Scott and I talking at an icecream stop on the way to their home ..... nice



Scotts weapon the KTM 950 Super Enduro loaded with the right fruit :clap



Arriving at Scott and Joannes around 5.45 pm just before dark we were greeted by Joanne and her sister Jan who had been on a marathon run ... sounds like fun!!! :huh

Ellen knocked up some tea (Dinner) which was a Chinese stirfry mix which turned out to be a crowd pleaser, coupled with a few wines a good time was had by all.

Scott had Monday off work so invited to take us out on a local ride, Ellen said the boyz can go for a hoon (ride), Scott then said well take the 990 Adventure so I didn’t have to peel the cases off the DR (and I stand a chance of almost keeping up given he was taking his KTM 950 Super Enduro)

What was a man to do but accept this invitation and walk straight past the DR!!! .... so off we set.

Ouwh yeah





A rideby past our official photographer





Scott and I headed off off like two kids heading into a sandpit with powerful tonka toys, given it was a loaner and I was on unfamiliar roads I took it easy and I didn’t want to buy 3/4 of a second hand smashed 990 Adventure.:eek1

We swapped bikes during the day, at one stage I was doing 110 mph on the 950 SE, the Devil on my left shoulder blew the Angel off my right shoulder so it was game on, been a long time since I had power, brakes, handling and sound all working at once on the gravel. :evil :rofl .... that thing is sic

Unfortunately I had to give it back but the 990 Adventure was certainly not the short straw either.

Following Scott on the road section





Me on the 990 Adv, I nearly split my helmet with the grin!!!



Just as well the ARAI is tough enough to hold my silly grin



A stop at an old burnt down house



Scott bein well mannered





We hightailed back averaging about 90 - 95 mph on the gravel roads, I felt like a Dakar racer and even once home and showered I was still fizzing at the most excellent hooligan days riding I have done since leaving home.

Thanks Scott you are a good bastid, great fun, a great rider, a great host and now a great mate, looking forward to catching you guys agin either here, NZ or on some dodgy trail.

That evening once life calmed down to normal we headed out for Tea (Dinner) and had the best steak that I have eaten again since we left home.

Root , steak, mash spud and beans .... I was a man content and from the KTM I was spent, be fair to say I might have enjoyed the day.

On the way home we stopped in at Freeze Yoghurt and had a dessert each, YUMMO ... musta been serious fattening cos it was beautiful.

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Cheers Andi & Ellen .... https://twomotokiwis.blogspot.com/ Two Moto Kiwis Alaska - Argentina - April 2012 -> Somewhere

Looks like once again you have come through with excallent photo's.Hey you know how us Aussie'/kiwi's call dinner/supper TEA.well my brother has a canadian girlffriend ,jeff (my brother)would say something like i im going to have TEA now ,or i have to get the dog it's TEA she sent a heap of different TEA'S from Canada ,she thought Aussie's must drink a lot of TEA even the bloody dog drink's it !!!Well it made me laugh.Carry on enjoying reading your travel's.Noel

Tuesday morning Scott and Joanne had to make sure the wheels of industry were turning while Ellen and I set off toward Crater Lake via some dodgy backroads Scott had directed us to, we started on part of the road from the day before so familiar territory then head up to Gerlach, then up via Vya then on towards Adel.

A stop along the way



A pond that was slightly green ... I am sure it was safe to drink :evil



So you think in the desert there is not much to take photos of....



You are right .. to a point anyway





We were not going to make Adel as Ellen was spent and dropped the pace considerably which I recognised straight away so we started looking for camp at 4.30 pm.

We explored a few avenues off the road which were cow trails, I saw a hut with an access road so had a look up that to find a locked gate so I returned back to the road, we continued with options running low as the pace is covered is Sage bush and the wind was picking up.



We came upon the Antelope Sanctuary so we turned off up to that, we saw what looked to be a lookout type building so headed for that ... well we arrived there to find a cabin made of stone with windows and fireplace and bunks.... we couldn’t believe our luck.





Wine was in order as we watched the sun go down, we set up had Tea (Dinner) then I set too and wrote this report while listening to the wind whistle around the building, this was a nice feeling.



We had the whole place to ourselves and an amazing sunset with outstanding desert colours









So it s is 8.03 pm now on Tuesday night, it is pitch black outside, Ellen is in bed and the last of my wine has evaporated so time for the human battery recharge and have the wind sing us to sleep.

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Cheers Andi & Ellen .... https://twomotokiwis.blogspot.com/ Two Moto Kiwis Alaska - Argentina - April 2012 -> Somewhere

Wednesday morning we woke to a slightly overcast sky, no sooner had started packing up and mum nature decided to turn it on for us, the lite cloud cleared away to a stunning clear sky with warmth as welcomed as a gravel road to an adventure rider.

The sky provided us with some neat colours again.





Interesting moss on a rock



The digs



Some unusual growths in front of the digs :eek1



Inside the digs ... check it out!!!



C o f f e e



We looked across the plato from chez Delis stone mansion and thanked the Adventure Motorcycling and camping gods for great digs and great riding and great place, I am not the religious type but someone/something needed to be thanked.

Upon packing up we headed north toward Adel, then left on highway 140 on black top through a twisty road to Lakeside, nearly lunchtime we decide to food up at Safeway and head across to Subway for lunch after.

Doing the tarseal cowboy bit



Lunch and food shopping done it was time to fill the machinery as well prior to making our way to Crater Lake, we past many small towns and within an uneventful ride we arrived at about 3.00pm at Crater Lake National Park, only one camp ground open now and it is $21.00 (with no BJ with that...fark).

