Arkansas Diamond Hunting - Day1

Since last summer, John and I haven't been able to take a trip with girls so that's what we are doing. The trip has been in planning for a few months, making sure the dates were OK, that we could find a place to stay, and so forth. A lot of planning for a 4 day trip.

Last weekend I started getting the bikes ready. Now that Reagan has her own scooter I have the privilege of prepping 2 bikes before a trip. And it was determined that she probably needed a rear tire. Wild West didn't sound too confident with the tire change since they didn't have the tire in stock and didn't know how much the work would cost since they hadn't changed a tire on a Spyder before. So I decided to do it myself.  OK, the tire change itself was reasonably easy, balancing it was only marginally harder as I had to get a longer steel rod from Lowes. The challenge was in getting the belt tension set and aligned. I bought a tension gauge from Napa and later discovered they had sold me the wrong one but I had damaged the gauge so I couldn't return it. I ended up using the "twist the belt 90 degrees" method of measurement. Then when I went to torque the rear axle nut I discovered my torque wrench didn't go to the desired 96ft/lb setting. I tried it without the torque wrench and just couldn't seem to get the belt to reliabily line up. After purchasing a torque wrench that went to 150ft/lbs I was able to quickly and easily align the belt in a matter of minutes. During the tire change fiasco I broke her CB antenna so had to replace that. And there was also a new windshield to install which was quick and easy, once we got the right size for her.

My bike also needed some work as my back tire had worn the tread smooth in the center. So I didn't want to risk getting up to Arkansas and then needing to find a rear tire. This time I'm trying a set of Metzler Roadtec Z6 sport touring tires to see if I can get better than my 9 ~ 11K miles with the tourances. The tire changes went pretty smooth with the exception of breaking the tire pressure monitor strap for the rear wheel. Since I didn't have a 17" hose clamp available, I just put the tire on without the monitor. When I get the new clamp, I'll break the tire down and reinstall it.

This morning finally arrived and we were scrambling to pack as that chore had been ignored all week due to work and bike prep. To top things off my stomach was very upset from last night's trip to BJ's Brewhouse where I had embibed in a few of their in-house stouts. Honestly, it wasn't a hang over, their beer just messes me up. Everytime I drink even one I feel horrible the next day. Hopefully this time I'll remember not to drink their in-house brews from now on. So we get things packed and get out the door by 7am. Great, we were supposed to be at Avalon by 7am to meet John and Lydia. Well I eventually get there and we have a nice leisurely breakfast.

By 8:30 we are on the bikes and leaving the Exxon at Dairy Ashford. The plan was to ride the 59 HOV lane into town, then follow 59 on up to Nacogdoches. That's what we did with a gas stop along the way in Dibol at the new Chevron on the south side of town.  Once we got to the north side of Nacogdoches we took 259 north to Henderson where we took Hwy 43 toward Marshall. We ate lunch in downtown Marshall at Central Perks. It was probably the best grilled chicken salad I've had in a long time although I was nervous most of the time due to the abundant amount of antique stuff they had for sale. Luckily Reagan refrained from expanding her collection of antique  items and we left only $20 lighter than when we had arrived.

Upon leaving Marshall we headed north on Hwy 59. We stopped in Jefferson to get gas for Reagan and then took 49 out of town to find some twisties. We took FM 248 to Bivins, and then 43 into Atlanta, TX where we met back up with Hwy 59 which took us into Texarkana. Now, for those readers who aren't familiar with John's navigation, he does not like the interstate highway system. It's a route of last resort as in, all other paved roads have been blown up or flooded and the only possible way to get somewhere is via the interstate. So when got to Texarkana we rode through town instead of taking the interstate loop around town. It probably only added 5 or 10 minutes to the ride though and it put us on Hwy 67 which parrallels I-30 for a spell.

When we got to Fulton we turned north onto Hwy 355 which is a nice 2 lane road with plenty of sweepers and the occasional 30mph sharp curve thrown in for a change. This led us into Mineral Springs where we picked up Hwy 27 and went through Nashville, AR toward Murfreesboro and the Queen of Diamonds Inn which would be our hotel for the weekend.

Overall we travelled 371 miles over 8 hours 51 minutes. The pace was anything but rapid, most of the time we were doing 5 under the speed limit. Even with the strong head wind I managed to get 40+ mpg at today's speed. Normal driving seems to yields numbers closer to 35mpg for me. This was a fun switch.

Reagan likes her new windshield and is happy with her handle bar risers (Good since I cut off the original bars). But like any motorcycle enthusiast, she's got a few more things that need tweaking. A top case for additional luggage capacity and definitely a Russell Day Long seat with a back rest. Maybe if we get the order in on Tuesday, she'll get her seat before we leave for Milwaukee in May. Definitely before we leave for the BMW rally in July.

Tomorrow I think we are going to hunt for diamonds in the field. Maybe we'll find a really big one that someone will pay us lots for. Then I could get everything Reagan wants for her bike plus a few other perks for it like the new Garmin Zumo 665 GPS.  That better be one big rock!

BBFO'10 - Day 5

No matter how long the trip is, it's always sort of a downer on the last day of the trip. This morning was no exception. When I woke up I knew that tomorrow I wouldn't be starting my day on the bike. While I was loading my bike, I realized that tomorrow I wouldn't be getting the day's clothes out of compression bags. And at breakfast I realized I wouldn't be eating with the same group of people tomorrow morning.

Now there was one great thing about this morning. My bike started with just the power of it's own battery. There was no need for a jump from another motorcycle. Hoooray!!! It's amazing what a 15 to 20 degrees rise in the temperature can do for my bike. None the less, I'm ordering an Odyssey battery for the bike today. Doing a google search on "r1200gs odyssey battery" shows a pictorial of someone fitting one of those into the GS. It should be fun.

We stayed at the Sorrels Inn in Rocksprings last night and there was a restaurant on the premises so that's where we had dinner last night and breakfast this morning.  This mom & pop restaurant was like most places west of San Antonio, the meals for a table don't come out all at once. They come out in the order the cook does them. And today my bacon, egg and cheese sandwich was the last thing out, well except my hash browns which the cook had forgotten all together.

After breakfast we finished loading the bikes and took off. The plan was to ride down Hwy 55 to Uvalde, then follow Hwy 90 through San Antonio. And that's what we did. It was foggy until we got down to Uvalde and then just overcast and damp the rest of the day. We stopped at the same rest area that we stopped at on Friday, then it was back on the bikes through San Antonio. Our one and only gas stop of the day was in Seguin. When it was time to go, Randy, Dan and Doug weren't quite ready so they said they would catch up with us. So Fred, John and I took off on I-10 heading east.

When we got to FM 2438 we turned south to get down to Hwy 90 Alternate and then continued east. A few miles down the road Fred came on the radio saying something was wrong with his mirror and that he was going to pull over and tighten it up. Then he told John and I to keep going and he would catch up.  Well I kept going and John stopped. That's the last I saw of the group for the day.

I continued on down the road to Eagle Lake. Just past town, there was an accident that had traffic blocked in both directions so I back tracked and took 3013 south toward Wharton.  Then I turned left onto FM 1161 toward Hungerford to cut off a few miles. Then it was the home stretch up Hwy 59 into Sugar Land. From the time I left Eagle Lake until I got home it was raining and in the low 60's.  So the trip started and ended the same way, in the rain and warm for this time of the year.

Total mileage for today was 357 miles ridden over 8 hours time.  The whole trip had an accumulated total of 1,814 miles. Problems with the GS included the weak battery and the throttle lock not working correctly. But one thing that worked very well on this trip was the readjusted seat from RDL. This is the first long trip I've used it on since they redid it this fall and I have to say I'm very pleased with the changes.

Right now there aren't any big trips planned until May, but that doesn't mean Reagan and I won't try to sneak away to the hill country or something this spring.

BBFO'10 - Day 4

OMG! The morning came way too early for me. Last night I stayed up too late and drank too much. What was I thinking. Well, if alcohol kills brain cells I should be smarter today as I'm sure I killed off a few weak ones.

As fast as I could, I tried to get packed up and ready to leave. I was working on the premise of a 7:45 departure but the gang had moved things up to 7:30. It was obvious that I was hurting so they waited for me to get my act together. With Dick giving me a jump start again this morning, and with me hustling as fast as I could we managed to leave a little after 7:30 and rode down to Marfa for breakfast.

The cool area helped me feel better but I was still really exhausted. We filled up in Marfa and then went over to Alice's Cafe where Doug and Fred had eaten on their "Out West" trip back in October. Wanting to get back on my diet I had a bowl of oatmeal and a glass of water.

After breakfast we headed east on Hwy 90 with the sun in our eyes. Just before we got to Marathon Fred asked if anyone wanted to stop and stretch their legs. Me me me!!! They stopped at the wall and I headed on up to the Shell station to use the restroom and get some fluids in me to help with my exhaustion. I drank some vitamin water and opened the peppermints I had purchased. Then it was back on the bike and back on the road. 

I ended up following behind Dick and the farther we went the more exhausted I got. I knew it was going to be a rough day and I needed sleep. When we pulled into the gas station in Sanderson I asked Fred where the motel was in Rocksprings and then headed off on the fastest and more direct route I could find.  The Zumo routed me along Hwy 90 to 277 just west of Del Rio and then onto 377 for the last 45 miles.

Leaving the group gave me a burst of energy as I was able to raise the pace a little and I wasn't staring at the back end of another bike. I had things like searching for deer, keeping my speed steady and such to keep my mind busy. After a while though, even that wasn't enough so I popped another peppermint. The temperature dropped into the 40s just east of Sanderson so stopping to take a quick power nap was out of the question.

