Brogan Hill Summit sunset, on the final stretch east to the Oregon border with 360-degree views of canyon country. Glad I looked in the rearview mirror. Photos by the author.
Coastal prairies, mountain forests, high deserts?Oregon has it all, the perfect venue for a three day, three-border road trip. My ride, a brand-new 2017 Indian Springfield I named ?Big Red,? weighs in at 862 pounds wet and outweighs me 7-to-1, so it had my attention and respect. I filled the hard bags and strapped a gear bag over the passenger seat, promising to break the bike in gently. Since I?m ?inseam challenged? at 5 feet 5 inches, the Springfield?s low seat height makes it easier to ride, and hoisting it off the sidestand is manageable.
?Big Red,? a 2017 Indian Springfield, at the dealership in Vancouver, Washington. Nervous and excited, I rode from Vancouver, Washington, south down Interstate 5, about 35 miles to Oregon?s Willamette Valley. Stop-and-go late afternoon traffic forced me to get accustomed to braking and balancing the bike. The triangular profile of the stock tires makes for better handling at higher speeds, but gives the bike a quicker tipping point at slower ones. Exit 278 dropped me onto a 10-mile wooded winding country road, a welcome relief. It leads to Oregon?s earliest settled area, the French Prairie, established in the early 1800s by French fur trappers. Its forests, fields and wetlands are still pristine, peaceful and protected with the help of several state parks. Champoe...