To Hecht and Back, Again

Heading back to Wyo next week. We rode over there for Fourth of July. Kris fell off a horse and dinged her lower back and had to fly home. I rode back alone and now we've decided the best course of action for us is to ride back over on mine, pick up her's and ride back together. So, I get to do the trip twice this summer.

Sunrise in Baker City.

















Here's a shot of Kris taking a shot of bear and cub ambling past a geyser near the Geyser Loop in Yellowstone.
Kris's aunt and uncle's place is called Hecht Creek Ranch, hence the title. The first trip was To Hecht with My Wife and Back Alone.

We had fun in Centennial, arriving just in time for the annual mayhemic Fourth of July Battle. The sheriff leaves town and the the people all go crazy. Fireworks are illegal in Albany County, but they cut loose on this night, shooting off the larger ones in a raggedly organized show, while the locals shoot off everything they have in every possible direction.

I saw a roman candle ball bounce off two gas pumps in the town's only service station. God forbid you drive your car through town on Highway 130 at this time of day. Bottle rockets and anything else that flies and explodes was put to no good use for about two hours.

I hoofed it back pretty quick on my own, covering nearly 1600 miles in three days. I did just shy of 500 the first day; 509 on day two; and 576 to finish up. Each day had some beautiful riding, as I cut down into Colorado and across to Utah the first day. Then did Hwy 50, The Loneliest Road in America, on day two; followed by a ride up into South Central Oregon, past Denio, Nevada.