The Journeys of Darla .....

.... can be followed here for the summer.

http://www.hdforums.com/forum/road-trips/1115469-the-journeys-of-darla.html

First ride on Darla .....

My first real ride was last weekend. We ran over to Kelowna and back. I had a reservation at the Coast Capri Hotel. Very nice hotel and I was able to park the Glide right out the front door. I rode over on Friday through Kaslo, over the Farquier ferry and on Highway 6 to Vernon. That is a great motorcycle route, but just watch for rocks on the road. It is pretty narrow, with almost no paved side and the logging trucks toss rocks off the side onto the road.

We did some shopping on Saturday and headed back on Sunday over the Rogers pass. It was a pretty good trip where I was able to sort out some of the bike and what I needed for the longer trips I have planned for the summer. 

A really nice custom. I met this fellow in Sycamous during a coffee break.

Heading East up the West side of the Rogers pass

Top of the Rogers Pass between Revelstoke and Golden

A jet flying over the Bugaboos, which is just south of Golden.

Columbia Lake, just north of Canal Flats.

One of my favourite GoTo lakes for a nice picture. All the other pictures are right out of my iPhone 6, but this one was worked a bit in Photoshop, to bring out the colours a bit more, and to get rid of a power post and line.

Well, the Bonnyville experience was shorted lived. I decided that if I was going to tour two up at all this year, and it looks like I might, then I best get a two-up touring bike. This is "Darla", a 2009 Harley Davidson Electra Glide. I have wanted one of these since the very first time I set eyes on one.

Well, spring is here. I have been riding my triumph now since the beginning of February, so that has been great. But, Bear, my dog, is getting on. He is now about 15 1/2 and getting harder and harder to do things. So, I decided to put the motorcycle touring away for the summer and get a camper for my truck. Him and I will be going on Adventures together all summer. We already did a shake down cruise in the unit over Easter and took four days and went up to Banff, Lake Louise and then onto Jasper. After that, we headed south west towards Kamploops and on to Vernon and then came home through the West Kootenays. It was a great four days, we even saw a bit of fresh snow.

Anyway, where is the Camper/Truck. She is very comfortable with a stove, fridge/freezer, small furnace for cold nights and a small bathroom for convenience. We are heading towards Oregon and and California in May, then heading East to the Grand Canyon and then up through Colorado on the way home. It should be a great tour. And I will post to this Blog from along the way.

Iberostar del Mar

This hotel is actually in a resort of 5 Iberostar hotels. It is the least expensive of them all. The one next to it has a wave pool and it might be better for family's with kids. 

Some pictures of the property ......

Chichen Itza

I took the tour bus out and back. I think renting a car would have been better and would do that the next time, and I would suggest that especially if you have two or more. And don't rent a car before you go, they are available right at the hotel (at the one I stayed at, anyway). Much more flexibility working on your own timeline and not the tour guides. I downloaded a book on the place and knew way more than the guide went over. It's not a very big place, and if you allow yourself two hours that is lots. If you wish a guide they are available at the entrance. The vendors inside the complex are the big disappointment. There is no place for this in one of the "New Seven Wonders of the World". From the moment you get to the front steps at the entrance you are constantly hit on by vendors until you get onto the open fields. 

Lots of tour buses. So I would rent a car and be at the front gate at opening time. There should be much less foot traffic, and better photos as the light will also be better. These where shot about 2 pm. 

Below are are some pictures of my hotel on the Mayan Riviera.

In Cancun