| Author | Message | ||
     Spudman  |
North Idaho is where I consider home. I grew up and graduated high school in Coeur d'Alene Idaho. But finished college in Bozeman, Montana. Then landed a job with Texas Instruments in Midland Texas, by the way Texas sucks. Got laid off after 5 years, military products division, then found a job back in the northwest in Portland Oregon. Portland is awesome, just too many cages and idiots. Was laid off from the EDA industry, slow down from 911/economy, and couldn't find a job for over a year and a half, tough times. So I took some motorcycling advice and started looking where I wanted to go, back to north Idaho. Found a job in Moscow Idaho designing chips for satellite communications, this is now my hometown. Moscow is located near the middle of the Idaho panhandle. It is surrounded by rolling wheat fields but transitions to mountains and thick forest to the north and east. It is a college town, University of Idaho, and has a population of about 15,000 during the summer and 25,000 when school is in session. There are some fantastic roads to ride in this area, roller coaster rolling hills, twisty mountain passes and lake loops that never grow old. The following pictures were taken last summer. Some of these were posted in the storm fronts, but are repeated here so I can show off my hometown. This picture was taken at Dworshak reservoir, about 70ish miles to the south east of Moscow. It was a hot summer day, so I pulled off to get a sip of water and enjoy the view. This picture proves that graffiti idiots are not limited to the big cities.  The Dworshak reservoir was formed when a large dam was put in place on the Clearwater river for hydroelectric generation. It just looked so out of place to see this massive man made object in the middle of the wilderness. This picture doesn't do justice to it's size.  On my way to Dworshak I past this field covered in canola. It was surrounded by green wheat fields providing for a dramatic contrast, although not really shown in this picture. I just liked the way the tractor lines created a sense of depth, so I stopped and snapped a quick picture just to share with you.  | ||
| Spudman |
This next group of pictures shows off one of my favorite roads. It's not very long but has a dramatic elevation drop and lots of turns. This is the spiral highway that leads to Lewiston Idaho, just 30 miles south of Moscow. The river bisecting the picture is the Clearwater downstream from Dworshak reservoir. The spiral highway is in the foreground below the river. There is a large paper/pulp mill on the left hand side just above the river that gives Lewiston it's unique aroma. The folks near Gresham Oregon can probably relate to this.  These picture are taken from the overlook at the top of the spiral highway. The river above my seat is the Clearwater that dumps into the Snake river, which is above my front tire. The city of Lewiston Idaho is to the left of the Snake river while Clarkston Washington is on the right. Notice all the room on this lookout, could fit a couple more Buells in there.  This picture was just for fun. I liked the way the Buell appears to be caged up waiting to pounce on the timid road below.  | ||
| Spudman |
Another of my favorite rides is the Coeur d'Alene lake loop, I use to do this all the time in my younger days. The south end of CDA lake is about 70 miles of twisty mountain roads to the north of Moscow. The loop road follows the east shore of CDA lake and provides some spectacular views. Although on the weekends it gets a lot of two wheeled traffic, the sound of a Goldwings dragging their floorboards is not uncommon. The picture below is not very good, but it gives you an idea of CDA lake's beauty. Guess I'll have to make another trip this spring just to give you better quality pictures.  That's about all the local ridding pictures I have to share for now, so here are a few of where I live. Most of Moscow is surrounded by wheat fields, but I live about 5 miles north of the city on Moscow Mountain. It is a unique spot with tall pine trees and an abundance of wildlife. This is a picture of the back side of our house taken last summer.  The road to my place is all paved except the last quarter mile which is an uphill packed gravel road, Loni would have to push her Sportster up, but it doesn't bother me. However when it snows it has a tendency to take a long time to melt due to the shadows of the pine trees. So it may be sunny, and the roads may be dry, but I can't always get to them during the winter. But at least we get four seasons unlike kalifornia.  | ||
| Spudman |
