Another lame excuse to ride that Ducati Streetfighter 848

Posted on July 13, 2012 by cesardagord

A July 4th holiday in the middle of the week + that McKenzie pass road that just opened for the season + the Sisters Coffee Company (because it is there at the end of the road) + that poisonous Ducati Streetfighter 848 = another lame excuse for a ride.

The Streetfighter 848 at the McEnzie Pass, Three Sisters on the Background. July 4th, 2012

Earlier this year I had noticed July 4th would fall on a Wednesday. So I thought I could take Mon-Tue or Thu-Fri off and have a nice set of days for some vacation time, enjoying the summer weather for a nice long ride. But no, I had to find work, I had to volunteer for a project. And who in his/her sane mind would stipulate a deadline for July 9th? In the end I was lucky to still have the July 4th itself to enjoy some time off.

Ducati Streetfighter 848 ready for another adventure. July 4th, 2012

When July 4th arrived and the smart phone forecast applications had been displaying that fully clear yellow circle icon all over the state I was more than ready to go for a ride and enjoy a needed break from work. I wheeled the hooligan machine out of the garage, sorted my gear, checked oil level, tires pressure, and set out for the ride. The machine had 992 miles on the clock at the start of this trip, when it hit 1,000 I stopped by the side of the road to document it.

1,000 miles on the clock. July 4th, 2012

I had been checking information about Hwy 242, the McKenzie pass road, to figure out when would it open this season. It opened on June 21st, which can be considered normal, despite the mild winter.  I don’t think we got substantial snow fall until it was almost February already.  Below is a chart showing the open and close days for the McKenzie pass road since 1925.

On most of the years the road opened somewhere in June and closed in November.  It seems the number of days the road is open are declining along the years. I looked at temperature and snow patterns and it does not appear to correlate very well with road opening and closures. That is, I could not observe a clear temperature decline or a clear snow fall increase along the years. Decisions about opening the road may include other aspects related to road use,  road maintenance and availability of resources besides snow accumulation.

A few trivia bits about the road (from the ODOT website):

Longest closure:  263 days (October 25, 2010 – July 15, 2011)

Shortest closure:  96 days (December 15, 1933 – March 21, 1934)

Longest time open:  250 days (March 21 – November 26, 1934)

Shortest time open:  90 days (July 29 – October 27, 1999)

I’ve been to this road many times. It is a favorite for the riding experience and the views. The first time I had been on this road was in January of 2006, fresh off the “boat” from my move from Ohio, when I was exploring the area for the first time. I was driving the Audi, still with Ohio plates.  Just a couple of months later in 2006 I would be buying the BMW Dakar and would then start to explore Oregon the right way.

In that January of 2006 the road was closed, as would be expected for that time of the year.  Until the late 1950’s this road segment, which was part of today’s Hwy 126, was one of the main roads connecting Eugene to the east side of the Cascades.  In 1964, after Hwy 20 was completed over the South Santiam pass, just a few miles north of the McKenzie pass, this portion of the 126 was renamed to Oregon Route 242 and became a scenic highway.

The plan for this July 4th ride was simple: ride the recently opened Route 242, have a cup of coffee in Sisters and come back home.

Leaving the house, I took hwy 105 to 126 to get to the Oregon Route 242. Once on 126, at some point I came across a Hudson parked on the side of the road.  I made a u-turn to check it out.

1950 Hudson and the 2012 Ducati. July 4th, 2012

When my father bought his first brand new car, the VW 1300 (check this other post for the story), I remember that car was involved on a fender bender with a Hudson, and I was in the car with the rest of the family when it happened. We had a neighbor a few doors down the street, who lived at the side of our neighborhood market. He probably was older than my father is today, and I remember his car, an already old for that time Hudson.  Not unlike the one pictured here.

What I remember is that one day my father had made a quick stop at the market to pick milk or something to that order, before we got home. Just after that this neighbor was backing out of his driveway, did not see us, lightly hitting the fender of our brand new VW that was parked across the street. It was not much of a bend to the drivers’ side fender, but the car was brand new when it happened. Nothing happened to the Hudson, of course. The Hudson owner covered the expenses to get the VW fixed, I remember my father going to his house to get the check.

The Hudson and its offending bumper. July 4th, 2012

The things we don’t forget. The Hudson was an unusual type of car, with that long, declining roof line, almost hatchback style, and the body panels partially covering the rear wheel. This car has many blind spots for someone backing out, no wonder our neighbor missed us. I just can’t remember what was this neighbor’s name.

The Hudson’s “For Sale” sign, in case someone is interested. Picture taken on July 4th, 2012

Back to the story, in contrast with the rest of the nation, Spring in this area of the state has been long and the Summer reluctant to show up. Everywhere else in the country people have been complaining about hot weather, record breaking temperatures in some places in the east. In Colorado, New Mexico and other west states there have been vast forest fires. And here in Oregon things have been calm and cool and somewhat wet up to the last week of June leading into the holiday.  When I left the house, the thermometer indicated a rather cool 57 F (about 14 Celsius). And on Hwy 126, Mr. Smokey the Bear was not talking about danger for forest fires at this time.

Low risk for forest fires. July 4th, 2012

I had never stopped by this ranger station before. Nice building.

