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cont....
As we rolled in to the second part of day #6 the roads back down from the volcano were just as good as the ones leading up to it. We stopped for lunch in Carson at a restaurant converted from someones garage at their residential home. I wish the restaurant name hadn't escaped me because the older couple running the place have great stories and the food was worth the stop alone. As we cruised on from there we ran along the Washington side of the river on Hwy #14 and for the first time on the entire trip we felt the heat. On the way from Calgary to California the heated vests were on most of the way and up until this point it felt much more like an autumn ride than the end of June. It's always hot and VERY windy when I've travelled along the Columbia between Portland and the Tri-cities and this trip was no exception. This stretch of river valley also seems to have a look and feel of it's very own. The endless line up of wind and kite surfers add to the distractions as we ripped down the road at a hell of a pace.

Looking west down the Columbia

And east....

Cal takes a break by the river

As we arrived at Tri-cities for the evening we reached a crossroads in our trip. Up until this point we have made every attempt to avoid the Interstates at all costs but if we ripped up I-90 to Spokane that evening, we could be within a days ride of home (and it was time to get back to see the kids!). The decision was made and we made it happen, lengthening out what was already a very long day. This was essentially the end of our (somewhat) annual tour, and for the first time I honestly felt as though I had experienced "enough" biking, and amazing scenery. The old, nearly "classic status" VFR performed better than I could have hoped for this journey, carrying me in comfort all of the way. Hopefully Cal and I can pull together the schedules for something as great as this ride next year. I KNOW that there have to be more incredible roads to seek-out down in eastern Oregon!

Cheers,
High_Side

Our First Time Touring with the TMW Management....

So we finally managed to pull together a three day B.C. tour with Mike and Andrea in July this year and it was a great time. Mike just brought home a shiny new Wee Strom so there were no more concerns about the old Seca faulty electrics We managed to hit a few of my favorite roads along the way and had awesome weather (sometimes a little too awesome - 36 deg ). Unfortunately, (actually fortunately in the end), Andrea planned on showing up on a shiney new-to-her FZ-6 on the morning of our departure but it was not to be. The FZ had a big-time knock in the engine so Andrea ended up getting chance to give the old Hawk a great three day farewell....
She says hard luggage is for old guys.....

We ended up getting a bit of a late start but had to be in Nakusp for our reservation at the Huckleberry Inn (neat place) so we had to push through. Traffic was a pain in the a$$ but once we turned off the TransCanada and headed south of Revelstoke, things were looking up.
Mike needs to get a louder jacket. In this picture you may notice that cagers would barely see him as his jacket blends in perfectly with the tunnel in the background

I think there may have been a bit of heat exhaustion happening by the time we arrived at the Galena Bay ferry and they no longer allow bikes to board first, so we got to enjoy the heat for a little longer. By the time we arrived in Nakusp nobody had any interest in hitting the famous Nakusp Hot-Spings up the hill from the Huckleberry so after a ride in to town for supper and a walkaround it was back to the Hotel for some drinks...

To be cont....

The next day we got a bit of a late start made later by the breakfast we stopped for in town (over an hour to get food!). As all roads out into Nakusp are awesome the same goes for the ride out. Highway #6 towards New Denver is a great road especially when you get to Slocan Lake and in the past 10 years it has gotten really popular with bikers ('specially those from Alberta) and we are seeing more and more bikes. We speed ahead of Mike and Andrea in hopes of getting a good pic of them by the lake. I climb up on a rock (slicing my finger open on the way) and wait, and wait.....and wait.... It seems they found a great place for pics themselves up the road. By the time they come along I'm on my way down and miss the damned shot as well
Where the heck are they anyway????

A pic of Slocan lake after riding along the cliff...

It's in the mid thirties by this time and it's damned tempting to join these guys down below....