When I got to Del Rio I was starting to feel the exhaustion, but with only an hour to go I knew I could make it. When I turned onto 377 though I realized the last 45 miles was going to be toughest. I was worn out and this was a 2 lane road prime for a deer vs motorcycle encounter. I slowed the pace a little to help with reaction time. Along the way I pulled over to eat a cliff bar and drink some water. As I stopped I saw deer across the fence looking at me. That was as close of an encounter as I wanted.

I finally made it into Rocksprings without any incidents and found the motel as Fred had described. The proprietor was an elderly fellow who was very helpful and checked me into my room. I was 2pm when I got into my room so I figured I had 2 hours to get some much needed rest. And just like clock work, at 4pm the guys came riding in and my nap was over. But that was the rest I needed.

The day's mileage was 322 miles in 6 and a half hours. The pace was definitely one of the faster days of the trip. I wish I had been able to stay with the group but I knew if I did I wouldn't have been able to make it to the motel. Maybe next time I'll get to explore the road north out of Comstock.

Oh, and next time I'm not staying up until the wee hours of the morning visiting and drinking. 10pm will be my cut off time from now on. Period!

BBFO'10 - Day 3

This morning we had breakfast down the street at the Chuck Wagon. The group was a little smaller as some had decided to sleep in, so the waitress was able to handle getting food out reasonably quick.

After breakfast, people started breaking into various groups headed in various directions. Chuck decided that he wanted to split the ride home into 2 days so he was leaving. Doug, John, Fred and Dan wanted to check out the fort so they stuck around town. Gary, Tony, Ben, Dick, Andy and myself wanted to go ride the river road so we headed to Presidio to run it west to east.

I ended up ride leader so I tried to keep the pace just a little bit above the 75mph speed limit but not so far above as to worry about any law enforcement problems. We stopped in Marfa to top off the tanks and then continued down to Presidio. When we rolled into town we stopped off for a motel site survey. The Riatta Inn just north of town looks to be a newly built single story motel with a nice parking lot, friendly staff and clean rooms. The rate was less than $75/night for 2 people. They have wifi if you get one of the rooms closest to the office. It looks like next year we'll be staying in Presidio one night to allow folks to completely explore the park or wear out the river road if they like.

After the motel stop, we headed through town onto FM170. I told Andy to take the lead once we got on the river road because I didn't think I would be riding at his pace. Sure enough he passed me once we got out of town and Ben followed. They were definitely faster than me but they never really got out of site. The GS was sticking to the road and I was really having a good time. When we got to the look out point, everyone stopped to let the group gather back up. Gary and Tony were in the rear and they weren't very far behind.

With everyone together, we talked about what we wanted to do next. Gary and Tony wanted to go eat in the park at the Chisos Basin so we decided that's what we'd do. Of course, there was still some river road left over to Stude Butte so we geared up and took off with Andy and Ben in the lead. This time though, they never really got away from me. I hung with them the whole time and felt totally comfortable with the pace.

We stopped in Stude Butte for gas and then headed into the park. We got to the basin restaraunt by 1 and enjoyed a great lunch. Order the Texas Beef Chilli if you go to the park. It's not spicey unless you chop up the roasted jalepeno included on the plate. During lunch we talked about what to do next and Ben suggested going to Boquillas Canyon which is on the east side of the park. It was about 25 miles from the basin so we paid our bills and headed east.

Once we got to the canyon parking area I realized most of the group wouldn't be going to see the canyon as it required a hike up and over a hill. So Ben and I took off up the trail with Gary in tow while the others hung out watching the bikes. Gary decided he was done when he got to the top of the hill and turned around. Ben and I got all the way down to the river and walked up into the canyon until it got difficult to walk on the large river stones. I was getting nervous as there was a singing mexican across the river and once we passed him I saw a mexican pop up out of the weeds on our side of the river and then the singing mexican came across in a canoe. This was shaping up to be a bad situation.

Ben took some pictures of the canyon and we turned around. As we did there were more people walking toward the canyon so I relaxed and figured there were too many people for the mexicans to cause any problems. We hiked back up the trail and regrouped with the gang. It was 3:30 by the time we were done and with only 2 and half hours of day light left we started planning how to get back to Ft. Davis.

It was decided we'd go all the way across the park to Stude Butte as it was the shortest distance through the park, plus it would get the western travel done while the sun was still up and out of our eyes. Dick took the lead and picked the pace up above the 45mph limit. Since we had left the park rangers at the canyon and since it was Sunday we figured patrols would be light. Well, that didn't turn out to be true. Dick encountered another park ranger on the west side while he was going 60 but the ranger didn't seem to want to stop us and just kept going. I guess he knew we were leaving the park and maybe he realized we were racing against the sunset. Whatever the reason, we kept moving but did slow the pace a little.

In Stude Butte we stopped for gas and then it was back on the road running up 118 toward Alpine. I was in the lead at first until Andy just couldn't take it and he cranked up the speed and took off. I didn't feel like going over 80mph in a 75mph posted area. So I just let him go and no one else wanted to follow. We encountered 2 sheriff deputies with their radar on. I just knew Andy was pulled over but it wasn't the case. We finally caught up with Andy at the Border Patrol check point where he said he'd only been waiting for 3 minutes. He took the lead into Alpine and then on up to Ft. Davis. The last stretch from Alpine to Ft. Davis was the slowest I'd ever seen Andy ride. We were actually going under the posted speed limit as he was searching for any deer that wanted to jump out in front of us.

We pulled into the parking lot of the motel around 5:30. It had been a great day of riding with some spirited sections along the way. The day's mileage was 361 miles over an 11 hour period. Once everybody put up their bikes and changed into more comfortable attire there were adult beverages to be consumed. And since I had gone hiking I figured a sip or two wouldn't hurt much. Well I drained my flask and then started working on a bottle of crown. So much for my sip or two.....

BBFO'10 - Day 2

Great news! Chuck rolled into the motel last night at 9:30pm. It was dark, cold and he was tired, but he made it. We walked across the street to get him some food from the deli. Then a little more visiting and we both crashed out.

This morning we were all up before the 6am alarm clock. I packed up the bike and visited while we waited for 7:30 to come. As it got close to time we all started our motorcycles. Well almost all of us. I tried cranking and cranking but the bike just wouldn't get started before the battery gave out.  So then I started looking for jumper cables and Doug came to the rescue. Dan was the nearest with a running bike so he graciously pulled his access panel and we started my bike up without any problems. Folks were heading to the cafe and Gary told me if I wasn't there in 15 he wasn't coming back to check on me. Since it was so cold I figured I'd let the bike idle for 10 minutes or so to let the engine get really warm. I rode down to breakfast without incident and nervously ate breakfast. When I turned the key back on the temperature gauge hadn't moved a bit and it fired on the first try. I knew I'd be good for the day. Tomorrow might be another story but for the rest of the day I could enjoy my ride.

There's a saying among our group that when Fred gets up to put on his jacket you'd better get your gear on and be ready to ride. Well, I came up on the short end of the stick this morning after breakfast because he pulled out of town while I was still getting dressed. At least I had the bike running so I wasn't too worried and figured I'd eventually catch up with him. Chuck and Dan hung back with me and when we started cranking up the speed to catch them, Chuck was doing all he could to ring some speed out of that Vulcan 800. We did finally catch up with them before we got to Marathon where Fred stopped to let some of the bikes top off their tanks. Again I was the last one out because I ran inside for the restroom. It just wasn't shaping up to be my day.  Chuck hung with the group so I was able to twist the throttle and catch up in a few miles.

We had turned onto 385 south in Marathon, and then turned left onto FM2627 to go to the Black Gap canyon. When we turned onto the road I saw a sign for the Hallie Stillwell Hall of Fame Museum. I thought it was odd to have a hall of fame museum out here so I keyed up the mic and asked if anyone knew who Hallie Stillwell was and why she had a Hall of Fame museum out here. Well Fred didn't let me down. He told us the Stillwells were a well known ranching family out in the area and they had been there a long time. Fred had met "Old Lady" Stillwell before she passed away. And told us that she served one mean burrito that had him and the bathroom on intimate terms for a week. (OK, those of you who know Fred realize he didn't say it quite that nicely.)

We stopped at the Stillwell Museum / Campground / General Store and then proceed down the road until it dead ended at the river. The group had spread out along the 20 mile stretch and by the time everyone had gotten down there a fella on his Harley pulled up and started visiting with us. It turned out he lived just up the hill and provided security for the wildlife management area. He invited us up to his landing strip for a better view of the area. It was a great view and I hope my Sony camera does it justice. The guy lived out there alone and I think he enjoyed the company as much as we enjoyed the view. But like all things when traveling with a large group, those of us who road up to the strip had to cut it short and get back down to the group.

The ride back out to US385 seemed to go quicker. Then we turned south and headed to Big Bend National Park. Now I'm no fan of traveling the 26 miles on the eastern side of the park and today I ended up as the caboose. But with just a little extra touch of throttle the ride seemed pleasant and I was pulling into Panther Junction about 30 minutes later. We took a short break, I'm sure for the guys in the front it seemed like they had been there 30 or 40 minutes already. Then it was time to ride west through the park and stop at Stude Butte for gas and some food. We decided not to stop for lunch at the Chisos Basin since we had at least 17 bikes and the restaraunt isn't the zippiest service in the area to begin with. But you don't ride in the park for the food anyway, it's the scenery that makes a 45mph speed limit bearable.

We rolled into Study Butte and stopped as planned. At first I wasn't going to eat but then decided that maybe a salad would be a good thing. I asked the waitress for a salad with grilled chicken. And she fixed me up with a great salad. It was huge but good. The Ft Bend riders decided to head up to Ft. Davis and call it quits for the day. That would end the day around 300 miles and get us off the road at 4:30 or so. Just before we got to Alpine the guys had pulled off for a break to wait for Chuck and I who were bringing up the rear. When I pulled over I announced that I need to spend some time in a bathroom (No I didn't say it that nicely either) and then I took out in a spirited manner. There's some great twisties on that 10 miles stretch of 118 going into Alpine.

