It also knocked one of the vents off the top of my Arai. I'd show you a picture, but it just looks like a hole in the top of my helmet. I also developed a gas leak at the throttle shaft. There's no way I'm fixing that. It's just a seep.
After messing with those things for hours, I finally got under way, pushing wind (as in no screen). I'm trying to decide if I want to push wind twice across the U.S. It wasn't so bad with my tank bag stuffed full. Here's a picture of my Bonnie at Steven Pass. My preferred Cascade Mountains pass is the North Cascades Highway, but it was closed due to avalanche hazard. This one's slightly lower. Gerbing gloves and vest came in handy...
On the east side of the mountains it heated up fast. Makes me wonder if I'll need my heated clothing again. Probably will need it going over the Continental Divide on my way to Yellowstone. I read today that Black Bears like to eat people, as opposed to Brown Bears merely crunching your head as a warning.
I'm hoping that because I smell like gasoline, they'll not have an appetite for anything in my campsite.
Here are two pictures to illustrate the geographical diversity in the State of Washington. One day from water, to snow, to grasslands, to desert....
This formation is part of the Channelled Scablands of Washington. An ancient dam formed by a receding glacier broke and scoured out 1/3 of the entire state. This is one of the channels. All this cut in less than a week (I'm going on memory here, so my facts might be off a little)...
I'm in a motel in Spokane tonight. I was so tired from my morning ordeal that I forgot it was Sunday and went in search of a Triumph dealership. I forgot it was closed on Sunday and Monday. As I was heading back to the highway, to head for Idaho, I made a left turn without shoulder checking. A woman in an SUV nearly t-boned me. She had to run up on the curb to get around me, and I stopped so fast I dropped the bike. 500 lbs, at least, and I was so upset I picked the thing up without trying to get help. I figured it was time to call it a day. All in all, only 240 miles, and it took me 12 hours from door to door. Tomorrow I'll be rested and smarter. I had a good time, though. Sounds like I didn't, but I rode with and talked to lots of other bike touring types. I'll post another report as soon as I'm able...
Guy