It's so hot by the time we get to Nelson that we are forced to take a break by the lake. The B.C. forest fires are just getting under way and we hang-out and watch the helicopter water bomber-helicopters loading up right beside the town. Not too long after we pass through, the area was apparently filled with smoke and even some of the roads were temporarily closed down. Hopefully not too much of the scenery is destroyed. If you ever get near Nelson B.C. it's worth a stop as it's a great little town.
Highway 3A towards the Balfour Ferry is a great road with too much traffic and a lot of driveways. It goes by pretty quick and soon we are left waiting in line for the next ferry in the smokin' heat
Mike doubled up on his AXE this morning -Chika-wow-wow

Once on the boat we manage to find a shady spot where I catch Mike in a routine tail-pipe inspection of the beloved V-Strom....

That night we stop in Cranbrook where we get a hotel with an outdoor pool at the girls insistance. This couldn't have worked out any better at the end of a hot day.
The ride home on the last day was pretty uneventful. The traffic was pretty heavy up the Invermere valley and other than a short stop at Radium we pretty much pushed the whole way home. We were all tired, heat-stroked and ready for home by the time we left the mountains but feeling pretty great after a good ride with friends.

Cheers,
High_Side

2007 has been a great year so far for riding but it was mid-August and Jen and I had yet to get away on our own. We managed to score Grandma for some babysitting so we could take a ride across Glacier Pass a.k.a. The Going To The Sun Road.

Jen on Highway #3 near Cowley Ridge (The largest wind farm in Alberta). I had hoped to get some great pictures down here but after the first shot the batteries were dead!


Because Glacier Park is so close to home I end up getting down this way at least every second year. It's always great to realize that all of this great scenery can be seen before lunch! After blasting down highway #22 south of Calgary, and a short ride down highway # 3 (where the above picture had been taken), we head south from Pincher Creek where the road winds itself up in to some nice high-speed sweepers. It was here that I found my first taste of twisty roads on a CX650E on my way to the U.S. for my first extended tour with my father just weeks after my 16th birthday. For this reason alone, this road will always be THE ONE!

Because we had quite a bit of time to go the distance that we needed to cover, we decided to stop in Waterton for lunch and some exploring. This has to be one of the prettiest places in Alberta as well as one of the best places to get eaten by a grizzly. As we stopped for lunch it became apparent that the young waiter was REALLY in to bikes. As we sat on the patio he brought both another waiter and at a different time a waiteress out to check out Jens bike.... After listening to him go on and on about it he noticed us watching him and said "er, and thats a Honda VFR....a classic"....in hopes of making me feel better I suppose. An 11 y.o. silver Honda is practically invisible beside Jens flashy duck.

This picture does not do this place justice...

As we were blasting up to Red Rock Canyon I caught a glimpse of an adolesent black bear 100 meters from the road. As I stopped to point it out to Jen and take a picture she asked me if I hadn't see the one in the ditch RIGHT BACK THERE!.. Time to GO....
As we left Waterton the road runs tight to the mountains right across the border until you get close to St. Mary. As we stopped to take a break a mob of wasps over took the Viffer. I had no choice but to jump back on and try to ride out of the cloud!
At least wasps find the Honda more tasty than the Ducati....

To be cont....

At St.Marys we turned west and enter Glacier National park. It's always the luck of the draw in the summer months as to whether or not you hit a wall of traffic moving at 10km/hr heading over the pass or whether it is realtively straight sailing. This time, we get lucky and things didn't really slow up until we approached the summit and ran in to construction. The change in scenery is immediate and breathtaking as you enter the park and follow along St. Mary lake heading straight in to the mountains.
I stop to grab a couple of pics before Jen gets bored and takes off. This actually works out pretty well as various times during our trips I get a chance to take pics and then get the fun of catching up to her The more years that pass with us riding together makes it that much easier to know what the other one is doing and not have to worry about it. This is the great thing about having a wife that rides her own bike. As long as Grammy can watch the kids, I always have a riding partner whose riding style has evolved similar to my own. Great fun!
Jen and the Monster are just a speck in the distance...


