My West Coast/States Trip

[GAR]

Mon Aug 29 2011

Jasper to Banff, Alta. 93A/93S 310 km

Left the Edith Cavell hostel at 10am, took the awesome road down to hook up w/ 93A. Stopped at Saskatchewan River for gas & lunch, WAY too expensive.
I kept an eye open for a lake to take a quick dip & stopped at Herbert Lake, waited for a lull in the tourists and jumped in. Much needed, I had'nt had a shower in three days, got busted as I was drying off at the semi-secluded spot by a couple from Germany. Turned out they rode back home & could'nt blame me, was a really hot day too.
Took six hours to make it to Banff. Lots of stopping & picture taking. Rode around Banff for a bit and started losing daylight, so I checked into the hostel, HI Banff Alpine Centre, on Tunnel Mountain Road.
There is a resteraunt and a bar attached. As you'd guess hotels are expensive here. $37 will get you a bed at the hostel. Hung out w/ an American guy there for some mountain climbing and a local guy who turned out to be an absolute ****** bag.

Tues Aug 30 2011

Banff, Alta. to Chase, BC, 1W 462 km

Up early and had breakfast. It was pretty rainy and cold so I went back to the room for some more sleep and wait for it to clear/warm up a bit. I was sharing the room w/ the local guy and a couple others.
Long story short-turned out the local guy bounced around hostels and lived in his car, had a bit of a rep, and was barred from a couple other hostels. He took my helmet after I was sleeping after breakfast and placed in the laundry room w/ lots of obcenities and the like written in magic marker all over it. I was furious and he was nowhere to be found, gone for the day. I brought it up w/ the manager and he refunded my $ for the nights stay and apologized saying that was the last straw for the guy. He was gonna be barred from there too.
It cleared up so I hit the road, Golden/Revelstoke/Sicamous was fantastic. Spent the night at a motel in Chase and had a pizza delivered from town! Nice to have a motel room after a string of camping & hostels.

Wed Aug 31 2011

Chase to Port Moody/Vancouver 1W to Cache Creek, 97S to Lytton, 12N to Lilloet, 99S through Whistler/Squamish 575 km

Left the motel in Chase at 9am and arrived at Port Moody at 7pm. Another great day riding on fantastic roads through the mountains. Stunning. Staying w/ my sister and her husband, five year old nephew an one year old neice. My nephew was all over the bike and a barrage of questions about the trip.
Spent six days in Port Moody before heading to Vancouver Island.

www.photobucket.com/west-3

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[Rotten_Ronnie]

To insert pictures into your Ride Report, there are two ways to do it:

Copy the URL and click on the "insert image" icon, select "from url", paste in your url, then uncheck "

Retrieve remote file and reference locally" then click "OK" to submit.

An even easier method is to create IMG tags and paste the URL between them (omit the *):
[IMG*]http://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/gg628/gar40/west-1/eastwest336.jpg[*/IMG]

becomes this:



Photobucket shares the php IMG code, so just copy and paste that where you want to see your pictures.

Thanks for sharing. I intend to ride out that way, perhaps 2013.

[GAR]

Thanks Ronnie that looks way better, but I'm afraid it's still a bad case of user/end/operator/error over here.

Tues Sept 6 2011

Port Moody to Tofino, Vancouver Island 270 km

Left Port Moody at 9am for the 10:40 ferry to Nanaimo, Vancouver Island, lotsa bikes on the ferry. Clear skies and the forecast called for more. Around four hours from Nanaimo on #4 to Tofino w/ a stop in Port Alberni for gas, banking ect. #4 is awesome.
Set up camp at Bella Pacifica Campground for two nights, a nice change as it's been one night stands camping. Cleaned up and went to the beach.

Wed Sept 7 2011

96 km

Great day on the Island, I wanted to check out Ucluelet & the guy working at the Gas n Save in Tofino suggested going for lunch at the Black Rock Resort there. Very swish place, great patio, veiw, and a lunch wo'nt break the bank, though a dinner would!
Rode around town and walked a bit of the Wild Pacific Trail. Headed back to Tofino stopping at Long Beach, Incinerator Cove & other spots. Picked up supplies in Tofino & spent the rest of the day at the beach on the campground. I'm not much of a beach guy, but this place was almost magical, something different about it.

Thrs Sept 8 2011

Tofino, Van Island to Port Moody-ferry again 246 km

Up at 5:30am, made coffee and packed up. Really nice ride w/ the sun coming up back to Nanaimo for the ferry. Back in Port Moody in time for a beer w/ my brother in law before we picked up my nephew from school.

