Sunday, June 22, 2008
Days 14 and 15 Sat/Sun June 21-22: Home Again
Route: Kirkland, WA to Issaquah, WA (Saturday), Issaquah to Home (Sunday)
GPS Tracks for the trip are posted here:https://tworoads.shutterfly.com/pictures/40#48
Miles: 249
Total On Bike: 5:22
Total Miles For Trip: 3853
Details to be added later.
GPS Tracks for the trip are posted here:https://tworoads.shutterfly.com/pictures/40#48
Miles: 249
Total On Bike: 5:22
Total Miles For Trip: 3853
Details to be added later.
Friday, June 20, 2008
Day 13 Friday June 20 Arriving at Vince's Home
Route: Kettle Falls, Washington to Kirkland, WA
GPS Tracks for the trip are posted here:https://tworoads.shutterfly.com/pictures/40#45
Miles: 368
Total Time: 9:23
Total On Bikes: 6:51
Total Miles For Trip so far: 3604 (in addition, Vince also traveled from Kirkland, WA to my home to start the trip -- another 160 or so miles)
Today we took one of the top-rated motorcycle roads in the State of Washington, the North Cascade Highway -- Route 20 -- on another spectacular day for motorcycling -- perfect temperatures, perfect road conditions. The trip got a little long as we hit rush hour as we arrived at Vince's home in Kirkland -- but otherwise was a perfect ending day on a perfectly beautiful road -- a fitting final day for a wonderful journey.
I'm staying in the area for a get together with old friends tomorrow evening and then will make my way to my home on Sunday.
Over a scrumptious meal fixed by Vince's wife -- we spoke with great satisfaction of how many things went right with the trip -- with only pretty insignificant weather challenges early in the trip. Through the hundreds -- perhaps thousands -- of daily decisions of where to go, when to stop, where to eat, where to stay, etc etc -- Vince and I agreed that we remain not only great friends but also very compatible travelers/riders. We already began talking about when we might have an opportunity for another sport-touring adventure!
GPS Tracks for the trip are posted here:https://tworoads.shutterfly.com/pictures/40#45
Miles: 368
Total Time: 9:23
Total On Bikes: 6:51
Total Miles For Trip so far: 3604 (in addition, Vince also traveled from Kirkland, WA to my home to start the trip -- another 160 or so miles)
Today we took one of the top-rated motorcycle roads in the State of Washington, the North Cascade Highway -- Route 20 -- on another spectacular day for motorcycling -- perfect temperatures, perfect road conditions. The trip got a little long as we hit rush hour as we arrived at Vince's home in Kirkland -- but otherwise was a perfect ending day on a perfectly beautiful road -- a fitting final day for a wonderful journey.
I'm staying in the area for a get together with old friends tomorrow evening and then will make my way to my home on Sunday.
Over a scrumptious meal fixed by Vince's wife -- we spoke with great satisfaction of how many things went right with the trip -- with only pretty insignificant weather challenges early in the trip. Through the hundreds -- perhaps thousands -- of daily decisions of where to go, when to stop, where to eat, where to stay, etc etc -- Vince and I agreed that we remain not only great friends but also very compatible travelers/riders. We already began talking about when we might have an opportunity for another sport-touring adventure!
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Day 12 Thurs June 19 - It's A Small World
Route: Spokane, Washington to Kettle Falls, Washington
GPS Tracks for the trip are posted here:https://tworoads.shutterfly.com/pictures/40#47
Miles: 156
Total Time: 9:26
Total On Bikes: 2:54
Total Miles For Trip so far: 3236
About 50 miles from our destination yesterday, Vince noticed that his rear tire had begun to expose the steel belts -- making it imperative that he get a replacement immediately. So our first destination this morning was the nearest Ducati dealer in Post Falls, Idaho -- some 25 miles away. Thankfully they had replacement tires -- but we couldn't be first on the schedule -- so we ended up waiting at the dealership for 5 hours to get the tires mounted. There are worse places to get stranded for two motorcyclists -- and this was a well equipped motorcycle store with plenty of new motorcycles and accessories, and a nice waiting area. The time passed quickly as we explored all the motorcycles, including all the BMW line. We finally departed the dealership at around 2:30pm and headed straight north on our original plan to take the North Cascades Highway back to the Seattle area -- and Vince's home.
