The weather pattern changed from mostly rain, to a chance of rain, so I took off on the KLR, to do some riding, mostly on dirt and gravel roads. Much of the surrounding area is National Forest, and there are countless dirt roads to get off the beaten path, and explore the back country. And that's exactly what I've been doing for the last day and one half. My first stop yesterday, was the small resort at Paulina Lake. The log cabin store is not unlike many other remote, convenience facilities. The items for sale at this particular outpost were limited, and expensive. $2 for a soda, but I was glad to pay for the refreshment. From Paulina Lake, I explored a large area south, and east of Bend, OR., putting on a little under 200 miles, before stopping at Little Lava Lake Campground. Lots of white tailed deer just about everywhere, but fortunately, no close calls.
It was close to 5pm, my butt was about maxed out, so I stopped at an almost empty campground for the night. A couple of hours by the campfire, and a constant battle with the resident mosquito's, and it was time to hit the sleeping bag. As peaceful as it was, it's getting harder to sleep on the ground. Yes, I have a self inflating air mattress, but it doesn't do much good when I would awaken, having rolled off the mattress to one side or the other. Despite the continual awakenings, and lack of sleep, the sound of raindrops on the tarp I hung over the tent, would send me back to sleep, at least temporarily.
This morning, I mixed up some instant coffee, and after tearing down the tent, hit the road for a little more exploration. I had one small surprise on the drive back to the motor home, and I'll share that experience in tomorrow's blog.
The weather pattern changed from mostly rain, to a chance of rain, so I took off on the KLR, to do some riding, mostly on dirt and gravel roads. Much of the surrounding area is National Forest, and there are countless dirt roads to get off the beaten path, and explore the back country. And that's exactly what I've been doing for the last day and one half. My first stop yesterday, was the small resort at Paulina Lake. The log cabin store is not unlike many other remote, convenience facilities. The items for sale at this particular outpost were limited, and expensive. $2 for a soda, but I was glad to pay for the refreshment. From Paulina Lake, I explored a large area south, and east of Bend, OR., putting on a little under 200 miles, before stopping at Little Lava Lake Campground. Lots of white tailed deer just about everywhere, but fortunately, no close calls.
It was close to 5pm, my butt was about maxed out, so I stopped at an almost empty campground for the night. A couple of hours by the campfire, and a constant battle with the resident mosquito's, and it was time to hit the sleeping bag. As peaceful as it was, it's getting harder to sleep on the ground. Yes, I have a self inflating air mattress, but it doesn't do much good when I would awaken, having rolled off the mattress to one side or the other. Despite the continual awakenings, and lack of sleep, the sound of raindrops on the tarp I hung over the tent, would send me back to sleep, at least temporarily.
This morning, I mixed up some instant coffee, and after tearing down the tent, hit the road for a little more exploration. I had one small surprise on the drive back to the motor home, and I'll share that experience in tomorrow's blog.
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