2022 NW Starfest Official Thread!

[MikeyC]

Hmmm. Thinking about it

[Jaybo]

Now that we're into January, I'm wondering if one of us should book the last room, just to lock this place up? We can then surrender the room to anyone who comes on board down the road. Don't they just charge $1 to the card to reserve it?

The motel owner had told me originally that their regular commercial customers start booking in mid-January for the summer months, and they normally reserve several rooms for the entire summer. She said they book by March at the absolute latest.

Anyone?

You would think now that we have booked all but 1 room she would hold it for us.

[Shores]

Or she could at least warn any stranger who attempts to book the last room!

[Starch]

Stranger here I just booked the last room.
so I have a room with two queen beds. Send bribes or cash offer to share room. No Biden supporters.

[Shores]

Very cool Eric! Going to be fun!

[MidnightRide]

Awesome! Hahahahaha, Let's go Brandon?!! Welcome on board!

[MidnightRide]

Just wanted to remind everyone that we've now booked the entire takeover of the Riverview Motel, so no more rooms are available there unless one of our members has a cancelation.

The overflow motel has only seven rooms and is just down the street. We've stayed there several times ourselves, but they just did a complete overhaul of every room other than the 2-bedroom apartment, and I have to say the rooms look pretty impressive! Big upgrade from when we last stayed a few years ago.

Right now every room is still available. We'll likely fill this place up as well, so please book early.

Go to their website, then click on the 'Porter's Plaza Motel' link. That'll take you to where you can view and book the rooms. Many of those rooms have beds on the main floor as well as in a loft above, allowing some privacy for members who may want to double-up and split a room.

Their phone and email is on the main page, should you prefer a human over booking online.

It's a 'small town mindset', so you actually check-in at the gas station up the street, or you can get your room code for checking in after hours. They have a gym and pizza place onsite.

http://portersplaza.com/

[Shores]

Hey Jay, add Eric from St Paul Minnesota. Starch

[Jaybo]

That's up to Darrel! Wake up Tykes_Place

[Tykes_Place]

done!

[Starch]

Question
is there a reason to carry my heated gear on this trip in July? Are there some high elevations that would be below say 45 degrees? Most of the time if I get chilled I would use my rain gear as a wind breaker.

[MidnightRide]

Under normal July conditions, absolutely no need for heated gear on the planned rides. Rain *could* be a factor, but even then not real cold. Normal temps should run 80-100* in mid-July, with a 30* drop overnight. Perhaps a 10* daytime drop on upper elevations.

Where are you coming from? Crossing the Rockies or one of the Cascade passes (Stevens) may run a bit cooler.

My chief concern will be forest fires and related smoke. Fingers crossed...

[Starch]

Thanks that is the info I need for gear . I will be coming from Minnesota straight across the flatlands.

[Dr. D]

Hey Gentlemen,

Late to the party, but that's okay. I'm coming from over the hill in Montana. I've got some friends and family in Spokane, so I may try to organize something myself that will align with the Saturday River loop ride (great work on that one MidnightRide, that'll be incredible). Lab work keeps me busy and a whole 4 days gone is a tall order unfortunately.

I am not going to be any burden - I'll get myself to the motel bright and early Saturday morning (likely with two friends on VTX's, and no Biden supporters Starch - lol).

So, is it alright if I "whore on" the River loop? If I ain't there in time, don't wait.

[Duke]

You are welcome to ride with us, of course!

[MikeyC]

Hey! Just saw this while reviewing. Hope to see you and your friends Saturday morning

[MikeyC]

Hey Dr. D! Be great to have you and your friends. Looking forward to meeting you all.

[Jaybo]

No posts in 3 weeks? Wake up people! This is going to be a great run!

[Tykes_Place]

I just secured my vacation days. I’m hoping to make this a 9 day trip. My plan is to head toward Calgary, over through Banff, then meander around West and South eventually to Ione. With the ride home afterwards that will be about 1400 miles. I might hit 2k when it’s all done! This is going to be a great trip.

[Ahodge75]

Sounds like a fun trip. I’m on vacation that week also but don’t know if I’ll be doing any extra riding yet

[Jaybo]

If I Interstate it both ways I'll be a ways over 1500 miles with the 2 ride days

[MikeyC]

We’re going to start off with the meet and greet and then meander for about 6 days. Hope to get in about 3000 to 3500 miles for the full 9 days we’ll be out

[MidnightRide]

Just to update a bit, there are only six rooms remaining at Porters Plaza, and with summer approaching they may be filling up quickly as companies begin booking for their employees who are up there for months at a time once the snow melts down. From there we'll have to head down the road a ways to the next available motel.

I finally got my bike ready to ride; put the bags back on, fixed the fuel issue, and did a fairly deep cleaning (much overdue). That was in addition to the new battery, tires and complete fluid change. I plan to do a lot more riding this year, as well as pre-run our routes for the Starfest once we're closer to the weekend so I can check on road conditions, closures, fuel stops, and the like.

