2024 "Festar Rides Again" or "2024 Flat White Tour"

[escapefjrtist]

Looks like you and Brian are having a great time BigJohn. Thanks for the pics and sharing the adventure!

~G

[festar]

10 June update - it helps to have good friends on FJR forums.

Good Friend #1, Pterodactyl, loaned Brian a pristine 2013 BMW F700 GS fully tricked out and ready to ride with only 13k miles on it. The F700 gave great service until a few days ago when it started to experience random electrical issues seemingly related to a failing dash electronics. Our efforts to diagnose and correct came to no avail. Internet research predicts a total failure to run in the near future.

Good Friend #2, JREW, stepped forward with an offer for Brian to leave the F700 at his house in Yuba City CA and to have the use of his 2013 FJR.

After a little maintenance Brian, JREW and I are about to set out on a shakedown run before Brian and I end up at the Bugnatr's this evening.

After Festar returns to OZ SWMBO and I will trailer JREW's FJR to Yuba City, then visit JuniorFJR for a Lake Chelan boat ride before returning Pterodactyl’s F700.

Stay tuned!

The goodness in this post cannot be overstated. I'm going through my own "non-riding" friends and even family and cannot come up with ONE scenerio whereby this (or anything that resembles this) would realistically happen.

Not one.

Over the years, I've had many non-riding firends ask me if I get nervous or even scared traveling alone on the motorcycle. My answer?


(Pants) "I am hardly alone."

I totally agree Pants, it is and always has been, at least in the last ten years, been one big family. That’s one reason I keep returning.

[festar]

After riding with Brian I know JREW's FJR is in very good hands.

Why thank you Jim.

[bigjohnsd]

June 12, 2024 Grass Valley CA to Alturas, CA the long way 338 wonderful miles! Thanks for the route suggestions Doug Plumley!




CA-49 IYKYK!






Gold Lake Road


Sierra Buttes - not the smallest mountain range in the world!


The 1100 am Flat White in Quincy CA, coffee was great, tri-tip sandwich we split sucked. Bread was really dry.


Lake Almanor - off US-89


Vista from the West side of Eagle Lake mmmmmm!


very little traffic today


Brian in the zone! Eagle Lake Road


Heading North towards Juniper Junction


MT Shasta from the East this time


Lots of Lava in this neck of the woods.

Alturas, CA tonight, Baker City OR tomorrow, Hells Canyon early on Friday then on Saturday we will head to Stanley ID, Challis, IDand points East.

Stay tuned!

[bigjohnsd]

13 June 2024 - Alturas CA to Baker City OR - 476 miles with a detour due to a "Garmin unrecognized gravel road" Modoc County CR-9



Once again the Valentine V1G2 saved us from disaster at least twice. Once in CA on 395 and once in OR on 395. It surely owes me nothing now.

Doesn't he look good astride an FJR?



On CA 299 headed to Cedarville CA and then back to 395 via Modoc CR-9 which Garmin and my map showed as paved. We verified it is not. Thus we got to see Fort Burwell and to ride over Cedar Pass twice !






On our way back to Cedarville post CR-9 discovery.




Breakfast in Cedarville - was not food porn worthy - JSNS

Old Cedarville store


Along US 395 you pass Alkali Lake North of Lakeview OR


Very smooth this morning
US 395 runs along the shore and the 65 mph speed limit with 45 mph signed corners is great fun!

Still some snow here and there on our way up 395 to John Day OR. Very little traffic! Lots of BMWs headed to the National BMW MOA Rally in Redmond OR, just 150 miles to the West.




OR 245 from Unity to Baker City OR is a sweet ride! IYKYK!



The right handed corners in the twisty bits of the Second half of 245 were somewhat challenging as someone in a vehicle ahead if us, likely dragging a trailer, had clipped every apex and drug gravel onto the pavement in just about every right hand curve. I almost went down in one corner when I didn't see and avoid some of the gravel.











