Recycled Motorcycling

A Cautionary Note for Triumph

2011-12-18T10:47:00.000-08:00

I'm composing this post in the hope that Triumph rethinks some issues discovered at this year's motorcycle show. I am a huge Triumph fan and rejoice at their current market share and the fun bikes that they produce. Yet do I really need to add that they had one near death experience in the 1980s because they did not listen to what their fans wanted?

I have owned two Speed Triples in recent years and that bike remains my favorite bike in the world. In recent years, I have become deeply interested in dual-sport or enduro type bikes. I think the two best moderately priced bikes in that category are the Triumph Tiger 800 XC and the comparable BMW F800 GS. Aside from some reputation for mediocre build quality on the BMW, one reason I have been virtually settled on stepping up to a Tiger 800 XC is that the company has stood for consumer choice, so far. I think continuing that approach is in the best interest for the company.

When I have walked into BMW dealerships in recent years, assuming that they deigned to notice a scruffy looking engineer type, I have gotten a very hard sell on ABS braking systems. To the point of belligerently demanding why a customer would not choose to have anti-lock brakes. In contrast, ABS has been an option available with other options a Triumph dealer, without this obnoxious hard sell. I insist on making my own choices and ABS may eventually be one of those choices, THOUGH IT HAD BETTER BE EASILY DISABLED FOR OFFROAD RIDING. And do I really have to point out that the Tiger 800 XC is marketed as a very offroad-oriented motorcycle?

However, the story I am starting to get from dealers is that starting in 2012, all new Triumphs will be equipped with anti-lock brakes. Not that this will be the default and purchasers will have the option of ordering bikes sans ABS but that only bikes with ABS will be available.

Aside from the irritation factor of wanting to make this choice on my own as an informed consumer, reviews of the Tiger 800 have described the process of disabling its ABS for offroad use as clunky and awkward. What this means is that if I am riding offroad and repeatedly bog down and stall, I may have to deal with the irritation factor of going through a cumbersome ABS disabling process many times in one day.

This could be a deal breaker for me, in terms of following through with my intended purchase of a Tiger next year. The BMW F800 GS's ABS is very easy to disable for offroad use and a used KTM Adventure could end up being another option I consider.

Think very carefully about this, Triumph.

2011 Motorcycle Show - New and Improved

2011-12-18T10:05:00.001-08:00

I spent some time yesterday wandering around the 2011 motorcycle show and thought I'd post up some comments here.

First of all, I have to give Harley-Davidson some kudos for their cool and engaging booth. I'm not a Harley/cruiser kind of guy but their setup was nicely done and staged so as to make the visitor part of the booth. From the bike that the curious could actually hop on, fire up and rev to the "how to pick up your bike" clinic, it was all very well done.

A booth I make sure to visit at each bike show is the Touratech booth. They provide top quality farkling and gear, have terrific guest speakers and events at their Seattle facility and are fantastic at working with customers. Here's a fully farkled F800 GS at their booth.

For me, the highlight of this year's show was to be having Triumph there again. I believe they make some of the best bikes in the world, with top flight build quality, excellent design and a fun mischievous side missing in "serious as a heart attack"sport bikes. Their booth was consistently packed while I was there. I even saw a visiting fan with a Triumph tattoo. (Note, there will be a cautionary post to Triumph following this one)

After last year's coup at launching the Tiger 800 like an arrow at BMW's GS heart, Triumph stepped up the competition with the new 1200 Expedition. A bit heavy for my taste but a gorgeous bike. BMW had better guard their lunch.

My long time favorite, the 1050cc Speed Triple, released in a higher spec R version this year. This one goes to fricking 12.

The very popular Street Triple looked a little embarrassed at appearing in "I have a sensitive side" purple.

A modern classic Bonnie and a Thruxville custom put together by I-90 Motorsports.

Triumph's America cruiser, hopefully not named that way because they see ALL Americans as overweight and slow, with poor ground clearance.

There may have been some Japanese bike manufacturers at the show as well.

As always, there were some great custom bikes for eye candy.

Hold That Tiger!

2011-09-03T14:23:00.001-07:00

About 5 months ago, the first Triumph Tiger 800s reached the Seattle area. Today, I got to test ride one. It was awful, ran poorly, had abysmal build quality and I want nothing more to do with the bike.

Not really...this is a fantastic motorcycle and I think soon I will be counting the days until I can own one. It's likely to be 1-2 years but oh well...it gives earlier adopters the chance to debug issues for me. :)

The picture above is from Tiger's debut at Lynnwood Cycle Barn and that's where I went today to test ride the Tiger. Cycle Barn and I go way back: that's where I bought a Speed Triple, a bit over 4 years ago. Today, I rode my current Speed Triple into their lot and set about securing a test ride. The sales guy, Luke, set me up and soon I was riding around Lynnwood on the Tiger 800 XC (like the one in the picture but more offroad-oriented).

What is the Tiger 800 like? Bloody brilliant. I test rode the comparable BMW 800 GS a couple years back and remember feeling like it was a little gutless. Not so the Tiger 800: it doesn't have the Speed Triple's raw power but I knew as soon as had been on it for a few minutes that it had plenty of power. It accelerated briskly and with the Triumph triple soundtrack that I have known and loved for some time now.

I presently have two bikes, the Speed triple and a DRZ400 supermoto and one question in the back of my mind is whether I should try to have three, adding the Tiger or else stay at two Triumphs by trading in or selling the DRZ. After today's test ride I'm thinking I'll just trade in the DRZ: it's a nice bike but a little underpowered for getting to the places where I'd like to ride it. Part of the appeal to the idea of keeping the DRZ is how surefooted and nimble it is. Could the Tiger do what the DRZ did a couple months back, easily dispatch The Box figure 8 test in an experienced rider class?

One of the first things that I did in today's test ride is get a feel for what the Tiger's steering radius is like, on a quiet street nearby. The answer is: fantastic. The Tiger feels almost as nimble as the DRZ and is clearly a capable replacement for it. Tight U turns were a piece of cake.

As to the build quality, Triumph has clearly taken to heart the lessons from their 1980s near-death experience and are taking great pains to build high quality machines and taking customer problems seriously. This is an area that BMW should give some attention to because their promising 800 GS (as well as their other current bikes) have been bedeviled by a series of quality issues, greatly exacerbated by the company's reluctance to take these problems seriously. Triumph, on the other hand, has already had recalls to deal with some not unexpected first year bugs in the Tiger.

There's also the question of dealer attitude and again, this provides a reason to pick Triumph over BMW. While Seattle BMW dealers have either demonstrated a clear lack of interest in whether I bought a bike from them or a belligerently aggressive insistence that I opt for anti-lock brakes, local Triumph dealers have been enthusiastic about selling me bikes. And they ask ME what features I want on MY bikes. I vastly prefer that approach.

I think that Triumph has another winner on their hands with this bike and eagerly await the day when my garage has a Tiger in it. Thanks to the kind people at Lynnwood Cycle Barn for helping in making this decision. I think you just sold another bike!

Dreaming of 6 Continents

2011-05-24T20:03:00.000-07:00

Just for fun, I'm going to make a list of places around the world where I'd like to visit by motorcycle, hopefully touching each of the bike-accessible continents. With some of them, I've had definite ideas about places I'd like to see for a while. Africa was harder, though, and Australia and new Zealand still have me stumped.

Got any ideas for places to visit in Anzac?

Here are my current goals.

1) North America - I'm all over the Pacific Northwest already but riding from Alaska down to San Francisco or out Route 66 would be a kick!

2) South America: Santiago, Chile down to Tierra del Fuego (including Ushuaia) and back up to Buenos Aires.

3) Europe: riding the United Kingdom North-South and/or riding from Paris or Barcelona, through Switzerland, Eastern Europe and into Turkey (bonus points for a second continent in Istanbul!)

4) Asia: India and Russia both intrigue. perhaps I can wrangle a visit to my company's Hyderabad office, then ride over to Goa and on down the coast to the southern end? Was going to include Moscow to St. Petersburg but Google Earth wouldn't map that trip.