The McKenzie River Ranger Station. July 4th, 2012

I stopped for fuel at the Harbick Country Store. The cute girl attending the gas station gave me a second look (I never removed the helmet :), of course). Being my ambassador is one of this yellow Ducati’s qualities.  Back on the road, soon I was at the start of 242.

The McKenzie Pass road. July 4th, 2012

In September of last last year I spent several hours stopped right here trying to fix a flat tire in the BMW Dakar (here is that story).  This time it was just a stop for pictures. And to confirm the road was really open!

242 opened on June 21st.

I got going on 242 and found that traffic was light. Great! Since the road was just recently opened, I was expecting more debris and gravel on the surface but was surprised by how clear and smooth it was.  This road is important enough for tourism to be well maintained, I realize. Soon I was on the pass surrounded by volcanic rock and the nice view of the Sisters mountains. Here is a short video with a compilation of the several stages of the climb. You start on the lush and vibrant green and tall trees on the west side, and as you climb, the green gradually fades, the trees get shorter, until you finally reach the lava fields on the top (the quality of this video is low, as I edited it with a free and lame windows movie editor).

This is the view from where I parked the bike.

The Three Sisters Mountains (North and Middle Sisters on this photo). McKenzie pass, July 4th, 2012

Of course, the view is always nicer when the Ducati is part of it.

Sisters and the Ducati. McKenzie Pass, July 2012

One mile farther from this point you get to the Dee Wright observatory on the McKenzie pass summit. The observatory is built with volcanic rocks and it is a nice visual guide to the mountains and volcanoes in this area of the Cascades.

Dee Wright Observatory. McKenzie Pass, July 4th, 2012

On the very top of the observatory you find this compass cast in bronze with the direction, distance and the height of volcanoes and mountains that, on clear days, are visible with a naked eye from this point.

Department of Agriculture Forest Service Marker – Dee Wright Observatory, McKenzie Pass

You just follow the arrow and you find the mountains.

Jefferson, Hood, Cache and Bald Peter

And here they are as viewed from there. Mt. Hood, which is 78.5 miles away (126km)  is barely visible on the right of Mt. Jefferson. It is that very small white triangle on the right side of Mt. Jefferson slope below its snow level. If I had a better zoom lens, and the day was a bit clearer, it would be possible to document it better here.

Jefferson, Hood (barely visible), Cache, and Bald Peter

Not all these volcanoes are extinct. Mt. St. Helen, not visible from here, had a major eruption on May 1980. Mt. St. Helen’s latest eruption was in 2006, I believe. Mt. Hood was last active in 1865. The Sisters volcano was last active on year 950, give or take, according to the United States Geological Survey site (USGS).

Dee Wright Observatory, July 4th, 2012

The lower part of the observatory has large windows and smaller windows.  The smaller ones point to each of the mountains as well. Below is the window pointing to the Black Butte, 12.4 miles away.

Dee Wright Observatory, July 4th, 2012

And here it is.

Black Butte as viewed from Dee Wright Observatory.

And below is the Ducati in the middle of the lava field as viewed from the top of the observatory. The ambassador attracts everyone’s attentions.

The Ducati, surrounded by lava fields. Always an attention gatherer. July 4th, 2012

You will find bicyclists riding in large numbers on the road. It must be quite the work out to climb this road from the west side. But it must be a lot of fun going to back down from east to west. The pass is not at too high an elevation at 5,325 ft (1,623 meters) above sea level.

Mckenzie pass elevation = 5,325 ft or 1,623 meters above sea level.

I got back on the bike and continued a few miles in the the direction of Sisters and stopped again to check another view.

Description of the more recent Lava Fields, 1,500 years old

And here is what it looks like, with Belknap Crater (on left) and Mt. Washington (right of center) as background.

1,500 years old Lava Field

Back on the bike, quickly I found myself going through the Ponderosa trees, and a few more miles I was down in Sisters.

Sisters. July 4th 2012

Less than a mile llater I was at my final destination. Why this destination? Just because it is there, practically at the end of the road.

Sisters Coffee Company. July 4th, 2012

I had a croissant and a banana bread, a cup of coffee, and was back on the road, following the same route back home.

The Nugget, a slice of Banana Bread (a bit on the dry side), and a Cup of Coffee.

I would not consider this place a destination for the quality of the food. But the location is great, summer weather here is perfect for sitting outside. It is just a pleasant place to be and rest for a while. Soon I was back on the bike.

Back on the bike.

Just a few blocks from the Café you see these houses. Not a bad place to live if this is the view they have from their backyards.

Sisters mountains. July 4th, 2012

And less than a mile later I was back on 242 and the Ponderosa trees.

Oregon Route 242 as viewed when just leaving Sisters.

By the way, these trees are found in the transition from wet to dry areas of the state, just east of the Cascades, from north to south.  They have cinnamon color trunks and riding through a forest of these trees you feel a characteristic smell, something nice and sweet, similar to vanilla, that emanates from these trees.

Ponderosa Trees alongside Route 242 close to Sisters

Back on the road, I have this clip of the short climb from Sisters to the summit.

In the end, once down from Route 242 I took the long way back home, I went right and took Hwy 20 towards Hwy 99 to Praire road.