My initial plan was to push for Ft. Davis where the motel was but, I saw the golden arches when I got to Alpine so I figured that would be acceptable. 10 or 15 minutes later I was back on my bike and heard the guys on the radio. I pulled some money out of a near by ATM and then stopped at AutoZone to get some parts to work on my throttle lock issue. Then I hussled toward Ft. Davis trying to catch Chuck who was bringing up the rear. It turned out that I didn't catch him until he stop at the Exxon gas station in Ft. Davis. I guess I spent more time than I thought at Autozone.

We checked into the motel and then unpacked. Tony let me borrow his Battery Tender Jr to see if it can keep the battery charged up over night. I'm hoping it'll crank in the morning without incident. Then while everyone was sitting around imbibing adult beverages I worked on my throttle lock. I had a washer that was just a little too large and needed to be filed down. That seemed to take longer then planned but I got it done while the sun was still up. Then I made a hot cup of tea and joined the conversations.

Some of the parts of the ride weren't at quite the spirited pace that I like to ride when I'm out here. But other parts were great and spirited. Then there was the bumpy start to the day that made wonder if I was even going to stay out  here this weekend or give up. I came to my senses quickly enough though. All in all, it was a great day today and I had fun. We rode 309 miles over the course of 9 hours. No one went to the hospital and no one went to jail. This was a good day in my book.

I think the nearly 800 miles Chuck put in over the course of the past 2 days has worn his butt out. He's talking about leaving tomorrow and splitting up the ride home over 2 days. But he came and he road more miles on the Vulcan in a weekend then he's done since he bought the bike.

BBFO'10 - Day 1

Don't let the title fool you, this won't be an epic month long journey, only a 5 day trip. But considering the time of the year and the little things wrong with my bike that's probably a good thing. More about bike issues later.

This weekend is the annual Big Bend Freeze Out, aka the BBFO. Fred says he's been coming out to the area for at least 24 years. When he's feeling nostalgic he'll talk about what it used to be like out here and how much it's grown up over the years. To listen to him talk the River Road (FM170) wasn't much more than a dirt road back in the day. Now it's a fun, twisty 2 lane with the occasional patch of gravel in the corner. This will be my third year coming out here, I've been looking forward to this trip for months.

Just like any night before a trip, I had a very fitful night's sleep. I had set my alarm clock for 4:15 with plans to leave by 5am. Well, at 1:15 I woke up ready to leave because in my dream I had over slept. The next 3 hours were an excercise in futility but I figured it was best to try and rest as much as I could. When the alarm finally went off I sprung out of bed and got dressed. Everything was packed on the bike so there was no reason I shouldn't have been able leave on time. That is except I sat down in front of my computer, oops! The next thing I know it's 5am and I still have to move Reagan's bike out of the way, gear up and go. I kissed Reagan good bye and ran out to the garage. By 5:15 I was on the bike and pulling out of the drive way.

It seemed like I hit every light along 90A and 99 leaving the Sugar Land area. Plus it was raining so visibility wasn't great in the dark. On more than one occasion I ended up behind slow drivers taking up both lanes of the road. I wasn't so annoyed at the slow drivers as I was with myself because I hadn't filled up the night before and I didn't want to be the reason the group got a late start. I finally made it to Brookshire a few minutes before 6am and filled up my tank. I had passed Andy along the way so I knew we had at least one more rider to wait for. He was at the pump before I finished filling up.

At 6:03am, in the dark and with a light rain, 6 of us donned our rain gear and mounted our motorcycles. The first leg of trip was 60 miles to Schulenburg for breakfast at Franks. Since I hadn't been at a Sunday breakfast many weeks earlier I was assigned to be the ride leader. So I set the pace and tried not to run into anything in the dark. When I left my house it was around 65 degrees, when we were still 30 miles away from Franks it had fallen into the upper 40's. I was OK, but not exceptionally warm. As planned we got to Franks about 7am and they were open for business.

Breakfast was good and service was quick. While we ate the rain let up and the skys seem to clear a little but the temperature was falling. Everyone decided to put on their electrics and change out some layers. Then it was back on the bikes and down the road. The next stop would be the Bucky's gas station in Lulling as Tony needed gas sooner than the planned stop in Seguin. The rain had all but stopped for this leg of the trip and the sun was coming up although it was hidden behind the dense cloud cover. At least we were able to see the road as the wind knocked us around.

We arrived in Lulling and pulled off of I-10. For those who have never been to a Bucky's, it's a mega-gas station for automobiles. They don't cater to semis like truck stops do. The nice part about stopping at a Bucky's is there are plenty of pumps and the restrooms are very clean. So everybody was able to get to a pump and fill up pretty quickly. Gary and I finished first and moved our bikes out of the way. We walked under some cover 10 feet or so away from the bikes and then when it appeared no one needed to go inside for any reason we began to get ready to leave. This is where the first comedy routine of the day occured. Appearantly when Gary got off his bike he put his key in his right pants pocket, or so he thought. When he couldn't find his keys several of us began searching all through out his bike and around it on the ground but there were no keys. He checked his pockets and his rain suit several times without luck. Finally Doug started to pat him down like a police officer would do a criminal and Doug found the keys in the bottom of the right leg of Gary's Frog Toggs. It was entertaining to watch, I wish I had thought to pull out my phone and take a movie.

So with keys found and bikes running we pulled out of Lulling and resumed out westward trip on I-10. The wind knocked us around but the sky was clearing and the roads were drying. When we were still a few miles east of San Antonio we saw a rainbow to the north east. The sky was getting bluer and bluer by the mile.

In San Antonio we picked up 90 and continued west toward Sanderson. We stopped at the rest stop a few miles west of Hondo. As with most state rest stops, this one had WiFi so I pulled out my netbook and checked on the other group who had left the day before. They were a few hours ahead of us but the plan was to meet up with them at the Pecos river.  From the rest area, our next stop would be Brackettville for the final fuel stop and to grab stuff to eat at the Pecos river over look.

It always seems to amaze me when I ride through towns in West Texas. It seems like people out here haven't seen motorcycles before. I wonder what sort of reaction Reagan's Spyder would get. I mean when I'm riding through town and people are staring at me it sort of makes me nervous. But I digress, our ride to this point was pretty uneventful. We got through Del Rio with only 1 wrong turn and that wasn't really a wrong turn so much as it was a delayed turn. We rolled into Bracketteville and stopped at the Valero for gas and snacks.

As guys would fill up their bikes they would move them out of the way. By the time I finished and moved away from the pump, Gary was already taking off his gear to make some adjustments. he was trying to put on some suspenders and had himself all tangled up. It was quite a site to see, finally it was Doug to the rescue (again). I had gotten a report from Fred and the other group that it was too windy for them to stay at the Pecos river so they were heading up the road to Langtry. Then the question was what did everyone want to do for lunch? The decision was made to eat next door at the Crazy Chicken Grill.

Now the Crazy Chicken Grill isn't some high class fancy smancy joint like you might find in a metropolis. No this was a country grill built on to the side of a gas station. The waitress/clerk took your order and just over her shoulder was the fry cook with a large flat skillet top and a deep fryer. The waitress talked me into the fajita special instead of the taco salad. Diet? What diet? I don't need no stinking diet....

Well the food came out slowly at first but everyone finally got what they ordered. The conversation went from the president's speech to alternative energy sources to the silliness of making ethanol. It was quite and interesting lunch. Oh, and the food was decent. 

With everyone fed and the  bikes filled, we hopped back on 90 heading west toward Langtry.  The wind seemed to have increased it's intensity for that last stretch and I was feeling it. Along the way, Gary comes on the radio asking if something fell off his bike. Then I hear Doug confirming that indeed something had and he was picking it up. "Dougie" to the rescue! Andy and Dan come on up to where I'm stopped and tell me we are to go on and that Gary, Doug and Tony will catch up. So we take off and a few minutes later I hear Gary talking on the radio and a few minutes after that we are all back together at the Pecos river bridge where they are still doing construction a year later. After a breif wait at an automated traffic light for a one lane bridge, we resume our travels.

We took the turn off for Langtry and pulled up to the Judge Roy Bean Museum. One of these days when I have time I'd like to come back out and check it out, but today was not that time. But there was time for a bio break and then our small group of 6 became a larger group of 9 with Fred in the lead.

I hung toward the back and just watched the country side as the miles rolled on. With the exception of passing one orange Schieder semi it really wasn't an eventful ride. We pulled into Sanderson just after 4pm and checked into the Outback Oasis Motel, then went across the street to the gas station to fill up. The day's ride had come to an end, for my group it was a 433 mile, 10 hour 44 minute trip together.

As time passed in the late afternoon more and more of this year's group showed up. I got to see people I'd met from past rides and met some new folks too. But the one person that was missing was my buddy from Ft. Worth.

A quick blurb about Chuck, my buddy from Ft. Worth. He called me this morning at 8:45am to say he was just leaving. And then he called me at 4:20pm saying he was in Brady, TX and the GPS told him he had another 4 hours to go but he didn't believe it.  Huh??? It took almost 8 hours to go from Ft. Worth to Brady? I'm no routing genius but that's about 200 miles and should've only taken 4 hours, maybe 5 with long breaks. But it had taken him almost 8hrs and the GPS was saying he still had 4 hours to reach Sanderson. As I write this it's 5 hours since he called from Brady and there's no sign of him around here.  Chuck is a big boy and hopefully has the common sense to pull over for the night and find a place to stay. As it is he's riding at night, in the cold, without electrics, in deer country. Any 2 of these ingredients can spell disaster, all 4 are definitely not good. I'm hoping to have a funny update for you on Chuck's adventure in tomorrow post.

Well the guys have contacted the cafe owner down the street and she's agreed to open tomorrow morning at 7:30 for breakfast so it's side stands up at 7:30. Fortunately it's only 3 blocks down the road. But since I didn't get much sleep last night and because I'm tired from today's ride I think it prudent to get some sleep now.

