade that required slow truck speeds.

Ahhh! The lights of Pendleton down in the valley, off in the distance, a
welcome sight.

It was raining lightly as I gassed up at Pendleton, 1:27 AM Pacific Daylight
time, 646 miles into the trip, almost 12 hours from the start at the
3rdpoint and top of the pentagon. I found shelter at the Econlodge,
stripped
off the wet raingear and armored jacket, then went to sleep for a few hours
with my boots on.

The Screamer when off at 5 AM and I was away heading West on I84 a little
after 5:30AM, believing that I was gonna get the ride done in time. The
Columbia River Gorge is a beautiful place and was especially so on this
special morning. The new Advantiv Radar unit was helpful earlier in the trip
but now was getting a lot of exercise and I was not seeing any state
troopers, but I was seeing a lot of tugboats pushing barges on the Columbia.
Aha! The unit was picking up boat radar transmissions.

I 84 to I 205 skirting Portland on the East to a 9:16 AM fuel stop in
Wilsonville, 876 miles into the trip, the 4th point on the pentagon. Now
just to do the easy run down the “5” to Grants Pass and home.

I arrived in Grants Pass a little after 1 PM Pacific Daylight time, pulled
into the 76 station where I had my false start yesterday, happy to see my
neighbor and friend MotoMo on her BMW 850. She had been tracking my Spot
transponder and came to greet me. Got my timed receipt and headed home,
grateful to let Mo lead me back to the neighborhood. Grateful to see my end
witness Verna and the prospect of a nap.

Thank you Howard Entman for setting up the Jack Shoalmire Tribute SS1000, I
did not know Jack but from what I know he would be pleased that the 100 plus
riders accomplished, with Howard's organizing, something never done before
and not likely done again soon.

Another post-ride blessing today, the side stand on the GS collapsed and
finally fell off. I am grateful that this did not happen at one of my gas
stops early in the trip. Would have been a show-stopper.

This my second IBA certificate ride, the first being a CC50 done on my 1987
Suzuki Cavalcade and that is another story out there that can be Googled.
Thanks to the LD Riders forum for all the good information which helped me
as I have learned how to more safely enjoy this sport.

IBJohn Oregon

John Harelson  IB#27850
Grants Pass, Oregon

*A man can hope for the soft touch of love, a distant view and a  well
curved corner, and that is enough for me."*