Back home, another mission accomplished. July 4th, 2012

At the end of this trip, the bike had 1238 miles on the clock, for a total of 246 miles (386km) for the day.  The motor is getting considerably smoother, fueling is getting much better, and the joy of riding it is increasing by the ride. I’m understanding better the ergonomics and getting a lot more comfortable with its output.

Next, I will take it to Winchester Bay. But first, on the way to Winchester Bay, she will take me on an adventure.

Thanks for reading.

Posted in Riding the Ducati | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

To the Coast for Oysters

Posted on July 4, 2012 by cesardagord

The weekend before that Timbers game we had rented a house in Lincoln City, what has become an annual tradition for us. I took the Triumph for this trip.

Where is my umbrella girl?

In Eugene we had clear sunny skies, and soon it was getting hot enough that I used an umbrella to do the pre-ride check, for loading the bike and setting up the bike in the shade. But as soon as I got to the coast it was a completely different story, I was met with cloudy skies and some fog. And it was colder too, much colder as well.

Fog at Roads End in Lincoln City. June 16th, 2012

The different colors of the Pacific.

Lincoln City, June 16th, 2012

Green under gray skies.

Lincoln City, June 6th, 2012

Great weather to barbecue some Oysters.

Barbecued Oysters, June 16th, 2012

Of all sea food, oysters have something special to them. Not that… something else.  Almost as nice as that. It is that Oysters most accurately translate the smells of the Ocean into a taste, it translates the experience of being by the ocean into edible flavors. It summarizes it in a sea-shell.

Oyster in Lincoln City. June 16th, 2012

Oysters were only the appetizer, though. Dinner was a feast!

Nothing like being with people who care! Being part of it! June 17th, 2012

Sunday morning we woke up to rain. Then it cleared some, still cloudy but no rain.

Lincoln City, Sunday, June 17th, 2012

The sky got darker as I was leaving. We said good-bye and soon I was the riding in the rain.

Lincoln City, June 17th, 2012

I decided to cut across the coast range on the most direct route possible, which is in the general direction of Salem. Very uninteresting road, but I was seeking the dry weather of the Willamette valley as it was shown on the weather forecast. Smart-phones are our friends. Once there I took 99W towards the south and then found some side roads in the general direction of Eugene. On this gravel road I came across an irrigation structure.

Linear irrigation structure. Somewhere in the Willamette Valley, June 17th 2012

As you can see, the weather forecast was correct. As soon as I reached the valley, it was dry and sunny.  The Tiger is small compared to this irrigation rig.

The Tiger and the Irrigation Rig. June 17th, 2012

I have to admit, I can have a lot more fun on a gravel road than on a paved road. I took the Tiger on more gravel roads on my way home, some had deep gravel, and the bike performed really well.  Soon I was on familiar roads and some more miles later I was home.

Back home and it is Sunny. June 17th, 2012

The bike performed really well.

245 miles, 394 km. June 16-17th 2012

Actually, after almost 1,000 miles on the Ducati, when I climbed on the Tiger I felt the tank was really tall, the handle bars were tall, the dash-board was a mile away, I was seating in the bike, not on the bike… which is a normal adjustment of perspectives when switching from one bike to another. The Tiger is a very comfortable bike, extremely smooth.  And it has averaged 50 mpg this weekend.

Thank you for reading.

Posted in Riding the Triumph | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Portland Timbers beat the Seattle Sounders. Soundly.

Posted on June 30, 2012 by cesardagord

If you follow soccer you know there is a special flavor to winning when it is against the local rival. Beating your fiercest rival may mean more than winning the championship. Especially if your team is the underdog and doesn’t have what it takes to win the championship in the first place. So is the story of the Timbers in the MLS and in particular the flavor of this June 24th 2012 game against their closest rivals, the Seattle Sounders.

First half, Timbers 2, Sounders nil. June 24, 2012

I have a passion for soccer.  I like playing the game and in a park in my neighborhood there is a nice soccer field where I play every Saturday morning in the summer months. As a matter of fact, I’m writing this post on a Saturday morning and in about an hour I will be there, playing this most popular sport on earth.

Soccer at Mary Jacobs Park. Eugene, September 2011

I like watching the game being played.  When I’m walking by the park and there is a game going on, it doesn’t matter who is playing the game, it could be some neighborhood kids, a pick up game, or it could be a game organized by the city league. It doesn’t matter, I feel compelled to stop and watch the game, I get completely absorbed by the experience.

There I am, with my Grêmio cap with some of my soccer friends. March 2006

And like almost every guy around the world, I have an unmovable loyalty set with one soccer team. In my case, it is Grêmio, from Porto Alegre. Grêmio is the 1983 world champion team when, as the 1982 South American champion, they beat Germany’s Hamburg, the 1982 European champion. For that and for many other reasons, Grêmio happens to be the best soccer team in the world, in my view. Each time I go to Brazil, I try to attend one of their games.

Gremio’s Olimpico Stadium. Porto Alegre, January 2008

Despite my passion for the game, I’ve been slow to follow league soccer here in the United States. The United States highest soccer league, the Major League Soccer (MLS) is maturing and expanding. Hopefully. When I lived in Ohio, there was the Columbus Crew, a team that was born at the start of the MLS league in 1996. I went to a few of their games and somehow did not connect with that team. I moved to Oregon in 2005 and the Timbers, a Portland team, was not in the MLS yet.  They joined the major league last year and thanks to my great friend Chris who has season tickets, I attended one of their games, the one against the New York Red Bull, with famous Thierry Henry on the field. What a treat it was to see him play.