This will be a great weekend! Only 11 weeks away!!

http://portersplaza.com/

[Shores]

Hey Mike and Jay, are you bringing more Oregon riders with you? Have they been added to the master roster?

[Jaybo]

As far as I know the ones already on the list are the ones coming.

[Ananthc]

Just got a room @ Porters Plaza ; still 4 rooms left and they also have an apartment available with 2 bedroom/loft and full kitchen that can sleep 5.

[Post Falls Tom]

I live in Post Falls, Idaho. Probably gonna try to make it up for a ride with y'all.

[Jaybo]

I hope to meet you Tom, it will be a great time, guaranteed! Figure out to do both days if you can and hang out with us, awesome group of people!

[Shores]

Darryl, please add Garrett P. from Washington

[Jaybo]

Just bumping this up to the top, it's getting closer! Only 2 more months and we will be there! Ask anyone who has attended if the regret going, I dare you! No, it's not Sturgis, it's a bunch of guys, many on Roadstars, but not all who are there because we actually have a couple days of real riding in the PNW. You will love the ride, the camaraderie and love of the sport. We really want to meet you if you haven't been there before, and if you have we want to see you again!

[MidnightRide]

And never mind those three guys who ended up in the river last year. Sh*t happens!

[MidnightRide]

Time for the 'it's getting close' reminder.

Less than a month out now! I'm up in the area now and it's a gorgeous 80* day today. River is in flood stage, highest I've ever seen it.

Anyone checked rooms in the other area motels yet? They book really fast now that summer's hit...



UPDATE for Saturday, June 18th: Only three rooms left at the Plaza for the three-night duration, including the apartment.

http://portersplaza.com/

[Shores]

Bump!

[MidnightRide]

OK All,

Less than two weeks out! Trying to dial things in.

I'm up in the Ione area for the 4th weekend and was planning on bringing my bike to pre-run the routes for a little more input and intel, but it's RAINING this weekend so I left the bike home. I may even just drive the routes. There are a few places that I want to get more familiar with, plus I'm going to change-up the first gas stop on day one, adding 3 miles to our first stop (70 miles in) to our go-to station when we're up there. Adds 3 miles to the Day 1 route so I'll post that updated route after I make the prerun just to be sure there are no road closures or similar. I also want to nail down our lunch stops and the like; need to figure out where the restaurants actually are and who's open.

The good news is that it's been a very rainy year until now. Good because that really lessens the chance that we'll be dealing with fire closures along our routes, in addition to smoke conditions. Both are common and can get pretty serious. No fun running these gorgeous routes if we can't actually see anything. Let's just hope the rain shuts off for summer, sometime soon. It's been hit-and-miss so far. We had a couple of fires last week during warmer weather and high winds, in the sage brush areas south of here, so it's still possible. As a former firefighter I'll tell you that some of the fuels dry up quickly with hot weather, even after a heavy rain.

I have a few general questions for planning purposes.

What time do we normally take off? The reason I ask is because the only 'real' lunch stop would be in Republic on Day 1, and that'll be four hours in, considering the first gas stop and the ferry ride which can be unpredictable, depending on where the ferry is when we pull up. It's 2.5 hours after the first gas stop.

FYI the tentative first gas stop will be 70 miles in which is about an hour and a half of riding. We have to stop there because a lot of guys don't have the range to reach Republic comfortably after leaving Ione on a full tank. It's around 180 miles home from that first gas stop. Republic's another 90 miles past the first gas stop, 160 miles from home base.

So if we left at 8 AM we'd hit Republic around noon, but if it's 10 AM it'll be 2 PM before we hit the restaurants. I'm good either way, but some guys don't want a 2 PM lunch. Depends on breakfast I guess. The gas station is in a tiny town called Addy, and it has enough pumps to handle nearly every bike at once. Plenty of snacks and stuff inside, but only a single restroom for everyone. I'll check out another station after we cross that mountain range, around 60 miles into the ride, but maybe you guys would prefer that we stop 33 miles down the road where there's a nice Indian casino with plenty of pumps, a nice deli and convenience store, and plenty of restrooms? That would leave roughly 130 miles to Republic, with a breather while waiting for and crossing the ferry.

Other than the single restroom, I think Addy (70 miles) would be a better choice, but I'd like your input. Doesn't matter to me either way, it's all good.

Also, temps can be pretty chilly until the sun peeks out, temps dropping as much as 40* overnight. If it's 100* on Thursday, it may be 60* at dawn, and 70-75* at most. If it's 85* on Thursday, it'll be 45-60* in the morning. Not always that drastic, but not uncommon. Yesterday it was a wet 72* here, with a low of 54* overnight. I would expect it to be in the 60's on our ride days until the sun shows up, at which point it can hit 77* within the hour. On Day 1 we'll be crossing a mountain range, past a ski area, within an hour of leaving home base, so we wouldn't be shedding heavy gear until the first gas stop.

I say this because, depending on weather, we may want to plan our kickoff point accordingly. We'll have daylight until long after 9 PM those days, so no worries about delays en route.

I'll continue this later, have to head out for a 4th of July dinner at the moment!