What a Day!

This photo shows what my day was like today.  I left Lakeview, OR and it was cold!  I rode up 395 to a little town called Riley.  I stopped to get a coffee and warm up.  The next gas was 27 mile away in Hines.  I rode there and the front end started to feel a little like an airhead with loose steering head bearings.  I pulled in to get gas and the attendant (in Oregon you have to have someone operate the pump for you) told me that my front tire was low.  I checked it out and it was flat!  I examined the tire and found a nail.  I asked the attendant if he had an air compressor and, of course, he didn't.  The closest motorcycle shop, according to the attendant, was 150 miles away with nothing in between.
For those of you that don't ride, you are NEVER supposed to ride on a plugged front tire.  If anything goes wrong the front tire will deflate rapidly and come off the rim.  Depending on the speed this can be fatal to the rider.  But, I had no choice but to plug the tire with a worm and ride on hoping for the best.  Luckily I had my "CyclePump" from BestRest Products with me.  I plugged the tire, pumped it up and rode 185 miles to Big Twin BMW in Boise, ID.  I arrived at 4:30 and by 5:15 my GS was sporting a new front Tourance!  I can't say enough about the service I received at Big Twin BMW!  Thanks guys!

I found a cheap motel ($35) in a Mexican section of Caldwell, ID and even had to revert to speaking Spanish again at the restaurant next to the motel!

Tomorrow I will be heading for Washington State.