Here are just a few more pictures from the area for you to enjoy. My job is currently located in Pullman Washington but moving to Moscow next month, yippee. Pullman is another smallish college town about 10 miles to the east of Moscow. The road I take goes past the small airport and skirts the north side of Pullman. This last summer some farm art, I like to call it fart for short, appeared. Below is a picture I took when it first showed up.  I believe the figures are women due to the bumps on their chest, hey nothing gets past me. But there is another one of these figures not shown in this picture that is bent over picking up a bale that doesn't have bumps, wasn't real sure what flavor this was, until last week. I went by the fart and noticed some credit had been given to the artist. Notice the summer colors from the picture above have been replaced with winter colors below.  Then I saw that someone had taken it upon themselves to render gender upon the bent over FART object. There is no doubt anymore, that's a boy.  Now that I've started this thread I will take my camera and a little more time during my journeys this year so I can share them with you. There any many more wonderful places here to ride besides the few I've shown. Hope you have enjoyed my hometown so far. | ||
| Lornce  |
Great pics, Spud. LOVE the canola view. Thanks for sharing and "taking" us to Idaho! best, Lornce | ||
| Ebear  |
Spudman..!!!!Wonderful pics...Could I get a full resolution shot of the "Canola flowers in bloom"!!! that is calendar QUALITY!!! | ||
| Timbo  |
Thanks Spudman, GREAT pics and descriptions. | ||
| Dino  |
Ditto the comments above. Thanks for sharing Idaho with us. I'll be looking forward to more roads later! Super pic of the canola...love the fart. Dino | ||
| 12bolt  |
Great pics Spudman! I hope to be moving to Spokane next year so I will be able to partake in some of those great rides. | ||
| Henrik  |
Great shots and words. Thanks Henrik | ||
| Spudman |
Thanks for the all the kudos on the pictures. It makes me all giddy to know you've enjoyed them so much, kind of like a feather in my underwear, oh never mind. The canola field was even more stunning in person. It was out in the middle of nowhere in a section of rolling twisting turns. I came around a hard right turn and boom, there's all this magnificent color. It reminded me of the wizard of oz when the film changes from black and white to color, flying monkeys still scare me. The field was across the road from the farmers house and went on for acres. I took five pictures of the area but chose the one above to share because you can see the adolescent wheat in the foreground as a reference. Here is another one which shows an edge of the hard right turn and start of the field.  Didn't care too much for this picture because of the high voltage towers running across the peak in the background. Those lines carry power from Dworshak dam to the surrounding rural community. Hey Ebear, Sure I can send you a full res picture, 2048x1536, of all five canola shots if you want them. Use it for a calendar, wall paper, dart board, whatever. But where do I send them? Send an email to spudman@pobox.com and I'll use the return address for the pictures. Same holds true for anyone else wanting a full res shot of anything. However calendar quality would be this picture. It's one of my favorites because it shows off the crazy paint on the M2 and it's not the typical right side shot. Although having to compress it down to 40kish has muddied up the image. Thanks again for taking the time to look at my home town.  | ||
| Pdxs3t  |
spudman- great pics and glad to see all is well for you and the family in idaho! thanks for sharing. jc | ||
| Dino |
I really don't find the towers that distracting.  | ||
| Pdxs3t |
Sweet | ||
| Ebear |
Darn you Dino...you beat me to it!....Use the clone tool didya?....Spudman,is that a 3 color or 5 color Chameleon?...very nice! my email is eobarrows@beckman.com for work...T1 should download a lot faster than my dialup at home.thanx for sharing! | ||
| Spudman |
Ebear, I believe it's a 5 color, gold to magenta (it's magenta not pink damnit!). Ya it looks kind of crazy but it does turn heads. Oh, you should have some email now. Dino, I could have swore there were towers there, must be going nuts. So what did you use to do that with? Yo Jim, Things are getting better, thanks. Hope the employment thing turned out good for you too. Wish I could come over and help out on your scoot. Heal up quick so you can start clicking that shutter again, your pics are amazing. 12bolt, Drop me a line when you make it back to God's country. Although Spokane ain't one of my favorite places. It's really spread itself out over the last 10 years. Maybe a run around Pend Oreille is in order. | ||
| Dino |
I'm embarrassed to admit that while we have Photoshop and also Paintshop Pro...on another computer...I just used the retouching tool in "Microsoft Picture It! Express 2001" that came as a freebie with some photo paper, if I remember correctly. | ||
| Pdxs3t |
spudman not much has improved in the employment area for me but thats ok, something big is just waiting around the corner. working on the healing thing, pins come out on the 15th of march which is another step closer. was very tempted to cut notches in the cast today for the handle bars, it was 63 here today, a sunny. JC | ||
| Jerry_haughton |
Spudman: nice pix. you suck.  | ||
| Mutt2jeff |