5) Africa: I've always been interested in Kenya and Tanzania and ending up down at the southern end again seems logical.

6) Australia - east coast. Need alternative/better suggestions and ideas for New Zealand.

Remember, I need suggestions for Australia and New Zealand!

Please read Jack Lewis's "Coming and Going On Bikes"

2011-05-15T20:04:00.000-07:00

Of all the things we can do during our time here on Earth, the worst thing you can do is try too hard to be safe. It’s only when we accept some risk and strive for the sane (or fun) management thereof, many of us would maintain, that you become fully alive. Motorcycling is an excellent way to shred delusions of immortality, its reward being the most fun you can have without an enamored Scarlett Johansson and a hot tub.

However, one down side to motorcycling is that there are significant periods of time where we can’t engage in this holy madness. Work, which provides the vital source of monetary fuel for our two-wheeled love affair, simultaneously encumbers a significant amount of saddle time. The weather can also interfere, though here in the Pacific Northwest we are blessed with a climate where you can at least get out for a spin around town almost all year round.

What gets us through those dark days when our mounts stand idle? Motorcycle writers do, by helping us remember dreams that we’ve already lived and plan for our dreams of the future. The best writers can even make us feel like we do while riding, articulating the wordless howls of joy that sound deafeningly in our helmets when a ride is JUST right. That’s why those of us who love books as well as motorcycles are constantly on the prowl for the next Peter Egan, Austin Vince or Ted Simon. Recently, I was fortunate enough to discover the writing of Jack Lewis and these words are meant to get you as excited about finding more of his work as I am.

I’ve probably read a number of articles by Jack in Motorcyclist magazine, since returning to riding. I first realized his talent while browsing bookshelves. I then discovered, to my consternation, that he is also a member of a local motorcycling email list, where a mad job market has consigned me to being a lurker for several years. Later, I found one of his books, “Coming and Going on Bikes” in eBook form and purchased it for my Nook reader. I’m here to recommend that you purchase this astoundingly inexpensive eBook and enjoy it as soon as possible because it is really a very enjoyable reading experience.

In the first section, “Riding Home : Coming Back to the World”, Jack writes about his return from Operation Iraqi Freedom III and his travels aboard a classic BMW motorcycle as he takes the long way home. When he buries the SKS bullet that could have killed him in the deep waters of a reservoir, you’ll want to cheer, as you will again when he reaches his home. And it will make you long for the day when our other brave men and women find their way home.

“What kills Us : Calling in the nine-Line” speaks to motorcyclists who are combat veterans and who are, disturbingly, dying in motorcycle accidents at rates approaching 50% over civilian riders. As Jack illustrates, motorcycles are like weapons in that learning to use them WELL will provide years of riding enjoyment. This is much more appealing than the image of these fine riders dying through lack of the skills that motorcycle riding demands. Seriously people, we want you to come home safe so that we can spend years attending rallies with you!

“Stalin's Revenge” presents interesting information about the BMW-derived Russian-made Ural motorcycle with a sidecar. “Hacked on” follows, with a description of a sidecar class that makes the idea of trying three wheels on a lark sound like a real blast.

“The Bike That Changed My Life” looks at a bike that provided the author important learning opportunities, a Yamaha dual-sport (a versatile type of motorcycle that’s very popular these days). “Stoned to the Bone” follows, with an account of a publicity test ride the author made of the F800GS, one of BMW’s most popular models in recent years and one that I contemplate possibly bringing home in a couple years (unless an analogous Triumph model gets to me first).

Finally, “Dancing with the Devil” looks at the act of motorcycling as a way of choosing real living over the nearly obsessive quest for sanity that seems to obsess our culture. Motorcyclists know that the avocation they love may someday result in serious injury or death, accept and strive to manage this risk at a level that makes sense to them, accepting the moments of pure joy and adventure and judging that enjoyment as better than a life where fear sets the boundaries of our lives instead of us. It is a thoughtful look at what makes motorcyclists tick.

Now please go and buy this book immediately. I think you'll really enjoy it!

Amazon

Long Way Clown

2011-04-16T00:01:00.000-07:00

July 2003 Charley McGregor and Ewan Boorman swagger into the Cat and Fiddle Inn and order some food and a couple pints.

CM: “This is great, these roads are MADE for Gold Wings!”

EB: “Did you see the corner where I almost scraped a peg? Fantastic…”

CM: “Hey, should we take Gold Wings on our trip around the world next year?”

EB: “No, BMW is offering to sponsor us.“

From a nearby table: “You’re taking a big GS around the world? Did you hear about Mondo Enduro and Terra Circa? These ordinary guys rode DR350s ALL around the world….”

EB: “No! I never heard of either of those names.”

CM: “But Ewan, we watch Mondo Enduro over and over….”

EB: “NO!”

Another voice nearby: “If you haven’t seen it, you really should check it out! These guys are awesome, they ride these little bikes everywhere, deal with all kinds of stuff, have great experiences with the locals…”

EB: “How do they carry their Snap On tool chests on DR350s, er, little bike that I’ve never heard of?”

Neighbor: “They don’t, mate. They just take a few tools and improvise…very adaptable people, they are.”

CM: “What kind of support vehicles do they have following them? At least two jeeps, I assume?”

Neighbor: “None. It’s just them and what they carry on their bikes…”

EB: “But how do they transport their doctor and coffee service? How do they watch their Star Wars DVDs?”

Neighbor: “Er, I don’t think they are taking many electronics on the road, maybe some cameras.”

CM: “HA! We’ve got them beat, er, those people whose shows we don’t watch over and over…”

EB: “Tell me, what sort of hard core cardiovascular conditioning and combat training do they do?”

Neighbor: “Er, none. Not a single pelvic tilt.”

CM: “So what sort of director and producer did they hire? Did they get some good scripting for their faux dramatic arguments? I bet the doctor they had accompany them was a REAL drama queen, like the Russian we hired…”

Neighbor: “They didn’t take a doctor. A couple of them get injured and have to pack it in, at least for a while.”

EB: “Any bug bites that swell up and look disfiguring?”

Neighbor: “A couple.”

CM: “Doh!”

EB: “Any socially conscious and relevant discussion of historical sites and how people are alike all around the world?”

Neighbor: “Lots.”

CM: “Damn…”

Neighbor: “You really should watch Mondo Enduro…”

EB: “STOP SAYING THAT NAME!”

CM: “Any dramatic eating of animal testicles?”

Neighbor: “Not a one…”

EB: “HA!”

Neighbor: “But they did make it across the Zilov Gap in Terra Circa, a couple years back!”

EB: “AHHHH!” (Reaches for light saber that isn’t there, stalks out angrily. Followed by CM)

New Triumph Models in Seattle, FINALLY!

2011-03-26T18:53:00.000-07:00

Triumph didn't attend 2010's Seattle motorcycle show (nor did BMW or KTM) and I was unable to go to the Vancouver show in January, due to a work crunch. So I was pleasantly surprised to receive hints that Cycle Barn wold be unveiling new Triumph motorcycles today.

And the Triumphs revealed were EXACTLY the bikes I was most interested in seeing: the new Tiger 800 and the new Speed Triple.

First, here's the new Tiger, in all its glory. It's an 800 cc, 3 cylinder bike that takes dead aim at the BMW F800 GS:

This is the 2011 Special Edition Speed Triple:

The white Speed Triple below sports the new 2011 styling, heavy on chassis changes to take advantage of its might motor. The black bike alongside it is identical to my 2009 model. When I sat on this new 2011, it felt lower and more compact than my 2009...its handling is supposed to be fantastic.

After the long wait, it was exciting to finally see these new models first hand. I eagerly look forward to taking them for test rides!

Austin Vince speaking at Touratech USA in just under 2 weeks!

