Home Again etc.

[Killtimer]

Another great WeStoc. Whit, Rod and the crew did a fantastic job. :bow1: It was great putting some more faces to names as well as seeing old friends again. Can't wait till next year.

Some random factoids.

Duration:18 days.

Mileage travelled: 5600 miles.

Moving average speed: 58.9 mph.

Best mileage: Two up between Durango and Taos in the rain.

Worst mileage: Chasing Buckshon and Koczarski across Wyoming..twice. :eek:

Biggest Smile: Mike/Sue Martin after they ascended Angels Landing in Zion NP.

Deepest Frown: Mike Martin after his third parking lot overhaul.

Best meal: Cazwallas, Montrose CO (WeSToc close second).

Worst Meal/Motel/Everything: Blanding Utah.

Biggest Surprise: Getting the "correct" replacement rear tire in California.... installed....on Saturday..at a decent price. Thanks Kim (CST) (A close second was finding out that STPilot has a SO....that will ride with him ;) )

Funniest Ride: The return leg from the Sundance Lodge...AdamK in conversation with Hal R. via radio......you had to be there.

Funnest ride: All of them.

Photos to cull and caption:.........over 500.

[Mark]

Glad you're back safe and sound (I would have said 'sane' as well but, well... you know...).:D

Mark

[Mellow]

Yeah.. what Mark said... welcome back.

[Killtimer]

(I would have said 'sane' as well but, well... you know...).:D Mark

Pot???????? Kettle????????? You pick!!!! :rolleyes:

[Mark]

tough choice... I think I'll take all of the above... :-)

Mark

[adamk]

Another great WeStoc. Whit, Rod and the crew did a fantastic job. :bow1: It was great putting some more faces to names as well as seeing old friends again. Can't wait till next year.

Some random factoids.

Worst mileage: Chasing Buckshon and Koczarski across Wyoming..twice. :eek:



Huh. I don't remember ever exceeding the speed limit in Wyoming?!? Must be the slingshot effect in the back of the group. ;)

[dannyk]

WB to the forum, was nice meeting you at westoc. Danny:biker:

[Killtimer]

Huh. I don't remember ever exceeding the speed limit in Wyoming?!? Must be the slingshot effect in the back of the group. ;)

Hmmmmm....right then. What happens in Lander stays in Lander. :eek:

[Killtimer]

WB to the forum, was nice meeting you at westoc. Danny:biker:

Likewise Danny. Sorry I didn't have more time to chat. If the event continues to grow, maybe it should be longer. I didn't get a chance to visit near enough.

[AZST]

Welcome home Steve.

Curious, I was in Blanding and had a fine meal (at Subway)

Where did you eat?

--Bryan
04ST1300A
:04biker:

[nm6r]

Biggest Surprise: Getting the "correct" replacement rear tire in California.... installed....on Saturday..at a decent price. Thanks Kim (CST) (A close second was finding out that STPilot has a SO....that will ride with him

...and tolerate him. You know those hooligans and their shenanigans!

:crackup

Ray
http://www.frontiernet.net/~st1300rider/smile04Bikerwheelie.gif

[Killtimer]

Welcome home Steve.

Curious, I was in Blanding and had a fine meal (at Subway)

Where did you eat?

--Bryan
04ST1300A
:04biker:

Subway's always been the classic "OK" road food. We made the mistake of eating at our namesake restaurant.......Old Tymers, across the street from our UN_Comfort Inn. :no1:

[Killtimer]

And KT, I see you went right by here and didn't stop to say hi?? :eek: I see how it is....

I waved.... Left Sonora at 6:00 AM, tire changed in Hercules CA by 11:00 BS till 12:00 and then rode to Klamath Falls. Didn't you get the memo? Besides, It's your turn to visit me up here. :)

[ST_Jim]

Best meal: Cazwallas, Montrose CO (WeSToc close second).Dang, I knew I should have tagged along with you guys for dinner!:D

Worst Meal/Motel/Everything: Blanding Utah.I was at the Super8 in Blanding the night after Montrose - it was OK. The restaurant next door was only so-so. I ran into another STOC'er at the motel who just grabbed some chicken and potato salad from the market across the street - that probably would have worked out better.