As has been our routine, we stopped at a rest stop within about an hour and a half for a bathroom break. While there, three additional motorcycles with 4 riders arrived -- and as we took turns for the bathroom, the common discussion of destinations and routes ensued with these fellow travelers. It was truly a small world experience when I asked one of the riders where they started -- and his response was "central California." As I asked him to be more specific -- he said "Fresno." Just as a way of continuing the conversation I asked him if he ever had visited my hometown of Morro Bay, CA -- and he said he went to school there. I then asked him if he ever heard my last name -- and in short order learned that he had graduated high school in the same class with my brother Mark. He then introduced one of his fellow riders -- who also was in class with Mark and had grown up in Morro Bay -- and knew most of my family -- including my dad -- and had recently been in Morro Bay where his mother still resides and visited with Mark and dad. It was really a small world experience as they just happened to be at the same rest stop -- a turning point for them returning from a journey to Canada. We exchanged information -- and I invited them to spend the night at my house if their path found them in the area after my planned return on Sunday.
Vince and I continued on a few more miles and then found a great little motel with a big "Welcome Bikers" sign. After we got unpacked in our rooms -- I called both dad and Mark about the connection. As the Disney song aptly puts it...it's a small world after all.
Following are pictures of Vince's worn tire -- and his new one:
GPS Tracks for the trip are posted here:https://tworoads.shutterfly.com/pictures/40#47
Miles: 156
Total Time: 9:26
Total On Bikes: 2:54
Total Miles For Trip so far: 3236
About 50 miles from our destination yesterday, Vince noticed that his rear tire had begun to expose the steel belts -- making it imperative that he get a replacement immediately. So our first destination this morning was the nearest Ducati dealer in Post Falls, Idaho -- some 25 miles away. Thankfully they had replacement tires -- but we couldn't be first on the schedule -- so we ended up waiting at the dealership for 5 hours to get the tires mounted. There are worse places to get stranded for two motorcyclists -- and this was a well equipped motorcycle store with plenty of new motorcycles and accessories, and a nice waiting area. The time passed quickly as we explored all the motorcycles, including all the BMW line. We finally departed the dealership at around 2:30pm and headed straight north on our original plan to take the North Cascades Highway back to the Seattle area -- and Vince's home.
As has been our routine, we stopped at a rest stop within about an hour and a half for a bathroom break. While there, three additional motorcycles with 4 riders arrived -- and as we took turns for the bathroom, the common discussion of destinations and routes ensued with these fellow travelers. It was truly a small world experience when I asked one of the riders where they started -- and his response was "central California." As I asked him to be more specific -- he said "Fresno." Just as a way of continuing the conversation I asked him if he ever had visited my hometown of Morro Bay, CA -- and he said he went to school there. I then asked him if he ever heard my last name -- and in short order learned that he had graduated high school in the same class with my brother Mark. He then introduced one of his fellow riders -- who also was in class with Mark and had grown up in Morro Bay -- and knew most of my family -- including my dad -- and had recently been in Morro Bay where his mother still resides and visited with Mark and dad. It was really a small world experience as they just happened to be at the same rest stop -- a turning point for them returning from a journey to Canada. We exchanged information -- and I invited them to spend the night at my house if their path found them in the area after my planned return on Sunday.
Vince and I continued on a few more miles and then found a great little motel with a big "Welcome Bikers" sign. After we got unpacked in our rooms -- I called both dad and Mark about the connection. As the Disney song aptly puts it...it's a small world after all.
Following are pictures of Vince's worn tire -- and his new one:
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Day 11 June 18 What A Day of Sport Touring
oute: Missoula, Montana - over the Lochsa / Lolo Pass to Spokane, Washington
GPS Tracks for the trip are posted here:https://tworoads.shutterfly.com/pictures/40#46
Miles: 337
Total Time: 12:16
Total On Bikes: 6:25
Total Miles For Trip so far: 3080
It wasn't until we were on the road this morning -- reflecting on the wonderful visit/stay in Missoula -- that I remembered that we had not taken any pictures of us with Teri, Sharon and Chris. Oh, well, maybe next time we're together -- which hopefully will be sometime soon!
As Chris and Sharon had advised us it would be -- today's journey was another highlight as we proceeded down the Lochsa Valley along the road that is widely written about in motorcycling magazines -- and called the Lolo Pass - Idaho state highway 12. More than once I've seen motorcycle magazines with pictures of a sign on this road that reads: "Winding Roads Next 77 Miles." The road is the perfect sport-tourer's dream (clean good pavement, wonderful scenery next to a river, and mile after mile of twists and turns). The ride was, well, exhilarating!