2011-03-10T11:51:00.000-08:00

Most adventure/touring motorcyclists have heard of Austin Vince in the context of Mondo Enduro or Terra Circa. Anyway, Austin is visiting the US and will be speaking at Touratech USA in Seattle on Wednesday, March 23:

http://www.touratech-usa.com/Adventure/Events/cGaDRi/Touratech-USA-Presents-Austin-Vince

If you don’t know any of these names, I encourage a look at this page:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mondo_Enduro

Basically, in 1995-1996, these Brits rode DR350s (earlier/smaller versions of the DRZ400) around the world: think Long Way Round and Long Way Down tacked together on small dual-sports. They were unable to make it across the Zilov Gap in Siberia and so went back later and did cross the Gap in the Terra Circa trip.

This COULD happen...

2010-09-15T14:16:00.001-07:00

In keeping with the notion that you can never have too many laws and that anything that isn't banned ought to be mandated and regulated to death, the state of California has decided to make the biker "wave" mandatory.

As of January 1, 2011, any time two or more bikers pass each other, they will be required to wave at each other. Moreover, the occasion of the wave will do double duty by promoting the important safety message that riders should wear full gear at all times.

This then is the Official state of California Biker Wave:

2010 Canadian parks Tour Conclusions

2010-08-21T17:36:00.000-07:00

My tour through the Canadian parks was a wonderful experience. There was some wear and tear involved. A camera that ALMOST passed the 65 mph drop test, a waist buckle on my backpack melted on the Triumph's exhaust pipes. This righteous callous on my throttle hand after 5 days:

If I was doing this trip over again, I would have either added 2-3 days to it so I could do some real hiking or paddling or aimed for less road miles, with the same objective. Riding through was fantastic but I desperately wanted to get off and wander on foot a bit and the schedule didn't allow for it.

As with previous trips, some people I met along the way were highlights of the trip. For some reason, people seemed to want to say Hello and yack a bit with a middle aged, solo biker, which only added to the trip. It was fantastic meeting the trip of New Zealand Harley riders at the Athabasca Glacier and I hope to visit their home roads, some day.

I can't wait to return to the Canadian Rockies because I know I only barely scratched the surface with this trip...

Resources used in planning the trip:
The Canada Cool web site - @CanadaCool on twitter

Books:
Handbook of the Canadian Rockies by Ben Gadd - samples, my review
This is THE book to have for a trip to the Canadian Rockies, if you can have only one

The Moon Books guide to Western Canada - Andrew Hempstead - my review at Amazon
Covers not only the Rockies but all points of interest in British Columbia, Alberta, the northern Territories

The Canadian Rockies Access Guide - John Dodd, Gail Helgason - I need to review this, it's an excellent guide to trails and outdoor resources

2010 Canadian Parks Tour - Day #5 Heading home Part 2

2010-08-21T09:03:00.000-07:00

Since leaving Jasper on the previous day, it seemed that my trip home through the Cariboo would carry reminders of my first ride to Lillooet. I often paralleled the Fraser River or its tributary the Thompson. As with the ride to Lillooet, I saw a black bear.

And the town where I spent my last night in BC was measured in relation to Lillooet. Lillooet was the start of the old Cariboo Trail and there is a whole string of town named for their distance from it. So 100 Mile House is named for its distance from Lillooet along that route. Shots outside the motel where I stayed.

And the Visitors Centre in 100 Mile House is home to the world's largest cross country skis.

A neat inukshuk carved from wood.

Continuing on towards Cache Creek

And in Cache Creek

Continuing South, this river looks kind of sedate, so could be the Bonaparte, North of Lytton

Now, THIS looks like the mighty Fraser!

Boston Bar sign - only including this as it's my last photo taken en route.

From this point, I was pretty much in 'homing' mode. Stopped for a bite in Hope but otherwise headed for home at a good clip. There was an hour's backup at the border on this fine summer day, so that by the time I spoke with the US immigration officer, I had sweated THROUGH my leather jacket. Soon, i was home...and looking forward to more journeys North.

2010 Canadian Parks Tour - Day #4 Heading home Part 1

2010-08-21T08:21:00.000-07:00

The journey home from my visit to the Canadian Rockies started when I left Jasper National Park and traveled through Mount Robson Provincial Park. The entrance to Mount Robson Park contained the only mountain goat that I saw on my trip:

Mount Robson is the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies, towering to 3954 metere/12972 feet.

Pressing on through Mount Robson park, I was also reacquainted with an old friend. The Fraser River, which I journeyed alongside on my first ride up to Lilllooet, originates in Mount Robson Park and it would be accompanying me down through much of my journey back to the Vancouver area.

The gorgeous mountain vistas continued along the way.

I rode through a lot of small towns as I continued on towards Wells Gray Provincial Park but did not make many stops, as I was going for a bit over 300 miles on the fourth day.
As with the mountain goat at Mount Robson, the only moose that I saw on my trip was not very lively.

Past Clearwater, I traveled on to Little Fort. There, I abandoned the Coquihalla (which I had taken South from Tête Jaune Cache) and headed West on 24.

Amusingly, I had been prepared to see bears anywhere along my journey, especially in Banff and Jasper. But I did not see a bear until just after I had passed McDonald Pass on 24. As I rode along, a black bear suddenly ran across the road about 100 yards ahead. As I slowed to have more reaction time, he also slowed and then resumed running across the road.

Why did the bear cross the road? I don't know, maybe he was following a chicken? :)

One reason I was hurrying a bit was that the skies had been threatening rain since Clearwater and eventually they followed through on their threats. A light rain started, accompanied by some thunder. Having learned last year that it's smart not to ride in thunderstorms and heavy rain, I pulled into a small general store at Bridge Lake to wait out the thunderstorm and see if it would stop raining. The owners were very nice in letting me wait on their front porch.

After I thanked them and rode on, the rain did start up again but fortunately there was no more thunder/lightning. I reached the town of 100 Mile House and stopped for the night.

2010 Canadian Parks Tour - Day #4 Back through Jasper

2010-08-18T21:42:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned, I stayed overnight in Hinton, AB. The Howard Johnson folks kindly offered to let me park my bike in a No Parking zone, right outside the window...they offer that privilege to motorcyclists so their bikes will be in sight over night. A nice considerations:

Another result of glacial activity: a local beer brand named after huge glacial erratic (deposited boulder) in Okotoks.

An large grizzly statue outside of a nearby grocery store:

heading back into Jasper National Park

A historical marker for the former Jasper House

And some elk:

Shortly after riding into the park, I cut over towards Maligne Lake. That was not my goal but the next stop, Medicine Lake, lies on the way to Maligne Lake. Stopped to photograph this bear warning...and that digital camera has not worked since.

Luckily, my cell phone has a passable camera built in and I was able to capture these photos of Medicine Lake, my last objective in the National Parks. Medicine Lake is an oddity, as it empties out annually through an underground cave system known as 'karst'. Thus, it fills with glacial melt water during the warm months but empties out as dropping temperatures rob it of its water source. First Nations peoples originally called it Magic Lake.

Leaving Medicine Lake, I noted an impressive bull elk eating by the side of the road, with a small traffic jam developing and numerous people without sufficient instinct for self preservation gathering around it. I hope it was not a Darwin Award in the making!

2010 Canadian Parks Tour - Day #3 - On to Jasper National Park

2010-08-18T21:12:00.000-07:00

And the road lead on towards Jasper...

This wasn't a place I'd planned to explore but I'm glad I did so spontaneously. Sunwapta Falls...it's so utterly beautiful that I just stared at it in amazement for minutes.

Sad face - as I rode onwards and stopped repeatedly for pictures, I inadvertently left the camera pocket on my tank bag unzipped and my camera bailed out at about 65 mph. My face is saying, "Do You Still Work?!?!?!"

Mount Edith Cavell, named after a British heroine from World War I.

At last, Jasper National Park's Info Centre:

I was staying overnight outside of Jasper in Hinton, Alberta. Stopped along the way to take photos of the sand dunes that have collected from glacial silt, along Lake Jasper:

2010 Canadian Parks Tour - Day #3 The Icefields Centre

2010-08-18T20:57:00.000-07:00

The Icefield Centre - lots of great information and touring options available here:

The Triumph Speed Triple - so cool it may save the glaciers from global warming!

This is as close to the Athabasca Glacier as they want you to get, these days!

