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Officially home, just shy of 20,000KM.
Posted July 5 2009, 8:32pm via twitter.com.
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Day 30, 31 and 32
Didn't have cell coverage for almost all of day 30, and day 31 and 32 I was at the cottage relaxing. The second day in northern Ontario I rode as far Wawa before stopping for the night. The ride was nice and you get good views all along Lake Superior; pretty cold though. Not very populated along the way so stay on top of your fuel levels and how far you want to go to find a motel. If it's a big enough town to have side streets on the map then it will probably have a gas station.
I had sporadically been riding with an older guy on a CBR since Thunder Bay to the ferry over the last two days. He was behind me for a while up to Marathon, then disappeared. I continued on for an hour further to Wawa. The next morning he must have started sooner since he was behind me almost all the way to the ferry. The ferry was full going to the island on a Friday but only half full going to Tobermory. Bikes are first on, first off which is nice. I was a little unnervered at first, when you pull on they hand you two ropes and point to tie-down eyes on the floor. It made me worry slightly about the bike, but it was fine. I also had one of those charity elastic wrist band things that I had brought just for ferry crossings to use to keep the front brake applied. It seemed to work well and probably helped.
Got to the cottage friday night, to leave Sunday afternoon, work on Monday. Despite lubing up the chain every night, it has developed some tight and some stretched spots. I had thought that it had stretched uniformly. I hadn't realized I adjusted it based on a loose spot, making it too tight in other areas, so had to loosen off again after a test ride. I think I will need a new chain when I get home. Chains are good usually for 10000-40000 KM and mine has 25000 of hard use. Also will need an oil change of course.
This is the end of the trip. I have a few photos to go through and post and will probably write up some summary advice over the next while. So don't stop reading just yet, but no need to check everyday. I will be turning off tracking starting tonight, but of course will turn it on for any future travels. I've had a lot of fun, and am sure people will be hearing stories about this trip for a while.
Posted July 5 2009, 3:04pm via BlackBerry email.
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Don't stop reading yet. I will be continuing to post photos, thoughts, reflections, Do's and Don't's over the next while (though less frequently)
Posted July 5 2009, 12:42am via twitter.com.
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No post last 2 days, not much in the way of cell service up north. At the cottage now for the weekend.
Posted July 4 2009, 1:08am via twitter.com.
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Day 29
Happy Canada Day. Finished of what was left of the prairies. Crossed the rest of Saskatchewan and all of Manitoba before stopping just inside of Ontario (900 KM). Manitoba has trees, but there is very little to see on the highway in Saskatchewan except fields. Now that I am in Ontario there are lots of lakes along the highway. However, there is zero cell coverage in most places, including the motel I am at tonight so this will have to be sent in the morning. Saw a moose and a couple deer lingering near the side of Highway 17. Decided it was best to stop at the first motel before it got too close to sunset and they start planning their attack. Reminds me, saw lots of prairie dogs, both kinds, [dead and alive :)] along the way today.
The current plan is to drive to Marathon or Wawa tomorrow, then somewhere on Highway 6 on the island Friday. Then I should be able to take the ferry across to the Bruce and make it to my cottage on Saturday, and relax a little. Drive home Sunday afternoon and go into work Monday.
Posted July 2 2009, 3:46pm via BlackBerry email.
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Day 28
Starting to feel better, down to just a sore throat, but not nearly as sore. Prairies suck. Saw some buffalo, but mostly just flat straight road and fields. All highway 1, yay for no more sun in my eyes heading east. Calgary seemed like a smaller town than I expected. Covered 800 KM before sunset with an 11:30 check out this morning, so at least it's fast travel. That's basically it, nothing to see. Gas is sometimes pretty far apart, so you really have to be on top of fuel levels and fill up when you get the chance.
It was funny to pass a few of the same cars and trucks 3 or 4 times. I have a shorter range, so I was stopping to get gas more often. They would go by while I was stopped, then later I would catch up. You kind of leapfrog back and forth with the same set of vehicles all day. You need to stop that often to clean your visor anyways, since there are lots of bugs out here.
Second full day in Canada, and I like being back. Kilometres and litres are easier to work with. Coloured money is easier to sort through, although I do wish we had dollar bills. I know all the brands in the stores. I can actually pay at the pump. Almost all the pumps in the US ask you to enter the zip code of your mailing address... I don't have a zip code. Why don't you check before asking, I am sure that is possible. No, entering random zip codes or entering nothing doesn't work. It's nice to be able to fill up without having to get off the bike or remove any gear. Oh, and being able to stop at Tim Hortons. Things just feel more like home. Downside is no more Mexican, or good chicken. I've decided to stay in Canada the rest of the way, I think. I've never been to any of these western provinces... Not that there is much between Alberta and Ontario.
Thunderstorms looked like they were rolling in before I stopped and could see lighting off in the distance. Exited in Moose Jaw, SK and unloaded my bike into the motel not ten minutes before rain and thundershowers hit. Hopefully will clear by morning.
