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Hood River Vacation

 
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SeaDawg



Joined: 12 Sep 2002
Posts: 384

PostPosted: Mon Feb 12, 2007 3:37 pm    Post subject: Hood River Vacation Reply with quote

I will be spending my first two weeks in Hood River this summer. I will be driving from western ny. I just got into Dirt Biking with my son and want to know if its worth bringing the dirt bikes out to the Gorge.
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isobars



Joined: 12 Dec 1999
Posts: 20935

PostPosted: Mon Feb 12, 2007 10:53 pm    Post subject: RE: Hood River Vacation Reply with quote

From what I hear, dirt biking is very good here, even better in the more open, less forested deserts in the eastern parts of the state, the ID panhandle, etc. . Utah is aint, but I suspect the Gorge area riding is much like that of upstate NY (I lived in Rome, NY and rode there up to 7 days a week, clear through the winter some years.) Youll also find some riding (and WSing) on the way out, Id bet. If you keep one eye on the trees, one on the lakes depicted on the road map, and an ear on the weather radio . . . YOULL GET IN A REALLY BAD WRECK. You may also find some good spots to ride or sail. For example, you drive right along the whole southerm shore of Lake Erie, and pass just south of a GIANT lake in N&S Dakota. OTOH, Im guessing summertime winds are not that great along I-90.

And may I presume youve pinged the dirt bike forums? Called some dirt bike shops (Google Yellow Pages) btw your home and ours? Figured out where youll stow the bikes while here? (Trailers can really make parking a challenge here in the summer, to the point of keeping you out of one popular venue altogther and requiring you to arrive early at many sites.) I also hope you THOROUGHLY road test that trailer in rough conditions before coming out here; Ive built many trailers for bikes. sleds, and WSing, and most needed tweaks or even minor redesigns to perform smoothly for the long haul. In particular, high racks need really solid lateral bracing to hold up to side g-loads, and fenders take a lot of abuse. Even my aerospace-grade and -formed fenders gave me fits until I wrang out the kinks. Tip: shock absorbers really help a trailer hold the road.

BTW, I just today saw your months-old iW messages to me (iWs message notification is microscopic); Ill get an answer to you before long, but should add that Ive never ridden dirt bikes this side of Idaho, and that was many moons ago; I gave em up when my healing time began to interfere with windsurfing.

But no mattre how much you learn about the trip, here and on the way, you probably wont know whether it was worth bringing the bikes until midway into your time here. It all depends on what you find in the way of wind and dirt on the trip. My wife and I hauled our bikes to Nova Scotia, and used the dang things only one day . . . but it netted us a side trip well never forget right up to the front gate of the private estate that IS the northernmost tip of NS, where we spotted a pod of breaching whales we followed down the coast for miles. The Black Hills/Badlands area of SD also afforded some really unique riding as we passed through there, too; the Parks dont hold ALL the good stuff.

But would you ride bikes when the swell on the nearby Columbia is head-high? (Not to worry; we can guarantee you that will not happen for two straight weeks . . . dammit.)
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GarryW



Joined: 11 Mar 2001
Posts: 170

PostPosted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 1:36 am    Post subject: RE: Hood River Vacation Reply with quote

While I dont know much about riding out here, you may want to plan your trip around the motocross races at Washugal, WA.
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SeaDawg



Joined: 12 Sep 2002
Posts: 384

PostPosted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 8:00 am    Post subject: RE: Hood River Vacation Reply with quote

Hey, Isobars. Thanks for the reply. Wouldnt mind doing some real time e-mail or telephone conversation with you. Im booked into Hood River for July 14th--28th. SeaDawg
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wdsurf



Joined: 22 May 1999
Posts: 335

PostPosted: Wed Feb 14, 2007 8:43 pm    Post subject: RE: Hood River Vacation Reply with quote

which way are you going to the gorge?my wife and i have been going to the gorge yearly since 1990 for 3-5 weeks from erie,pa. can give you lakes we have sailed in over the years on the trip back and forth.maybe have sailed with you at hamburg beach,ny.?one of our favorite spots on lake erie.
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SeaDawg



Joined: 12 Sep 2002
Posts: 384

PostPosted: Thu Feb 15, 2007 7:54 am    Post subject: RE: Hood River Vacation Reply with quote

Ill bet weve met. Im from Hamburg, started sailing Hamburg beach late 70s. Favorite spot is Angola on the Lake(South Shore Inn). I havent picked a west bound route yet. I do want to check out Sleepy Bear Park in Michigan.Open to suggestions. SD
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wdsurf



Joined: 22 May 1999
Posts: 335

PostPosted: Thu Feb 15, 2007 7:29 pm    Post subject: RE: Hood River Vacation Reply with quote

after making the trip over a dozen times i-90 thru south dakota,wy. mont.,id.,wa.is a little longer but way less truck traffic than 80.
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pacspeed



Joined: 14 Sep 2000
Posts: 627

PostPosted: Fri Feb 16, 2007 10:46 pm    Post subject: RE: Hood River Vacation Reply with quote

Its a dusty SOB by that time of year. All the trails on the Oregon side will be closed for the fire season right around July 1st. The trails on the Washington side, clustered around Mt Adams will be open, but also will be pretty dusty.
Prime dirtbiking season in the Gorge is March- early June, then after the first rain until the first snow in the fall. That said, there are still riding opportunities. Is it worth hauling all the way from New York? Only you can say...
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gorgegeezer



Joined: 20 Mar 2001
Posts: 15

PostPosted: Sun Feb 18, 2007 11:53 am    Post subject: RE: Hood River Vacation Reply with quote

I would say yes, bring the bikes. Like the other person said, have a good trailer. Trailers take up an extra space at the sailing sites, leave it where you are staying. If the wind doesnt blow all the time, you could try the Forest in Eastern Oregon, near Pendleton. The good early season sailing can also be in the eastern Gorge, so you may be out that way anyway. The melting snow has the trails still blocked in the mountains and makes the water cold. Welcome to the Gorge.
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gorgegeezer



Joined: 20 Mar 2001
Posts: 15

PostPosted: Sun Feb 18, 2007 2:49 pm    Post subject: RE: Hood River Vacation Reply with quote

July and August are best. The wind is strong, water cool, weather. High mountain trails are open, a little dusty. In June, I will be helping other volunteers log out the trails and be sailing in swift, cold water. Check the Gifford Pinchot web site for trail descriptions. World class sailing, world class trails.
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