Solo Trip in SW/SE Oregon

[SO_Rider]

I just returned from my first multi-day solo trip on the T7 (in fact my first multi-day on any bike) through parts of Oregon. My plan was to travel due east across the southern part of our beautiful state, as far as the Owyhee River, near the Idaho border. In the end, I made it as far as Steens Mountain and the Alvord Desert. I had done most of my route planning on GAIA GPS and wanted to avoid pavement as much as possible. We have an abundance of public land in this part of the world which makes this possible. My route planning failed in a couple of places, where either the road didn't exist, or gates prevented access. With a little fine tuning, this route could be done travelling on 90% or more on dirt roads. Here's a brief summary of the trip:

 

Day 1 - My adventure started in Azalea, OR, a small hamlet along Interstate 5 in the west portion of Oregon. My first day was approximately 170 miles to Crater Lake, a national park in the Cascade Mountains. This route travels through (BLM) Bureau of Land Management and National Forest lands. Spent the night at Crater Lake Lodge.

 

Day 2 - Circumnavigated the lake then headed south and east, crossing Highway 97 and onto more unimproved roads. About 50 miles in, my route planning failed me as the bridge where I had planned to cross the Williamson River was no longer there.  I scouted farther south, hoping to get around the headwaters, to no avail, and finally had to bail out on the pavement, travelling first north to the town of Silver Lake, then south to Paisley.

 

Day 3 -I head due east travelling north of Lake Abert, then crossing Hwy 395 toward Hart Mountain refuge. This is big country, with very few inhabitants and route finding got more challenging. My route took me through the south end of Orejana canyon, and up a steep incline to a higher bench. Riding was technical for a short distance but the T7 handled it line a champ. The next several miles were very primitive jeep road to the east side of the refuge, then on to the town of French Glen at the base of Steens Mountain. 

 

Day 4 - Took the loop road to the summit of Steens Mountain, about 9,500 feet in elevation, then headed south towards the town of Fields. My route turned out to be a dead end about 20 miles out, so I had to double back and take the pavement the remaining distance to Fields, about 50 miles. I did spot several of the wild mustangs that inhabit the high plateau, as well as several antelope.  From her, I had planned to travel farther east to the Owyhee River. In the end, I decided this would have to wait for another trip. It would have been a 2-3 retrieve if I had a breakdown or emergency. I always travel with a Google Spot GPS unit, but even so I decided to play it safe. So, I hit the pavement, travelling another 130 miles or so to Lakeview. This was my longest day, travelling just short of 280 miles.

 

Day 5 - This ws supposed to be a rest day, but I couldn't resist and ended up riding a 150 mile loop in the vicinity of Lakeview and Bly.

 

Day 6 - Departed Lakeview and planned to cross two small mountain ranges to get to Lake of the Woods. I was unable to access the first leg, instead having to route around that section on pavement. I rejoined the route near Bonanza and was treated to some great backroads and vistas.

 

Day 7 - Rode west along the edge of Siskiyou National Monument to Ashland, then south to Mt. Ashland and along the Siskiyou Crest to Ruch, then back to Talent, OR. This was probably some of the best riding as far as scenic views and quality of riding.

 

Day 8 - Returned to Azalea, crossing the Rogue River to Trail, OR and then riding the last 50 miles or so through the Klamath Mountains. 

 

Overall an excellent trip!  I learned a lot and am already planning for the next trip. We are very fortunate to have vast amounts of public land that's readily accessible. Great terrain for the Tenere! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 1, 2022 by SO_Rider
typo

[Hibobb]

Very nice trip, Great pictures. I applaud you for having the balls to go out alone.

At 63, I can't get any of my friends to ride further than the Starbucks coffee shop in the next town.

Da wife doesn't want me to take a trip alone but post like yours give me ammunition to do battle with the "War Department". If you don't mind me asking, how old are you?

 

Thanks,

Bob

 

 

[SO_Rider]

7 minutes ago, Hibobb said:

Very nice trip, Great pictures. I applaud you for having the balls to go out alone.

At 63, I can't get any of my friends to ride further than the Starbucks coffee shop in the next town.

Da wife doesn't want me to take a trip alone but post like yours give me ammunition to do battle with the "War Department". If you don't mind me asking, how old are you?

 

Thanks,

Bob

 

 

Bob, I don't mind you asking at all, I'm 58. I am married and fortunately my wife is very accommodating of my various adventures. I've only recently gotten back on motorcycles, after not having ridden for 30 years or so. I've been riding mountain bikes pretty seriously during that period, and I find my motorcycle handling skills have definitely benefited. I've done a good amount of adventuring over the years - rock climbing, mountaineering, hiking, camping, etc.  My re-entry into motorcycles was somewhat happenstance. My wife and I bought 15 acres in Southern Oregon about 2 years ago. We are in the nestled among the Klamath Mountains and close to the Siskiyous, Cascades and other ranges - and the riding opportunities are pretty much limitless. Shortly after we purchased the place I bought a WR250R and started exploring the area. I soon realized a bigger adventure type bike would allow to to explore further afield.  I quickly settled on the T7 for simplicity and reliability, as I knew I would spend a fair amount of time riding alone and wanted to reduce the risk of breakdowns as much as possible. 

 

So, getting back to your original question - I don't take these solo ventures lightly. This trip took me into some very remote areas. On a couple of occasions I was  more than 30 miles from the nearest paved road and even those are lightly travelled. I encountered very few other vehicles and went a couple of days where I didn't see much of anyone.   As I mentioned I carry a GPS unit for emergencies, but it is only one way and I can only send pre-tailored messages. I'm seriously considering upgrading so I can send text messages via satellite. I also admit I don't have very much experience repairing motorcycles. I had tools, etc. to fix a flat, but I'm not certain I could have made a repair in the field. From what I've seen, the rear tires on these machines are difficult to seat/unseat from the bead. Fortunately I didn't have to test my skills. 

 

As I mentioned, I cut my original route short opting to forego venturing to the Owyhee rim. If you're familiar with that area you know it's even more remote than the other areas I visited. I felt it was better to play it safe this time. I will definitely go back out there, but I'll definitely be better prepared, and maybe have someone in tow.

 

All in all a fantastic trip though. I get much more confident in mine and the T7's capabilities. It's gotten me excited to plan other trips in the area. Thanks for your interest.

[Hollybrook]

For me, going solo without some way of calling a rescue is not going to happen. I'd hate to need to use it but it can be a true lifesaver. 

 

I currently carry an ACR PLB, but there is certainly merit to having bidirectional texting capabilities. 

[SO_Rider]

On 10/1/2022 at 9:34 AM, Hollybrook said:

For me, going solo without some way of calling a rescue is not going to happen. I'd hate to need to use it but it can be a true lifesaver. 

 

I currently carry an ACR PLB, but there is certainly merit to having bidirectional texting capabilities. 

I'm strongly considering a Garmin InReach Mini 2, which would provide 2-way texting capabilities.