Fri Sept 9 2011

Port Moody to Osoyoos

#5E through Chilliwack #3E at Hope, through Princeton to Osoyoos 404 km

Left Port Moody after saying my good byes at 11:30, five hours to Osoyoos, really hot, even in Sept.
Stayed w/ a friend in Osoyoos, dinner at a posh resort, and hung out w/ her family afterwards at their condo at said resort. Can get used to this! Osoyoos is gorgeous. Lotsa vineyards, lotsa wine.
Capped it off w/ a visit to one of the town pubs, the Sage, and called it a night.

[GAR]

Sat Sept 10 2011

Osoyoos, BC to Oroville, Washington 97S 20km Arrgh!

Terrible day, I was having trouble starting the bike yesterday & wrote it off, blaming the heat...
After I cleared customs at the border the bike would'nt start again. Got her going after a few bump start attempts. Pulled into a gas station on 97 to get some water, leaving the bike running, still really hot. A little further down 97 the bike just went flat. I coasted into a bars parking lot. Everyone there was very helpful with one of the guys going to his place not far away and brought back a battery charger. Charged it for a while and started up again, went flat again in front of one the motels in Oroville. The motel's owner was very helpful too and was familiar w/ bikes too. We did some troubleshooting and charged the battery again. His metre said the battery was OK, but it was'nt holding any power.

He gave me a good rate for the night, figured I'd get a new battery the next day when the shops open.



Sun Sept 11 2011

Oroville, Tonasket, Omak, Wash to Kettle Falls, Wash 97, 20E 248km


Thankfully the bike started up just fine in the morning and I made my way down to Omak in search of a new battery. Got one at Ace Hardware, switched them out and hit the road thinking problem solved....
Headed East on 20 through Shermans Pass, much cooler and more comfortable through the woods.
Camped on the Columbia River at Kettle Falls.


www.photobucket.com/west-4

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[GAR]

Mon Sept 12 2011

Kettle Falls, Wash to Bonners Ferry, Idaho 20E to Tiger, 20S along the Pend Oreille River 2E at Idaho, 2/95N to Bonners Ferry 286km

Left the camp at 10am. I decided to take #2 accross the States. Really nice ride along the Pend Oreille River. The only real short term destination was Glasgow, Montana where my new rear tire was at the bike shop waiting for me, as I was getting closer, I kept the shop owner up to date for when I'd be there.
I made it as far as Bonners Ferry, Idaho and the bike went flat yet again, would'nt start after gassing up.
Lucky for me there is a tractor/atv/bike shop on the main drag, Boundry Tractor-Yamaha, with two very experienced guys there. My new battery was a quick fix masking the real problem, that being the stator and/or regulator. It was too late to order the parts that day so Brian & Don ordered the parts first thing Tues morning for delivery Wed morning hopefully. They were convinced it was the stator, but ordered a regulator also, just in case it was fried too.
Don gave me a lift w/ all my gear to the Carraige House Inn, checked into my own little out building called the Boat House. Kinda like holing up in my own little one bedroom apartment w/ a kitchen, for a couple nights, right accross the street from the Safeway. Sat on the deck w/ a couple cold ones and took it all in.


Tues Sept 13 2011

Bonners Ferry 0km

Spinning my wheels, slept in till 8am! Stopped by the shop after breakfast, the parts we'rent in yet but they were confident I'd be back on the road sometime Wed, the next day. I walked down and explored the town, had a nice chat w/ the ladies at the visitors centre, caught up w/ e-mails at the library and found the Kootaney River Brewery-Yay! Great beers & food. Checked out the casino and made my way back to the motel. Cleaned my leathers and treated my boots, killing time....


Wed Sept 14 2011

Bonners Ferry to Brownies Hostel on #49? East Glacier Park, Montana following #2E 377km

Up early again, called Brian at the shop, still no parts, but they'll be there today. Checked out of the motel and left my gear in the lobby, bummed around town some more. Got the call at 2pm that the bike was ready to go, w/ the oil change and some new plugs. Thanked Brian & Don and finally hit the road again heading for Glacier. Saw a couple bears through the park, great ride, w/ the Band's Accross the Great Divide runnin' through my head.
Getting dark and colder, made it to Brownies Hostel at 9pm. Cool place, used to house loggers & was a brothel too.

