After the traffic jams in Salem, we were looking forward to some quiet two-lane asphalt. We started off on Highway 20 and it was a four-lane nightmare out of Salem. Eventually it transitioned into a rural area and descended down to two lanes. We rose into the eastern Cascades lush with maples and pines. We passed by the Big Cliff Dam and Lake and Detroit Lake.
We eventually made our way into Sisters which is cute little tourist town outside of Bend. We traveled through the volcanic area that is a result of the three volcanic mountain peaks that are the “Sisters” named Faith, Hope and Charity.
The congested area continued through Bend and we were thrilled to get away from the crowds by jumping off Highway 97 and onto Highway 31. 
As we dropped down out of the Cascades, we began to see signs of the high desert and we were weary. We decided to stop for a break at a roadside store that advertised they were always open. We got to the door and rang a bell. No one around. We used the portable toilet and eventually a woman came to open the store. Tom said the place was like something out of a Steven King novel and Cathy was thinking “Deliverance.” 
We got back on the road and entered farmlands and sagebrush. The air was Smokey from multiple wildfires in Oregon.
We had lunch in Silver Lake and had one of the best meals yet at a little “mom and pop” joint.
It was starting to get warm and we still had 45 miles to go to get to Lakeview. We hit the road and we both commented on how nice the highway was. One of the best yet – just a nice easy ride.
We checked in to our hotel in Lakeview; cooled down, rested and sought out a dinner location. We decided to walk down to Julia’s on 395. We had probably our best meal and service yet! We shared a nice bottle of Zinfandel and each ordered rib-eyes. Cathy was feeling guilty for not finishing and asked if any of the staff had a dog who would enjoy the rest of the steak… Boris the Rottweiler will eat well tonight!
Tomorrow is Tom’s birthday and the day we return to Roseville. We’re looking forward to seeing our kids, grandkids and our Dudley, although he is apparently very attached to our son-in-law now.
Cathy’s Barn-pic-of-the-day:
Monkeybutt Chronicles 
Happy Birthday
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It sounds as though Salem is in California, but being on a motorcycle your traffic misery must have been less than that of the motorists.
Beautiful scenery once you broke away through.
Your barn pictures are nice, but not as maintained as some that you have shown on previous tours.
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