Monday 21 July 2014

Grey Creek Pass

I live just east of Grey Creek Pass. It is a great trip in the summer for a Motorcycle, a vehicle that has high clearance and even bicycles. The road is pretty steep on both sides and there are certain parts that are around a 14% grade. There are also many very sharp switchbacks, and although towing trailers over it is not recommended I have seen several make the trip. Just be very cautious with your braking going downhill as it will not take long to get brake fade if you use them too much. The pass caps out at about 6,800 ft and there is a nice picnic table and lake at the top.

This is a screen shot of my iPhone at the top of the pass. Note the "No Service".


I went up over the pass today with a couple of my Motorcycle buddy's. As far as the road conditions I would rate it as decent. I spent as much time sitting on my motorcycle as I did standing. The road does get rough in a few spots and my Harley Davidson Buell was in first gear while I was standing on the foot pegs for better control. One thing nice about the Buell is that it fits me well. When standing I have a bit of a forward lean and my thighs can grab the tank, which gives me a nice way to control the bike. 

I stopped part way up to check the bike out to make sure everything was still attached. I wanted to make sure that the Custom mounts I made for the side cases where ok. It is a good thing I checked as one of the nuts had come off. I stopped several times over the rest of the day to make sure they where good. 


I was even able to ride one handed while standing as long as the road was decent. There where many very sharp rocks which could have played havoc with the tires, so a very cautious eye was needed. This requires you to ride "every inch" of the road and will take both mental and physical ability.


This is Jim and Don and our motorcycles at the very top. Notice the14% grade warning.


We saw about have a dozen KTM's coming up the west side, and there where also two trucks up there, one hauling a Recreation Vehicle and the other a boat. Both pulled over and allowed us to pass. That showed good courtesy from both the Ford and Chevrolet truck drivers.

Once we got into Grey Creek, we headed up to the Kootenay Bay Ferry and crossed over to Balfour for lunch. We stopped for a burger at the first place on the right hand side, right off the ferry. The foot was good, the service terible. Make sure they have the order written down correctly. We took a short ride up the lake to Toad Rock campground to visit Mary.

Then Back on the road to the Ferry, crossed over and road down the Kootenay Lake road to Creston. The it was on home. 


A motorcylists dream ride is The Kootenay Lake Road. One end is in Creston and the other is at Kootenay Bay Landing, which is just a bit north of Crawford Bay. There is much to do for everyone on the Lake road. Creston has many orchards and there are lots of Artisans in Crawford Bay. Plus resturants, beaches and places to laze the day away.

Tuesday 8 July 2014

Photography and Computer gear

In the previous post I said that I was going to use the Buell Top Box for my camera and laptop. The aluminum box I got did not fit the way I wanted it to because of the rack on the back of the motorcycle and I will have to modify it to make it work the way I wish. The stock top box is a bit smaller but it will still work.

My camera/laptop gear consists of the following:

  • Sony NEX 6 camera.....I chose this over the NEX 7 as the 6 will transfer to my iPhone via a Wi-fi connection, so in case I do not have my laptop available for Blog updates, I can use the app in my phone to do it. I wont have the same ability with my Apple phone as I will with my MacBook Air but it will work in a pinch. The NEX 6 also has the capability to save RAW and Jpeg at the same time with the same shot. This gives me much greater capability for when I use PhotoShop in my Mac laptop. I have used Sony for several years and like the cameras. For the techno types, the NEX 6 has a 16 Mega Pixel Sensor, a 3 inch screen and a Viewfinder. The screen tilts up which is a great feature for shooting with a tripod. 
  • Sony 18-200 zoom lens.....This lens will be the main one I use for all of my shots. It is not teribly fast, but it will do.  
  • Sony 2.8 16 MM lens....This is my faster Wide Angle lens. I will be using this mostly for scenic shots. 
  • Manfrotto Tripod....A tripod is a necessary tool for serious scenic photography. When combining the tripod and the tilting lens on the camera it will make a great tool for landscapes that you need to wait for the correct light. The Tripod will be tied down to the top of one of my Aluminum panniers. 
  • The computer is a MacBook Air. It is a very powerful,  light and small laptop. I have Adobe Photoshop CS6 installed in it. I have been using Macs and Photoshop since the mid 90's and like them both. At home I use a large monitor, but for obvious reasons will be using the Macintosh screen when on the road. I will alsol be carrying a portable Hard Drive for all of my images. When you start to save in RAW and JPEG at the same time, the bigger the drive the better. I will be using a Mac hard drive that is self powered by the Laptop that will need no wall power.