The theme for this trip seems to be the ability for me to get either an empty beer can or an oil spill in every pic (and, no the spill isn't the Ducati ). This forces me to learn how to re-touch photos, something that I've never done (The VFR pic in the above post is the first one I ever attempted). It's fun, but it takes a hell of a lot of time and it's difficult not to make it all look fake. The pic below had an oil slick from someone else who had parked here earlier. It ruined the pic until I edited it out....

Shortly after St. Marys Lake on the Going To The Sun Road the opportunities to crank it up disappear as any traffic is nearly impossible to pass....legally . This is fine as the road is often considered to be one of the best scenic drives in North America for good reason. Considering that most all of what remains today was blasted in to the side of a cliff thousands of feet above the canyon floor in the 1920s makes it all the more amazing. Numerous waterfalls flow down the cliffs above you only to be routed beneath the road to continue the journey beneath you.
An over the shoulder shot of Jen while waiting for the construction pilot truck....

Along the side of this road the rock and mortar gaurd rails from the original construction in the twenties have been maintained. Built at a similar time to the Beartooth Pass in Wyoming the only reason for putting a road through here was job creation. This type of road would never be built today. This is why everyone should get to see it at least once! A word of caution however: Near the summit even a mildly overcast day can and will turn in to a blizzard in the middle of July. About a dozen years ago a buddy and I experienced this first hand and it was scary. Another word of caution: If you plan to out-wait the blizzard at the visitor center at the summit, they close at 11p.m. and you must GET OUT! Another lesson previously learned the hard way......

If you ever plan on taking this road remember to throw in a set of running shoes or even hiking boots if they will fit. From the summit, there are unbelievable hiking trails far above the road along the cliffs that I should make the time to explore....one of these times. Also plan on stopping at every turnout you can fit your bike in to and take in the scenery. Even though traffic moves at a snails pace you can easily miss waterfalls and cool viewpoints by slowly riding by.
As we move westward the altitude diminishes and the road begins to travel along McDonald Lake (though mostly at a distance). The traffic that did not seem to bother us when taking in the scenery now becomes a pain as it is wall to wall cars. After so much slow moving the body is starting to ache a little and we are looking forward to calling it a day. We have usually stayed in Kalispel during these trips so we can hit Mooses Saloon (supposedly made famous when Evel Knievel planned to jump the Snake River canyon while drinking there). Not much ever changes here though and I really think that next time we will plan on staying in the resort town of Whitefish, just up the road. On this night however, the hot-tub feels good and we plan the day tomorrow to return home around the south end of Glacier Park.

To be cont....

It's a shame how most people visiting Glacier park never bother to take the south road around the end of the park. The only time I've ever ended up down here is when it was raining and I was trying to avoid the snow that can happen at the top of the pass. This time though it's sunny although quite cool out and I can't believe how different it is from the last time I was here. There are many fire camps in the area set to battle the worst fire fire season in years (according to the people we met at our motel). Luckily the smoke has mostly cleared out for our trip and the fire-camps are the only reminder that this place might look very different next time we pass through. The riding is great this morning but the high potential for deer and Jens ability to keep warm (even while mooching my heated vest!) is keeping the speeds in check. Traffic is very light and the road twists through medium sized curves that are relaxing and fun on the viffer. The first sign with "miles to East Glacier" sets me back as I am expecting this to take 2-3 hours and in reality we should be there in about 1 hour. This is the reason why I now try to document my trips so I can look back and remember what I've done and what to check out next time I am through.
Take lots of pictures too...

The road opens up on the east side of he park into the rolling prarie. It's short lived however as you immediately turn north back in to the beauty of the mountains.

There is a lot of red-rock in the park and with the smoke haze in the area much of what you see looks painted. I finally convince Jen to stop at Lower Two Medicine Lake to grab a couple of pictures. The stretch of road along here is incredible with tight turns and great scenery but the odd bit of broken road and gravel temper the fun....and keep the speeds down.


After leaving Lower Two Medicine Lake Jen takes the lead and the sky starts looking ugly. I keep wondering when she is going stop for rain gear but finally I can't take it so I pass her and pull over. She was cold and trying to make it to St.Mary but as it turns out we started getting wet as we were putting on our gear.

