FJR Adventures: 2026 PNW Trip 1

May 21, 2026

It rained overnight but I stayed dry in my tent. I slept pretty well too and woke up around 5:30, Montana time, and read from my Kindle for a while. I did finally get up and started the day’s doings. I heated up some water for my cocoa and the overnight oatmeal that I didn’t soak overnight. It works well when just adding hot water and letting is steep for a bit. I sorted things in my bags and moved stuff from my tent up the trail to the picnic table.

Little by little I got things ready to load on the bike. The guy I talked to last night was drying out his tent in the sun and we chatted for a bit. I took a close look at his bike and it’s really something. He built it himself and it has lots of features for long distance riding with the ability to carry everything he needs. He was trying to decided whether to attack Lolo Pass today, about 40 miles away, or to stop in Powell and do it tomorrow morning. I commend him on his task.

I dried off the bike and got things loaded, changed into my riding gear, and set off about 8:25. The only change I made in packing is moving a couple things into the right side carrier, including my iPad, to balance the load better and to make it easier to get to the iPad without unpacking. Since the bike leans to the left on the side stand, this is the way.

The ride out was great. Pretty much no traffic and the roads were great, even though it had rained last night. I am hoping I caught some good video.

About the images and the videos. They are problematic to post in these write ups without better cell service. Plus, I am having an issue with Google which runs the blog software. Since I am probably logged on to several gmail accounts at once, it can’t figure out who own the photos I want to insert. I need to log out of all the accounts and log back in with just the one I use for the blog. BUT, on the iPad I can’t figure out how to log out. It’s an option on the desktop but I can’t find it here. Oh, well, something for when I am in Sequim with some downtime.

I stopped in Kamiah and got gas and sat at their picnic table and posted yesreday’s blog.

Then it’s a great ride to Orofino in a VERY curvy 2-lane. However, I had some idiot tailgating me. Very close. I’d have pulled over but the choices are very few. Finally there was a passing lane and when he passed, he went very close to me to show his displeasure for my going the speed limit. (Actually, I was going about 10 over). Up ahead he got stuck behind 2 cars that were going the speed limit and I watched him unsuccessfully try to pass in a couple no pas zones until we got to Orofino and the road went to 4 lanes. Morons in trucks.

I stopped in the Slaterville rest area as I usually do and shed a couple layers. This is another reason that I glad to have brought my blue backpack. As the day went on it took on my heavy gloves, rain liner, and thermal liner. I also had a big drink of water.

The navigation software did something different regarding Lewiston. It usually takes me right through the city but this time, it me north toward Pullman. It looked like an OK route and I would eventually be taking Hwy 26 which I have in the past. The road out of Lewiston is VERY steep and several miles long. At the top I saw a sign for a scenic view and pulled over. It was great, a complete view of the cities. Photos will tell the story.

From there I continued on wherever it told me to go and enjoyed doing something different although the scenery was similar: huge rolling hills planted with wheat. Along the way I needed a break and pulled over next to some grain silos and had a snack and some more water.

I continued on Hwy 26 to Othello where I stopped for gas and picked up a gallon of water. I’m running low on water and there isn’t any where I will camp toning. I filled my 1/2 gallon container and the bottle in my tank bag before drinking as much as I could hold.

One of these times I’m going to have to stop for more than gas in Othello. It’s the hometown of my roommate from when I was stationed in Germany in 1974-75. A while back I did a search and found that he had moved back to Othello after the army and became a police officer, eventually becoming chief. I read an article that he had retired a few years ago.

I’m not really into chasing down old army buddies but there are a few I’d like to. One I already did and we did a meetup in Maine when I motorcycled there 5 years ago. My other roommate, Pat, I’ve tried to find but no luck. We all got to know each other pretty well being roommates and working on the same shift at the missile site, 24 hours on, 24 hours off, rinse and repeat.

From Othello I had to make a choice. I could head south and pick up the highway that would taker me through Yakima and enter the canyon from the south or continue on Hwy 26. The latter would be 40 minutes shorter BUT included riding the freeway for 40 miles. That stretch into Yakima from south of Othello I really don’t like plus riding through Yakima is no joy. So, riding the slab it was and it wasn’t that bad.

A rest area….

It took me to the northern end of the canyon so it was about 6-8 miles to the campground. It’s small, with only about 6 pull in sites but there are a dozen walk-in sites. Some are a long walk. As I loop through I saw that every post had a reserved note on it. I got off the bike and looked closer and most were for tomorrow through the holiday weekend. I grabbed site #3, where I camped in the past, and got the bike unloaded, the tent set up, and changed into shorts. It was pretty warm and this site has no shade.

After sitting on the bike all day I needed a walk so walked south to the far end of the campground and checked things out. The river is gorgeous.