This is part of how glaciers carve mountains: by dragging embedded rocks across stationary rocks:

There's a snow bus with big balloon tires that takes tourists safely onto the glacier.

Others hike up until they're nearly at the toe of the glacier:

Here's a decent overall shot of the Athabasca Glacier. If you look closely, you can get an idea of scale by finding the guided party hiking, up on the left:

LOTS of safety warnings there. Understandable, as crevasses are often invisible. Death by hypothermia while wedged into a TIGHT slot in a block of ice has to be a horrible way to go.

The glacier is melting faster these days. This melt-water stream was lively around 10 am. They mention it as another hazard so maybe it becomes turbulent enough to be dangerous, later in the day.

2010 Canadian Parks Tour - Day #2-3 continuing through the Icefields Parkway

2010-08-13T10:11:00.000-07:00

Here's shots taken from the Icefields Parkway. The beauty is really quite breathtaking:

The Crowfoot Glacier:

Continuing along...

With a lot of these geological formations, you can really get a feel for how dynamic, if slow, their forces causing their creation was:

Finally reached the Columbia Icefield!

2010 Canadian Parks Tour - Day #2 continuing through Yoho

2010-08-11T20:59:00.000-07:00

Here's a time capsule from the Rogers Pass information site and the information site itself:

Continuing on towards Yoho Park, some local wildlife, bighorn sheep, turned out to observe:

Yoho is the park I was most looking forward to visiting last year and it was deeply cool to finally reach the park this year.

Here's are some shots approaching and by Emerald lake:

Pressing on towards Field, a town in the heart of Yoho:

I stopped at the visitors centre near Field, look forward to returning when time allows. Next, I pressed on towards Takakkaw Falls. The first shot below is near a viewpoint for the Spiral Tunnels, which made sending railroads through Kicking Horse Pass less, well, lethal.

Here is one of the switchbacks, which make driving up the hill a task vehicles hauling trailers shouldn't attempt. Note how the road's surface has been battered by falling rocks. Not a place to be during bad weather!

Takakkaw Falls. 1260 ft/384 meters high, vs. Niagara Falls' 167 feet / 52 meters. The treat that hikers get and vehicle tourers don't is a look at the icefield on top whose melt water feeds that waterfall. The word Takakkaw comes from the Cree word for magnificent. I can only think that the Cree are a people given to understatement!

Day 2 was a big day, as I spent a little time in Lake Louise later in the dat before pressing on into the Icefields Parkway. More will be posted later...

2010 Canadian Parks Tour - Day #2 Revelstoke and Glacier parks

2010-08-08T19:17:00.001-07:00

Revelstoke by day. I simply can't overemphasize how cool a town Revelstoke seems to be...it reminds me a lot of the bit I saw of Nelson last year. Everyone I spoke with, at the town's Information Centre and the Parks Office was friendly and enthusiastic about helping me find the cool stuff to see, in the area. And on this second day, I was really wishing that my plan for the trip allowed me to stay here an extra day or two and explore the Revelstoke and Glacier parks.

Arriving at Revelstoke National Park, proper.

And then Glacier National Park. Avalanches are VERY serious business here, with massive protected shelters covering large portions of the highway.

Rogers Pass in Glacier National Park

A shot from the information Centre that's being rebuilt now.

And what appears to be a painting from almost the same perspective in "At the Rogers Pass", a painting by John A. Fraser (1886).

By this time I was thinking, if these smaller parks are this gorgeous and impressive, what are Yoho, Banff and Jasper going to be like?

2010 Canadian Parks Tour - Day #1

2010-08-08T17:25:00.000-07:00

Day #1 On the way to the border at Sumas/Abbotsford

A little reminder that we have some tasty scenery on this side of the border, too. LOVE the Pacific Northwest!

The right side of the J.Ballam Furniture store below is the exterior location for the Cafe Diem in the TV show Eureka. Location is Wellington Ave in Chilliwack, BC. I'd kind of absurdly hoped that it would be signed as Cafe Diem when I stopped by.

At Hope, I switched over to the Coquihalla Highway. Stopped for food/rest in Merritt, BC, little suspecting that it's the Country Music Capital of Canada.

Later, I stopped for gas in Kamloops.

The Merritt/Kamloops stretch of the Coquihalla seemed pretty dry and desolate. Not sure why it seems that way and yet the Cariboo region around Cache Creek appeals to me.

The day so far had started out foggy and then turned sunny by the time I reached Hope. At Kamloops, a little rain started to fall but it ended pretty quickly. Good for me in terms of riding comfort, bad for an area experiencing wild fires right now.

By the time I reached Salmon Arm, however, the scenery was back to a green forest-like aspect. Just after Salmon Arm, I stopped by the side of the road to stretch my legs a bit and heard a striking bird cry close by. It turned out that an osprey had brought a fish to the top of this utility pole and was enjoying a bit of sashimi.

Here's a view further along Shuswap Lake, which is really quite gorgeous.

As this sign explains, the lake takes its name from the Shuswap tribe.

Unfortunately, there was a very serious accident just before Sicamous and getting from the rest stop where the two photos above were taken to Sicamous, which should have taken around 10-20 minutes, took the better part of 1.5 to 2 hours. Godspeed to the souls who lost their lives there.

The bridge to Revelstoke, at last! (Craigellachie?)

It had been a long first day. I'd planned for about 400 miles in 10 hours of riding but it ended up being about 440 miles/710 km, due to a detour, in 12 hours of riding.

2010 Canadian Parks Tour - The Plan

2010-08-07T15:57:00.000-07:00

Last year's trip to British Columbia, which ended abruptly less than half way through when falling rocks totaled my beloved Speed Triple motorcycle, left me hungry for more visits to this fantastic place. After finding a good deal on a 2009 Speed Triple (what can I say, that particular bike speaks to me) and almost a year of planning, I recently traveled the following route:

Approximate total distance: 1500 miles / 2420 kilometers
Daily goals indicated on map with red tick marks

Itinerary:
Day 1
Ride from home to Revelstoke, BC.

Day 2
Acquire Canadian National Parks pass in Revelstoke
Ride through(*) the smaller parks (Revelstoke and Glacier National Parks)
Explore Yoho National Park as much as time allows
Ride through Lake Louise in Banff National Park
Enter the Icefields Parkway and ride as far as a motel at the Saskatchewan crossing

Day 3
Visit the nearby Icefields Centre and get as close to the Athabasca Glacier as possible
Continue riding up to Jasper National Park, stopping for photos at every opportunity
Ride to Hinton, Alberta and stay there for the night (less $$ than park accommodations)

Day 4
Explore Jasper National Park as much as time allows
Ride through Mt. Robson Provincial Park
Ride through Wells Gray Provincial Park
Ride on through the Cariboo and stay in either 100 Mile House or cache Creek

Day 5
Continue riding South and return to the Seattle area

(*) Note that this plan speaks a lot about 'riding through' some fantastic parks with utterly magnificent scenery, which seems like a shame or even foolhardy. And in practice, this was very hard to do, as I constantly found myself having to rush from or through places where I would have enjoyed spending a day or two exploring. However, the intent of this trip was to scout out interesting places where I will return later with more time to linger and savor the experience.

Is SomeTHING in The Garage?

2010-02-25T20:48:00.000-08:00

Today has been a telecommuting day and it's been a productive one. But as the hour grew later and the light drained from the word, I suddenly realized that I had been hearing noises from the garage for some time. Had the creepiest feeling a couple hours ago that someone or someTHING was out there. There was a banging and thrashing about and at intervals, a bloodchilling screech would pierce the walls.

I wondered what was out there. I wondered if I should call for help. I thought about firing some shots through the door to soften up whatever it was but ammo is so expensive these days...

I stepped out into the garage but at first couldn't find the light switch.

It was dark - as dark as it gets.

I heard a horrid screeching off in the distance. As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I realized that there were two eyes staring at me with a cold, fixed glare.

I stared into those cold, unforgiving eyes for what seemed an eternity. And then I realized that they were moving towards me.

Gradually, the glow from those incandescent globes began to make more of the garage visible...