We are at the Oregon Trail Motel in Baker City, site of last years "Why Not Rally" and worth a return visit.

Highest temp today was 91f around John Day OR. Forecast looks cooler tomorrow and on into the weekend. No rain in sight !

Early tomorrow morning we will head down into Hells Canyon and then into Idaho. Not certain where we will end up Friday night.
Home Sunday night as SWMBO advises the AC has quit and the repair guy is scheduled for Monday. I have keeps to do for the Black Hills Rendezvous anyhow.

Stay tuned!

[Hppants]

Brian is the Poster Child for the "Don't fight it, just sit back and let it happen" Club.

And, right on cue, it always "happens".

What a trip!!!!

[fontanaman]

The right handed corners in the twisty bits of the Second half of 245 were somewhat challenging as someone in a vehicle ahead if us, likely dragging a trailer, had clipped every apex and drug gravel onto the pavement in just about every right hand curve. I almost went down in one corner when I didn't see and avoid some of the gravel.

Welcome to Oregon where the roads are lined with gravel. Grrrrrrr..... Every damn aggressive cage driver in Oregon cuts the right hand turns kicking gravel into the pavement.

Like you I almost bought it once upon a time. I have learned to read the road better and often I ride it as a wet road. It is a far cry from the asphalt pavement in California.

Still Hwy 245 is amazing especially when it is clean.

Hope Brian is enjoying the FJR.

[wheatonFJR]

On curvy roads lined with gravel, if yer like me you stay in the left track...because things get sketchy otherwise.

[bigjohnsd]

14 June - Baker City OR to Challis ID - 406 miles



We left Baker City at 0700 and headed East towards Hells Canyon, it was a cool and beautiful morning with fabulous vistas







First stop - Flat White and Brekky!




After Breakfast we continued East toward the Canyon - more vistas -







Eventually we made it to the bottom and ride along Oxbow Lake


We stopped in at "Oh Honey", Cambridge ID for a F L A T W H I T E !
One of the best of the trip so far!







The FJR had required the jump box to start in Baker City, it needed it again in Cambridge.


So much fun!

A long break midday in the Boise area searching and ultimately finding and installing a new battery into the FJR.

After Boise we headed North East up ID-21 to Lowman then up 75 to Stanley before continuing on to Challis along the Salmon River. Not much traffic once clear of Idaho City on 21. A great ride, Brian's new "Favorite Road " man be Stanley to Challis, at least this evening.


Along the Paiute River.


IYKYK -and if you don't you should!

The Sawtooth Mountains are always spectacular!



Death by windscreen


The view from the motel



Tomorrow takes us North through Salmon ID then over to Wisdom MT, onto I-15, then I-90, to Laurel MT before we head South to Red Lodge MT.

[raYzerman]

Also one of my favourite rides up through Lowman to Challis. Both ways!

[fontanaman]

Great stuff John. Thanks for posting. The dual sport riding in this area is very good.

[festar]

Also one of my favourite rides up through Lowman to Challis. Both ways!

It’s unbelievably awesome

[bigjohnsd]

15 June 2024 Challis ID to Red Lodge MT. 431 miles - 8.5 hours -


~11,000 miles since May 11, 2024.


We left Challis ID at 0800. Temps were in the low 50's as we headed North to Salmon ID on US 93 along the rapidly flowing Salmon River









We stopped for a Flat White in Salmon ID,

The gentleman in the blue cap bought our coffee.

The coffee was good, but would have been much better in a paper or China cup. Styrofoam is just - !


We then continued up US-93 But clouds were building to our West and South West so we stopped to close vents and change gloves before turning East on MT-43 through Wisdom MT.
We ran through a few showers between 93 and Wisdom, just enough to soften the bugs on the windscreen.







We turned North on MT-569 to MT-1 near Anaconda, and then East on I-90 to Columbus MT

We stopped in Three Forks MT for a bio-break and a Flat White.







