US Hwy 20: Eastern Oregon, Into Idaho

I had some real concerns about getting out of Burns, OR, early this morning. It was cold, around freezing, with wind chill down into the teens. The bigger problem was the wind, steadily 25-30 mph out of the north, with gusts in the 40-50 range. That's not your favorite when you're towing a trailer, especially when the wind is directly abeam your heading. Nothing can put you in the ditch faster than strong gusting cross-winds on narrow roads.

I pondered this predicament while having strong, hot coffee and giving Happy her lengthy morning walk. US Hwy 20 ran directly beside our campground, and I was encouraged to see a number of huge, high profile campers rolling down the road at good speed. I decided that if they could drive in these conditions with those behemoths, I would probably be okay with my short, low-profile rig.

So, I packed up and hit the road, starting out at a modest, manageable speed. The handling was remarkably good, and I was able to settle into a steady, productive pace. The scenery was very nice -- this photo is between "Drinkwater Pass" and "Stinkwater Pass" -- and I only wish I could have caught on film one of the many tumbleweeds whipping across the roadway.



As you can see, Happy was completely unfazed by the driving conditions. She settled in the moment we started rolling and didn't pick her head up except when we stopped for coffee.

I'm convinced that the shotgun seat is her very favorite place in the world, followed in order by underneath the back of my camper and on my bed. I'm struck by how a dog who ran a thousand miles in ten days can sleep a hundred hours in a week. Retired life seems to suit our little Happy dog very well!

Near the border with Idaho, US Hwy 20 is joined by US Hwy 26, which has been paralleling our route from the coast. Just over the border, US Hwy 30 joins the party, and they are all subsumed in I-84.

This is one of many "pinch points" (my term) of US routes where, for example:

1) There is no earthly reason to maintain separate roadways (as here in the Idaho desert west of Boise) or

2) When geography forces routes to shift their course (as in Chicago where Lake Michigan gets in the way).

Since I drove this piece of road just last year during my US Hwy 30 coast-to-coast expedition, I was happy enough to be on the interstate and motor down to Mountain Home, ID. I'm going to stay here tomorrow, not because there appears to be anything to do, but to give the wind and weather a chance to calm down (as promised by the weather service)… Stay tuned!

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US Hwy 20: Burns, Oregon

As you approach the town of Burns, you can't miss the huge flag. You also can't miss the facts that it is blowing horizontally and is somewhat tattered, both of which testify to the strong winds that typically blow across the high desert. It's been windy non-stop -- with some rain -- since I arrived.

Burns became a town in 1891, and is the seat of Harney county. It was named after the Scottish poet Robert Burns when storeowner George McGowan turned down the opportunity of immortality by having the town named after him. He declared the town should be named after the “Poet of the People, Mr. Burns”.

The nearby wildlife refuge is renowned as a habitat for over 250 species of migratory birds. The area is also known for its rocks and gems, plus the usual hiking, fishing and hunting.

The weather pretty much ruled out these pursuits, and the Harney County Historical Museum is closed today.

So, my pre-visit intel turned out to be pretty accurate after all: There isn't much to do in Burns. What little there is, I didn't get to do. That's the way it goes sometimes.

I did enjoy some local color by having breakfast at "Ye Olde Castle Famly Restaurant & Antique Emporium." The source of the castle theme remains a mystery to me, as does the combination of an antique emporium. As you can see, I continued my current trend of having the place to myself, amidst an eclectic collection of antique bikes. Go figure.



After breakfast, I took a leisurely drive around the entire town. The streets were mostly deserted, and the shops were mostly closed. Quite unexpectedly, I found some humor in the names and descriptions of several establishments. The "Motel Deli Quick Mart Drive Thru" for one, and the "Biggest Little Kitchen Store in Eastern Oregon" for another. If they weren't closed, I would most definitely have checked them out!



I'm taking the rest of the day to catch up on some chores, planning and other projects. I hope to pull out of here early in the morning, though the weather forecast is hinting at snow. I'm definitely earlier in the season that I thought I'd be, so we'll just have to see what happens next… Stay tuned!

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US Hwy 20: Hampton Station Cafe

Rolling down the road toward lunch time, I saw a sign that was quite literally in the middle of nowhere: "Good Food - Four Miles Ahead!" That sounded both perfect and too good to be true.

A few minutes later I rolled up to the only building for miles around, the Hampton Station Cafe. I wasn't put off by the looks of the place, because I've found there's usually an inverse relationship between ambiance and food quality. The worst looking places often have the best food. Even the boarded up "Artistic Taxidermy" shed in the parking lot didn't phase me. Maybe the inverse relationship holds true in that business as well.



I soon found myself as the only customer in the joint, and inquired about my usual lunch: A cup of soup and a BLT on rye toast. A delightful woman settled me in at the counter and assured me I'd be happy with her homemade clam chowder.

She must have seen an expression cross my face as I internally doubted the middle of the desert being the place to find good chowder, because she quickly informed me that she used to cook at Mo's -- a famous chowder house in Newport -- "Back when Mo's was good!"

Indeed, the chowder was really excellent. Probably the best I've had in years. So good, in fact, that I asked her for another serving to take with me!

The BLT was also excellent: A load of thick bacon, crisp lettuce and ripe red tomato. Yummy!

It turns out that the woman is the owner, named Shelley, and she asked me to "Like" her on Facebook. I said I'd do better than that and feature her on my website. We took a photo together to seal the deal!

If you're ever rolling this way, eat at Hampton Station Cafe!

US Hwy 20: Central Oregon

There's a point on every road trip where something clicks, a change from "hitting the road" to being "on the road." Today was that day as I crossed the high desert of central Oregon, thoroughly enjoying a few hours of straight roads and wide open spaces.



