Hello from Oregon

[dinghyman]

I grew up in Texas riding my 1972 TC90 around Lake Dallas. It's pretty cool to find those old trails still there via Google Earth. Found this site while reading up on Suzuki Bandit 1250 which is my current ride. I miss Texas but it's very nice up here in Oregon. Summer temperatures are 80s - 90s and there are mountains, lakes, rivers, oceans and deserts with great roads to them all.

Just a small sample here...
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/242/515023289_1f353e34d4.jpg

[Tim Kreitz]

Hello and welcome to TWT. :welcome: Nice Killer you've got there. :thumb: (Or had.)

[rad3766]

Welcome to TWT. :rider: :sun:
Theres a few other members up that way.

[CaroleAnn]

Welcome from a transplanted Oregonian in Texas. I miss Oregon alot but love Texas.

What part do you live in?

[Katoom]

:welcome:

[TexasShadow]

:clap: Welcome from a former Oregonian (Corvallis).

I'll be there for at least 2 weeks (more if Plan R goes my way) next year riding the back country on a DR350. Timing depends on daughter's marriage date. Perhaps you can suggest some back-country trails to ride as time grows nearer.

[dinghyman]

If you're looking for a nice off-road trek in Oregon, you've got to ride the OBCDR. That stands for Oregon Back Country Discovery Route. Here's a set of photos from a trip we did two summers ago:
http://pnelson.us/obcdrphotos/

This is a 900+ mile set of trails on public lands from CA to WA. You'll be in beautiful and wild country for the whole route.

You'll need the GPS routes. The environmentalists filed a suit after Oregon Parks posted markers along the trail saying there was no land use study filed. So the judge said take down the markers. Dumb... Do a Google search for OBCDR and you'll find more info.

Here's a set of links with all the info you could ever want:
http://groups.google.com/group/obcdr/web/links

Last but most fun, here's the route in a Google Earth file:
http://dinghy.homelinux.org/OBCDR.kmz

Best time for the trip is in June, before it gets too hot and before the fires start in eastern OR. There are lots of lightning strikes in the summer and you run into fires in many parts of the high desert country. Go before June and there will be snow and giant mud pits. Much of the route is aboe 7000 ft. It's a trip of a lifetime.

;-) Paul

[TexasShadow]

This is a 900+ mile set of trails on public lands from CA to WA. You'll be in beautiful and wild country for the whole route. Is this some of the same trails they rode in "Get Lost:Oregon"? If so, that's the plan (or much of it). I also intend to revisit places I used to hike and drive on the coast and in the Cascades. It won't be until next September, though.

Thanks for the link and tips! Perhaps we can meet up.

Where was that slot canyon in the photos?!?! Awesome.....

[dinghyman]

snip.....

Where was that slot canyon in the photos?!?! Awesome.....

It's called "Crack in the ground."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crack_in_the_Ground

Here's a youtube video flyover:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAvSGRK7aK0

More photos:
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/6543501
http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/photos/medium/6543501.jpg

Much of eastern Oregon is covered with basalt from ancient lava flows. They say there is still geologic activity and that one part is starting to bulge up, several feet now over the last few years...

[TexasShadow]

It's called "Crack in the ground."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crack_in_the_Ground

Much of eastern Oregon is covered with basalt from ancient lava flows. They say there is still geologic activity and that one part is starting to bulge up, several feet now over the last few years...Thanks. Got the GPS coordinates from the wiki page. It's on my listed POIs. I have a 'thing' for slot canyons. :mrgreen:

I fondly remember (with snickers and a slap on the head) my first experiences with OR lava flows after moving there from Maine. First thing learned was they eat shoes. Next thing learned don't fall down on them. They eat skin, too.

I just read through a ADV 2005 trip (http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=101798) on the the full route from CA-WA. In my opinion, their two biggest mistakes were big bikes (BMW-GS) and the wrong time of year (October!). It reminds me of a German pair that did the west half of the TAT on big KTMs in late October. This trip was the main impetus behind my recent acquisition of the DR350.

Thanks again for the info!

[wanabeguru]

Welcome aboard! I'm about 300 miles south of Oregon's border. Where do you reside? Perhaps we can ride sometime.

[dinghyman]

Welcome aboard! I'm about 300 miles south of Oregon's border. Where do you reside? Perhaps we can ride sometime.

I'm in Portland. No plans for southern Oregon for now but the Redwoods are nice and 199 from Grants Pass to Crescent City is a nice road.

Hey, you're standing next to my bike in your avatar. My Bandit is the same color!
;-)

[Tourmeister]

Welcome to the site!

That KLR pic just got snagged to be added to our front page rotation :trust: Awesome!

[dinghyman]

Cool... though some would say a good photo AFTER 750+ miles on the OBCDR is how a KLR should really be seen. I'd have one of those but the first thing my wife did when we came home was take a hose to both of us.

Those are great bikes, I'm sure I'll have another some day.

;-) Paul

http://pnelson.us/obcdrphotos/img093.jpeg.medium.jpeg