I have a 12 to 120 volt inverter so that I can charge all of the above from the Motorcycle if I am not near a wall outlet for a while. It plugs right into the Buell which has two 12 volt outlets for accessories. Also, very importanly, I have a waterproof cover for the Top Box. "Clamshell" type contairs are netorious for leaking, and water anywhere near this gear will soon render it usless.

In the following pictures you will see how the gear is placed in the top luggage box. First I installed a piece of foam that covers the bottom of the box. I then cut a piece of foam that surrounds the laptop. I also use a laptop cover that the Mac sits in. On top of that level sits the camera compartment.

All of this foam will help to keep the vibration away from the gear.

I have a camera bag that I will be using for hiking. You can see the camera and the lens on the right side. This will give me quick access to the cameras when needed. On the top of the box I am going to get some straps that will hold up my daypack. In the daypack will be a jacket for hiking plus other day hike items. I will also have my hiking boots with me, as well as pants, shirts and a sweater for day hikes, but these will be in the side box's to keep the weight down.



Thursday 3 July 2014

Getting the Buell ready to ride....

I have been doing some modifications to the Buell. I did a complete service, including all of the oils, spark plugs and I got a K&N air filter. I have used these before on other bikes and I find them to be very reliable and help the engine breath better. On the top of the tank (on a Buell, it is not a gas tank, as the gas is stored in the top part of the frame) I installed a Nelson Rigg tank bag. In it will be my gloves, maps and iPhone plus small items such as a jackknife and small flashlight.

I replaced the windshield that came with the bike for a tinted Zero Gravity product. It also has an adjustable mount so I can set it to where I want it.

I put a RotoPax mount onto the tail section of the Buell which is in the down position. On the bottom I have a 2 US gallon RotoPax gas tank. That will extend my riding distance by 50%. If I put two of those tanks on, it will give twice the range of the stock tank for a total of just over 8 gallons. With just one tank, I should have a range of about 300 miles, or about 500 kilometers. The top grey box is also a RotoPax unit. It is a container in which I will put my tools, such as flat tire repair kit (including an electric air pump), hand tools, duct tape, larger flashlight, and first aid kit.

I replaced the stock Buell side cases with aluminum ones. I got them from DirtBaggs out of Red Deer Alberta. They are an excellent box and made very well. I also got an aluminum top box, but I will have to modify the rear rack to make them work the way I want. That might be a project for this winter. The Buell Top Box is where I will keep all of my photography and computer gear. The side cases are non-removable so I got some 25 liter First Gear Dry Pac bags that fit in nicely. That way I will be able to remove them for security reasons at night. The Top Box comes off with just a key, so I can take it off the bike for security reasons also.

I also have a 70 liter First Gear Dry Pac that will hold all of my camping gear. It will sit on top of my RotoPax units. I will do a post later on my camping gear. I will also do a post on my riding gear.

In all of my years of riding, I have come to understand that the four cornerstones of succesful motorcycle touring can be divided up into the following;

1. The Motorcycle
2. The gear you attach to the Motorcycle and how you attach it
3. The clothes you wear when you ride
4. The camping gear you take

Add to that desire, fitness, patience and many more things that seem to become larger the further you get away from home.

I think that the beauty of Adventure touring, will be that I will never be very far away from home, as I will be sitting on it for a significant portion of my travels. I have always felt that motorcycles are a part of me. The older I get the better I understand that I am also a part of them.

It is a merging of a man, a machine, the road and the travels and the adventures they all undertake together.

All of the parts combined become a singular event.