Sunday, July 14, 2013

Crossing central Oregon

The eighteen-wheelers kept me awake last night. The room was near the highway in Burns, Oregon. If I had paid for a double bed, it would have been in back, but costs more.

Every night I cover Da'mit with the camo rain poncho. No one has bothered the rig or my stuff.

 

Before the time of Christ, man discovered the benefits of irrigating his crops. Little has changed with that practice. Gravity fed canals direct water to the fields.

Except we now have sprinklers that go in circles.

Modern technology has changed or replaced the irrigation practices like it has affected so many other fields.

Not sure what crop this is. Overheard two farmers talking about radish and dill crops, and the cost to weed and spray this morning in the cafe. And what happens when the wrong field is sprayed and who pays for the damages. I should be a farmer.....

 

Da'mit has become more insistent on where we stop today. Central Oregon is a farming area with crop irrigation, fields of alfalfa and hay.

"There's a nice place to stop and rest"

"Da'mit, we just stopped ten minutes ago".

Silence

 

Hey, how about that field for stopping?"

"Not yet. Later".

Silence

 

"There is a nice green field for resting. Can we stop?"

"No! Further ahead we will stop".

Silence

 

Seems like the only turn-offs Da'mits suggests we take to rest, lead into green fields

 

"I'm slowing down. Are you going to turn in or what?"

"Okay. Its time to cool off your motor. We'll turn in here."

 

No sooner had I climbed off, turned around and Da'mit was gone.

Like bees to honey, men to steaks and mules to alfalfa.... Looked over and she has her nose shoved into a mound of alfalfa bales, getting a snoot full.

Saw some interesting rock formations or is it just erosion...?

 

 

Today we took it easy breaking in Da'mit's new engine. Only rode from Burns to Bend, Oregon, a couple hundred miles. Stopped frequently to let her cool off.

The new engine is quieter, slightly more power, and some vibration in the handlebars but that could be from the more aggressive tire we mounted up front. Did not realize how noisy the other engine was until now. No metallic meshing, banging or tapping. Am getting better gas mileage with the new one breaking it in than I got on the old engine broken in. That should only improve with time.

The speed at various rpm's will not change as the transmission and final drive were not replaced. I think Da'mit is going to roll up a lot of miles on this one.

Thank you Madina and Jason for getting this new engine out to us asap.

Nite Da'mit,

Nite all.

 

3 comments:

  1. Glad you are enjoying the high desert of Central Oregon. I grew up on a small ranch in Redmond. Wonderful weather, beautiful mountain vistas, and down to earth good people.

    Hope Dam 'It is happy with the 3,800' air!

    Be safe,
    Keith

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  2. Keith, I envy you for spending your youth in such a beautiful place. The contrasts of green fields, brown sage brush and snow covered peaks is rich stuff for the eyes.
    Da'mit is running great, feeling stronger and smoother every day.

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  3. I broke down in Burns before and spent a couple of days waiting for parts. This was for a trailer not a bike, but it was a very pleasant place to break down.

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