Spudman, I am in Coeur d'Alene and will be attending U of I this fall, we will have to go for a ride. | ||
| Spudman |
Dang I been way too busy with all the wrong things. Had to make an alpha date (artificial date to make sure project is still on schedule, kind of like OCC) at work last Friday. Lots of time at the computer, but no time to post. But I did get a new rear tire put on Saturday morning only to spend the afternoon with family in CDA. Had some forest visitors Sunday morning, usually they only show at night. The picture is kind of dark because the sun was just coming up. The city of Moscow is at the top of the picture past the fields shown through the opening of the trees  Then the beautiful Sunday was spent doing yard work, argh. Things are starting to bud here, just a bit early. So today it's raining, but I still rode into work. And now to answer a few posts. Ferris, Saw your weekend pics, nice stuff! 500+ miles riding this weekend, oh your making me jealous. Hey Mutt2jeff, We must hookup for a ride! Sometime this spring/summer for a loop around the lake, or out towards Fernan. Or even better you could show me that Lower Hayden Lake road. All we need is some more good weather. | ||
| Jerry_haughton |
thanks Spudman, we got lucky with the weather, as i think we've had more rain of late than you guys. what's the altitude where you live (it looks VERY cool there!), and how 'bout a few pix around your place, just to give us a better idea of your new home? FB | ||
| Mutt2jeff |
I would defiantly be down for a ride! Let me know when you plan on being in town and we can work something out. You missed out on Sunday, 500+ bikers doing the Frozen Buns Run all over the Coeur d'Alene area. It was a blast! | ||
| Dino |
 | ||
| Spudman |
Ferris, I'm about 3,300 ft elevation, city of Moscow 2,600 ft, have to pop my ears when I come down in the mornings. More pictures from around the house, sounds like your giving me home work, ha ha. I'll see what I can do, although things are still a bit brownish, just starting to bet buds on some trees and the bulbs are starting to shoot out of the ground. But what the heck, you asked for it. Mutt2jeff, Hard to call Sunday a frozen buns run, it must have been 60+ degrees. Would have loved to been in that chaos, sounds like a good time. I'll give you fare warning the next time I make it to CDA. Hey Dino, Who told you to lighten up? I tried that too but didn't like how muddy everything got. I should have used my other digital with SLR type features. Could have controlled the exposure time better to capture the light. Oh well maybe next time. | ||
| Dino |
Hey Dino - Who told you to lighten up? Usually my wife. Our place near Yosemite is at about the same elev. It looks about the way you describe...still waiting for the color. Lot's of deer around this year, though they seem to be avoiding our yard. Just as well, our cockatoo is scared of them and screams his head off. Not a pleasant situation. | ||
| Jeremyh |
spudman i am going to have to take a stroll from Boi. to Moscow it looks like. | ||
| Spudman |
Yo Jeremyh, I've been thinking of doing the same, Moscow to Boise, probably this summer sometime. If you do make a run up this way let me know so I can free up some time and plan some excursions. | ||
| Spudman |
Hey it's been a while since I made any posts. Me with nothing to say, doubtful. My Portland home finally sold which created a domino effect of spending/installing that is just now starting to slow, still not a good excuse to ignore the bad web world. Maybe it was the idea that I had a home work assignment from Ferris with nothing really nice to show for it. But spring has sprung here in North Idaho. So to atone for my BWB neglect I finally did my home work. Here are a few pics of our current spring conditions around my house. There are a number of fruit trees surrounding my house and they are just starting to bloom. The first one to start was one of the plums. This pic was taken last week between rain breaks.  Then the rain stopped last Friday and the sun started shining causing the temps to slowly rise. Yesterday it was 70 something with blue skies and everything was looking springish. The rest of these pics were taken yesterday. The cherry tree (rainer) is in full bloom. This pic looks like crap due to the mega compression but you can still make out the blossoms.  The pear trees are just starting to open their blossoms. Not a great pic here, but you get the idea.  | ||
| Spudman |
The smaller apple trees have also started to bloom, but the bigger ones are just starting to bud out. This pic is from one of the smaller apple trees, notice the little fella who snuck into the picture.  The lilac is starting and is probably going to open any day now. The pic below shows it's current state.  The bulbs are also pushing out of the ground and showing their faces. Here are some spring delights from around the driveway.  But not all is doing well this spring. The wife planted some azaleas a few weeks ago and the deer gave them a visit last night. Here is what they left for us to enjoy.  |