And Festar finally caught me out - He has been trying for weeks, LOL


The Cherry Cheese Danish was excellent!

When we left Three Forks there was a big thunder cell moving across I-90 in our path so we sat for 15 minutes to let it clear. Then rode I-90 to Columbus MT and took MT-78 to Red Lodge.

Dinner was a reprise of our 2014 Red Lodge visit, Pizza and Beers at the Red Lodge Pizza Company.

Tomorrow morning we will get an early start, Beartooth, Chief Joseph, breakfast in Cody, Ten Sleep, Cloud Peak Skyway (US-16) Buffalo WY then slab it to Spearfish on I-90. A bit over 400 miles and eight hours.

[fontanaman]

Looking forward to the Beartooth Pass installment.

[bigjohnsd]

16 June 2024 - Red Lodge MT to Spearfish SD via Cody WY, Ten Sleep WY - Spotted Horse WY - 476 miles - 9 hours



We rolled out of Red Lodge at 0700, it was 41f, and we soon saw the mid-30s as we ascended US 212 into the Bear Lodge.
The wind was howling, so much so that removing my hand from the handgrip to take pictures while riding was not prudent.
I tried to stop and take a picture up top and the wind just about blew the bike and me over.

I saw 28f just before we reached the top of the pass, there was very little snow along the road.

Once in Wyoming and on the West side, I was able to grab a few pictures.







The run down the Chief Joseph Parkway over Dead Indian Pass warmed considerably.

We were glad to stop in Cody for our first Flat White of the day - I highly recommend "The Station" - great coffee and good food too.





After coffee and gas, we continued to Ten Sleep and then over the Cloud Peak Skyway - US 16 - to Buffalo, where the Flat White called to us again, this time with a Chocolate Croissant accompaniment.





According to my GPS tracking function, we have ridden over 11,500 miles since May 11th.

We are home until Sunday - performing maintenance, and preparing for the upcoming Black Hills Rendezvous - where approximately 50 motorcyclists from all over the country will gather in Spearfish for riding and fellowship from 20-22 June.
Our part is to prepare for the Saturday night Steak Dinner - https://attacktheroad.com/atrstore/prod ... non-rally/

On Sunday, June 23rd, Brian and I will depart for a few days in British Columbia before returning on June 30th for Brian to fly back to Australia on July 2nd.

This report will resume on June 23rd. - Stay Tuned - I appreciate the likes and the comments.

[fontanaman]

I was checking out the forecast for Beartooth today. It didn't look promising. Glad you guys made it across safely. The lack of snow on Beartooth is due to lack of snowfall and a warmer spring. The summer ski season was canceled due to lack of snow. At 10000' elevation that is hard for me to wrap my mind around.

Thanks for the posts John. It is hard to do a ride report on the go so I tip my cap to you.

[bigjohnsd]

I was checking out the forecast for Beartooth today. It didn't look promising. Glad you guys made it across safely. The lack of snow on Beartooth is due to lack of snowfall and a warmer spring. The summer ski season was canceled due to lack of snow. At 10000' elevation that is hard for me to wrap my mind around.

Thanks for the posts John. It is hard to do a ride report on the go so I tip my cap to you.

Interestingly - I forgot to start my Garmin Route until we were underway and headed up 212 this morning. Just as I was passing the Montana DOT sign that stated "Beartooth is OPEN" the XT popped up a note that said _ US 212 Beartooth is closed, Rerouting.

I know the way, I turned the Bitch off and we proceeded.

[FJRPittsburgh]

It was good seeing John and Brian in the earlier portion of their ride at Toter's Tech Day in Northern Georgia. I can't wait to see them again at Spearfish. Well done gentlemen!

[Hppants]

Just to satisfy my curiosity, is "Flat White" the way Brian refers to the way he wants his coffee?

[Festus]

Just to satisfy my curiosity, is "Flat White" the way Brian refers to the way he wants his coffee?

I think that's their skin tone color.

The Flat White Brother's tour the USA