Timbers vs Red Bull. Captains at the coin toss (Thierry Henry, Red Bull’s captain). Portland, June 19th, 2011

The Timbers struggled last year. But this one game I attended in 2011 was special. After ending the first half at a 0 x 2 loss to the New York Red Bull, one of the strongest teams on the league that year, the Timbers came back for the second half of that game as a changed team.

Timbers scoring against the Red Bulls, Portland, June 19th, 2011

They scored three goals on the second half and were set for what one could call a miracle 3 x 2 win, if it wasn’t for an immature defense mistake on the dying minutes of the game. The left back, in the few last minutes of the game, by not disposing of a ball properly, allowed the Red Bull right wing to win it, run to the end line, cross it on the box for what was a lone attacking attempt by the Red Bull at that time of the game, and they converted it into a score. The Red Bull had been completely dominated on the second half, with a taste of humiliation even, considering the powerhouse the Red Bull represented. In the end, for the Timbers, that 3 x 3 draw had the taste of a loss. Because on that second half the Timbers played in such a way that they could be defined as a strong, confident, winning team. From what I witnessed that day, if they played all games at the level they played on the second half of that game in June 19th, 2011, they would probably climb higher on the rankings.

Huge banner was raised, depicting / honoring Clive Charles. Portland June 24, 2012

Fast track to June 24th, 2012. Almost exactly one year later, and thanks again to Chris, last weekend I went to another Timbers game, this time against the Seattle Sounders. This is a Pacific Northwest derby, a Cascadia Cup game, where teams from Seattle, Vancouver (Canada) and Portland exercise their rivalry. That on itself made the game special. And the Seattle team was the favorite team to win playing the Timbers.  That because Seattle has been around for a longer time and the Timbers entered that game ranked dead last (well, tied in points at last place with FC Dallas) on the western conference of the MLS.

The Timbers players, just before the start of the Timbers vs Sounders game. June 24th, 2012

If someone doesn’t know what had happened between June 19th 2011 and June 24th 2012, they could easily say the Timbers started this June 24th game against the Sounders exactly where they had left things off at the second half of that June 19th game against the New York Red Bulls.

However, one year had passed between these two games. And despite keeping the same team coach, the 2012 Timbers team has almost completely changed its roster of players. Most importantly, the Timbers have not left the bottom area of the MLS ranking.  However, the first half of this game against the Seattle Sounders showed a team that played to win, reminding me of that second half against the Red Bulls. At the end of the first half, the Timbers were convincingly winning at a 2 x 0 score against the Sounders.

At the 25th minute of the first half, the Timbers already had a solid 2 x 0 lead. June 24th, 2012

Although the Sounders scored a goal on the second half, they did not show enough plying power to revert the result of the match. The Timbers were maintaining a strong presence on the field, and keeping the Sounders from creating too many opportunities for scoring. The final score of the game told the real story of what happened in the field that day. The Timbers were superior without a doubt. Like on that June 19th 2011 game, the Timbers had shown they were there to win. I witnessed a team with confidence, strength, and a desire to win.

Timbers players salute the fans at the end of the game. Well deserved victory. June 24th, 2012

But I haven’t followed the Timbers at all since that game I saw in 2011 until this game in 2012. Their poor standings on the Western Conference of the MLS, 8th out of the nine teams, including the three points of this last win, shows that the actual overall story of the Timbers may be different than what I witnessed on these two games. It still is a struggling team. But who knows, it is on its second year at the MLS, and maybe the losing chapter will end.  They have found a formula for success, it appears, only if they can apply themselves on all games they play the way I saw them play these two games. Of course, about this last game, one has to keep in mind that derby games always bring the highest competitive energy into a game, which may have been what fueled the Timbers on this game. But I think irrespective of that, they showed talent, a game plan, besides the will for a win.

End of the Game, Portland Timbers 2 x 1 Seattle Sounders. June 24th, 2012

What will happen in the future I don’t know. But whatever it will be, it won’t be on the account of a lack of support from the fans. Timbers fans are very enthusiastic, and it is quite the experience to witness their engagement, singing and supporting the players during the entire game. Like a real hooligan, but well behaved crowd, if that is a possible scenario to be imagined. I enjoyed seeing this team play these two times and I feel I’m connecting with them.  Knowing they will never surpass Grêmio in terms of my loyalty, I’m looking forward to the next time I will see them play.

Posted in Soccer | Tagged , , | 8 Comments

Japan’s Tsunami Debris Arrived in Oregon after a 15 month journey

Posted on June 15, 2012 by cesardagord

On June 7th the local paper announced that a massive section of a floating dock set free by Japan’s tsunami had washed ashore on the Oregon coast.  The earthquake and the following tsunami happened in March 11th, 2011. This floating dock went through a long journey drifting across the vast dimensions of the Pacific before arriving at Agate Beach, Newport, on the Oregon Coast in the first week of June 2012. It took almost exactly 15 months for it to make the cross.

The Register Guard, June 7th, 2012

I was on my way to Wenatchee, last Thursday, when this was reported, so I made a plan to go check it out as soon as possible when I returned to Eugene.

