Categories Motorcycles Road Trips

Utah and Back: The Portland Zigzag

After spending an evening in Portland, at a posh hotel, visiting the coolest bookstore (Powell’s), eating some good food, and discussing life’s plans with a girl I was hoping to get to know better someday, it was time to be getting back on the road.

Getting out of Portland involved zig-zagging south and north in an attempt to hit highway 26 east to Bend. The highway turned out to be one red light after the other, houses, chain stores, and absolutely nothing interesting or worth seeing. As I was driving down the long stretch of road, proof that Americans are just a bunch of consumer who take up more space than they need, I noticed a turnoff for a scenic byway to Bend. I quickly turned and began to follow the road east. The roads weren’t that great regarding the pavement, but the traffic lights went away; there were plenty of trees to provide shade in the heat, there were a decent amount of twisty turns and not a lot of traffic to prevent me from enjoying them. Eventually, I ended up I in a little town called Sandy, where I connected back up with highway 26, which turned into a better road, with fewer traffic lights, and more speed.

As I was driving, I began to feel the hunger that goes along with a small breakfast and hours spent sitting on a motorcycle going nowhere. I stopped at this little restaurant and ordered the bacon cheeseburger which came out like this.

It was huge, although I have to say, not that flavorful. I don’t think this came from a happy cow slaughterhouse. But for under 10 bucks, good fries, and precisely what you would expect out of a waitress working at a roadside restaurant out in the middle of nothing, it was worth it.

Getting back on the road, Eastern Oregon, of course, reminded me of Eastern Washington. Long stretches of road, everything is brown and dry. Instead of trees, there are plenty of sagebrush as far as the horizon.

Next Stop: Ouch my Balls

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