We have arrived in Spokane and will spend 3 days here. MeAsWe will get reconnected with her Washington family. Me, I will chase stuff in the car. When in Spokane do as the Spokens do.
This is what started the chasin stuff for me and I still stop at these places. Pretty good food too.
MeAsWe went back to the room to put her leg up and I took off to the other end of town for another shot glass.
Alot of bikes at this place
A used Big Dog, for a relatively cheap price compared to what it just cost new. Don't think it would make a good touring bike.
This one might thou
Took the short way back to the Econo Lodge and grabbed some pics of Spokane
Centennial Mills
Fountain in the park
People Running
Radio Flyer (I had one of these)
Had these too but don't think I could spell Spokane
Have a collection of ginormous milk bottles going
Some neat motel signs
That's my tour of Spokane. To me it looks like a large Worcester MA. The town has seen some better days, had declined a bit, but looks like it is trying to make a comeback of sorts. It is the birthplace of Father's Day and was home to the 1974 World's Fair.
We spent four days cooped up in the Best Western in Livingston MT. MeAsWe needed at least 72 hours with her leg pointed to the sky and I spent a fair amount of time on the phone on insurance issues and figuring out what we were gonna do. On Monday, I rented a car and went to Clyde Park to see the bike, pics posted in the last post. We decided to continue our journey, at least partially, so we rented a car for a week, pointed the car toward the west and headed to Spokane to visit some relatives of MeAsWe. After that we are going to Glacier (the major reason for the trip), closing this portion with a ride down US 89 back to Bozeman. From there we will take a bus to SLC and fly home. Not the way it was planned in MapSource but it is something. The cost to change our travel plans, was greater than the cost of the 2 way tickets out here.
Enterprise picked us up precisely at 10 am and we headed for Bozeman. The kid that picked us up. left Texas and moved to Montana to ski. First question I asked was how does someone from Texas get involved with skiing. I forgot the answer, but I thought it was kewl the kid was doing what he wanted. So many of us, me included, did what was expected of us. If I only thought to buy a bike back then, hmmm the possiblies. We were out of the Enterprise office and on the road heading west around 11:30. MeAsWe in her new pillion seat
I thought this was kewl. As we made our way up to Spokane we saw other mountains with letters as well. They must mean something
Since we had the time, I stopped of at a couple places along the way. Stopped here to get a tall shot glass to add to my collection
We stopped at Three River Fork a National Landmark. This is where the Gallatin, Jefferson and Madison Rivers come together to form the Missouri River.
MeAsWe moved to the back seat. This was more like riding the FJR.
Arriving in Butte, I went looking for Burton Wheeler House, another National Landmark. Pulled into this hood and found a person to ask if they knew which house it was, which they didn't. They suggested I try the guy across the street, knocked on his door, he came. I asked if this was the Wheeler House, he said no and slammed the door. Friendly place Butte was. We drove around Butte because the town itself is a National Landmark. Both MeAsWe and I made the observation that the people in this town were some of the hardest looking people we had every seen. Weathered, looking down and out, western tough, disheartened and as declined as Butte looked. At one time Butte boasted the most Ho Houses and Saloons in one location in the US. It looks like they never left. Butte was a turn of the century mineral wonderland, mining gold, silver and the mother lode of copper.
Next stop was Grant- Kohrs Ranch, a National Park commemorating the western cattle industry. All I could think about while I walked around was Hoss, Ben, Little Joe and Adam walking. This ranch at one time reached 10,000,000 acres and had 50,000 head mozin and grazin about. Grabbed INK and got out of town before sundown. Yee Haw
MeAsWe was grumbling from the pain radiating from her leg, but her stomach started to chime in as well. She had never been to Hooters. They had a ton of neon inside so I grabbed some for Waymarking.
I just couldn't resist
This girl, who is the daughter of a police officer in town was one of the best waitresses I have ever had.
Most photographers use their thumb to line up a shot.
We put the pedal to the medal and drove the distance to Spokane. All in all, we had a good day. After dinner the sun dropped quickly and my eyes kept darting back and forth looking for FRs that want revenge for their brother in Clyde Park. You talkin to me?? Ya wanna piece of me. Come on I will F+&K you up real bad. Oh Oh you want to live in peace and harmony. I can live with that.
I am sitting in the Best Western in Livingston, MT. Four days ago around 8pm, life got very exciting. This journal will describe what happened and other things.