Oh and one more thing. The wifi internet at the Outback Oasis Motel is squirrelly. At first it worked fine when we got here. Then there were problems on the eastern side of the property. Now there's problems on the western side of the property. I don't know what they've got here but it's definitely not very good if it can't handle a few netbooks at one time. Thank goodness I have my sprint card, or this post wouldn't get published tonight.

AK '09 - Post Trip Wrap Up

OK, so I have to apologize to those folks who were following the blog as I meant to finish this trip write up back in November. Why November you ask when Reagan and I arrived home in July. Simple really, I didn't get my bike back until November 4th. Yep, I was without my beloved ride for 4 months. And then with work, motorcyle teaching, deer season, Nascar and a little surgery I found myself all the way into December with a bike sitting in the garage that still needed to be rewired following the brutal disassembly performed in the Fairbanks BMW parking lot back in July. Not to mention I had to fix a few things damaged by Fairbanks BMW when they crated my bike up.

So what happened to the bike, what was the final prognosis? In the end I got a new transmission out of the deal but it wasn't all that easy. First the the bike didn't get to Wild West BMW in Katy, TX until August 28th. Yep, it took almost 2 months to get it home, folks in Alaska don't seem to get in a hurry to do anything. Sort of like Mexico, only colder. The dealership was nice enough to help me un-crate it and gave me some space to reassemble things as I needed to repair the fuel connector that was broken in our parking lot work. Once everything was put back together Dan, the service manager, put some gas in the tank and we fired it up. When I let the clutch out in neutral Dan grimaced and I knew it was bad. He said their tech had just recently completed the training to rebuild R1200 transmissions and he'd get the parts ordered. In the days that followed I sent him the warranty info and he got the repair approved by the company.

It took a few weeks for the parts to arrive and then more time for them to complete the work. Then in the first week of October I got the news that the work had been completed but the noise was still there. It was more than just some bad bearings. It took a few weeks for them to measure all the parts and discuss the problem with BMW North America before it was decided that a new transmission would have to be installed since some of the damaged parts were not available from BMW. So Dan got the approval from the warranty company and the transmission was ordered. Finally on November 4th, I got the word that the bike had passed it's post repair inspection and I could come get it. As I was leaving town later that day, I rushed over there with John's help and picked up the bike. Dan wasn't in the office so it was unknown how much of the $5,550 bill I actually needed to pay. They let me take the bike on the promise that I would square things up with Dan. The ride home was wonderful, I had my motorcycle back finally.

It wasn't until December that Dan got back to me on a final cost for the repair work they had done. As it turns out, the warranty company (MPP Company, Inc. aka Pinnacle Protection Plans) refused to pay for the initial repair attempt but did pay for the transmission replacement. Their lack of honor in the deal was so bad, that supposedly the dealership has stopped selling their warranty plans and won't try to rebuild any more R1200 transmissions. I paid for some of the parts and Dan said he would recoup the rest of the costs by parting out the old transmission, it was an amicable deal for both of us. I'm hoping this will be the last warranty claim I have on the bike until I get a new one in 2012. I've certainly saved money with the purchase of this extended warranty, and I don't want to see if Dan is willing to take on another warranty claim with Pinnacle.

So, now that you've read about the repair saga I can finally give you the numbers about the trip.

Total Mileage: 13,183 miles
BMW Mileage: 8,083 miles
Spyder Mileage: 5,098 miles
Tires used on the BMW: 2 front, and 2 rears
Tires used on the Spyder: Still on the original set, 10,000+ on the odometer
Days on the Road: 36
Cost of Fuel: I don't want to know
Cost of Rooms: Who cares! I was on the road for over a month.

Since returning, Reagan has really enjoyed her Spyder. By the time we returned home there was no doubt that she would be keeping it. She's taken several day trips on it and we even road up to see my parents on Christmas Eve. Boy! was that a cold ride home. The Spyder is now a part of the normal vehicle choice even, since Reagan changed jobs, she's now able to ride it to work when she wants to. She even let's me ride it now and again, but that may just be so I'll put gas in it. ;)

Talk is already under way for another trip back to Alaska in 2012. The group will have some different faces and a few of the same. The key difference will be the time spent. As part of the trip, I want to take 29 days, 23 hours and 30 minutes travelling from Key West, FL. to Dead Horse, AK. so I can say I did it twice and the second time I was able to see a lot along the way. Shucks, I might even turn it into a Four Corners ride on the way up but I'll have to see how it goes. I'm putting together the paper work today to get my UCC ride certified. I'm not concerned about the time, as far as I'm concerned it took 12 days to get there. But I'd like to get the certificate saying I completed the ride.

There's no Iron Butt rides planned for this year. I'm focused on my work so we can stash some cash hopefully. I do have some fun rides coming up like next weekend's BBFO (Big Bend Freeze Out) and this summer Reagan and I are hoping to attend the BMW Rally in Oregon. And then there's the Harley Davidson CIW instructors workshop in May. So there will definitely be more trips to read about in 2010 but I'm afraid the next month plus long trip won't be for a year or two. I'm working on it though, especially now that Reagan has her on bike.

AK '09 - Day 36

The last day of the trip and I over slept. Last night I had forgot to turn my phone service on instead of just powering up the pda portion of the phone. Actually I had gone the past 4 days without cell service and started liking it. Luckily mother-nature kicked in and I woke up at 5:30 and noticed the time. I scrambled out of bed to get a shower while Reagan rushed to pack. Somehow we managed to get everything packed, loaded and walked down to breakfast at 6:05. She was right, I did like the fluffy bed at the Hampton Inn.

Reagan wanted to take the first shift as rider so I hopped on back and we headed out of town on Hwy 62 south. It was early in the morning and the sun was just starting to rise so John kept the pace slow to watch for deer. And deer we saw, too. We even saw a confused calf that was trying to figure out how to get back to the other side of the fence.

One thing about today, it was hot when we started. The wind was blowing and it was already 77 degrees. So much for the cool, refreshing days I had experienced only days before. So we continued down 62 to Hamilton where we stopped for a restroom break. It was a good chance to stretch my legs too. John and I figured the next stop would be just south of Abilene to fuel up and pick up a lost mug of Fred's.

As we rode into Abilene, John's GPS went on the fritz and we had to do a u-turn. In doing so we go separated so Reagan and I resumed the route as it showed on the Zumo. After we passed the airport on Hwy 36 south we started looking for a gas station 7 miles down the road. There was no gas station to be found so we didn't stop. Unfortuntately we didn't have much gas left and we began to wonder if we'd make it to Cross Plains or not. We pushed on, and luckily we made it with 0.8 gallons of gas left. Jphn and Lydia had caught up to us a few miles south of Abilene.

With a full tank of gas and restroom breaks taken, I took the rider seat for a while. The route was simple, from Abilene we were taking Hwy 36 south to Rosenberg. The road was straight and the scenery boring compared the wonders I'd seen over the past month. Plus with the high temperatures it was just a ride to get done.

We stopped along the way for a restroom break and then finally stopped in Cameron for lunch and fuel at the Shell station on the south side of town. There was a BBQ joint attached to it and they actually served pretty decent 'Q. It's not ride worthy like Snow's in Lexington but it's not bad for a person who has been away from Texas BBQ for a month.

Reagan took the rider's seat after lunch so I sat on the back and listen to the Nascar race. By now it was 104 degrees outside. We had 2 hours of riding left and it was just a matter of toughing it out. The seat was truely a pain in my butt, but we were almost home.

In Bellville, John stopped at the Shell to get some fluids and I took the chance to hit the restroom. I didn't realize I had been drinking so much water. But later Reagan informed me that I had drank almost all of the 3 liter camelback on the back of the bike. Ooops, if I had known I would have bought more water at the Shell.

I took over for the last stretch to the house as Reagan was hot and wanted to share the driving duties with me. She had pretty much driven more than half the day already. So I hopped in the rider seat and we took off on 36. I'm not for sure if we got bad gas in Cameron or if there's a tuning issue with the lower altitude but I noticed a slight sputter after leaving Bellville. I plan to run some premium through it and talk to the dealership to see if there's any computer changes that are necessary.

So we trudged down Hwy 36 until we got to the Spur 10 and took that over to Hwy 59. Then it was north a short ways before exiting for the house and finally pulling into our driveway again. It took 2 bikes, and 36 days but I had traveled over 13,000 miles of the country with very little back tracking on the same roads.

After figuring out how to fit the Spyder in the garage (will have to clean out more to fit the GS in there too) we unpacked and got our showers. It was nice to pick clothes out of my dresser instead of a bag, and it was nice to take a shower in my own bathroom.

We went to dinner at Gringos and found ourselves in the bar as there was space available and we wanted cold beer. Well the beer wasn't cold enough but the bartender was helpful. After we ordered it sort of started getting crowded with people of african ethnicity and self entitlement issues. Reagan and I both came to the same conclusion, neither one of us like Houston any more. It's too darn crowded and we're talking about the suburbs. Jobs are keeping us here for now but that won't be forever.

In the next few days, after the flood of whailing and requests from my clients subside, I plan to write a recap about what stuff I took, what worked, what didn't, what I will do different next time (yes I'm going back to Prudhoe bay) and general numbers about the trip. At some point in the next month or so I'll also post the resolution of the GS transmission failure and it's outcome. Since Reagan and I are already planning a Big Bend trip in October I'm hoping to have it back before then so I can put things back together. Otherwise, I'm going to really have an iron butt after riding that little Savage out there and back.

It's good to be home, even if it's hot and crowded, my bed, my computer and all my junk is here. I'm home!

AK '09 - Day 35

The last full day on the road, tomorrow night I'll be sleeping in my own bed. But I'm getting ahead of myself, I need to talk about today.

Since we had 518 miles to go, we decided to get an early start. The plan was to leave by 6am, we were pulling out of the gas station at 6:01. Not bad.

