Midway ye get about an hour of endless twisties at the famous Rattlesnake Grade (no clue how to make that a link, so Google it!), which, after nearly 20 years of driving (in cars, trucks, campers, bigger campers) and fantasizing about riding, I can finally say: sometimes the fruit tastes as sweet as you've imagined. Man it was tasty!
Beautiful solstice evening with a massive (nearly) full moon. And then the wind kicked up and rattled my tent all night long. I've spent a fair amount of time camping alone and, gotta say, it doesn't necessarily get easier -- that's a lot of silence to fill with one brain....
But this is about scootering, not facing one's existential truths, so...anyway, one of the things I love about this part of the world, and about this route: massive variety of scenery.
The other thing I love about this area: in the morning I stepped into a cafe for breakfast to find a couple friends from here in Moscow, heading out for a rafting trip, and sitting down to eat with them I realized I hadn't spoken to anyone since kissing my wife goodbye.
Vespucci behaved and rode like a dream. 55-65 mph, hour after and hour and not so much as a hiccup. Thirsty lil bugger when it comes to oil, tho, but I guess that's an Italian thing.

Snake River. 90 degrees heading down. 20 mph wind at my back...and, yep, at my front heading home.

Twisties! A little slice of Rattlesnake Grade.

Coming back up out of Rattlesnake Grade.


View from the tent. Wallowas.

Amazing night. Shortly later the massive moon rose over the tent, but the camera only shrunk it to a speck.
