ScottRNelson
Adventure and Dual Sport
TL;DR - Can't currently find a route westward across Oregon.
According to the YouTube channel Severe Weather USA - which seems quite trustworthy - there are 30 fires in progress currently in Oregon compared to three in Idaho and small numbers in the other states around the west. The issue I have is that all of the Oregon smoke is blowing straight to Southwest Idaho and our air quality index is staying above 200 - Very Unhealthy. In other words, if you have to go outside, don't breathe. Definitely bad to ride a motorcycle in this highly polluted air. Not quite so bad in a sealed car set to recirculate the air, especially if you start out with a car that has been parked in a garage.
So, my wife and I decided that we should head toward the Pacific coast for a few days where the air is still fresh. Ideally, we would take I-84 to Portland, but driving in Washington state on Highway 14 after getting to the Columbia River at Umatilla, because it's more scenic on that side, being on a regular highway instead of the interstate. The current problem, however, is that I-84 is closed from soon after you leave Idaho, at least until Baker, because of fire danger. And there aren't a lot of good routes around that section either.
We could maybe go through Jordan Valley to Burns to Salem then to Lincoln City on the coast, or maybe a town somewhere south of there. But there are fires happening in some of those areas too. I don't want to head clear down to Reno and come in through California, but that is one possibility. Ideally, we would hang out between Lincoln City Oregon and Eureka California and spend a few days in the Redwoods as well as some of the Oregon beaches.
I'm not sure if I'm asking for advice, or just complaining about the situation, but I would be happy to hear any of your opinions on this subject. Not interested in flying anywhere, we want to drive.
According to the YouTube channel Severe Weather USA - which seems quite trustworthy - there are 30 fires in progress currently in Oregon compared to three in Idaho and small numbers in the other states around the west. The issue I have is that all of the Oregon smoke is blowing straight to Southwest Idaho and our air quality index is staying above 200 - Very Unhealthy. In other words, if you have to go outside, don't breathe. Definitely bad to ride a motorcycle in this highly polluted air. Not quite so bad in a sealed car set to recirculate the air, especially if you start out with a car that has been parked in a garage.
So, my wife and I decided that we should head toward the Pacific coast for a few days where the air is still fresh. Ideally, we would take I-84 to Portland, but driving in Washington state on Highway 14 after getting to the Columbia River at Umatilla, because it's more scenic on that side, being on a regular highway instead of the interstate. The current problem, however, is that I-84 is closed from soon after you leave Idaho, at least until Baker, because of fire danger. And there aren't a lot of good routes around that section either.
We could maybe go through Jordan Valley to Burns to Salem then to Lincoln City on the coast, or maybe a town somewhere south of there. But there are fires happening in some of those areas too. I don't want to head clear down to Reno and come in through California, but that is one possibility. Ideally, we would hang out between Lincoln City Oregon and Eureka California and spend a few days in the Redwoods as well as some of the Oregon beaches.
I'm not sure if I'm asking for advice, or just complaining about the situation, but I would be happy to hear any of your opinions on this subject. Not interested in flying anywhere, we want to drive.
– Ventusky 