No biggy given the last nights huge bonus so swings and roundabouts, the day was still stunning although cooling a lot quicker a lot earlier, the notice on Yogi Bears booth saying last night was 33 deg f (nearly zero for normal people).

Camp set up was in order and we decided to use the rest of the day with a short walk out of camp and loop back up, the creek at the bottom of the gully offered us beautiful spring colours which are filling our days more and more every day.

We found permanent frosting already on the track much to our surprise and a sure indication that winter is setting in fast.

Dodgy bridge



Stunning creek and colours



Most excellent autumn colours providing a surface that looked like a heavily decorated cake



A blue bird that neither of us can remember the name of ... it a bugga gettin old.



Tea (Dinner) was Macaroni cheese after cheese and crackers for the entree, Wallace and Grommitt woudla been at home here.

An earlier night with pitch black and low temperatures was had after our fire died down about 8.00pm.

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Cheers Andi & Ellen .... https://twomotokiwis.blogspot.com/ Two Moto Kiwis Alaska - Argentina - April 2012 -> Somewhere

Heya Noel

Classic mate ... that is our take on it too, we are still Kiwis so will talk Kiwi as that makes us Kiwi and keep us Kiwi and to that end a bit different from the rest of the crowd we are currently haunting

Really appreciate your comment on our photos, we are trying to do better with what we get each day, hope your ride is going well too mate.

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Cheers Andi & Ellen .... https://twomotokiwis.blogspot.com/ Two Moto Kiwis Alaska - Argentina - April 2012 -> Somewhere

Excellent RR, thanks for sharing, enjoy the US, I sure enjoyed NZ.

This post is one of more pictures, I simply cannot write about a destination that will rival New Zealands best, found myself standing on the top of the crater with a small tear of appreciation trickling down my cheek. Simply WOW.

We left camp and set off for Crater Lake, it was -3 deg C or 26.6 F for you guys in the US.

It was a very crisp ride but short enough not to worry about putting on the woolies.

The day was warming up very quickly, upon arriving at the Lodge we asked to leave our riot gear with them for safe keeping.

They were very accommodating so we left them with our gear.

On exiting out of the lounge area through the door that opens out onto the lake we were instantly wowed,



I have to say we were both blown away, an older fello said he had been there a dozen times before and never seen the incredible reflections we had in front of us.



Our aim was to climb up to the top of Garfield to the viewpoint, this turned out to be very easy compared to Yosemite falls being only half the distance and one third of the elevation.

A tree on the way up being used as a stone store



Us ... luvin it



Ellens stalker shadow .. it seemed to be enjoying itself too :rofl



The view from the top :eek1 :eek1 :eek1





Big mounts in the distance



The edge of the lake



The lake was so still it looked plastic







The return walk was one of many photos as Ellen and I could not help bringing out the Two Photo Kiwis enthusiasts.



We were getting worried cos Ellens stalker shadow was getting bigger .... hmmmmm :evil



On the way around the crater we dropped in to see the hoodoos or pinacles





Back at the Lodge a coffee was had, pictures uploaded, gear picked up and we were on our way, we headed on our way to Diamond lake..

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Cheers Andi & Ellen .... https://twomotokiwis.blogspot.com/ Two Moto Kiwis Alaska - Argentina - April 2012 -> Somewhere

The last time i saw a reflection like those shots i was at lake Matherson in the south island (N.Z),i went to see some hoodoo's in Alberta(Canada) not a patch on the ones shown.im sure your photography is getting better all the time.Travels well im not on the road at the moment(with the exception of weekend rides) ,work,work ,work hope to change that next year.carry on !Noel

We arrived at Diamond Lake by accident, we didn’t even know about it until we saw a road sign! ..... that looks OK so we will go there

Because it was getting cold and the Americans don’t go camping very much after October, most camping grounds are closing and the only one we found in the area before dark was the Diamond Lake camping ground which is our favourite campground. :huh :evil

This is our site, note autumn colours, me doing so electrical testing



David and Kathleens trailer



It was only 80 miles (144K) west of Crater Lake. The camping ground is huge -- half of it has closed, the other half, from the entry gate to where we set up our camp would be 3/4 mile. It has a hot shower, heated toilets, outside the camp (lucky it was at our end) about 500m away is a fishing village, a general store and lodge which offers free wifi.

Our neighbours David and Kathleen from south California were traveling in their big trailer. They picked up a Taiwanese girl Justine (20 something year old) who just finished working in the Glacier National Park now riding a push bike in America.

They camped in Diamond Lake for 3 days, did some fishing. Justine had never fished in her life, she caught the biggest trout among the three of them, talk about beginner’s luck.



We sat at the camp fire with them and exchanged traveling stories.



The next day, Ellen got up in the morning went for a run, she came back and we decided to stay for another day - It’s got every thing we need, why not! Then Kathleen invited us to their warm trailer (out side was -3 degree .... below zero!) for a coffee.

As the morning went, the sun came out, lots of people arriving for a fishing competition, the camping ground was filling up real quick. David and Kathleen decided to make a move. We said goodbyes and went for a walk along the lake ourselves. Of course, pictures will do the talking.

Beautiful autumn colours



Some moss on the trees





This is Mount Thielson, pretty coul!!


:evil
We came back to the camp later in the afternoon and the Ranger had come around telling people there would be 2 - 3 inches of rain in the next two days. :eek1 It’s time to go...

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Cheers Andi & Ellen .... https://twomotokiwis.blogspot.com/ Two Moto Kiwis Alaska - Argentina - April 2012 -> Somewhere