I took the first shift as rider because I was concerned about deer. We left town on Hwy 50 and then turned south onto Hwy 69. The road had plenty of twists and turns in it as we worked our way between mountains. It was also very comfortable as the temperature was in the mid 50s.

We stopped in Westcliffe for breakfast, and although it was 7am no one seemed to be open. Luckily we found a little bakery that was open and enjoyed a great breakfast of baked goods. While eating outside we talked to a few folks and it became apparent that we had chosen the right place to stop as the place was beginning to get busier the longer we stayed.

Reagan took over as the rider after breakfast and we headed out of town on Hwy 69 after making a quick pit stop at the gas station. The temperature was rising, after breakfast we were already into the 70's I knew it was only going to get hotter as we went south. The ride was uneventful except for the Antelope and Bucks that we saw along the road side. The farther south we went the fewer mountains we saw.

At Walsen we hopped on I-25 continuing our journey south. We crossed the New Mexico state line with Reagan in the rider's seat. Then in Raton we took Hwy 64 east and left the interstate behind. We stopped in Clayton at the DQ and had an early lunch. Warning, if you order the crispy chicken wraps for $1.49 be sure to get 2 or 3. One is just a snack.

After lunch I took the rider's seat as we continued on 64. We crossed into Texas at Texline and I was finally back in my home state after 35 days. Woohoo! But then I realized I was in the panhandle area where the roads are straight, the wind is steady and the air smells of feed lots.

We trudged down the road until we got to Vega where we stopped for gas. Then we picked up I-40 east through Amarillo. Then south on 287 toward Childress. In Amarillo it was 100 degrees and when we finally stopped for a break at the rest area 30 miles west of Childress it was 104 degrees.

After a rest room break, bottled water break and soaking up some A/C we headed back out to the bikes. With 30 miles to go we pressed on. The temperature rose to 105 before we rolled into town. The Hampton was easy to spot, we pulled in and found some shade while the girls checked us in.

After unloading the bikes and having a drink, we walked across the street to a Mexican restaurant. It turns out the county just went wet and most places haven't gotten their liquor licenses yet. So there were no cervezas with dinner, but the food was ok and service wasn't bad. Afterwards we returned to our rooms and had another drink while we planned our next trip which is going to be out to Big Bend. Hopefully my GS will be ready by then, otherwise I might be on the little Savage while Reagan is her Spyder.

Today we went 518 miles in 10 hours. Tomorrow is going to be a little farther and there's a chance of rain in Houston. At least 97 degrees for a high doesn't sound as bad as 105. At the end of the day, I will be home and not having to worry about packing up the bike on Monday. That's what I'm looking forward to, but I will miss the adventure of travel that I have enjoyed for more than a month. I have to start figuring out how to do this more often.

AK '09 - Day 34

Last night I slept good and it was the alarm clock that woke me up. By now I'm on my normal morning routine. We were ready to go by 6:30. We went to the front office to check out the continental breakfast. There were no eggs for John so we went down the street to the 7-11 Ranch Restaurant where we had dinner the night before. Breakfast was good. By 7:30 we were ready to leave town.

We stopped for gas on the way out of town and then we left via US 40. Reagan took the rider seat so she could check off Utah and Colorado on her riding map. Temperatures were in the 70s and I knew they were going to rise as we continued south. The cool mornings were now a thing of the past.

We crossed into Colorado and turned south onto Hwy 64 at Dinosaur. The road got a little twisty and made things fun. Just before 10am CDT we pulled over so Reagan could get on a conference call. Unfortunately there was no cell service available so she kept the driver's seat and we continued on down the road. No conference call for her today.

At Meeker, we headed south on Hwy 13. We decided to stop in Rifle for fuel and a mid-morning snack. After getting fuel we went over to the Back Country cafe. Since it was 10:25 local time we could have had breakfast or lunch but I wasn't really that hungry. I had some hot tea and an apple pie a la mode. Yummmm! We met the owner who had made a 28 day motorcycle trip himself. He told us of his trip and how he ended up buying a house in Oregon. On the way out of the restaurant he asked us if we wanted to buy a ranch. It went right along with the story he told us. Before we got our gear on, he was out in the street talking to us some more and gave us some suggestions on our way down to Salida.

It was my turn to be the rider as we left town on I-70 east. We followed the Colorado River along I-70 for many miles. The view was fantastic.

We eventually turned onto Hwy 24 and I took the lead as we were getting into the twisities. Reagan and I got hung up behind a pickup truck for part of the way, until we could finally pass him. We stopped at the Pizza Hut in Leadville for lunch. Unfortunately when I went to the restroom, I found that someone had vomitted in the sink. That was enough for me to decide the place probably wasn't the wisest choice to eat. We went downtown and ate at a nice little cafe before continuing on toward Salida.

We turned onto Hwy 291 for the last 10 miles into Salida. It seemed like we came in the back way or something because we were driving through residential areas but eventually we got on the main drag and found the Super 8. We had arrived early enough to take a nap, the first one of the trip.

After a nap, and a drink, we walked over to the Country Bounty for dinner. Their menu was vast and their food was good. Then it was time to retire to the rooms and have a night cap.

Tomorrow we are planning to leave at 6am. We have 500 miles to cover in order to reach Childress, TX. This will be the longest day with the girls so far. But we have reservations at the Hampton Inn so there's something to look forward to.

BTW: I was successful in uploading my first YouTube video. It's of Reagan riding on Beartooth Highway after we stopped at Top of the World for lunch and gas.

AK '09 - Day 33

Last night I didn't get to bed until almost midnight and I was up at 5am. I thought it was going to be a long day without much sleep. I did a little work as the internet connection had improved since last night and then we packed the bikes. By 6:30 we were heading out of the parking lot going south on Hwy 33.

Reagan took the rider's seat so I was chief photographer for our bike. Fortunately overnight they had swept the gravel road so travel was much easier and quicker. We stopped for gas in Victor, Idaho and then it seemed like we were across the state line going over the Teton Pass again. Reagan handled the pass with ease. Look out Valentino Rossi.

We rolled through Wilson and Jackson without finding a place for breakfast. We turned south onto US 26 and then US 189. Still nothing for breakfast, I thought our goose had been cooked. Finally in the middle of nowhere we found the Branding Iron cafe just south of Bondurant, WY. The waitress was wonderful and the food was good. We left there an hour and a quarter later with very full stomachs.

The route continued south on 189 with Reagan driving. We headed east on 191 toward Pinedale where we stopped at a Napa Auto Parts. John needed some coolant because he was a little low, thus causing his over-heating problem from the day before. While we were there we talked to local boys who told us about life in Pinedale and quizzed us about the Spyder. They actually leave the keys in their boats and recreational vehicles. It's a different life than in Texas, that's for sure.

We continued on 191 to Rocksprings where we stopped at the Flyin' J for fuel and food. Since I was still stuffed from breakfast I just had a bowl of fruit and several glasses of iced tea. With 200 miles on the trip odometer for the day, Reagan opted to let me drive the last leg of the trip.

We hopped on I-80 west over to 530 south. We were following the west side of the Flaming Gorge Recreational Area. At first it was just some mountains and large hills. Then we turned south on 44 in Manila and we actually entered into the rec area. We found the beauty of the gorge, and we found some great twisties too. There are some fun switchbacks going up and there are some fun switchbacks coming down. Don't forget to take time to see the views at the scenic lookouts.

We picked up 191 going south again and rode through a phospate mining operation. And we found more twisties. The only problem was the large truck that was going less than 10mph but once we got around him it was fun again.

Finally we rolled into Vernal, UT and checked into the Best Western Dinosaur. It's a great place with nice rooms and a maintenance guy who is really into motorcycles. He hooked us up on ice for the beer and told us where to eat dinner that was within walking distance.

After we unloaded the bikes, Reagan and I headed to Walgreens and Radio Shack for some stuff. It was a very pleasant experience to be in a town with familiar stores and friendly people. Maybe this could be our summer home :)

Upon our return, we had a few drinks and then walked to dinner. Service was good and the house special was a great value, it was a Fred dinner.  Afterwards, we waddled back to the hotel and sat around outside the room. Another great day on the road, with great friends.

Tomorrow we're heading to Colorado, then it's Childress, TX on Saturday and home on Sunday. The trip is winding down. The good part though is we are adding places to see on future trips and now future trips involve Reagan on her Spyder. This has really been a great trip.

BTW: I am trying to upload some videos of Reagan on the Spyder to YouTube but I've been bandwidth starved or I'm doing something wrong. If I don't get it done on the road, I'll definitely get it done when I get home.

AK '09 - Day 32

Waking up at the Old Faithful Inn was a treat. When I looked out my window it appeared as though the ground was on fire with all of the steam rising from the geysers, springs and pools. The temperature had dropped after dark so it was really comfortable sleeping with just a fan.

We got up at 6 and went down to breakfast at 6:30. They offered a buffet and regular menu items. The buffet had French Toast but not much of anything else I wanted so I opted to just order French Toast with bacon and 2 fried eggs. Afterwards, we went back to our rooms to pack.

At 8:15 we met down at the bikes and got everything loaded up. Then we needed to run over to the visitor center for a stamp, and the gift shop for a t-shirt. Once that was done we went back to the bikes and got on the road. It was 9am when we pulled out of the parking lot.

We went up to Grand Prism spring to check it out. Unfortunately the cool morning air and the boiling water didn't make for a good combination. I think a warm breezy day would give you a better view of the spring. But it was amazing to watch as the steam rose in different colors.

We got back on the bikes to head out of the park via the south entrance. We had to back track a ways but eventually left the park. When we did, we found the mother of all construction delays which hung us up for 44 minutes. Welcome to Grand Teton National Park.

When we finally got through the construction we went down the road and stopped at the Jackson Lake Lodge for lunch. We had been told there was an amazing view in the restaurant and the food was great. The view was wonderful and the food was good. Portions were definitely plentiful.