We stopped for lunch in Orofino and soon found ourselves pouring over the Idaho Benchmark Atlas in seach of other "interesting" roads. Vince pointed out a backroad that runs from Orofino through Southwick to near Kendrick (called the Old Anshahka Grade at its start near Orofino) and off we went. What a find! Steep twisty grade to wonderful views -- more sport touring paradise with emphasis on the "sport" end of the spectrum.Other wonderful roads followed -- and we soon found ourselves about 60 miles from the home of Vince's Aunt Linda/Uncle Mike in Spokane -- where we headed for the night.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Day 10 June 17 Reestablishing Family Connections in Missoula
Route: Columbus, Montana to Missoula, Montana
GPS Tracks for the trip are posted here:https://tworoads.shutterfly.com/pictures/40#44
Miles: 365
Total Time: 14.58
Total On Bikes: 6:26
Total Miles For Trip so far: 2743
The first order of business today was to reschedule the purchase/installation of a new rear tire for Vince's bike to tomorrow. However, Vince learned that a reschedule was not possible -- prompting him to decide to forgo replacing the tire at all until getting home.
Thereafter, our lack of detailed maps/atlases for Montana caused us to rely on the official state map and other regional maps which contained insufficient detail to assess the "sportiness" of our selected routes of travel. So, today ended up being lots of flat land straight driving -- and with Montana's top speed limit of 75 mph, the result was lots of droning! Memories of the Beartooth of yesterday left us feeling like the droning was "worth it," but it also gave plenty of opportunity to understand why Montana is known as the "Big Sky" state -- there is plenty of sky to see when you are on straight, flat roads.
During the droning along -- I did begin to think about our planned destination -- Missoula and the fact that I had a 2nd cousin, Teri, living there (our grandfathers were brothers). I don't remember seeing Teri since we were kids playing together at family reunions -- but had occassion to have some infrequent email correspondence with her over the years about some property our great grandparents had homesteaded in California. I had emailed her about this planned motorcycle trip through Missoula and she had been welcoming of a visit -- even a place to stay -- but I was apprehensive about actually taking her up on her offer thinking that perhaps just a brief stop might be more appropriate considering how little I knew about her/her family. All day I procrastinated (something I am really good at) calling about our expected arrival in Missoula -- my way of not having to think about whether we should actually take her up on her offer of a place to stay. Upon arrival in Missoula -- I finally forced myself to do my usual "what's the worst that can happen" type decision making -- and made the call to Teri and asked about a place to stay. Again she was welcoming.
The evening with Teri, her daughter Sharon and her daughter's husband Chris couldn't have been more wonderful -- they warmly welcomed us into their beautiful home -- and we immediately found plenty of common ground -- such that the few hours together passed way too quickly. It turned out that Chris is also a motorcycle rider (and about Vince's age) and both he and Sharon are VERY familiar with the backroads of Montana. In short order -- and with the Montana maps spread between us -- we quickly learned which roads we should have taken in Montana -- and which roads we need to come back and enjoy. In addition, Sharon has been very involved in family tree research, another topic of great interest to me. All in all, a very fun evening -- and wonderful accommodations for the night. I went to sleep thinking how silly my apprehensions about stopping now seemed -- and how quickly family connections can be reestablished! I do hope to be returning the hospitality sometime soon -- and Vince and I are already talking about when we might be able to return and ride the Montana roads they marked out for us -- and with any luck, perhaps Chris will ride with us!
GPS Tracks for the trip are posted here:https://tworoads.shutterfly.com/pictures/40#44
Miles: 365
Total Time: 14.58
Total On Bikes: 6:26
Total Miles For Trip so far: 2743
The first order of business today was to reschedule the purchase/installation of a new rear tire for Vince's bike to tomorrow. However, Vince learned that a reschedule was not possible -- prompting him to decide to forgo replacing the tire at all until getting home.
Thereafter, our lack of detailed maps/atlases for Montana caused us to rely on the official state map and other regional maps which contained insufficient detail to assess the "sportiness" of our selected routes of travel. So, today ended up being lots of flat land straight driving -- and with Montana's top speed limit of 75 mph, the result was lots of droning! Memories of the Beartooth of yesterday left us feeling like the droning was "worth it," but it also gave plenty of opportunity to understand why Montana is known as the "Big Sky" state -- there is plenty of sky to see when you are on straight, flat roads.
