Freezout Saddle Fall Colors

Today I road the Suzuki DR 650 about 280 miles to ride 105 miles of gravel roads to see some fall colors.

Recently the Doc said Jim you have arthritis in your left shoulder. So today I get a cortisone injection. Of course this is just a slippery slope called getting old. The next milestone is turning 70 next month. The shoulder held up better than the legs as I was standing more than I usually do as the road surfaces where a bit rougher than when I was here a year ago. It is good to get off my ass and eat some Ibuprofen.

I departed home at about 10:am and the sun goes down at 6:30. Didn't make home by sundown and the wife was pissed, when I called with minimal phone service at 4:00pm. Someday I won't be able to do this and won't even remember she blew a gasket or her name perhaps, not by choice.

I have been on this route before and even did a ride report on it, well most of it. The last section from Clarkia Idaho to Harvard was all gravel and some of that I have been on but get stopped by snow. I have been in the Spokane area 7 years now. This ride is a great reason to be here. The twin towns of Harvard and Princeton Idaho are about 6 miles from each other. Why they were named after two universities on the east coast is a mystery.

The whole route, mostly.



The gravel sections.





I will easy into the photos from bad to good and in order of the route. Some would blow a gasket to just see the scenery along the St. Joe River getting to the start of the gravel. It is hard to get a good photo there traveling into the sun.

Just before Stocking Meadows is a small creek, with a nearby campground.



Fall color starting.



Alan "Blind Owl" Wilson of Canned Heat fame was first 27'ers to die in the early '70's. The Song on the Road again is classic and it is in my head,

but I'm out on the road again

I'm on the road again

But I ain't goin' down that long, old lonesome road

All by myself

That song and 2400 others on my GPS. I am finally listening to the songs starting with the letter S and it stayed that way all day.

Fall colors.





The DR had the 21" hoop back on with a new Pirelli knob outback and a half wore out knob up front. They stuck ok but the front tried to tuck once or twice. Not on my watch today! I was riding well and picking pretty good lines and the DR makes it easy. Damn I love this bike. There were big erosion ruts and large nasty rocks everywhere and the DR handled it all.



I like this photo as it has some interest in the foreground.





Same location from a year or two ago. I was a week or so late this year and missed peak colors.





A sunset photo in the Palouse.



I had dinner at the Palouse Caboose in, .... wait for it, here it comes.... Palouse Washington onr of my favorite lunch stops. Today I had the BBQ pulled pork Sandwich for dinner. It was great.