We continued south through the park stopping at 2 other visitor centers to get passport stamps. The route we took basically kept us in the valley of the park. So it was hot, and since we were sort of limited on time we couldn't explore some of the higher elevation roads which would have taken us into the Tetons and back to my childhood memories. After leaving Yellowstone it was really just a travel day on slow roads with a few stops for stamps.

When we got to Jackson, WY we headed west on Hwy 22, the Teton Pass, as the name indicates we went over the mountains. The road was fun but heavily congested so it was just another road for much of it. I did manage to find a few curves devoid of traffic though.

22 took us into Idaho and onto Hwy 33 North toward Tetonia. We ran into more construction, this time they were spraying oil and spreading gravel. What a mess! Reagan and I were being pelted by gravel from the front wheels of the Spyder. But eventually we rode into Tetonia and found our motel. Check-in was easy, Reagan secured some ice, and I headed to do laundry in the RV park.

Dinner was questionable at first. The clerk recommended the only place in town but you never know what they consider to be "actually good food". After doing laundry we headed over to the North End Bar & Grill and had a surprisingly good dinner. There was only one waitress for the entire place but the food was good. If it would have been next door to the motel that would have been even better, but the short drive 3 or 4 blocks wasn't a problem.

Reagan didn't do much of the driving today. She took the seat between 2 visitor centers in the park, then gave it back to me as we were crossing Teton Pass and she wasn't up to trying something like that. Or so she said, I think she was just being nice and let me have the fun twisties of the pass. She's the best!

Tomorrow we have a longer day, 338 miles. That's longer because we've been riding around in parks. I expect the temperature to get warmer over the next 4 days too. I've gotten spoiled of low to mid 70's and that's going to quickly disappear. Today we climbed into the 80's. By Saturday we'll probably be happy to start out in the high 70s.

AK '09 - Day 31

Note: I'm blogging from a bench in front of Old Faithful. It's a rough life but someone has to do it.

Today was going to be a long day in the park so we got an early start. We were all down at the bikes by 6:45 and at the Town Cafe by 7 with the bikes gassed up. Breakfast was good, we had the same waitress as before.

WAIT! There was some activity on the geyser. Nope.... just a primer I guess.

We finished breakfast and got on the bikes by 7:45. I got to be rider for the first part of the day. Reagan would take over after lunch, since it's her bike I was OK with that. We went through the gate and entered the park. The gate attendant actually examined my id and card carefully. Thank goodness my signature was close enough for her evaluation.

We passed through Mammoth Hot Springs....

HOLD ON THE GEYSER.... nope another false alarm....

so we stopped at the hot springs and walked around for a while. I really should have packed my range boots but I was trying to be weight conscious when packing for the trip. Next time, I'm bringing the hiking boots. So after we walked around the terraces, we realized we could ride to the top so we turned around and went back down.

HOLD ON THE GEYSER... nope another false alarm....

We rode up to the top only to find they had the main terrace loop road closed for maintenance. Really??? Don't they know the Walters are in the park? So we walked down a pathway and I got my first whiff of sulphur. Finally I was in Yellowstone.

We got back on the bikes and continued over to Norris Basin. The land looked like it was on fire. We pulled into park.

HOLD ON THE GEYSER... REALLY......

"It looks a lot smaller", was what I heard from a young lady in the crowd. Hmmmm, she apparently has some larger standards. It was pretty cool to watch. Hot water came blasting out of the ground for no reason. Cool!

So back to Norris Basin. We parked and walked into the basin. There was a bookstore where we got our passports stamped and then we walked along the trail for a ways. We saw Steamboat Geyser and a few other thermal features before returning to the bikes.

We resumed our ride through the park on the Grand Loop. We eventually stopped for a passport stamp and lunch in Canyon Village. Service was a little disappointing, maybe it was just that the waiter was from New York but he didn't really seem to care about his job or his customers. After lunch Reagan took over the rider duties and I assumed the co-rider seat.

We headed for Inspiration point, what a view. Then we looped back through the Canyon Village to head to Artist Paint Point. There are several other views of the canyon and the amazing falls but those will have to wait for another trip.

On that note, Reagan is really enjoying the rider's seat of her Spyder and there is already talk about future trips on the Spyder. The plan is to ride solo on our respective bikes and then use the Spyder for park touring. Not a bad plan. She certainly seems excited about her new ride.

So after the Yellowstone Canyon we headed over to Mud Volcano. There were so many bison along the way it just got ridiculous. They are as prevalant as cattle are in Texas. I even started calling them cows. Really I don't care to see another Bison. The Mud Volcano was cool as was the Dragons Breath spring. We were getting tired and the day was getting late so opted not to take the long walk around to see the other thermal features in the area.

The next stop was the Fisherman's Bridge visitor center for a passport stamp. We didn't stop at the Fisherman's bridge but the water was amazingly clear. Maybe next time we'll stop for a look.

The final planned stop of the day was at the west thumb basin to check out the thermal features and snag a passport stamp. Well we missed the visitor center by 10 minutes and decided to take the 1/4 mile loop to see some of the features. I found it interesting that some pools were crystal clear with amazing color while others were cloudy.

Reagan continued in the rider's seat all the way to Old Faithful. We stopped at the Continental Divide to snap a picture along the way. While there we ran into a blue and black Spyder. She left before I could snap a picture of the custom paint. It was a nice looking bike though.

We stopped for gas and then rolled up to the Old Faithful Inn to check in. Welcome to tourist hell. But if you are prepared it's a good thing. Check-in was relatively painless as Reagan had booked the rooms. John and Lydia were in an original room which meant they had a shared bathroom but an amazing view of Old Faithful. We were in the newer section which meant we had a bathroom but no great view.

As mentioned above, we saw the 8:01 eruption of Old Faithful. It was a few minutes late. Hot water blasting into the air is pretty cool to watch. Afterwards we walked around to find the visitor center which was closed. We had dinner reservations at 9:15 so I spent the free time writing this blog.

Tomorrow is a travel day, we are leaving the park but heading through the Tetons on our way to the hotel in Idaho. John mentioned something about the road into Idaho going over the Tetons and Reagan chimed in that I could take that part of the driving. But she's been doing so well she might change her mind once we get on the road. We'll see.

AK '09 - Day 30

This morning we slept in and didn't get started until 8 o'clock. Lydia had already gone down to the the lobby to discover that they didn't really have a good breakfast. But she did snag several packets of hot cocoa for our hot cocoa and Crown drinks. We decided to go down town to a cafe for breakfast. Reagan took the driver seat.

Breakfast was good, service was fair. Afterwards we mounted the bikes and I took the rider position as Reagan wanted to get some pictures. The plan was to go to Mammoth Hot Springs and then go east across the top of the Grand Loop to Tower Junction. The first sign of a challenge was when we had to wait in a line to get into the park.

When we got to Tower Junction I needed a bathroom break, then we headed north to Cook City. We ran into road construction along the way which resulted in a 20 minute break. Then we continued along on US 212 to Top of the World. We didn't stop but kept going to the scenic outlook which allowed us to see Beartooth pass before transcending it. Pictures were taken and then it was time to go down the pass. It was decided I'd go first to set the pace.

I pulled out of the overlook behind an SUV and took the first chance to pass them. I wanted to see what the Spyder would do and really pushed it. No matter what I did with the Spyder, it would stick to the road like we were on rails. I was the limiting factor in the corners, not the Spyder. The engine had lots of torque when I wanted to roll on and plenty of compression when I needed some engine breaking. It was great!

When I got to the bottom I found a pull out spot and turned around to wait for John and Lydia. They caught up just a few seconds after we turned around. Then we did the pass again, only this time we were climbing when entering the curves and the pace seemed a lot quicker. When I got to the top I found another pull out and waited. John and Lydia got hung up behind a SUV. Once I saw them, I pulled back out and continued along Beartoothe Highway toward Top of the World where we planned to get gas and lunch.

Reagan and I stopped off at the western summit to get an elevation photo, with a little effort we have a photo of the GPS reporting 11,000 feet on the pass. Woohoo! We continued heading toward Top of the World to catch up with John and Lydia since they passed us while we were getting our photo.

I pulled up to the gas pump and filled up. Then we found out there wasn't an actual restaurant there but they did have a gift shop/copnvenience store so we found crackers, cheese and salami. We went outside, sat down in some chairs and enjoyed a nice lunch with a great view.

After lunch, we geared up and proceeded to leave. Reagan decided she was going to be the rider for a while so I took the co-rider spot. The first thing she had to contend with was a little construction but that didn't slow her down a bit. She managed the construction just as easily as she managed the curves. She was finding her groove with this bike.

Meanwhile I was on the back snapping pictures and taking video. Here she is riding the Beartooth Highway. There's a video, but I can't seem to get it uploaded to YouTube.



We entered into the park again and speeds slowed down due to traffic. The decision was made to go to Tower Falls. We checked out the falls and then Reagan resumed the rider position. I figured I couldn't say much since she let me ride Beartooth pass in both directions and it is her bike. I did get to see some great scenery along the 90 miles of being a co-rider today and even managed to snap several photos along the way.

When we got back into Gardiner, we unmounted and went to the rooms. After a few toties, we walked across the street to a burger joint and enjoyed some really large burgers. I ate so much I was really uncomfortable. Afterwards, I walked to the liquor store to get some Crown and Moose Drool. Then we went back to the room for a little planning of tomorrow before calling it quits.

Reagan is rocking as the rider. I feel really comfortable in the co-rider position and it's nice to be able to swap out with her. Seeing the park on 3 wheels alleviates a few challenges on 2 wheels while still giving us the thrill of being on a motorcycle. I'm not ready to give up my GS, but it's a great way to see National Parks.

Tomorrow night I won't have internet as we are staying at the Old Faithful lodge. It's a small price to pay for getting to see Old Faithful late at night. I hope.