During the droning along -- I did begin to think about our planned destination -- Missoula and the fact that I had a 2nd cousin, Teri, living there (our grandfathers were brothers). I don't remember seeing Teri since we were kids playing together at family reunions -- but had occassion to have some infrequent email correspondence with her over the years about some property our great grandparents had homesteaded in California. I had emailed her about this planned motorcycle trip through Missoula and she had been welcoming of a visit -- even a place to stay -- but I was apprehensive about actually taking her up on her offer thinking that perhaps just a brief stop might be more appropriate considering how little I knew about her/her family. All day I procrastinated (something I am really good at) calling about our expected arrival in Missoula -- my way of not having to think about whether we should actually take her up on her offer of a place to stay. Upon arrival in Missoula -- I finally forced myself to do my usual "what's the worst that can happen" type decision making -- and made the call to Teri and asked about a place to stay. Again she was welcoming.
The evening with Teri, her daughter Sharon and her daughter's husband Chris couldn't have been more wonderful -- they warmly welcomed us into their beautiful home -- and we immediately found plenty of common ground -- such that the few hours together passed way too quickly. It turned out that Chris is also a motorcycle rider (and about Vince's age) and both he and Sharon are VERY familiar with the backroads of Montana. In short order -- and with the Montana maps spread between us -- we quickly learned which roads we should have taken in Montana -- and which roads we need to come back and enjoy. In addition, Sharon has been very involved in family tree research, another topic of great interest to me. All in all, a very fun evening -- and wonderful accommodations for the night. I went to sleep thinking how silly my apprehensions about stopping now seemed -- and how quickly family connections can be reestablished! I do hope to be returning the hospitality sometime soon -- and Vince and I are already talking about when we might be able to return and ride the Montana roads they marked out for us -- and with any luck, perhaps Chris will ride with us!
Day 9 June 16 - The Spectacular "Not-To-Be Missed" Beartooth
Route: West Yellowstone, Montana over Beartooth Pass to Columbus, Montana
GPS Tracks for the trip are posted here:https://tworoads.shutterfly.com/pictures/40#42
Miles: 238
Total Time: 10:05
Total On Bikes: 6:00
Total Miles For Trip so far: 2378
Weather was spectacular for motorcycling -- mid 60's and sunny -- and we started back inside Yellowstone with high anticipation and expectation -- this time turning north around the circle headed toward the Northeastern exit. The start of the journey was EXACTLY like I had written about yesterday when we visited Old Faithful -- crazy drivers jamming on brakes and lines of cars clogging the roads. And while I must admit that looking at the many buffalo is interesting (they are an unusual looking creature) -- they are not endangered (you can buy buffalo jerky in the store) and there are so many to see in the park that in a short time it becomes routine to see them -- and the fast, unexpected braking and slowing ceases. On the other hand, the traffic jam caused by the viewing of a meandering bear was more understandable.
As everyone probably already knows, the scenery in Yellowstone is fantastic -- and I had little time or interest in checking my GPS routing as we traveled -- wrongly assuming that the turn off the circle to the Northeastern exit from the park to Beartooth could not be missed. Well, such was NOT the case. With Vince traveling ahead of me, I first noticed the GPS telling us to make a U-Turn about 4 miles beyond the turn we needed -- and perhaps because neither Vince or I had noticed any such turn -- I was, well, a little untrusting of the GPS's advice. After fiddling with the GPS controls for a bit, I finally decided I needed to pull over and check a paper map -- but my efforts to get Vince to notice me were unsuccessful -- as he too was fully engaged in the beauty of the scenery. He thought I was just stopping to take a picture -- as we had done before.
After figuring out that the GPS was indeed correct -- the next issue became -- what to do about it. Vince and I had made a plan to "meet outside the gate" if we got separated -- however now I realized that he would be waiting outside the wrong gate -- some 18 miles down the road. After some delay in the hopes that Vince would realize our routing error when I didn't show up (and because I needed a bathroom stop) -- I finally headed to the gate where Vince would be. In the meantime, Vince had figured out the mistake and headed back my direction. When we got together again -- we were both resolute in our thought that we weren't going to let a few extra miles (about 34 for the unplanned roundtrip) stand in the way of our desire to "do" the Beartooth. That turned out to be an excellent decision.
With the anticipation of a kid yelling "are we there yet" -- we began the ascent -- not even sure that the pass was open. Once again I felt like a pioneer traveler when we we visited at one rest stop with motorcyclists who had just come over the pass the opposite direction. They reported that the pass was open, roads were mostly dry, that the path was windy and cold -- and wonderfully beautiful. During the journey we learned that the pass had JUST reopened the day before because of the same weather system that had delayed/changed our trip plans had dumped snow on the mountain, caused an avalanche and resulted in its closing. We felt plenty fortunate to know that our extra 34 mile return -- and our delayed/changed travel plans -- would allow us to see the pass.