As the eyes grew closer, my fumbling fingers found the lights. I flipped the switch and the mysterious beastie was revealed with a final shattering howl:

It was not a rabid wolverine or Charles Manson with a brain full of PCP and a rusty chainsaw. It was something altogether more ferocious, and yet more benign: A Triumph Speed triple motorcycle. Would it deign to seek out new places and new adventures with me, like the Triple damaged by falling rocks last year in BC? Only time would tell

September 3 - The Good, the Bad and...Beauty

2009-09-07T08:45:00.001-07:00

The Good: Nelson

Nelson is a gorgeous town and, do to some unforeseen circumstances, I ended up returning there (and then home to Washington) instead of following my planned itinerary. I very much look forward to spending a few days in Nelson under better, less rushed circumstances, as soon as possible.

The bridge across to Nelson and the Information Centre.

Downtown Nelson (Baker Street)

On Vernon Street, the gorgeous architecture of the old Postal building (now an Art/History museum)

A monument to Nelson's first mayor, John Houston

The Courthouse

On a more pop culture note, if you've seen the movie Roxanne, this is the street (and stump) where Steve Martin's character had a fight with a pair of obnoxious skiers

A last shot of the motel. I'd finished lubing/cleaning the chain, the oil was fine - it was time to continue my travels. Little did I know, I'd be back in town within a day...

Heading North, for a little while, overcast and a forest fire nearby

The Bad - Strong winds and rain, falling rocks

What may not be apparent from the photos taken leaving Nelson is that it was starting to rain then and that the wind was kicking up.

My goal was New Denver and about 20 miles from New Denver, I passed a town called Slocan. With the wind and the rain, I thought about stopping to wait for the weather to improve. Being so close to New Denver, I decided to press on.

A few miles North of Slocan is a spot named Slocan Bluffs, where there are steep, rocky cliffs very close to the road. Here's a photo courtesy of Dave, a very talented photographer in Nelson. His blog.

I was riding past Slocan Bluffs, persevering through the rain, when suddenly rocks started to fall. I saw a flash of rocks up to 1 foot across and larger falling and rolling on the road, looked for a way to evade them and suddenly was hit. I think a small rock hit my helmet and then the bike was sliding on its side along the ground. Or maybe a rolling/falling rock just knocked the bike over. In any case, the bike was down.

The phone booth above was my high tech communications hub for about an hour, as I worked on getting in touch with the authorities and with family back home.

It was fussy about reading cards, occasionally refusing to do so at all. Later, it failed utterly.

411 repeatedly gave me the number for the RCMP but it didn't work the first few times I dialed it, which I was trying to do from memory while feeling kind of sick from adrenaline and adding an unnecessary "1" before the number that doomed each attempt

Eventually, I reached my family and the RCMP. As it turned out, the RCMP constable and EMTs had come upon my battered motorcycle and been looking for me, thinking that it looked beat up enough that I could be really hurt. They soon joined me at the phone booth and took my statements, the EMTs checking to make sure that I hadn't suffered serious injury. Since I hadn't, we decided that they'd wrap my wrist (which was starting to be a bit sore and swollen...likely sprained they suggested, ending up completely correct) and I'd wait to return home and check in with a doctor there.

The EMTs were technically on strike (and wearing t-shirts that said so) then proceeded to go way beyond merely checking that I was OK and obtained for me a bus schedule back to Nelson, then dropped me off at the Harold Street Cafe (visible at the center of the above picture), where I waited about 5 hours for a bus back to Nelson.

Beauty - People of British Columbia

To be honest, having the accident was a disappointment: it probably totaled a favorite motorcycle and prevented me from reaching Yoho park, which has been at the top of my "must visit" list for the past year.

On the other hand, I had walked away from a motorcycle accident that could have been very bad, with only a sprained wrist and finger and a few minor contusions. Several people commented that I must have had angels watching over me when those rocks fell and that much is very very clear. So instead of dwelling on the down side to the experience, I will be grateful for my blessings.

Further, the people of BC(*) were unbelievably wonderful and helpful, making what could have been a bleak, cold experience an amusing (if expensive) "make lemonade from those lemons" experience. I salute them with great warmth and respect.

the driver who saw me crash and helped me get the bike off the road

the other driver who gave me a ride back into Slocan and told me not to bother taking off a soaking leather jacket before getting in her car

while still at the site, a group of three Harley-Davidson riders stopped to see if I was OK and needed any help

the EMTs for helping me pull together bus information I needed to start heading home

the RCMP constable for being out looking for me in the rain when he saw my battered bike by the road

the folks working at the Harold Street Cafe and its customers, for good conversation

the lady on the bus back to Nelson, for more info about Nelson and other conversation

everyone around Nelson and the route back who had a friendly word for the strange, limping USAn

Dave, for letting me use the Slocan Bluffs picture on this blog entry

Really, when you're visiting anyplace in the world, two very important aspects of the experience are going to be 1) how cool the sights and experience that draw you end up being and 2) how pleasant it is to visit with the people there. The most beautiful place in the world isn't going to be pleasant to visit if the people are jerks. On the other hand, the ugliest city in the world can be fun to visit when the people are smart, fun company and have a good attitude.

So to visit a place as achingly gorgeous as British Columbia and then be able to tell people "Wait until you meet the folks there. You'll love them...the scenery's NOTHING"...in my opinion, that places BC in a whole other category. There's not a whole lot I can add to that, except to quote California's governor, saying "I'll be back."

(*)Also, thanks to friends and family back home: family members who found the best transportation option for getting home from Nelson, a couple friends who offered to come up and get me if I needed help getting home.

September 2 – My second jaunt into BC begins

2009-09-06T14:18:00.001-07:00

Last year, I rode my Triumph Speed Triple up to Lillooet in British Columbia and wrote about the experience. While work and concerns about the economy have been nearly all-consuming this year, I managed to pull together a route plan that fit various time and dollar constraints. It was not completed, due to circumstances I will describe later but I did have some enjoyable experiences and so I’ll present what I have to present.

The map above shows my proposed 5 day schedule. My theme for travels into BC will be to seek out as much interesting stuff as I can: cultural sites, national parks, historic sites, views of the natural world and any other cool stuff I just discover.

Day 1: Counterclockwise, ride from the H near Everett, WA up to B, at Nelson, BC. A long start at over 400 miles but setting me up with a shorter ride and many cool sights the next day.

Interesting bits: Osoyoos pocket desert, Doukhobor historic bridge in Castlegar, as much cool stuff as I can find in Nelson (e.g., sites from filming of the movie Roxanne).

Day 2: Explore Nelson a bit then continue on past C (New Denver, BC) and F (Revelstoke) on to D (Golden).

Interesting bits: Nikkei internment memorial museum in New Denver, ghost town in Sandon, Golden’s outdoorsy paradise.

Day 3: Ride about 50 kilometers to Yoho park. Yoho is one of 4 Canadian National Parks on the BC/Alberta border and many consider it the most beautful of the 4. Get to Lake O’Hara if possible, take photos at Emerald Lake and Takakkaw Falls as well. Possible hiking, possible kayak or canoe rental at Emerald Lake back to hotel room in Golden. A whole park full of interesting bits, held as one of the most beautiful spots in Canada.

Day 4: Ride about halfway back from Golden towards home, possibly stopping somewhere like Kamloops

Day 5: All the way back home, stopping at various National Historic Markers in Hope, Abbotsford.

I’d originally planned to travel the route in the opposite direction but encroaching rain along much of the route made it seem I was most likely find good weather in Yoho by taking things in this order.

The previous night's event with Lois & Austin had been great inspiration for the trip and I awoke excited to be beginning an adventure, albeit a trivial one compared to the ones I'd heard reminiscences of the night before. I took this picture of the mighty Hulkette after gassing up and just before I headed out. I didn't know at the time that that may be the last time she'd be around home but that's a story for my next blog entry.

Salute, Hulkette!

Riding up towards Leavenworth, I was struck by how much gorgeous territory we have only a short ride from home. I didn't stop everywhere for pics, as there were a lot of miles to cover on the first day. But I do need to do more exploring on my own home ground as well!