AK '09 - Day 29

This morning we were supposed to be at the bikes at 7am. What was I thinking? We only had 175 miles to go and even with stops we getting there before noon. For some reason my brain wasn't working, it didn't dawn on me what time we'd get there. John suggested we try out the free breakfast since they had omelets and other breakfast items.

After breakfast we checked out and went to the bikes. It was 7:45 as we pulled out of the parking lot. Due to a GPS user-interface issue, we had a little issue getting out of town. Eventually we got out town on Hwy 287. In the sky there were lots of dark clouds and it looked as though we might get into some rain.

Some how we managed to avoid the rain for the most part as we snaked through the valleys between mountains. Eventually 287 took us to I-90 where we headed east. About 80 miles into the ride, my rear was bugging me so we stopped for a break. Afterwards we resumed our travels until we got to Hwy 89 in Livingston.

We headed south on 89 for the last 50 miles. Since it looked as though we were going to get into town before noon, Reagan and I talked about going into the park to get the park information packet and maybe checkout a visitor center. About 15 miles outside of town the rain briefly caught us as we rode through a mild sprinkle. Reagan noticed the oncoming traffic didn't have their wipers on so it was safe to assume the rain wouldn't last for long and it didn't.

The Super 8 was on the main road into town so it was easy to find. I went in to inquire about check-in time. The clerk said it wasn't until 4pm. We had 4 hours to kill and the rain looked like it was heading right for us. We left the hotel, fueled up, and went looking for a pharmacy. No luck on the pharmacy but since we were at the north gate to Yellowstone we went in to get the park information.



Once inside, we decided to head on into the park to Mammoth Visitor Center. I was hoping there would be a movie or 2 we could watch and pass the time. As luck would have it, the rain caught us before we got to the visitor center. Reagan and I were mostly dry on our top halves but the bottom halves got soaked thanks to the mesh pants. John and Lydia got soaked top and bottom with their mesh gear. We all thought we could beat the rain to the visitor center and we lost.

The visitor center was packed with people since it was raining and it was a free park fee weekend. But we did manage to get into the theatre and watched 2 movies about the park. They weren't the best movies I've seen on this trip, but I did get a little out of them and it helped to pass the time. Fortunately, the air conditioning wasn't doing too well or we might have been uncomfortable in our wet gear.

After the movies, we went outside to find the sky had cleared and the sun was out. We spread out our gear on the bikes and went across the street to the dining hall where we had a great lunch. In fact the service was probably some of the best service of the whole trip.

When we came out of lunch, mother nature had something different in mind. The sky had filled with dark clouds again and the sprinkles had returned. Since it was after 3 we headed back to town, being sure to stop at the 45th parallel for a photo op. John found a pharmacy so we stop so Reagan could get some things. John and Lydia went on to the convenience store for some Moose Drool, while I waited outside. The rain was coming.

With Reagan back on the bike, I hustled through town the 1/2 mile to the hotel. I went in hoping to check in early and the clerk was fine with it. In fact he probably would have let us check in an hour or 2 earlier. As we were checking in, the rain finally came. The girls went to the rooms, while John and I moved the bikes. It wasn't a hard rain but enough that you didn't want to stand out in it for long. Once we got the bikes unpacked it seemed like the rain stopped.

We sat around drinking some afternoon totties and enjoying some Moose Drool. Our totty of choice was hot cocoa and crown. Tip, skimp on the water, and be generous with the Crown. After some time we walked down to a pizza place claiming to be the best pizza in the west. It can keep it's claim, but what really surprised us was the incredible wait staff. While we were their they had several large parties come in and it didn't slow them down. Pretty much every table was full and service remained good.

As luck would have it, when we walked out of the restaurant it was starting to rain again. This was starting to become a theme. We tried to walk back and sought shelter in a nearby building. Finally the rain stopped and we walked to the hotel.

Tomorrow we go to Beartooth pass, and explore some of the northern part of the park. We are planning to start our day a little later, we are meeting downstairs at 8am to try their free breakfast.

AK '09 - Day 28

Today was a new day because we had the girls, and Reagan and I needed to pack some things in John's trailer. So we were all up early and standing around the bikes at 6:30. It seemed like it took 2 seconds to pack up the trailer and we were done. Breakfast next door didn't start until 7 so we sat around in the hotel lobby drinking tea and coffee.

At 7 o'clock we went over to breakfast. The waitress wasn't used to working the morning service so she didn't really know the menu and almost didn't serve me hot tea. Lydia didn't get her bacon until the meal was almost over. In the grand scheme of service though it wasn't a bad meal, it just wasn't great service.

Afterwards we went back to the motel, checked out, and left the parking lot with lots of people standing outside looking at the bikes. The Spyder seems to be a magnet for questions from bikers and non-bikers alike. We filled up across the street and then headed out of town.

We took US 2 north toward Glacier National Park. As we rolled through Columbia Falls we noticed a few quaint motels that are probably worth staying at next time. They are about the same distance from the Glacier International air port and the town looks a lot more friendly. There might even be better places to eat.

Entering the park was a snap as this was a free weekend. We pulled into the visitor center to look for information, snap a few pictures and look for stickers. No stickers but we did get an idea about the road we were about to ride. So after talking to a few other riders about possible future improvements that Can Am can make to the Spyder we mounted up and took off on the Road to the Sun.

Going up the road was beautiful. At first we were riding along the lake and temps remained in the low 60s. Past the lake we stopped to look at a beautiful water fall.



After taking a few photos we continued on our way. The road began to climb as it snaked along the edge of the mountains. There were magnificent waterfalls and views. We saw mountain sheep and tourists trying taking pictures of them. But as we climbed in elevation, so did the temperatures climb. It was 71 degrees when we got to the Logan visitor center.

Glacier NP doesn't really have any large glaciers like I've seen at other parks. But the views are beautiful and the ride is worthwhile. After visiting the visitor center we headed out of the park going west. We stopped at the St. Mary Vistor Center, watched the videos, looked through the telescope at an Osprey nest. Then we left the park and stopped at a lodge for lunch and some shopping where I found some stickers.

We followed Hwy 89 south. We stopped for fuel in Browning and a quick break. After the stop we resumed our ride on 89.

About 10 miles later, Reagan keyed up the mike and told me she wanted to be the rider instead of the passenger. We pulled over and swapped positions. She took the lead and did an outstanding job at setting the pace. As any good rider should do, she started out nice and slow going into the corners. As her confidence grew so did the speeds. Before long she was ripping through corners at speeds above posted limits.

We rode through a few small towns without issue. I would read the GPS over her shoulder and John would call directions over the CB. There were no problems navigating through the towns.

Just before we got to I-15, Reagan pulled off the road to switch places with me. I was thankful for the change in seating. The pillion seat is OK but the footrests are pretty short. I've already seen some extensions that other owners have made, I think I'll be making a set when we get home.

The first part of I-15 had plenty of twisties and a zesty 75mph speed limit. Once out of the mountains and on the flat straight road it seemed as if there wouldn't be any further excitement. That was until the deer decided to cross the highway in front of John and Lydia. It looked like the deer was going to stay in the median but at the last minute she sprung out in front of them. John managed to dramatically slow the trike without hitting the deer. It was definitely an andrenaline pumping event for all.

After that, I was scanning for deer even more than before. Fortunately we rolled into Helena without any further excitement. We checked into our hotel and unpacked. Then after a post-ride totty, we walked next door for food and spirits. They served Moose Drool beer which is a brown ale. It's definitely a beer to drink if you like darker beers. When dinner was over we went back to the rooms and retired for the evening.

Tomorrow we have a short day of riding, only 175 miles. We are going to Gardiner which will act as our base camp for 2 days while we explore Bear tooth pass and the northern part of Yellowstone. Hopefully Reagan will be nice enough to let me drive across Bear tooth at least in one direction.

AK '09 - Day 27

The girls arrived today. Hooray!

Today was a rest day, a chance to clean up the bikes, rest and await the arrival of the girls. As it always seems to happens, I woke up around 4am this morning and couldn't get back to sleep. So I completed some work that a client needed. Around 5:30 I decided I needed to get some sleep so I turned off the laptop and went to sleep.

A little after 8, John's phone started ringing while he was in the shower. That was enough to get me to waking up. A short time later I got out of bed, took a shower and got dressed. Then we went in search of breakfast.

There was a restaurant/casino at a nearby hotel so we tried it. I'm pretty sure the place is going out of business and they just don't realize it, or new owners have taken over and they are slow to revive the property. None the less, they were serving breakfast so we thought we'd give it a try. The waitress was new and hadn't figured out the art of multi-tasking but she had a good attitude and the menu looked good. Breakfast turned out to be good.

After breakfast we went to Wal-Mart for some bolts and a pink ribbon. On the way back we stopped at the car wash to clean up the bikes. I wanted to present Reagan with a clean bike when she arrived. I sprayed, I scrubbed, I wiped, I sprayed some more. It took about $9 to get the bike cleaned up. I even found an Armour All pad for $1 so I did the tires and control arms. Then it was back to the hotel to move into our separate rooms.

The staff was very helpful and allowed us to leave our stuff in last night's room until the new rooms were available. Then we had the choice of rooms so we took 2 rooms on the first floor near the lobby.

After moving into the new room, I took care of a reservation issue in Gardiner. I made some calls and then took a nap. It was a rest day after all.

At 3pm the alarm clock went off so I got up. It was time to go to the liquor store. A short walk down the street and we had our bottles. I went back to the room to work on the pink bow I planned to make for Reagan's bike. With scissors borrowed from the front desk I managed to make something that looked like a bow. Then I took it outside to put on the bike. It turned out pretty good.