- Jim :04biker:

[NewsMag]

Worst Meal/Motel/Everything: Blanding Utah.

Well, I could have told you THAT. Choices there range from bad to worse. Subway is actually a better choice than potato salad from the market. The people in the market will ignore you until EVERY local in town has been talked to, gossiped with, and leaves. There is a very nice B&B there where the hostess is able to stifle her distress at dealing with outsiders and even make decent coffee, but the dinner options are still bad.

I have not tried up the road in Monticello, but will in the future, having exhausted all options in Blanding. Really Hanksville or Torrey, though much farther West, are a better all round experience. And the road from Blanding to Hanksville rocks!

See Jeff Bertrand's reports on Cafe Diablo in Torrey.

Next time - Steak at Svilar's in Hudson (near Lander) and Rattlesnake at Cafe Diablo in Torrey!

Or you could swing by my place! :beer3:

[Killtimer]

Really Hanksville or Torrey, though much farther West, are a better all round experience. And the road from Blanding to Hanksville rocks!

See Jeff Bertrand's reports on Cafe Diablo in Torrey.

Next time - Steak at Svilar's in Hudson (near Lander) and Rattlesnake at Cafe Diablo in Torrey! Or you could swing by my place! :beer3:

Blanding was about as far as the two-uppers (Martin/Kahn) wanted to push from Taos. We did try to eat at Cafe Diablo.........but they don't do lunch. :shrug2: Zion more than made up for Blanding. We'll be back, so keep the keg cold. :)

[ST_Jim]

Really Hanksville or Torrey, though much farther West, are a better all round experience.HANKSVILLE is a better choice???? What, you grab a hot dog for dinner from the Hollow Mountain store? Or did I miss something else?:rolleyes:


- Jim :04biker:

[NewsMag]

HANKSVILLE is a better choice???? What, you grab a hot dog for dinner from the Hollow Mountain store? Or did I miss something else?

While the cave/store is a real tourist trap, there is a very acceptable Mom & Pop motel and a local market, plus a great burger joint, and a nice sandwich place called Blondie's. The big difference is that Hanksville caters to boaters headed to and from Lake Powell, and the people there do not take offense at the presence of "outsiders."

All of that is easy to miss as you pass thru at triple digit speeds. ;-)

[Muskoka]

I was at the Super8 in Blanding the night after Montrose - it was OK. The restaurant next door was only so-so. I ran into another STOC'er at the motel who just grabbed some chicken and potato salad from the market across the street - that probably would have worked out better.

- Jim :04biker:[/QUOTE]

Hey Jim, that was me you spoke to. My wife insisted we stay there, as she was tired, and we thought the chicken and potato salad from the market was decent. But ya, a blah area.

Just got home today after 23 days on the road, 5600 miles, 13 states, riding through 70 miles of snow flurries in the Black Hills, SD. last weekend and 1.5 days of wind gusts of up to 60 miles and hour.

Would I do it again? You bet, but I'd pass Blanding for sure.

Bob

[ST_Jim]

Would I do it again? You bet, but I'd pass Blanding for sure.OK. I guess the consensus is that Blanding is.... well... bland.

Sorry. I couldn't resist! ;)

I actually went through there on the trip TO WeSTOC also, and had lunch at a little burger joint on the north end of town. They had photo's of the local high school football heroes - all five of them since 1978. Kinda felt sorry for the kids growing up there...

- Jim :04biker:

[Don-STOC237]

I bypassed Blanding and stayed in Monticello on the way to WeSTOC. Best Western there was very clean, but overpriced due to me only getting in because of a cancellation... they were having a major motocross competition outside town that weekend. So $70 for the room.

Ate at the Spurs restaurant next door to the BW, really good food cooked by a real scruffy looking cowboy who came out to inquire if my steak was done ok, served by his teenage daughters, to whom he had apparently taught something about customer service. The burgers there looked huge and everyone said they were great.

It's a basically dry town though, but if you want a bit of wine with your dinner you can bring your own in and they'll seat you in the back room so you don't offend the locals. There's a bottle shop someplace in town.

But all in all, the food, service and accomodations at Steve Newsmag's place are waaaayyyy better. :)