Signs arriving in Leavenworth and Wenatchee:

Incidentally, the former owners of Alice's Restaurant, a motorcycling landmark in Northern California, now operate the motorbike friendly Timberline Motel just outside of Leavenworth. I looked for it on my way through and look forward to staying over sometime soon. Meanwhile, past Leavenworth the terrain was starting to become quite desert like. Stopped in Wenatchee for a burger at Dusty's and then cut North on highway 97.

Leaving Wenatchee, there were signs saying that the Beebe Bridge at Chelan Falls (40 miles away) was closed to vehicle traffic. It turns out that there was a nasty semi-truck collision there a few days earlier that damaged the bridges structure. I rode forward with a nervous hope that I'd get there and find a useful detour, not have to backtrack.

Riding towards Chelan Falls, the road continued to be desert-like and also became very lightly traveled. There were less and less cars and I had the road very much to myself. I think this photo captures that feel; the bridge in the distance is the Beebe Bridge.

Fortunately, close to the Beebe Bridge, there were signs indicating a detour for Route 97 and my journey continued without frustrating backtracking.

As I rode along the detour, it took me up into the hills and along some fun, curvy roads. So there was an up side in that I got to find some roads I otherwise wouldn't have.

At one point, I suddenly realized that there was something strange looking off to the right of the road up ahead. I thought it was a tornado and stopped (still a good distance away) to take some pictures:

The road didn't pass anywhere near the phenomenon and I've since learned that Dust Devils are common in the area. later, I encountered the Chief Joseph Dam and a vantage point nearby and stopped to take these photos.

Finally, the border was reached and I soon found myself entering the lovely province of British Columbia at Osoyoos.

One place that I'd looked forward to visiting was the Osoyoos Desert Museum. However, I arrived only 10 minutes before it was to close and so contented myself with taking pictures from outside.

Heading East from Osoyoos on the Crowsnest Highway led to some fun, curvy switchbacks and lovely views back down at Osoyoos.

Continuing on, the terrain quickly started to become less arid and a bit greener.

Another spot that looked interesting, closed because it was now about 5 pm.

Ran across a small town named Greenwood that looked like it would be a fun place to stop, some day.

It was getting later but the terrain was getting prettier. A few stops were mandatory!

Around 8 pm, I reached Castlegar, one of the stops I'd planned to make along the way. One reason Castlegar is noteworthy is for various historic sites with reference to the Doukhobors a Russian religious sect. their doctrine is interesting in that they see a divine presence in everyone, making clergy pretty much superfluous. This viewpoint alienated them from the Russian Orthodox Church and their pacifist, non-conformist views also made the Russian government unhappy with them. After much persecution, they were allowed to leave Russian for Canada in 1897. They first settled in Saskatchewan but eventually continued West towards more moderate climates.

Eventually, their aversion to private ownership of land, refusal to swear allegiance to the Crown and refusal to send their children to local schools caused friction with the Canadian government as well. The response to government edicts violating their beliefs included, in some cases, acts of arson...committed in the nude through the 1960s (which can't be a very safe proposition).

When I arrived in Castlegar around 8 it was starting to get dark and I was also told that getting down to photograph a Doukhobor suspension bridge that is a Canadian historic landmark would be difficult. I'd reconciled myself to missing it but then found a good vantage point for it just as I was leaving town and captured this photograph:

Around 8:0 or so, I arrived in Nelson. A bit late to capture first impressions with the camera but it was still great to arrive! The first shot was made coming into town; the second was made looking across the Nelson Avenue Bridge from the hotel where I stayed, looking back at the town of Nelson...it'd been a long day, 440 miles in nearly 11 hours but I was very excited about the experience...

September 1 - Lois & Austin

2009-09-06T13:18:00.000-07:00

This week has been very eventful, so I’ll be posting three new blog entries today.

The first concerns the event at Adventure Motorsports featuring the phenomenal couple of Lois Pryce and Austin Vince. They’re lovely people and very reticent to be seen in that respect (phenomenal ) but given that Austin’s fist is miles from my nose and Lois’s foot far from, er, any vulnerable target, I’ll go ahead and present things as I see them.

Adventure Motorsports has been the meeting location for our small but enthusiastic group of riders (called the Adventure Riders) since early this year and our member Allen Snook did a great job arranging this event. He secured the date with Austin & Lois and also the space at Adventure Motorsports as its venue. Great job, Allen!

I’ll step back a bit here and note that I’ve been reading Lois’s books for a couple years now, having stumbled upon ‘Lois on the Loose’ at Powell’s book store in Portland. I find most UK writers to be outrageously entertaining writers and this book very much so. When her second book ‘Red Tape and White Knuckles’ became available, I immediately ordered it from Amazon UK and enjoyed experiencing her sometimes heartwarming (in portraying the people of Angola so warmly), sometimes terrifying (minefields, frightening experiences in the Congo) trip vicariously.

As soon as we had firm arrangements for the event, I ordered Austin’s book ‘Mondo Enduro’ and was blown away by his amazing experiences riding around the world with a group that started as 6 other people. Their enterprise in conducting this very challenging trip on their own hook was mind boggling. Beyond this, they make it very clear that interacting with people in those travels is a life changing experience. Taken together, these are amazingly accomplished people from whom I feel I can learn a great deal.

They are also quite patient and showed great forbearance as the Adventure Riders worked feverishly to set up for the presentation. Then Lois discussed her Africa travels, Austin discussed his Mondo Enduro experiences and we had the treat of a teaser preview of Lois’s project ‘Ladies on the Loose’ with Horizons Unlimited. An informative (and entertaining) question and answer session and the night ended with attendees wishing we had 5-6 more hours to get tips from the accomplished pair.

Austin & Lois, thank you for your time. Now everyone please go and but their books and DVDs!
Mondo Enduro and more
Lois's site
Horizons Unlimited, their series The Achievable Dream

Lois Pryce and Austin Vince - amazing!

2009-09-01T22:35:00.000-07:00

Tonight was an important evening for the Adventure Riders club and our sponsors, Adventure Motorsports in Monroe, WA. Motorcycle touring legends Austin Vince and Lois Pryce, having just crossed the US on a Ural sidecar rig, joined us to discuss their travels. In doing so, in presenting themselves not as heroes but as people that any of us could be, they were doubly inspiring.

Lovely people, it was an honor meeting them and I hope to see them again!

Don't dally, buy their books and videos ASAP! You'll thank yourself...brilliant material!

http://www.mondoenduro.com/mondoenduro.html
http://www.loisontheloose.com/book.html

Lois Pryce and Austin Vince to speak in Monroe, WA

2009-08-02T09:30:00.001-07:00

This is very exciting.

Round the world adventure motorcycling couple Austin Vince and Lois Pryce are riding across the US this Summer on a Ural sidecar rig. Their trip ends in Seattle and they will be speaking at Adventure Motorsports in Monroe, WA on September 1.

Official flyer.

An Ode to my Speed Triple

2009-07-12T18:50:00.000-07:00

I always had the feeling that the time to write about my Triumph Speed Triple motorcycle would be just after coming back from a ride on it. This is finally that day.

The Triumph motorcycle company is a legendary brand that has been alive for over 100 years, a year longer than Harley-Davidson. Over the span of about 50 years, they gradually became one of the most well-known and well-respected brands of motorcycles in the world, especially loved in the US and Canada. Then, however, they were sold to BSA and the seeds of their near demise were sown. When the Japanese manufacturers began offering very competitive and more reliable bikes at a good price in the 1970s, the market share of British motorcycle manufacturers began plummeting. In the early 80s, Triumph's factory closed up shop – however, the brand was purchased by John Bloor and kept alive building small quantities of motorcycles while his R&D department began designing a new series. Their resurgence began in the early 90s and in 1994, they released several new models, including the Speed Triple. The Speed Triple ended up becoming their flagship and best selling model.

In other words, what we have here is a legendary company that messed up, earned a second chance at success on sheer grit and determination and did all this with the style and character at which the British excel. Imagine Rocky 2 crossed with James Bond written by someone with the mad writing skills of a Joss Whedon and you get the idea.