Plain and simple, the rest of the trip was not fun. Riding when it's cold is ok, and riding when it is raining is fine, but riding through a few hours of driving rain in the cold sucks. This is what we get for the rest of our trip back to Calgary, but at least we had great weather when it counted.

Total Motorcycle also includes a an ATV section so what the hell Most of us who live for adventure on two wheels, can surprisingly appreciate exploring the back country on an ATV. If you can't, then you likely haven't tried it and you should. Below are a couple of quad rides that I have been on in the past couple of months that I thought I would share.

As Calgary is quite close to the foothills of the Rockies there are lots of great quad trails close to home. The kids both have thier own dirtbikes and we are pretty much a camping/ dirtbiking and quading family. We've been doing this for a few years now, and we are just getting to the point where both boys can go for decent sized rides on thier own bikes. As a kid, most of my time was spent riding dirt-bikes on the farm and I would still be riding them if the body could take it. A few really bad wrecks set me up with permanent back troubles that followed me from my teens to my early thirties. I seem to be able to handle my back problems these days but dirt-biking can't be part of the picture.....not the way I like to ride them anyway. I started off thinking that a sport quad would be the way to go. Way back when I rode ATVs as a kid they had 3 wheels, and I was pretty confident that I could go most places the "old guys" could go with the 4X4s by riding harder. After buying and riding one, this too worked the back over however and now I am one of them (old guys riding 4x4s). The sport quad is still in the picture but I usually just ride it on the family rides when the Kodiak is taken...or my back is feeling up to it.

Speaking of the Kodiak, this machine is really all I would ever need in the back-woods. We bought it used, a couple of years old and it works awesome. On trails where I used to have to rail on the gas and pick my way to the top on my dirt bikes, this thing will effortlessly carry me up at low speed without the drama,(although admittedly, with less drama is a little less fun). There are lots of 700s on the trails, running on taller tires and their only real apparent advantages are in the deepest mudholes and opening it up on the fire roads. The Kodiak though is lighter to get out of the mudholes, easier to manouver and 2/3 the price (if they were both bought new). Like I said, good enough for what I am using it for, and it helps get me to places like this:

The above pics were taken at a riding area called Burnt Timber, about an hour North-West of Calgary. As all of our normal camping spots were taken (being the September long weekend) we ended up a little farther down the road than usual. After setting up camp we discovered the above trail head begining in a hidden spot behind our campsite. It was starting to become overgrown as it looked like nobody had been down the trail this year (the tracks in front of the quad are my own). As I went over the second range of foothills the trail grew tighter and tighter until it turned to this:

I pushed through for a ways but going any farther would require hedge trimmers. After getting deep enough in to it I decided to turn back after things started to look the same behind me as in front.
The view behind me as I slowly get eaten by the forest:

Last Friday, Cal and I got together for a little late season bush-wackin' as we headed out to Goey's corner for a ride. You gotta love perfect weather in the middle of October. The little bridges give away the fact that this is "civilized" quading. No stream silting for me, no sir. Luckily there were some great mudholes that came over the fenders, as well as some opportunities to break out the winch!

Cal had been there before a few years ago, so I had a tour guide but we still managed to get a little bit lost. Everytime we started thinking about turning back, another great trail appeared.

By the time we got back the Kodiak was running on fumes. Running most of the day in low range seems to suck back the fuel. Here was one of the few places where we could kick it up in to high and get some speed on.

The best pic opportunites were when the winch was out. Usually we were having too much fun at the time to grab the camera...and I didn't want to drop it while up to my knees in muskeg....

The cool thing about quading is that the season lasts a hellova lot longer than it does for street biking. You CAN ride them all year long which makes them a great toy to own around here. If I had to have only one toy however, it still would be the street-bike....
Cheers,
High_Side

And now back to bikes!

I don't have anything recent, but I have been having fun with PhotoGoo. The next couple of pictures are ones from the first page. I've had this program for several years andnever really bothered trying to learn it until lately. Great Fun!

And another....