This landscape is a hallmark of every cross-country drive. An elevation of 4,000+ feet combines with arid conditions to give the flora very little to work with. What the ground lacks in variety, the sky more than makes up for. Especially on these long, straight roads, you can really see its dynamics unfold before you. Beautiful, and sometimes breathtaking.

I've stopped in a little oasis town called Burns. You can see that mine is the only rig in the place, giving Happy plenty of room to play and providing evidence that we are very early in the season!



I mentioned to some folks last night that I'd be stopping here in Burns, and they informed me that there's nothing here. You know how much I love little towns in the middle of nowhere, so you can be sure I've taken that as a personal challenge to see what I can find here… Stay tuned!

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US Hwy 20: Western Oregon

It was still cold, rainy and windy when we pulled out of Newport this morning, so it was a damp, foggy drive through the woods from the coast. It was still a pleasant ride, as spring is showing signs of life with the trees starting to bloom and everything "greening up."



A little farther east we crossed two passes over the Cascade Mountains. The road was very wet but still quite good, and I'm impressed with how well my new road rig handled. The scenery wasn't very good, in that dirty snow-melt time between winter wonderland and spring bloom.



Over the mountains and up on the "high desert" the skies cleared a bit and everything dried out nicely. One of the things I enjoy most about these road trips is passing through so many changes of climate, sometimes many in a single day!



We've stopped in Bend, OR, and since I've been here before we're just going to spend the night and push a little farther east tomorrow… Stay tuned!

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Addendum by Happy: "I don't really know what Macgellan is talking about. Besides a walk at lunchtime and a cookie during a coffee break, I slept the whole time! Once we got to our new kennel, I had a really good romp in the dog park. So many new smells every time we stop!"

US Hwy 20: "Begin"!

It's a good thing Happy and I went to the beach as soon as we arrived in Newport yesterday, because the weather today has been really nasty: Bitter cold, heavy rain and high winds. Not good for a day at the beach!

Instead, we did chores this morning, getting supplies and fuel, sorting gear, etc. I visited the famous aquarium, but honestly wasn't very impressed. The local historical museum was pretty limited, and the Ripley's franchise was goofy. All in all, I can't really recommend the area for much other than the beach.

It's also a good thing I got a photo of the US Hwy 20 "Begin" sign yesterday, now sharing it with you to document that we are positioned and ready to hit the road going east tomorrow morning!



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Happy: I Love The Beach!

Macgellan and I arrived in Newport, OR, early this afternoon, parked our dog house, then went straight to the Pacific beach. I love the beach!

We made lots of new friends, as usual, and there were all kinds of great smells. I tried to take a drink from the puddles, but they all tasted yucky. What's up with that? Still, it made me smile.



It was so much fun that I did one of my best Happy Dances ever... Here's a big picture of it!



Macgellan says we've got a lot to do tomorrow, getting ready to start our cross-country road trip. I don't know what any of that means, but I hope it means we'll be going back to the beach!

US Hwy 20: Dog Is My Co-Pilot

Happy and I had a good first day on the road yesterday, repositioning from Anacortes to Portland on our way to start US Hwy 20 in Newport, OR.

It was the first real "test-drive" for my new road rig, having only driven it before from the dealership to my winter camp five months ago. It's a lighter, more nimble rig than Darth and the camper sled was, and I'm happy with the way it all handled.



Happy enjoyed her ride too, sleeping soundly the entire time. Dog is my co-pilot!



We're spending the day in Portland, visiting a friend and fine-tuning some things on our road rig. We plan to reach the coast tomorrow and be in position to start our cross-country drive… Stay tuned!

Happy: A Fan In Fife!

Hi!… I'm Happy!… I'm always happy!... That's why they call me Happy!

Macgellan and I pulled out of our "winter camp" this morning, and headed down the highway to reposition for our cross-country road trip. A while into the drive, we pulled off the interstate and parked in a big shopping center in Fife, WA. Macgellan looked at me and said, "I've got a surprise for you, Happy dog!"

The next thing I know, this really nice lady is giving me pats, hugs and kisses! She loves me, and I loved her right back!



It turns out that she is one of my first and biggest fans! She said she saw the coverage of me running the Iditarod, right at a time when she was having some troubles in her life. Learning about my story -- what I've overcome and accomplished -- raised her spirits and helped her get through her hardships. She's been a fan of mine ever since, and has always wanted to meet me.

When she read that I would be driving through her town, she contacted Macgellan and they arranged a little get-together. It was really fun, and I will always remember meeting her: My fan in Fife!

US Hwy 20: "The Longest Road" Preview

On Monday morning, Happy and I will be pulling out of our "winter camp" in Anacortes, WA, to begin our migration to "summer camp" on the east coast. For our route, we've selected US Highway 20, another of the classic trans-continental roads. Spanning 3,365 miles, it is recognized as the longest road in the United States.

Starting on the west coast in Newport, OR, we will cross through the heart of Oregon and Idaho. Passing through Yellowstone Park in northwest Wyoming, the road dips a bit south to traverse northern Nebraska and mid-Iowa. From there it skims northern Illinois and Indiana, then along the Lake Erie coast of Ohio and Pennsylvania. The last leg crosses the Finger Lake region of upstate New York and continues through Massachusetts to Boston.



US 20 is considered one of the best, most interesting cross-country routes in America. I'm looking forward to exploring and experiencing it, especially in context and comparison with my three previous trans-continental drives: US 2, US 30 and US 50.

As usual, Happy has no clue what's about to happen, but she has proven herself to be an excellent "road dog" and will no doubt thoroughly enjoy the journey!

We will take a few days to reposition from Anacortes to Newport, but you can expect to join us on the road in earnest late next week… Stay tuned!