GPS Tracks for the trip are posted here:https://tworoads.shutterfly.com/pictures/40#42
Miles: 238
Total Time: 10:05
Total On Bikes: 6:00
Total Miles For Trip so far: 2378
Ever since beginning the planning for this trip, traveling the Beartooth Highway outside the northeastern gate of Yellowstone -- over the Beartooth Pass -- had been one of my "hoped for" destinations. Its reputation among the riders I had talked to and the articles I had read, made it sound like a motorcycle touring paradise. Today was the day that I got to form my own opinion about "the Beartooth."
Weather was spectacular for motorcycling -- mid 60's and sunny -- and we started back inside Yellowstone with high anticipation and expectation -- this time turning north around the circle headed toward the Northeastern exit. The start of the journey was EXACTLY like I had written about yesterday when we visited Old Faithful -- crazy drivers jamming on brakes and lines of cars clogging the roads. And while I must admit that looking at the many buffalo is interesting (they are an unusual looking creature) -- they are not endangered (you can buy buffalo jerky in the store) and there are so many to see in the park that in a short time it becomes routine to see them -- and the fast, unexpected braking and slowing ceases. On the other hand, the traffic jam caused by the viewing of a meandering bear was more understandable.
As everyone probably already knows, the scenery in Yellowstone is fantastic -- and I had little time or interest in checking my GPS routing as we traveled -- wrongly assuming that the turn off the circle to the Northeastern exit from the park to Beartooth could not be missed. Well, such was NOT the case. With Vince traveling ahead of me, I first noticed the GPS telling us to make a U-Turn about 4 miles beyond the turn we needed -- and perhaps because neither Vince or I had noticed any such turn -- I was, well, a little untrusting of the GPS's advice. After fiddling with the GPS controls for a bit, I finally decided I needed to pull over and check a paper map -- but my efforts to get Vince to notice me were unsuccessful -- as he too was fully engaged in the beauty of the scenery. He thought I was just stopping to take a picture -- as we had done before.
After figuring out that the GPS was indeed correct -- the next issue became -- what to do about it. Vince and I had made a plan to "meet outside the gate" if we got separated -- however now I realized that he would be waiting outside the wrong gate -- some 18 miles down the road. After some delay in the hopes that Vince would realize our routing error when I didn't show up (and because I needed a bathroom stop) -- I finally headed to the gate where Vince would be. In the meantime, Vince had figured out the mistake and headed back my direction. When we got together again -- we were both resolute in our thought that we weren't going to let a few extra miles (about 34 for the unplanned roundtrip) stand in the way of our desire to "do" the Beartooth. That turned out to be an excellent decision.
With the anticipation of a kid yelling "are we there yet" -- we began the ascent -- not even sure that the pass was open. Once again I felt like a pioneer traveler when we we visited at one rest stop with motorcyclists who had just come over the pass the opposite direction. They reported that the pass was open, roads were mostly dry, that the path was windy and cold -- and wonderfully beautiful. During the journey we learned that the pass had JUST reopened the day before because of the same weather system that had delayed/changed our trip plans had dumped snow on the mountain, caused an avalanche and resulted in its closing. We felt plenty fortunate to know that our extra 34 mile return -- and our delayed/changed travel plans -- would allow us to see the pass.
The pass was even better than expected -- not necessarily as a motorcycle "sport" paradise this time because the roads/corners were still plenty dirty and the road condition (potholes and such) but definitely as a motorcycle "touring" paradise. The road twists continually both on the ascent and descent -- and we were treated to almost Disneyland like experience of traveling between high snow banks -- looking like snow tunnels with sun shining in the tops. We didn't find it particularly windy (a little more good luck) or cold (adequate gear/clothing probably helped in this regard). The descent was equally beautiful -- and the mountain views brought back memories of my trips to Switzerland.
Neither words nor pictures do the place justice -- so you'll just have plan a visit yourself...but if you're interested in looking a some of the pictures we took, you can see them here:
http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=11zdnf23.5a51jnrn&x=0&y=-79uvpd&localeid=en_US
http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=11zdnf23.5a51jnrn&x=0&y=-79uvpd&localeid=en_US
A few more miles down the road in found a great little motel in Columbus, Montana to spend the night -- with memories of a fantastic day of motorcycle touring!
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