The Speed Triple well deserves its position at the head of Triumph’s product line. A style of bike that is variously described as “streetfighter”, “naked bike” or “power standard”, it’s appearance is that of a lean, compact and very imposing professional boxer; its trademark dual headlight front view tweaks that impression to the look of bugeyed and slightly mad street tough. This impression is not misleading in any sense. (Note embedded image of fiercely glowing dual headlights in the darkness.)

The Speed Triple’s 1050cc motor is also used in various states of tune by other Triumph bikes, from the Tiger adventure-tourer to the Sprint ST sport-tourer. But the tune of the Speed Triple contains its essence. It’s sound, a scream much like Bruce Lee preparing to kick 7 people in the jaw in one leap, is unmistakable. It has bucketloads of torque, offering eager acceleration in any gear. It offers ready power everywhere. This engine is bloody fantastic and has been cunningly designed to facilitate any type of ride you want to have: from “a sedate, restrained ride” to “a spirited adventure ride”, all the way to “a barking mad TAKE MY LICENSE IF YOU CAN CATCH ME BARNEY FIFE lunacy”.

When I ride the Speed Triple, I always come away feeling like either a discriminating rider with good taste or a bad person who runs with a wolf pack and howls at the moon. And in today’s namby pamby, risk-averse, mother-may-I society, that sure puts a smile on my face!

A short, horrid bikeless period

2009-05-16T20:14:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago, I was changing the Speed Triple's oil and managed to crack the oil pan. Had her towed, ordered parts and persevered with one bike. Then yesterday as I was leaving for work, the DRZ's chain broke.

All of this led to the realization of how much motorcycling has meant to me again, over the last couple of years. The bike's represent freedom and adventure to me. In particular, this weekend has been the best so far this year for riding and I found the lack of a motorcycle to ride stifling.

Fortunately, the Speed Triple's repairs were completed today and I have a bike to ride for the rest of the weekend. And what a bike! I still feel that the Speed Triple is the most awesome bike out there and I am glad to have her back.

Finally Spring in Seattle!

2009-04-19T19:14:00.000-07:00

The weather's remained stubbornly cold and wet here in Seattle: we've had the occasional sunny day but most have been rainy, with occasional temps in the 50s. But today another predicted day of rain was replaced with a sunny, warmish day and so I rode into Seattle and captured some photos.

Some lovely blossoms in Lake View Cemetary.

Roslyn, WA - shooting location for Northern Exposure

2009-04-19T17:01:00.000-07:00

A Ride up to BC's Cariboo Region: June 2008

2009-04-12T11:54:00.000-07:00

Alaska is one of the premier frontier destinations left in North America. It offers adventure travel, mountains beside crystal azure lakes and glaciers. You can also see an impressive variety of wildlife, native cultures and totem poles. But Alaska is actually not close to the continental US: Seattle is nearly 1,000 miles away from the Southern tip of Alaska and Anchorage is almost as far away as New York.

Fortunately, British Columbia is between here and Alaska. BC is a stunning place that has everything I look forward to seeing in Alaska…starting only a couple hours North of my home. Last June, I made my first visit up to BC, a visit that only whetted my appetite for more exploration in Western Canada. This article is all about that trip.

The first challenge was deciding where to go. BC has everything from deserts to rainforests, mountain lakes, major cities and fine restaurants. One factor in choosing destinations is that I had only returned to motorcycles a year earlier and my Triumph Speed Triple would not be ideal for much gravel or for off-road exploration. On the other hand, the reinvention of the Triumph brand makes it an ice breaker whenever I ride it and it is a superb all around motorcycle. Some helpful advice from Canada riding venues led to an ideal two day ride North to Lillooet, BC and back home by way of Whistler and Vancouver. These choices afforded a fascinating and enjoyable ride that only scratched the surface of Western Canada’s riding destinations.

This was my route:

Since my trip would only be two days long, there wasn’t a lot of additional planning after the route was chosen and on June 6th I set out on my first excursion to British Columbia. Rain gear kept the drizzling rain off during the two hour ride up to the Canadian border and the crossing itself was easy. I soon found myself riding a motorcycle for the first time in another country, albeit one that’s a friendly next door neighbor.

My first stop was in Chilliwack, which would be a fine start to what my trip would be like: the people at the bakery where I stopped were friendly, the area itself lovely. Located in the Fraser Valley, it has ample outdoor activities available and looks like a good town. I also found out after the trip that a family member lives in Chilliwack.

Clouds and drizzle hid some picturesque views during the short ride from Chilliwack to Hope, concealing some mountain vistas. Hope is one of the major transport intersections in Southern BC: several major highways intersect there and the Fraser River (which my travels largely paralleled) passes alongside Hope. The Fraser River is the longest river in BC, travelling 870 miles/1400 km from Mount Robson to join with the Pacific Ocean at Vancouver.

A number of movies have been filmed in Hope, starting with the first Rambo movie. You can even put yourself in John Rambo’s place at the Hope info center, at a small cutout billboard. Here are a couple photos captured at Hope.

Continuing on from Hope, Trans-Canada Highway 1 passes through several tunnels drilled through mountains. The Fraser River is at one point compressed between two mountains to create a site known as Hell’s Gate, a furious, boiling set of rapids. Simon Fraser, who charted much of the province of British Columbia, compared these rapids to “the gates of hell”…thus, its name. An airtram passes over these rapids, adding to their appeal for visitors.

When people think of Canada they usually think of cold and snow, so most don’t realize what a variety of climactic conditions you can find there. Province Alberta has its Red Deer Badlands and there is a desert region in Osoyoos, BC. In July 1941, Lytton and Lillooet, BC both reached 111.9F/44.4C. The area near Lytton was the start of a dry, arid region.

These photos were taken as I headed towards Cache Creek:

After riding through Cache Creek, I left Highway 1 for 99, passing the historic Hat Creek Ranch. It is a combination hotel, campsite and living history farm and will certainly be a stop for future visits.

Continuing towards Lillooet, I rode to Pavilion Lake and stopped to take photos. The lake’s view was what got me to stop but it is also intriguing scientifically for being home to microbialites, a significant form of fossilized algae otherwise known as “freshwater coral”.

Highway 99 is narrower and more potholed than Highway 1 and after leaving Pavilion Lake, the drizzle which had been intermittent throughout the day became steadier. The road also eventually became steeper and there was a short gravel section…still, the varied surface also made the ride more challenging and fun. It wasn’t too extreme and the Triumph had no real problems with it. But after riding for about 7 hours, I was going to need to call it a day soon.

Approaching Lillooet, I noticed what I thought was a large dog foraging by the side of the road. Getting closer, however, it revealed itself to be a black bear. Seeing such a wild animal in the wild was a real treat, especially inasmuch as we both noticed each other and then went about our business peacefully.

Lillooet, BC has a fascinating history. In the late 1800s, gold strikes made it one of the largest cities West of Chicago. Its main street is coincident with Mile Zero of the Old Cariboo Road, as demarcated by the Mile Zero Cairn: 70 Mile House and 100 Mile House are measured from that point.

Lillooet also used camels briefly for pack animals during the Cariboo Gold Rush of the 1860s. However, while they could carry twice the load that mules could, their feet were soft and were cut up by the hard rocks in the region. Further, they startled other animals and this outraged stagecoach drivers. Their use was discontinued but some camels lived on (in captivity and having escaped to the wild) for a while, though all have been gone for about 100 years now. However, they’ve not been forgotten and Lillooet’s Bridge of the 23 Camels has immortalized their story.

I finally arrived in Lillooet in the late afternoon and found a good place to stay at the 4 Pines Hotel, which is conveniently across the street from the town’s Information Center. However, I was disappointed to find that the info center was closed and that it would not be open until after I left, the next day. The building was dark but has intriguing features outside: an old rusted jail cell (with a nearby hanging tree for the less lucky) and jade boulders embedded in front of the building, commemorating the fact that area mines were the world’s largest source of nephrite jade for some years.