The Streetfighter 848 in front of a barn, Alpine rd. Oregon, June 10th, 2012

Sunday morning I picked my favorite mode of transportation to make the journey to Newport. Following a variation of my usual ocean loop,  I took Alpine Road and made a stop to check the Alsea falls.

Path to reach Alsea Falls. Oregon, June 10th, 2012

I don’t know if there is more to these falls. I didn’t want to arrive too late in Newport so it was a quick look, some pictures, and I was back on the road. From there I went to Alsea, then Waldport via 34, and finally went north to Newport via 101.

The Alsea Falls in Oregon. June 10th, 2012

In Newport, from Nie Beach you can barely see the action at Agate Beach, where this big chunk of concrete had run aground.

View from Nie Beach towards Agate Beach. Newport, June 10th, 2012

When I got to Agate Beach, the small parking lot was full. Traffic was not so bad, but you could tell something out of the ordinary was happening.

Parking lot on south access to Agate Beach. Newport, June 10th, 2012

It was clear to me where the dock had run ashore. I just followed the crowds. I could not see it, but I knew where it was.

Pilgrimage? Agate Beach, June 1oth, 2012

It was like pilgrimage, and I was not surprised people were doing this: I was one of them. From an observer at this distance, we looked like ants surrounding a bigger, dead bug.

Where is it?

People were there to touch it, photograph it. See it up close. Stare at it in silence. I did all of that.

It reminded me of the end of the 1977 film “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” as I saw people appreciating this massive, foreign structure that arrived on our shores on such an unorthodox way. Well, unorthodox is the object and not the way it traveled. At least that was how I was experiencing this encounter.

The floating dock magnetism. June 10th, 2012

A massive structure it is. At 20 meters long, about 6 meters wide and 2 meters tall, it is one of four pieces of floating docks that have taken to sea after the earthquake and tsunami.

60 meters long by 6 meters wide by two meters tall.

The whereabouts of the other three docks are unknown at this point. They could be on the bottom of the Ocean somewhere; they could be floating our way or towards other locations on the west coast of North America.

Japanese authorities have indicated that there may be 1 to 2 million tons of unaccounted debris still drifting away on the Pacific.

We already know of a container, with a very wet, but otherwise intact Harley Davidson motorcycle inside of it, that ran ashore somewhere in British Columbia, Canada.

And we also know about an empty Japanese fishing boat, dubbed the “Ghost Ship,” that was purposefully sunk by the US Coast Guard because it was adrift on shipping lanes off the United States and Canadian coast.

In what concerns to Oregon, officials are trying to figure what to do with this big chunk of concrete. There has been talk about dismantling it in place to dispose of it in pieces. Another alternative is to drag it back to the ocean and tow it to some place secure, and then dismantle or perhaps sink it. The bigger unanswered question at this point is: who is going to pay for this?

Meanwhile, biologists have assessed the species that were attached to the structure and have sterilized the entire structure to prevent invasive species from establishing themselves in this area.

Which makes you wonder in natural events past, before humans’ existence, how many pieces of materials, such as tree trunks, may have drifted this vast ocean, with other species attached to it, and helped colonize America’s flora and fauna? And after humans invented floating devices? If you read my post about American Samoa, you know a little bit about my thoughts on this.

I’m glad I made this trip. It was quite an experience to see this vast structure up close, while trying to imagine how it drifted for 15 months before it finally hit the Oregon coast.

It attests to the Japanese quality of construction. And you should know that the Ocean is not the only nature’s conveyor belt transporting materials from Japan to the America’s and more precisely Oregon. Eventually I will put together a report on another story to report on another object that made use of the jetstream to fly from Japan to Oregon, arriving here in May 1945.

With these thoughts in mind, I hopped back on my bike and made my way back home riding 101 south to Florence and from there 36 back home.

Looking north, towards Yachats. Oregon Coast, June 10th.

A total of 233 miles (372 km). I was really tired this time around. The allergy season is here and I rode through areas that made me sneeze nonstop. I could not wait to be back home, go inside and rest.

Back home. Another mission accomplished! June 10th, 2012.

If something else of such magnitude arrives nearby, I will go check it again and report here. Meanwhile, thank you for reading.

Posted in Riding the Ducati, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Do you have an electric car?

Posted on June 12, 2012 by cesardagord

If you do, you probably are paranoid about its driving range. When you drive you are likely to be thinking about how far can you go before you get stranded, batteries flat, your car in need of a charge. At least I would be like that, counting the miles left on a battery charge and comparing it to a driving distance to the next place I would be able to get a full charge.

Charging station at King Estate Winery. Oregon, June 9th, 2012

My Yamaha’s dreadful amber light, that indicates when gasoline level reaches reserve, comes on at 90 miles (the Ducati at 130 miles, the Triumph at 150). As frustrating as it can be to have such a short range on these bikes, at least I know that given the existence of a gas station, in 5 minutes the bike’s tank is full and I’m ready to continue on my journey. With an electric car, that may not be the case. Electric charging stations are rare, and when they are available, it takes a lot longer than 5 minutes to charge the batteries. In fact, it may take more than 8 hours for a full charge. But slowly this scenario is changing, people with electric cars can charge on several locations around towns across America – such as city parking lots, perhaps your office, stores, hotels, etc.  You may not necessarily get a full charge, but depending on how long your car is connected to a charging station you may get enough juice to continue on your journey or to turn around and get back home safely. I just found out wineries are offering charging stations. On my way back from Cottage Grove (see previous post), I made a strategic stop at the King Estate Winery. When I parked the bike, looking back to check the valley view, what did I see? Well, the girls were really cute. But what are those parking spots on a prime location of the parking lot?