We left Red Lodge, MT after doing the Beartooth Pass. We managed thru some construction on MT 78 hitting some wet dirt roads on our way to I90. GPS was indicating Exit 340 to head north on US89 to White Sulphur Springs, our planned sleep stop.
Running across I90, the 1/4 moon was bright in the sky, very little traffic and the temps were in the 70's. Perfect conditions.
We hit Exit 340, turned right. I slowed our pace, since the road was unfamiliar and it was very dark. There were not alot of houses or buildings on this road.
We, Willie and MeAsWe, have had 4 days to contemplate what happened. My first observation of US89 it was very straight. No turns, no sweepers really to speak of. I had no clue what the area was like, we are not locals.
If you are old enough, I want you to remember those round photo flash bulbs that had the curly stuff in them. Looks like fine steel wool. When fired they would put an immense amount of light out very quickly. Imagine you are in a closed room with no windows. Total darkness. The only light is directly in front of you from the mounted flash light you have.
We are moving right along, someone pushes the camera button and that bulb fires off it's light. You see a head, an ear, a brown eye and then the lights go out.
The next thing I felt was my left knee joint be pressed against the bike. It is a hard compression.
I then hear MeAsWe, saying I think my leg is broke, was that a deer. My response, Yup.
I then feel the bike wobble right, wobble left. wobble right and straighten up.
It is over.
We have been hit by a deer. MeAsWe is saying (thru the Cardo intercoms we have) pull into one of these houses. I said no, I am continuing on until we hit a town. My rational is we are located in a very rural area, with the houses probably a quarter mile off the road, and their drive ways are more than likely dirt driveways and maybe gravel. I didn't want to chance driving up one of these and creating another opportunity for a get off.
We hit the center of Clyde Park probably within a minute or so. I see a package store with that familiar blue neon Bud Light sign on the right. Next was the Post Office on the left with a car parked in front of it. Next was a bar with lights on and this was where I decided where we were going to stop.
I came to a stop, put the kickstand down and Crystal says go in and get help. I will sit on the bike. I dismounted, walked thru the door, helmet still on and there were 3customers and the bar tender. I asked for help, telling them I just hit a deer and need immediate assistance.
I took off my helmet and left it inside and at least 3 people followed me outdoors. We were about to lift MeAsWe off the bike, when one of the people said stop, leave her on the bike, the EMT's are on their way. We backed off and left MeAsWe sitting.
MeAsWe nodded in agreement with that approach and never let out even a whimper or cry. What an unbelievable trooper.
A couple of first responders were there within minutes. They checked out MeAsWe to see if she was bleeding, which she was not. It was then I realized the left saddle bag was no longer attached to the bike. It must have been knocked off at impact.
The lady patron asked me how far back did this happened, to which I estimated within 3 miles. She hopped into her car and took off for the missing saddle bag. She is back with the saddlebag in hand. She stated she found the dead buck on the right side of the road and the saddlebag was directly across the road on the left.
Again for those that are old enough, there was a Samsonite commercial on TV, where a gorilla throws one their bags all over the cage. Well I think that gorilla was there that night.
About this time the EMT's and the Montana State Police show up. The EMT's tend to MeAsWe and the trooper questions me about the incident.
I was also checked out by the EMT's, but all I felt was my normal bad knee pain.
The EMT's haul us to the Emergency Room, passing the dead deer. The EMT makes the comment that although the young buck is not big by Montana standards, it weighed at least 150 pounds and is as big as the FJR. Needless to say I did not shed a tear at all for deer.
What amazes me, even as I write this, was we never went down. I don't have a clue how we stayed up. I will not claim talent, skill or anything else but SHIT LUCK and a bunch of angels having nothing better to do that night but fly with us.
I will say I never hit the front brake, rear brake, or abruptly changed the throttle. I simply drove thru the hit and let the bike do its thing.
We are two very very very lucky individuals.
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MeAsWe was right, the large weight bearing bone has a clean brake about 3" above her ankle.
The pics
MeAsWe Xray
The Injury
The Bike
The Landing
The area. When I drove up to the bike the next day to get some pics, it came to mind that this area was like a Deer's All You Can Eat Smorgasbord in Las Vegas or Atlantic City / 2 for 9.95.
The Plan going forward
We have rented a car for 7 days and will travel to Glacier National Park and then to Spokane. We will return to Bozeman and figure out how to get to Salt Lake City to return to Mass.
