Monday 23 November 2015

New Bike

I just bought this a few weeks ago. She is an '09 Triumph Bonneville SE. I will be putting the stock handlebars and seat back on, plus a few other accessories. My GS will still be my Touring/BackRoad ride, and this will become my city/short run bike.


Thursday 22 October 2015

One last run

The weather looks good for the next week so I am heading South for one more run. Here's the planned route, but there are quite a few high mountain passes. 


But nothing happens until after morning coffee. Dave and Will, the morning crew at KRC. 


Friday 2 October 2015

Day Seven, Mt Vernon to Home, Cranbrook BC

I was up well before dawn and packed up the bike. I had a long day in front of me if I was to get home tonight. It would take all the daylight hours, and maybe one or two in the dark.

 There was a gas station open and I was able to fuel up the bike. They also had biscuits and gravy fresh. So I had a few of those and a cup of coffee to get me going. It was a good think I waited for daylight as the animals where out.


Highway 395 from Mt Vernon to Ukiah is great. Lots of twistys, several mountain passes, and it was like they closed the road for just me. 


I was heading towards Enterprise, so made an East on 244. Just a few miles down the road is Ukiah. I found a place for second breakfast and ran into a fellow Adventure Tour Traveler, who also lived in BC. We sat down and discussed our plans. His was straight south towards Nevada, and mine was North East towards Canada. We swapped info and said we would hook up in the futrure.




This is just north of Le Grande and on the way to Enterprise. 


No stop in Enterprise as I wanted to make some miles, and I knew the road ahead was a slow go. And was it ever. Hwy 3 from Enterprise to Lewiston Washington is a true Bucket List road, even for someone driving a car. The second picture shows why, but this picture does not do it justice. Just be very careful going up and down. There are lots of rocks on the road. On the way out of the valley I saw a biker down. The ambulances and police where already there so I did not stop. She was talking as I went by, so I hope she is ok. 



Once out of the valley, you are back in big farming country. 


 On the look out just above Lewiston to the North. If you look closely, you can see old Highway 95. If I did still not have several hours of riding left to get me home, I would have turned around and gone back down and back up.


From Lewiston I pretty much stayed on the bike. I stopped for fuel for the bike and myself in Coure d Laine, but made it quick. I crossed the border and within a few minutes it got dark, and the last half hour home was slow. Once again the animals came out and I saw several.

It was a longer day than the day before. 14 hours from the motel in Crescent City to my carport. But it was glorious weather and a great ride.

The next day, I was able to add some "BeenThere" decals to the bike. I will update the blog with some of he camera shots I took once I get into them. All of the above images where out of my iPhone.

Hmmmm. I got a Nevada decal that would look good beside that California one, the long weekend is coming, and I could get to Jackpot easily in two days.....I wonder how the weather will be?


Day Six, Crescent City to Mt Vernon, Oregon

I was undecided where I was going to go on this day. Either south towards San Fansisco, or North East towards home. Something came up at work that needed my attention, so Home it was.

A nice little restaurant north of Crescent City on the way to Grants Pass


Once you get through Grants Pass, and on the way to Crater Lake.


I have been to Crater Lake several times, but always toured Clock Wise. This time I decided to go the other way. 





Once out of Crater Lake, and when you get onto Hwy 97, it gets to be a very boring road. Lots of traffic and a straight line. Not even much to take a picture of.

I turned east just north of Bend at Redmond and onto highway 370, then onto 26. And once again back onto a nice road. Big high speed twistys, and slow ones too. You also climb over a few passes to keep it interesting.

It was getting late and I was feeling the day. So once again, I found a riding buddy.



 The light was starting to go, and I was concerned about animals once it got dark. So I started looking for a motel, and found one in Mt Vernon. When I got in it was dark, and I had seen about 5 deer on the road. It had been quite the day for riding. It had been 12 hours since I set out from Crescent City. I chatted with a fellow for a bit, also a fellow motorcyclist. Then hit the sack as I knew that to get home the next day I had to be up, packed and ready to go at first light.


Day Five, The Redwood Forest

I set out early to see if I could get some good images, but the fog was think in most places. This is just as you leave Crescent City.


You can stay on 101, or you can find some of the old highway. This leads to some of that road, and the speed sign is just a harbinger of what is to come


An old bridge washed out back in the mid 1960's by a log jam. 


The trees making a natural canopy.


Some of the big Redwoods. If you look closley, you can see my bike at the base of the first big tree.



This is the original 1890's wagon trail that went up the coast. 



I went looking for the Tall Trees. The tallest in the area, and I believe on Earth, are down this road. You need to get the gate code to open it up, and then the trail head is about 6.5 miles down. I went down the last time I was in the area, but road construction kept me from reaching the bottom. It got very muddy and as I was by myself, I turned back, as I did not want to drop the big BMW and not be able to get it back up because I could not get good traction with my boots. 


I kept on going up the road until I got to this Fire Station. It is there for Forest Fires, not house fires, as there are no people who live up there. It is still in the National Forest. I spoke to the fire fighters for a few moments and they gave me the low down on where the road kept on going to. It went way inland and it took three or so roads to get back to the highway to the south. I will keep that trip for another time.


Heading back down towards Crescent city.



I stopped in the Lady Bird Johnson Grove to go for a walk amongst the giants. 


Then headed back up the coast towards Crescent City.


And once again went for the sunset shots after supper. 


Day Four, Florence to Crescent City, California

First things first, Breakfast. I usually ride for an hour or so before I stop. Again, great food and a wonderful staff and setting.


This is the kind of little shop you can find on the Oregon Coast. A small fishing equipment store, the kind of place that someone who retires opens up to keep themselves busy, when not fishing. I asked the fellow who owned it, and that was exactly his story.



Just down the road I drove past the places where they rent sand rails and quads. I have always said I would stop in one day and rent one, so I did. Even though it was underpowered, it was a blast once I found out the machines limitations. I rented it for two hours and went out into the sandbox and played like a kid. 



After playing in the sand, I headed south to the California. I stopped in Coos bay for a coffee and a sandwich, and then powered on. These are pictures of the California coast just across the border from Oregon.




I found another nice little Motel in Crescent city, booked two nights, and then went and looked for the best spot for a sunset.



Thursday 1 October 2015

Day Three, Cannon Beach to Florence

Breakfast was first. This is a great little restaurant just south of Cannon Beach, and right on the highway.


Getting off of Hwy 101 is a very good idea if you can find the roads. This road is just West of Tillamook and takes you through what is called Cape Lookout State Park. There is a great ocean side campground there. 


Further south and another piece of Old 101. Old narrow roads, and bridges.






The obligatory light house image. There are lots of them up and down the coast and in some of them you can take tours.


The first view of the Oregon Dunes. This just above Florence, which was my destination for the day. At these lookouts it has almost always been clear. The ground fog had come in.


After I found a nice Mom & Pop motel, I drove into Old Town and found the Travelers Cove. Wonderful Mexican food, with a nice view of the harbor if you go to the back of the restaurant. They also have outside sitting, but it was cooler, so I stayed inside.