Charging Stations at King Estate parking lot. Oregon, June 9th, 2012

These are electric car charging stations. And here they are free, it appears, and at least for the time being.  When I got home I did a quick internet search and found out that several wineries in the Napa Valley and Sonoma Valley in California have installed charging stations so their customers can drive from San Francisco, or whatever is their home in the area, and charge their cars at different wineries as they get on the winery visitation circuit.

The charging stations at King Estate Winery. June 9th, 2012

The Oregon winery region is not too far behind, I’m just learning. King Estate is less than 20 miles from Eugene, so most electric cars can make it there and back. But having this charging station gives peace of mind for electric car owners.  As you know from my several bike review postings, I always liked the King Estate location. Besides their great Pinot Noir wines, I like to ride the nice roads to get there from Eugene, and also the winery buildings and the valley make for great background for photo sessions.

The Ducati Multistrada at the King Estate Winery. September 2011

Now there is something else to like about King Estate.  I don’t think I will ever have an electric car – I like too much the internal combustion engines – but it is great to know people with electric cars start do have options so they can go on longer trips. Even if these charging stations can be viewed as a marketing strategy, I like it that we are getting there, that businesses are helping make electric vehicles more viable.

Triumph Tiger 800 at King Estate Winery, March 2011

Furthermore, you should know, King Estate is installing (or have completed the installation) of a large photo-voltaic electric generator (an array of solar panels). They can now, or soon will be able to, produce electrical energy equivalent to what is needed to power 100 homes.  In other words, you are likely to charge your electric car with renewable energy at King Estate.

Thanks for reading.

Cesar

Posted in Random Thoughts | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Animal House & Cottage Grove

Posted on June 11, 2012 by cesardagord

Even if you are not an avid movie viewer you may have seen or at least heard of the 1978 film Animal House. If that is the case, you may also know that it was filmed in Oregon, mostly in Eugene and at the University of Oregon. A few important scenes were filmed outside of Eugene, one of them was the Dexter Dance Club, in well, you guessed it right, in Dexter, Oregon.  The other was the Homecoming Parade, filmed in Cottage Grove.

Where the Homecoming Parade came through. Cottage Grove. June 9th, 2012

Cottage Grove is a small town of about 10,000 inhabitants, just 20 miles south of Eugene on its most direct route. I like to get there on least direct routes, to enjoy the scenery and the many nice curves of the Cottage Grove-Lorraine Highway, Territorial Road and the many other road options leaving Eugene.  Once in Cottage Grove, you might as well get a cup of coffee at the Fleur the Lis. That’s what I did last Saturday.

The Fleur the Lis in Cottage Grove. June 9th, 2012

During the filming of the Homecoming Parade, several scenes were taken from the camera set just to the left of this building, facing the Homestead Furniture store, which was dark brown or gray at that time.

The Moto Guzzi and the Ducati, parked in front of the Homestead Furniture building

The store is still there, now painted in blue.

Homestead Furniture store. Cottage Grove, June 9th, 2012

Stories are told, indicating that the actors enjoyed the Bookmine bookstore during the time they spent in Cottage grove for the filming of the Homecoming Parade scene.

The Bookmine bookstore. Cottage Grove, June 9th, 2012

The Bookstore is still there as well.

The Bookmine Bookstore. Cottage Grove, June 9th, 2012

I can’t imagine John Belushi, of Blues Brothers fame, beyond Animal House, hanging out at the bookstore, though.

Some of the railroad scenes of “Stand by Me” were also filmed in areas surrounding Cottage Grove.

That was a short ride, thanks Doug for inviting me for this ride and for telling me the stories about the filming of Animal House.

Cesar

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Miss Veedol

Posted on June 10, 2012 by cesardagord

I was invited to participate and present on a meeting taking place in Wenatchee, in the state of Washington, on June 8th. It is nice to have meetings scheduled for places outside my regularly visited cities. On my seventh year living in the Pacific Northwest, I admit to having never heard of Wenatchee until I was invited to this meeting.

Seattle/Tacoma Airport, June 7th, 2012

Leaving Seattle, an Alaska/Horizon flight takes about 35 minutes of flight time to reach Wenatchee, which is located almost exactly in the geographical center of the state of Washington, by the Columbia river. The flight goes over the Cascades, where you can enjoy beautiful views of snowy peaks, if the clouds decide to be generous to you.

Wenatchee Mountains, I suppose. Washington Cascades, June 7th, 2012

Right after crossing these high mountains the plane starts descending towards the Columbia River valley.

Columbia River, just north of Wenatchee. June 7th, 2012

And you go past fruit orchards, Wenatchee is known for apples and other fruits, before landing on the Pangborn Memorial airport.

Fruit Orchards, Wenatchee, Washington. June 7th, 2012

I took a cab to the hotel, and along the way I asked the driver about fruit orchards. After all, I’m still an Agronomic Engineer. The fruit industry is one of the main drivers for the local economy, he indicated to me.

