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:
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