[GAR]

Thrs Sept 15 2011

Brownies Hostel, East Glacier Ntnl Pk, Montana to Saco, Montana following #2E 471km


I was getting my new rear tire in Glasgow, Montana so I wanted to stay somewhere nearby. I was to be there first thing in the morning, called a couple motels in Glasgow and they were charging nearly $100 a night. When I stopped in Malta, rooms were $70, but they had camping right next to the railroad tracks, I could watch the grain go by, no thanks.
I caught a glimpse of an old funky motel sign at Saco, Montana, thinking it was closed for sure-you see alot of old motel signs w/ old closed motels-stopped and checked it out. Kinda looked like they were renovating a large open area on the main floor when I peeked in the stoefront window.
There's a bar a couple doors down so I went and asked them about the motel. The bartender just called the woman who ran the motel to check in another guest, she'd be there shortly. While we were waiting for her, the bartender invited the woman waiting for a room too, and myself to their "free feed" that night. It was a pot luck kinda dinner. Sounded great.
An ideal spot, 45min outta Glasgow at $35 for the motel and a free feed. It got better. I went to the grocery store for a few things and a guy outside the store told me to get their beef jerky made by the butcher there "best in the State" he said. It was the best beef jerky I've ever had, went back for more to stuff in the saddlebags for a good snack.
The motel has two floors w/ a patio/deck on the 2nd floor. The only other guest at the motel joined me up there with her dog, watching the sun go down. Her husband was working on a house nearby and she came out to meet him over the weekend.
The "free feed" was awesome hanging out w/ the couple from the motel and meeting tons of folks from town.
Saco was a real highlight on this trip, glad I stopped there.


www.photobucket.com/west-5


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[GAR]

Fri Sept 16 2011

Saco, Montana to Rugby, North Dakota, along #2 612km

Arrived at Scotts Track & Wheel, Glasgow, Mon. at 8:30am, Scott rolled up 15 min later and put on my new rear tire. Did'nt take him long.
Back on the road past Williston, ND the wind on #2 was cold and relentless riding hard at what felt like a 45 degree angle. I'd about had enough at Townes, but there are'nt any motels there. A woman at the gas station suggested Rugby or Devils Lake but rooms are hard to come by w/ their recent flooding, oil workers and construction. Called a hotel in Rugby and got a room.


Sat Sept 17 2011

Rugby ND to Bena, Minnesota 479km

Another cold morning riding. The plan was to stay tonight at a hostel at Lake Itasca in Minn. but no one answered the phone there after a few calls. Not a big deal, but it was only 2pm when I got near there, so I pushed on. I stopped for gas at a cool little campground/cabin place around 5pm near Bena and took a cabin for the night. Winnibigoshish Camp w/ great staff. Another cold day.


Sun Sept 18 2011

Bena, Minn. to Iron River, Upper Penninsula (UP), Michigan 497km


Left Bena at 9:30am and it rained pretty much the whole way to the UP of Mich. Great roads and scenery though. Kinda fell into a groove w/ the colder, wet weather and just kept riding. I was tired by 5:30 so I took a cheap room at Iron River. Hit the grocery store for some dinner, snacks, beer and a pasty (whatever that is) for breakfast tommorow, all for $20, gotta love travelling through the States.
Cranked up the heat in my room and dried out all the gear.


Mon Sept 19 2011

Iron River, Mich to Harrisville, Mich #2 to the Mackinac Bridge 23S along Lake Huron 601km


Kind of a bittersweet day today, knowing I'd be home the next day. Felt like I could do this for a lot longer, riding around, meeting great folks, visiting places, the open road blah, blah, blah! Guess all good things must come to an end.

That pasty was terrible by the way. Loved the UP though, even got to see DJ Fontana's bar. He was Elvis Presley's drummer!

Followed #2 to the great Mackinac Bridge hooking up to 23S along Lake Huron, a great ride along the shoreline. Overcast all day, followed the rain, again, love that. It cleared up by the time I checked into Big Joes State Park Motel at Harrisville w/ a great bar next door for some dinner. Hung out w/ a crew of guys from Bay City who were in town doing some mold removal from a nearby property. The motel parking lot turned into an impromptu patio w/ a few cold ones. Good times.


Tues Sept 20 2011

Harrisville Mich to Toronto 23S, 23/75S (whoops) to Bay City, 25E/S to Port Huron, 402 at Sarnia, 401 to Toronto 736km


Up early again at the last motel on the trip, packed up while chatting w/ the owner. Lotsa bikes on the road and I got stuck behind around 30 of them going really slow. I stopped for gas and did'nt see them again.
I missed the turn for 13S and ended up on Interstate 75S and hated it, was'nt for long though, got on 25E/S at Bay City, much better.
Warmed up in the afternoon w/ clear skies. Crossed the border at Port Huron/Sarnia joking w/ the Canadian Customs guy after he asked what I bought I said "food, lodging, water & beer, where would I put anything else?" explaining the trip, camping gear etc. Hit the 402 to 401 to home. I did it, could'nt believe it. I rode coast to coast accross Canada & the States. Something I've always wanted to do.