In town, I started looking for places to eat and buy road food for the next day. Then, three motorcycles parked and I had an opportunity to chat with their riders, who had come from Vancouver Island. We met later for dinner at Dina’s Place, a Greek restaurant in town that is enjoyed by many visitors to Lillooet. The conversation regarding BC riding was very helpful and a rider from Edinburgh, Scotland also stopped by to chat with us. They suggested visiting the Dual Sport BC web forum, a terrific place to discuss dual-sport riding and destinations in BC. Living in Washington state, it’s wonderful to have such a helpful resource available.

Waking early the next morning, I took the opportunity to ride around town and take more pictures, then gassed up the bike and rode off towards Whistler. That gas fill up was fortunate, as there wasn’t another gas station for about 60 miles, until I reached Pemberton. Riders exploring BC are well-advised to identify stretches along their route where there are gaps in services!

The ride home through Whistler was again more challenging than the street riding I am used to: I encountered the first washboard surface that I’ve ridden on a bike, though only about 50-100 yards of it, some wicked switchbacks and LOTS of potholes. All this was compensated for by views of more stunning mountains and lakes. In contrast to the arid landscape of the previous day, this was a lush green landscape much like photos I’ve seen of Banff and Jasper. I stopped briefly at the lovely Duffey Lake for more pictures.

Getting close to Whistler, the views remained stunning, while simultaneously, the temperature was dropping. Mounds of snow by the side of the road had me wondering whether there’d be ice on the road. Fortunately, there was not.

Whistler is a world renowned ski resort which is also reputed to be very expensive. I rode through quickly and did not stop for a look around. The town of Squamish, with its Stawamus Chief climbing destination, also beckons. The stretch between Whistler and Vancouver also entailed a number of construction stops which slowed traffic. The views compensated for this preparation for the 2010 Olympics.

These gorgeous landscapes continued as I pressed on towards Vancouver. The Britannia Mine and its museum are situated beside a coastline of a stunning green color that absolutely HAD to be photographed; I look forward to visiting them again. The city of Vancouver is a must see destination for some long weekend. Having my passport along got me through customs quickly and about an hour and a half later, I reached my home.

This first ride up into BC taught me a number of things. First, I will be spending a LOT of time visiting this splendid province. Eventually reaching the Yukon and Alaska will be good but the readier access a province like BC, with its rich heritage and history and destinations for any vacation budget will make it a frequent destination.

Long distance rides are something I will have to become accustomed to. The Triumph is a great bike but its footpegs did leave my knees very sore after each day of riding, a quibble I hope to resolve by more frequent breaks and also riding the DRZ I’ve since acquired.

I can’t wait to get started!

A Demented Sense of Humor

2009-03-22T16:21:00.000-07:00

I'm hoping the folks at Panoramio find this amusing: I uploaded a picture of my DRZ (taken in my driveway) and then set its geographical location to the top of Mount McKinley in Alaska...

Favorite Motorcycling Books

2009-03-22T15:37:00.000-07:00

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Motorcycles
A great introduction to motorcycling topics, history and culture. As an added bonus, there's a great overview of available bikes and notations about how appropriate they'd be for new riders.

MSF Guide to Motorcycling Excellence
Every new rider should have this book: it's an incredible technical resource.

The Essential Guide to Dual Sport Motorcycling
This book was released in 2008 and I'm amazed at what a great resource it is. The sections about bike choice informed my decision about which dual-sport to buy last year and the technical topics are fantastic. Further, the introduction to the book was written by motorcycling legend (and star of On Any Sunday) Malcolm Smith. The author has continued the motorcycle tradition of giving back by assigning his royalties to the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. Buy this book!

Leanings and Leanings 2
Some really engaging and enjoyable writing by a writer with a wide motorcycling background. Great reading!

Jupiter's Travels and its sequel Dreaming of Jupiter
Ted Simon (website) is a motorcycling pioneer and inspiration to countless motorcyclists around the world, including Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman. Ted rode a Triumph motorcycle around the world in the 1970s, when he was in his 40s. And then he did it again a few years ago, when he was in his 70s. Wonderful books and a terrific and engaging author, who I had the pleasure to meet last year at a Touratech event in Seattle. I have spare copies of these books just for lending to friends.

Adventure Motorcycling Handbook
A fantastic resource, I have 3 different editions of it. Unfortunately the author seems to have written a couple section of the latest edition immediately after proctologist appointments: one snarky comment about Ted Simon set my teeth on edge, as did some comments about self defense which I felt were overbearing and patronizing.

Lois on the Loose
Brilliant and crackling writing by an English author who rode her motorcycle from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego inArgentina. In a subsequent book, she rode down the length of the continent of Africa.

Breaking the Limit
More fantastic writing by an author who rode across the US and Canada.

Motorcycle Journeys through the Pacific Northwest
Awesome rides in Washington, Oregon, British Columbia.

The Destination Highway Books
Great rides in British Columbia, Northern California, Washington state.

Researching Western Canada

2009-03-22T14:59:00.001-07:00

Since becoming a Recycled Motorcyclist, one of the most interesting parts has been sorting out exactly what sort of riding I want to spend time doing. It's fun having a bike with Warp Capability but not fun to me to always zoom past sights at high speed...actually SEEING the cool stuff is where the fun is for me.

There are a lot of places around the world that I eventually want to see but for now, the direction I find most exciting and accessible is North. At first it was about Alaska but there's so much amazing stuff in Western Canada that that's actually become more of a focus now. I took one weekend ride up to Lillooet, BC last year and am planning various other trips that I'll make in the future. I can't overemphasize how breathtaking the scenery has been. And how friendly and welcoming the people have been as well!

Some invaluable resources in researching these trips have been:

The Parks Canada web site with information about the 42 National Parks and also National Historic Sites.

The best books I've found...and by best I mean, I can sit and pore over these books and a map for hours:
The Moon Handbooks Western Canada edition
Canadian Rockies Access Guide (new edition due April 2009)
Explore Canada (which focuses on parks)
Lonely Planet editions focusing on British Columbia and Canada as a whole
The Milepost book covers both Western Canada and Alaska

Why "Recycled"?

2009-03-19T06:34:00.000-07:00

"Recycled" refers to the fact that this is the second point in my life where motorcycling has been a major passion.

20 years ago, while living in Northern Calfornia, I shared an apartment with a friend from work. She and her friends were from Calgary and were also avid motorcyclists. Another co-worker decided to get out of riding and was trying to sell his Yamaha Vision at that point - it became mine. It was the perfect beginner bike because it was moderate in price (and power) and already a little scuffed up, so the inevitable beginner's bike drop wasn't as painful as it would've been with a new bike.

I'd never thought about motorcycling before that time but it ended up being something I had a latent passion for. I remember thinking "it's like skiing EVERYWHERE!" It added color and adventure to my life. Those memories of learning to ride up on Skyline Boulevard, taking riding classes (and using 3 tips from those classes to avoid injury within a couple months) and just riding all over the hills and down Highway 1 evoke some of the best memories of my life.

And then a couple years later, I bought my first new bike, a Suzuki Katana 750 ...

Current Bike #2: Suzuki DRZ400SM

2009-03-16T16:46:00.000-07:00

I spent a year saving up and researching dual sport motorcycles before settling on this one. A 400 cc, single cylinder bike that only makes about 33 HP shouldn't be anywhere near this much fun! With suitable modding it can be used in either the supermoto form in which it ships or as an outright dual sport.

Links to videos posted by a couple other DRZ fans:
- Supermotos in general
- San Francisco Madness
- The Flight of the DRZ

Current Bike #1: Triumph Speed Triple

2009-03-16T16:30:00.000-07:00

Introduction

2009-03-15T08:48:00.000-07:00

I'm a late 40s software developer (primarily medical) who has also enjoyed motorcycling tremendously at two points in my life: in my 20s in Northern California and in my late 40s in the Seattle area.

I'll be using this blog as a place to discuss rides I've taken, other topics that take my fancy and to gain some writing experience: another theme through my life is that I've always enjoyed writing and would like to get more writing out there.

I hope that along the way I'll post some articles that others find enjoyable.