We started on July 1 2008. We rode from home in Santa Clara CA to Medford OR the first day. It was hot and smoky all the way from as soon as we hit the California Central Valley to Oregon. Smoke was from the hundreds of California and Oregon wildfires. In the traffic jam at a toll station Jennifer was not yet used to her bike being so top-heavy and she dropped it. Before I could get off my bike to help her a kind motorist jumped out of his car and helped her right it.
We had to be ready for cold and/or rainy weather as we headed north. In order to reduce the amount of riding clothes we would carry in the limited space on our motorcycles, the only armored clothing we had needed to be waterproof and windproof. We were wearing it in extremely hot weather. The jackets have 5 different vents that can be opened to get airflow for hotter weather, but it is still hot to wear in desert like conditions. ATGATT (All The Gear All The Time) is much safer, but can be too hot whenever you stop moving on a ride. It is still better to Sweat than Bleed and drinking more water is cheaper than skin grafts!
Water evaporative cooling vests were used under our Kilimanjaro waterproof gear with all the vents open. The vest and the vents were very helpful. The vests are light cotton vests quilted with many compartments with the water absorbing crystals in the pockets that they use in disposable diapers. When the vests are dry they are very light, but soak them in water for 90 seconds and they weigh almost 10 pounds. They hold water and continue to cool for more than a day (or maybe even 2 days). They are amazing. They are also relatively cheap from Tuff Rhino. At a Taco Bell where we stopped for lunch in the central valley 2 different motorcycle people in cars asked about the vests because it is so hot there and they have limited summer riding chances with the heat.
We stayed at the Quality Inn Medford Oregon on Points.