The Columbia River and the town of Wenatchee. WA, June 8th, 2012

But it would only be on my way back to the airport, on the following day, that I was to learn about something else, completely different, and somewhat unexpected, that puts Wenatchee on another set of history books. It was on my way back to the airport that I saw a large sign saying: Wenatchee, Home of Miss Veedol. I immediately pulled my phone out of the pocked and googled it.  Before I got to the airport I had learned about this interesting story where Miss Veedol is one of the protagonists and which puts Wenatchee as a small chapter in aviation history. So, who was this Miss Veedol?

Bellanca Skyrocket airplane: Miss Veedol (photo “borrowed” from the internet)

It is an airplane, a Bellanca Skyrocket. What makes it special is that it is the airplane that in 1931 made the fist non-stop crossing of the Pacific, from Japan to North America. But what makes it relevant to Wenatchee, you may ask?

Miss Veedol, as it landed in Wenatchee, in 1931 (photo “borrowed” from the internet)

It turns out that Wenatchee is the home town of one of the two pilots who flew Miss Veedol on this historic Pacific crossing. And add to this the fact that the flight which originated in Misawa, Japan, ended in Wenatchee.

I will not go on the details of this flight. But to summarize it to you in a few words, it was the result of Clyde Pangborn and Hugh Herndon Jr.’s interest in earning a prize offered by a Japanese newspaper for the first nonstop flight between Japan and the United States.  The plane had been modified to carry more fuel for the crossing, and, to be more aerodynamic, the landing gear was modified to be dropped off from the plane soon after taking off from Japan, which explains the crash landing in Wenatchee.

Large mural at the Pangborn Memorial Airport, Wenatchee, WA. June 8th, 2012

The story has a few variations to it. First it appears they originally had purchased this plane to earn a prize set for the world record for the least amount of time to go around the world.  But after traveling several days, upon arriving in Siberia they realized they would not make it in the time to the make the record, so they came upon this other challenge offered by this Japanese newspaper.

Note on the mural, describing the feat. Wenatchee, June 8th, 2012

Some references I reviewed indicated that upon successfully making the cross and arriving in the United States, the pilots wanted to land on the coast, but stormy weather prevented this. Pangborn, knowing this area, decided to bring the plane to Wentachee instead. Another reference indicated the pilots wanted to add to the feat, by beating the record of most miles for a nonstop flight set at the time, and were trying to reach somewhere in Idaho, but fearing they could not make the distance, decided to land in Wenatchee, an area known by Pangborn.

Wenatchee as viewed soon after taking off from the Pengborn Memorial Airport. June 8th, 2012

That was, to me, an interesting piece of history. I like the history of aviation, but it was only because I went to Wenatchee that I would learn about this small but interesting chapter of the aviation history.

Veedol Motor Oil

And just in case you were wondering what is the origin of the word Veedol, it is, or I should say it was, a brand of motor oil.

Maybe some day I will go back to Wenatchee on a motorcycle ride. It is a beautiful area and should not be too far away from the Washington Backcountry Discovery Route, a ride that is on my bucket list.

Cesar

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Picture yourself…

Posted on June 2, 2012 by cesardagord

On a bike…

On a road…

under a beautiful sky…

And fields of yellow.

I was riding and thinking about Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds… Thanks for the inspiration, Lennon and McCartney… Today it was a short ride, but a really nice one.  A nice way to celebrate the completion of the Streetfighter’s 600 mile service. I picked the bike up at the dealer and went for a short ride on the roads around town.

Posted in Riding the Ducati | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

To Oregon’s Ona Beach for a Tamale (Tiger 800 XC)

Posted on May 28, 2012 by cesardagord

Last year I went to Ona beach, had a hot dog and a cup of gumbo, a quick visit, and I was back on the road. This year it was a Tamale.

Somewhere south of Yachats. May 20th, 2012

And like last year, there was a threat of rain, and then it actually rained. And like last year, despite the rain, there they were: Rod, Erika and the Cycle Parts team, braving the weather to make this get together happen. Thanks guys!

The Tiger getting ready. May 20th, 2012

In early September last year when I was picking my Dakar up from service at the BMW dealer I met a couple from Switzerland (Oliver and Monika) who were traveling through the area. They made good friends in Eugene and decided to make Oregon their home base for rides in the United States. This year, Oliver brought his brother for rides in the area, so I invited them to ride with me to the Ona beach cookout organized by Cycle Parts Triumph.

Rain… Stop on the side of the road to adjust rain gear. May 20th, 2012

To get there I took them on my Pacific Ocean counter clock loop. Thirty minutes into the ride and it started raining.

May 2012

We continued, went on via Philomath, and stopped for a cup of coffee at Deb’s Cafe in Alsea.

Deb’s Cafe, Alsea, Oregon. May 20th, 2012

Although I usually like better when I ride by myself, it was good to ride with them. They ride a good pace and were pushing me some. Soon we made it to Waldport and went north a few miles to get to Ona beach, where the event was already on the way.

Cycle Parts Cookout at Ona Beach, May 20th, 2012

Oliver and Chris got to meet some people who gave them good ideas about places to ride. Starting Monday they would ride south, towards California. After the tamale (there were plenty of other options on the cookout menu, BTW) we got back on the road, going south on Hwy 101.