The last thing to do was to call a cab to take us to the airport. The front desk gave me 2 numbers. Both went to voicemail but I left my name and number for the second one as they sounded like a professional operation. After 30 minutes there was no callback and it was after 4pm. We were running out of time. I got a third number from Columbia Falls and when I called the guy he had an attitude so I just said to heck with it. We'd pick the girls up on the bikes. So we took off for the airport.

We arrived about 10 minutes before the flight landed. Finally after 4 weeks I was reunited with my sweet and supportive wife. I was very happy to see her again. Skype helps but it's nice to see a person for real. We walked out of the airport and there was the bike, with the bow. Reagan was very surprised, she was expecting the bike but not the bow. He he he he. I surprised her :)

We went back to the hotel and then went down to a steakhouse for a nice dinner. Well, I've decided Kalispell doesn't have a nice restaurant anywhere in town. They claimed to be a steakhouse but they only had 3 steaks on the menu and one of them was a sandwich. It was really just a burger joint with a casino. The place was a disappointment but we were with our wives and that made things better.

After dinner we rode back to the hotel. Reagan wanted to take the Spyder for a spin around the parking lot so I gave her a quick orientation of the controls and then it was hers. She started it up, backed up then rode around the parking lot before parking it for the night. I think she liked it.

Tomorrow we are heading to Glacier National Park and staying in Helena. Then it's over to Gardiner so we can ride Bear Tooth Pass, then we are heading into Yellowstone for 2 days. Hopefully I'll be able to get some good pictures now that I have the throttle lock, and Reagan brought her camera too.
 

AK '09 - Day 26

One more day until the girls get here and today was the day we returned to the US. Hooray!!!!

I had some work to do so when I woke up, I turned on the laptop and started working. An hour and a half later I was done so I hustled to get dressed and packed so we could get our day started. We stopped for gas and food before leaving town, then headed south on 93 around 9am. Even so we were going to be in Kalispell by 12:30.

93 took us south to Hwy 3 where we headed east. Then picked up 93 south again. That took us to the border and we crossed without issue. They were interested why a person from Texas had a bike with Alaska plates. It was a good story to tell.

We got into Kalispell around 1:30 and decided to stop for lunch since it was probably too early to check in. We ate at famous Dave's BBQ which wasn't bad for a chain BBQ joint. They had sweet iced tea so I was in heaven. I had 3 glasses before getting filled up.

We got over to the hotel around 3:00 and checked in. When I got there my packages were waiting for me. So I carried them to the room and then unloaded the bike. Since we'll be here for 2 nights I took a few extra things off the bike.

Once it cooled off a little we went outside and installed the highway pegs and throttle lock. The pegs took about 1.5 hours and the throttle lock took 10 minutes. The 2" extensions may be a little too short for Reagan but I can fabricate some 3 or 4 inch extensions for her. They are just 1/4 inch plate with 1/2 inch holes drilled.



Tomorrow we are going to clean up the bikes, move into new rooms and pick up the girls. It'll be a great day to relax and get a little work done.


NOTE: I've neglected uploading pictures lately. That's being taken care of tonight. Here's the link

AK '09 - Day 25

The trip is taking a little different dynamic now that it's just John and I. The pace is more relaxed and we leave when we leave. We agree on a time to leave but it's more of a suggestion than any thing.

This morning we were both up before 6am, working on our laptops. After showers and packing we were on the bikes by 7. There was a gas station next door so we went over there to top off. As luck would have it my American Express didn't want to work so I had to deal with that. Luckily the attendant was very understanding and I left after paying for the gas with my Visa.

John took us into the huge town of Valemount and almost immediately we found a restaurant for breakfast. Once our orders were placed I called American Express to resolve their issue. I informed the lady I spoke with that this was the second time they shut my card down on this trip and that I had a new slogan for them to use in Canada, "American Express, LEAVE home with out, it's useless". She was very apologetic for the continued inconvenience, thanked me for being a customer and said she noted the account so  I would not have any more problems. I'll bet I have to call at least once more before I get home. Amex really isn't the traveller's card any more. Mastercard seems to be the best card to carry, at least when going to the northern parts of North America.

After breakfast we headed north back to Hwy 16 which went to Jasper. There was no reason to go into Jasper so we took 93 south into Jasper National Park. Remember when you ride in National Parks the speed limit is slower, and this park was no different. Plus we had to face idiotic RV'ers towing trailers they had no business towing and hogging the left lane in passing lane areas. Really, there should be a different licensing program for RV'ers.

After an hour and half we made it down to the Ice Fields visitor center and pulled in. At first glance it appeared there was a road leading up onto the glacier. We both thought it would be too cool to have the bikes on the glacier. We inquired at the information counter and discovered that we had to take the bus tour to get on the glacier and that our bikes would not be allowed. Bummer. I had already decided that I wanted to do the bus tour if it didn't cost as much as a small car (or a new Spyder) and when I found out is was only $49/person I knew I had to do it. So I went over to the ticket counter and bought us both tickets. We were going to stand on the glacier.





(The terrabus, with 4 foot tall tires)

A short while later and 1 transfer from a regular tour bus to a Terra Bus, and we were on the glacier, walking around, taking pictures, and John was even tasting the glacier melt water. It was really amazing, we were standing on almost 1000 feet of ice below our feet. Standing on all that ice was a little cold, especially with the steady wind. Our guide told us that it snowed 365 days a year on the Ice Fields and that's what kept the glacier going. It was an incredible place to be, and we were lucky to have great weather.


(sitting down on the glacier)

After the ride back down, we decided to get away from all the tourists and continue our southward track to the gas stop 30 miles down the road. The stop included $1.349/Liter CAN full service gas without service, overpriced cafeteria style prepackaged food, and an encounter with a traveller we had met in Fairbanks. Good stop but a little expenisive.

Once we were done with the stop we rolled on down Hwy 93 toward Banf. At one point I regretted packing up my liner because it was getting a little cold as we climbed in elevation. The chilli was making me sleepy too. If I had seen a park bench I probably would have stopped for a nap.

We turned off for Radium Hot Springs and found some great twisties. John was riding his peaceful pace and I decided it was best not to pass him since I didn't know where the hotel was. The ride going into Radium was invigerating and scenic. The hotel turned out to be a great find. Dinner was had just down the street at a German restaurant.

All in all today was a great day with 300 miles of riding. Tomorrow will be a shorter day with only 216 miles planned on the GPS. We are going to leave a little later so I can get some work done before we leave. Since we are now in Mountain time I'm only 1 hour behind home, which make life a little easier.

Tomorrow night I'll be back in the USA and hopefully far enough south to see a sun set. It's the little things in life that you look forward to.

AK '09 - Day 24

Today's route was from Burns Lake, BC to Valemount, BC along Hwy 16. Not much of an adventure but a big day none the less.

Things started out this morning around 5:30 when Jerry started talking through the window to tell us he was leaving. He had decided to head for Calgary today and wanted to get an early start. By the time John crawled out of bed he was long gone. So we went ahead and got up and got ready to leave too. The weather didn't want to cooperate with us as it was raining while we were packing the bikes.

About 6:45 the remaining four of us pulled onto Hwy 16 heading for Prince George. Since it was raining we decided to get 50 miles or so down the road before eating breakfast. It was lighter in the direction we were heading, we hoped we could ride out of the rain and that's what we did.

We stopped in Fraser Lake for breakfast at Tony's Restaurant. Tony is the cook and after fixing a great breakfast he came out to talk with us about our collection of motorcycles. He was fascinated with Dick's Stallion. He didn't believe us when we told him it had heat and air conditioning.

After breakfast I went next door to fill up because I didn't think I could make it to Prince George. As I was filling up the rain was just starting to sprinkle. Apparently it was chasing us as we went east. It didn't take long though and we got away from the rain and enjoyed a very beautiful sunny day.

We stopped in Prince George at the Chevron to fill up and say our good byes. Fred and Dick were heading south into Idaho, while John and I were continuing east toward Jasper National Park. My group of fellow riders was dwindling.

After the stop, John and I resumed our travels on Hwy 16 east. We stopped around 2pm in McBride for lunch and met a few riders at the liquor store. They were also heading to Valemount for the night, but staying in the Best Western. One of them had a bright, new, shiny Olympia jacket like mine. After seeing it, I'm even more encouraged to fix my jacket instead of getting a new one. It's sort of a badge of honor, just how much I've worn it. It's really just getting broken in with around 60,000 miles. I'll bet I can keep it together for another 40,000 or so.

After lunch we continued our travels on Hwy 16 until we got to Hwy 5 where we went south to Valemont. This town is like most small Canadian towns along the highway in that it's tucked off to the side but a few hotels and gas stations have built up along side the road. We found our hotel and checked in without trouble. I have a hard time believing their real room rate is $189/night, at least not while they are remodeling. John had negotiated a better rate over the phone and they didn't try to change it on us. After taxes we had the room for $139CAN.

Once I got the bike unloaded and checked out the internet it was time to take care of laundry. Since I didn't do it in Hyder, I was down to my last day of clothes tomorrow so it seemed like a good time to get it done.

Total mileage today was 330 miles. It's the longest ride we've got for quite a few days to come. Tomorrow we're going into Jasper National Park and working our way south. Thursday evening we will be in Kalispell, MT awaiting the girls who will arrive on Friday. The extra day in Kalispell should give me a little time to install some things that I'm having shipped in along with getting the Spyder cleaned up for Reagan.

So how about the Spyder? It's really a fun machine. The acceleration for passing vehicles is amazingly quick. No downshifting needed. Probably the best way to describe it is as a 3 wheeled Corvette, or maybe a 3 wheeled Mustang. It has plenty of get up and go for a 990cc machine. Ergonomics still bother me a little because I can't fully stretch out my legs but the highway pegs should take care of that. The handle bars are a little low but managable, Reagan may want to get risers. I suspect the windshield will get replaced once she sees the poor wind protection of the current one. The Spyder is a really fun ride, and with a little tweaking I think it's going to make a fun touring ride for her as well.