The personal and professional website of Douglas Van Bossuyt
Today I went on a ride with several engineering friends. We did the Alsea Falls loop where we found car after car to slow our progress. Even with the less than fast roads, it was still quite a bit of fun. In Belfountain we stopped for a photo of our Engineering Biker Gang.
The TGPCHPCMY2KMR+10, otherwise known as POPCORN, ride quickly reacquainted me with driving on the right side of the road and riding on a motorcycle. As soon as I was dropped off from the airport, having just come back from a summer in Australia, a vacation in Vanuatu, the Trans-Australia Expedition, and a tour of New Zealand, I jumped on my bike and headed to Corvallis to pick up Emily. She was to be my passenger on this epic ride. My bike, The TARDIS, after hibernating for four months in my parents garage, actually started and ran admirably.
Pulling out of the garage, the weather already didn’t look particularly friendly.
This photo is of Emily donning rain gear somewhere near Yamhill, Oregon.
The TARDIS loaded with gear.
The bridge across the Columbia River in Astoria.
Working on mending Emily’s torn rain gear with zip ties.
A bevy of PCs in Port Angeles stopped for coffee.
I love this yellow PC although I’d never turn my white PC any other color.
Fixing a busted mirror on another ’89 PC that took a low side spill in some twisties. The rider was a-okay and not even shaken.
At a burger joint east of Port Angeles. Art from my windshield exchange trip and from the epic Corvallis -> San Francisco -> Corvallis 36 hour trip was there. He’s just to the left of my bike (yes, the only one parked not on the center stand).
One of the Canadian contingent.
In Toledo, close to Mount Saint Helens, we stopped for lunch.
Getting ready to mount The TARDIS (yes, from the proper side…).
At the campground at Bagby Hot Springs with Emily, her boyfriend Brandon (not pictured), and a smudge pot burning things it wasn’t originally designed to burn.
Brandon’s camper.
My tent.
The TARDIS under cover.
Yesterday Karen B and I went out for a lovely Sunday ride on the Corvallis-Waldport-Florence-Monroe-Corvallis route. The route was about 200 miles total. Google Maps is glitching a little so the map below might not be completely accurate.
With the warm weather we both were in light jackets the entire time without problem. The coast was a bit chilly but it wasn’t that bad as long as the sun was out.
We stopped for fuel twice. The first stop was after 106.3 miles of driving. I took on 2.421 gallons giving me 43.9 mpg. The second time was after 90.5 miles where I got 1.90 gallons which gave a 47.63 mpg economy. Also up in Newberg I bought gas after 130.5 miles for 2.978 gallons which equates to 43.82 mpg. I’m not sure if I’m being heavier on the throttle (both of the 43mpgs were from solo riding), am riding in more city traffic conditions, or if there is something starting to go wrong with the bike. However, the 47.63 was achieved with a passenger so who knows 🙂
The bike performed flawlessly on the trip. It is such a pleasure to ride a Pacific Coast on the Pacific Coast!
I should also mention that I put about 230 miles on the bike with two other undocumented rides. Last week I did a quick ride around town and up Lewsiburg saddle and I also rode my bike to my parent’s house and back with a detour through Perrydale.