Brays Point, Oregon Coast. May 20th, 2012

This time of the year hwy 101 is not so busy. The weather was not great, but at least it had stopped raining. As the weather firms up later in the season this road becomes a procession of slow moving cars and motorhomes. So I was not complaining. We stopped at several points, and on one of them we asked someone to take our picture. She did not quite understand the value of having the bikes be part of the photo. We had a few laughs about our interpretation of what makes a great photo when documenting travel on motorcycle. Thank you Romanian ladies for taking our picture and having a few laughs with us!

Chris, Oliver and Cesar. Somewhere on hwy 101, Oregon. May 20th, 2012

We continued south. Wherever you stop, and you take a closer look at the terrain, on escarpments at the edge with the beach, you notice how the Oregon coast is eroding away. Ocean and perhaps rain conspire against it.

Water drops. Oregon coast, May 20th, 2012

We stopped for gas before turning to hwy 126 for the quickest way back to Eugene. Oliver and Chris made friends with a Harley rider at the gas station. And Chris claims he saw and actual black bear on the side of the road. Gas attendant confirms a bear sighting is possible and also warns us about Elk on the way back to Eugene. They can do good damage when hit by a motorcycle, he says. And that is true. The Elk story, I mean, and its potential damage. Now, that black bear story?

Gasoline in Newport, Oregon. May 20, 2012.

From here we took 126 and just continued back to Eugene. In Veneta we took Territorial and a slight detour on Briggs Hill road. I like that short road.

Back home. May 20th, 2012

It is always an adventure when I take a motorcycle for a ride. What a beautiful state Oregon is. It is fun even when it rains. Well, not really, I wished it rained less than it does.

238 miles, 381 km, Same Distance between Porto Alegre and Bagé. May 20th, 2012

Today’s ride was 238 miles long which is 381 km, the same distance from Porto Alegre to Bagé, a trip I made often when I lived in Brazil and just did it again this last time I was there. Oliver and Chris were tired after this ride, after all, they were still jet legged from their trip from Switzerland and this was probably their first long ride of the year. It was great to take the Triumph back for a spin, it was its first long ride of the year as well. The Ducati has been claiming my time since it arrived in my garage.

Thanks for reading.

Cesar

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The Ducati Streetfighter 848 climbs Mary’s Peak

Posted on May 27, 2012 by cesardagord

I have a few non-riding related ideas lined up for writing. It helps in bringing diversity to the posts. But first, I want to catch up by posting a couple of rides that took place last weekend.  The first one is the ride that happened the day after I arrived from American Samoa when I took the Streetfighter to Mary’s Peak.

Some snow lingers on the side of the road. May 19th, 2012

I was disappointed to see a fine layer of gravel on the middle of each lane. I take it that this road was recently opened and it needs to get more traffic to clean it up. Some parts of the road the surface are showing the signs of many years of traffic and weather. Other sections are looking really good, like the one pictured below.

One of the good sections of the road to Mary’s Peak. May 19th, 2012

I made it to the top taking it really easy for the combination of gravel on the surface and for keeping the bike under the 6,000 rpm limit. It should be a different ride altogether when you are able to use the full range of RPM on this bike. The way this bike is geared, on the climb to Mary’s peak you can probably stick to second gear all the way up, or for most of it anyway. More on this bike’s gearing later.

View from Mary’s Peak. May 19th, 2012

Once on top, the view was not clear. On a good day, you can see the Cascade range from here. On hazy days like today, this is what you get. This means I will come back here to document the proper view of the Cascades and its snowed peaks.

The Ducati Streetfighter is looking great as always! May 19, 2012

But it was still nice to see the shades of green and blue of mountains and sky from this viewing area of Mary’s Peak road. I went down the mountain and took the long way home, via Hwy 101 and the lovely Pacific Ocean.

Back home via the coast. May 19th, 2012

And of course, a bit more of a photo shoot. I promise, I will reduce the amount of pictures I post on this bike.

Sun on the background and fill flash brings the color to life. May 19th, 2012

This bike’s color does not show well in photography, but when using the camera’s flash, it brings it closer to what it looks in person.

Nice way to show the tank’s angular shapes. May 19th, 2012

I continued south on Hwy 101, stopped for a final picture of the beautiful Pacific Ocean and this large beach area just north of Florence.

The Oregon coast line just north of Florence. May 19th, 2012

And I soon was home. It was a 257 mile version of my loop, thanks to the Mary’s Peak detour. The bike is now ready for its 600 mile service.

Tucking it in. May 19th, 2012

My final bit of impressions on these first 600 miles is related to this bike’s gearing. This bike has a six-speed gear box that is rather tall. I’ve been using it as a 4-speed bike, as 5th and 6th will require that you ride fast. And consider that I haven’t climbed the RPM’s above the 6,000 rpm. I think this bike would benefit from a larger front sprocket, which would bring all gears down to a more useful range, a shorter 1st gear, and more use of 5th and 6th gear at not so high speeds. Something to take in consideration. Other than that, it continues to call my attention. But tomorrow, Sunday May 20th, I will be taking the Tiger for its first ride of the year.

Posted in Riding the Ducati | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments