BigJohnSD, "Dr Thompson" (Scott), and Fontanaman Pacific North West 2025

[Panman]

Your lucky Jim is doing the planning, I'd run ya a bit up and down and a lot farther.

[juniorfjr]

You guys have fun, I'm have other commitments Saturday. Dang

[fontanaman]

John,

Are you interested in riding a beginner to intermediate gravel road from Avery to Clarkia? It has erosion ruts filled with gravel and generally a line is available. It will add time to our ride. We can decide when we arrive in Avery. There is gas in Avery.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/wPbnKFK43j5YKWeb6

Here are some prior photos. It is one of my favorite day rides.





St. Joe River.

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[wheatonFJR]

Heck, an FJR will do that all day. Beautiful!

[fontanaman]

Heck, an FJR will do that all day. Beautiful!

Your FJR Mark, not mine. I didn't stop to take photo of the rocky sections only the scenic ones. Besides the camera doesn't do a good job of capturing how challenging a road is.

It is a very scenic ride.

[Panman]

I've rode this once pulling the Bushtec.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/ok337T5S1YSR7NNZ6

Actually it was all of this over the Dent.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/2it97gWtYmvW6cDa7

No problem to see the suspension bridge to nowhere.

https://www.highestbridges.com/wiki/ind ... nt_Bridge

[bigjohnsd]

Day 1 - 10 September 2025 - Spearfish SD to Helena MT 509 miles - 9 hours 12 min.

We left Spearfish this morning after loading two tires for Pterodactyl. He availed himself of Alex's great tire deal earlier this summer, we saved him some shipping $$.

Our standard run to Helena, just over 500 miles, takes about 9 hours with stops for gas, pee, food. US 85 to Belle Fourche, US 212 to Crow Agency MT, I-90 to Billings, up to US 12 and across MT to Townsend, then North to Helena on the East side of the Missouri River to Canyon Ferry Dam, then into Helena and on to Pterodactyl's. IYKYK!

I took a few photos but they all suck. Eastern MT is Eastern MT, not real photogenic. There was a little color at elevation, some reds in low bushes and shrubs, yellow and gold tones in oaks and aspens just starting.



Not much traffic on 12 and a spirited run through the only twisty bit before Townsend MT.



The Plains of Montana



US 12 follows the Muscleshell River for miles. These bluffs are the best feature.

[fontanaman]

We will fix the photogenic tomorrow in the St. Joe National Forest.

[Hppants]

John,

Are you interested in riding a beginner to intermediate gravel road from Avery to Clarkia? It has erosion ruts filled with gravel and generally a line is available. It will add time to our ride. We can decide when we arrive in Avery. There is gas in Avery.

Just a programming note - if (when) I get that way, if I've got the Bush Pig with me (likely), put me down for a "yes" on this one!

Now back to your regularly scheduled program.

[Pterodactyl]

The adventurers departing The Outpost this morning.

[bigjohnsd]

Day 2 - 11 September 2025 Helena MT "The Outpost" to Spokane WA. 475 miles, 8.5 hours riding, 1 hour off the bikes.


We left Helena at 0805 and had a nice ride over Flesher pass then MT 200 West to Missoula. I 90 to St Regis MT then the St Joe River Road (16 miles of wonderfully maintained gravel on the Montana side, then absolutely fantastic pavement to St Maries ID. A friend, Jim Fontana (Fontanaman) met us along the way and led us on a merry ride through Idaho and Eastern Washington. A few photos of our day follow:

Pterodactyl cooking us breakfast



He did really well!



Flescher Pass

Some color coming over the pass




Idaho/Montana border on the St Joe River Road




Through the Palouse - IYKYK!







Tomorrow we will head North and West ending in OMAK WA for the evening with a few more friends joining us. Saturday we will tackle the North Cascade Highway and end up somewhere around Bellingham, WA.

Stay tuned!

[SkooterG]

Heck, an FJR will do that all day. Beautiful!

As long as there are no cows....

[fontanaman]

I road the most Might DR650 yesterday to meet up with John and Scott. Here is our route, all paved roads.



We had plans to go to Palouse Falls but the the Lower Granite Dam crossing was on a hourly schedule. In my 7 years in Spokane I have NEVER seen that before. We missed the crossing by 5 minutes. So we turned tail and headed to Spokane via some good Palouse wheat field roads.

I think the favorite was Green Hallow road just outside of Colfax Washington. There are a couple of blind hills on that road. One of them features farm road crossing just on the other side, the blind side, and if there is a combine crossing the road you may end up in someones Wheaties.

It was a longer day on the DR650 over 325 miles. The combination of the short wheel base and 19" rim makes the bike a wee bit nervous. I was kind of busy riding the DR so not too many photos today.

Along the St. Joe River west of Avery Idaho.



Tomorrow it is off to Omak, a 190 mile ride, we will stretch to nearly 300 using the roads approved by Destination Highways because Butler Maps make for a bad day.

[bigjohnsd]

Fontanaman raised the bar!

[bigjohnsd]

Day 3 - 12 September 2025, Spokane WA to Omak, WA by a circuitous route 275 miles, 5 5.5 hours riding 1 hour off the bikes.

We left Spokane at 0900, headed to Reaedan on WA 2, then 231 to Little falls and on to Wellpinit. We rode the West End rd to WA 25 and tokk 25 to the Inchellum-Gifford Ferry.
After crossing the Columbia River we rode along Lake Roosevelt to Kettle Falls. From Kettle falls we traveled North on US a 95 to the Boulder Creek Rd and then onto the Corado Creek Rd before turning onto the Cheesaw Rd and riding all the way to Cheesaw. From Cheesaw we rode to Oroville and then to Loomis on the Loomis Oroville Rd. From Loomis we continued to Tonasket and then took US 97 to Omak where we are this evening. We were joined by a couple of friends here in Omak and we enjoyed a good Mexican meal at the restaurant next door.



































A fitting end to a perfect day!

[fontanaman]

Here are a few more photos.

Doing my best Pants imitation.




Beth Lake



Palmer Lake





As Maxwell Smart often said "Would you believe this is an unedited over the back shot?"



Today for the first time in a while I got on well the the FJR. My suspension setting was two helmets with damping set -2 soft. This seemed to get the best out out of the rear shock and did a pretty good job on some of Washington's finest motorcycle roads.

From the most noteworthy department, Scott has ride in all fifty states, Washington being number 50. He was appreciative we didn't have to ride the donut hole around Moses Lake aka the flatlands.

[Panman]

Wish I could have caught up with you guys, wasn't in the cards.

[Hppants]

Looking quite well, gentlemen!

(If I get to Palouse Falls, and there's a wait to see it, then so be it...... just sayin....)

[escapefjrtist]

After a spirited ride over North Cascades, left the boys in Sedro Woolley under Fontanaman's fine care. Good ride today and since we were heading westbound, traffic was thankfully light. Tomorrow, they're ferrying to the peninsula and points west.

~G

[Abercrombie FJR]

Looks like an awesome trip John. I thought the September Western trip was canceled because of dog sitting issues?