Posted July 1 2009, 1:37am via BlackBerry email.
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Canadian Rockies
Basically the view you get all of highway 1, driving out of BC to alberta.
Posted June 30 2009, 3:23pm via flickr.com.
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Day 27
Delayed post since I wasn't feeling that great last night. Drove from vancover to banff on highway 1 the whole way. It's a nice scenic view through the rockies. A little cold, you see snow capped mountains on either side of you the entire time. Saw everything but a moose and a bear. You really have to watch for crossing sheep, mountain goats, elk, deer and even mountain lions running across the highway. Saw one leap over the center barrier and across the road, that was pretty cool to see. The "most beautiful place on earth" license plates in BC are little cocky. Its nice, but I don't know if is THE most beautiful place.
I probably would have made it to calgary if it wasn't for some construction and some line painting just before banff. The last 50KM to banff took forever at 20KM an hour. I was a little stiff so I took a warm soak in the hot springs to relax. Forgot I crossed a timezone so most of the stores were closed, otherwise I would have stopped at the pharmacy. Stayed at a B&B and checked out late, which they were fine with.
Posted June 30 2009, 3:19pm via BlackBerry email.
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Update
After a solid night's rest I am feeling a little better. I think the tiredness and stiffness could be attributed to driving from vancover to banff, and I probably had less than 8 hours sleep the night before. Headaches could have been a symptom of an hour and a half in a construction zone crawling along. That leaves me with sore throat, runny nose and a cough, which is all I feel right now.
I had the sore throat since early yesterday, or night before cough and runny nose joined the party mid-day. Feeling about 65%, if yesterday was 35%. Slept in late and will do some light riding today.
Posted June 30 2009, 12:55pm via BlackBerry email.
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Day whatever, Banff. Sick...virus? Sore throat, stiff muscles, headache, tired, losing voice. Bound to happen w this much travel, more tmmrw
Posted June 30 2009, 2:05am via twitter.com.
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Day 26
Delayed post, back on Rogers and data was going in and out last night. Rode on the i-5 most of the way from just south of Portland to Vancover. Interstate driving is pretty uneventful. Oddly, washington state drivers are super slow. Posted speed limit of 70, and they seem to regularly drive 10 under. It's like they all collectively decided that the speed limit is too fast for them. The seattle space needle is like a lame version of the CN tower. Much shorter and doesn't really define the skyline. You can't even see it from behind the downtown core.
Messaged a couple people I knew from RIM who live in Vancover once I crossed the border (about 30 minute wait). Got in touch with Parkes, parked my bike at his house and we rode the sky train downtown for dinner and drinks. Rob came too, good to see them both again. Matt's parents have a motorhome in the driveway that makes a pretty good guest room, and I appreciated the hospitality. Tomorrow is start the of the 4300 KM drive back east. Route planned is east through to calgary then south-east, crossing back into the states midway through Saskatchewan and down around the great lakes.
Posted June 29 2009, 1:50pm via BlackBerry email.
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Awesome, back to metric!
Posted June 28 2009, 8:35pm via twitter.com.
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At the border, wait doesn't seem too long.
Posted June 28 2009, 7:43pm via twitter.com.
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Look! I am driving through a tree.
$3 to drive through a really big tree and look at some really big logs in a redwood forest. Takes all of 5 minutes, but I guess it was worth doing.
Posted June 28 2009, 4:28pm via flickr.com.
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California Coastline
Far more fun than the I-5 through Washington.
Posted June 28 2009, 4:24pm via flickr.com.
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Day 25
Not much to say about today. Lots of riding, all of it extremely fun. Crossed out of california and into oregon. Covered a lot of miles but didn't quite make it to portland like I hoped. I am however less than 400 miles from Vancouver, so I should cross the border tomorrow. The drive on the rest of highway 1 and us 101 along the coast was fantastic. Drove through the redwood forest including through a giant tree. Have a photo of that to post I think. Was inland a few times through wooded areas, all great riding roads with lots of twisties. It is state law for slower vehicles to use turnouts in oregon, which I and other motorcycles really appreciate in the forests. Just about everything is slower than a motorcycle through a good set of sharp curves.
Covered maybe 500 or 600 miles, not entirely sure. I've been having trouble with the garmin since a little before san diego. It is randomly turning off or restarting. Today I had very few turns, so the restarting wasn't a problem, but in LA it was annoying since I really needed the map. Replaced the fuse just in case, but I don't think that was the problem. Should be okay for the rest of the trip, but I may need to pay best buy a visit or call garmin when I get home. I can only get it to restart while riding, never while stopped. It must have something to do with the vibrations, making it hard to diagnose the problem. Oh and I should pass the 15,000 KM mark sometime tomorrow.
Posted June 28 2009, 2:54am via BlackBerry email.
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Day 24
Stayed in San Luis Obispo last night. Chatted with another rider staying at the same motel. He was a canadian returning from Guatemala on his way to Edmonton! Said he has done the trip a few times and has property down there. He was behind schedule since he had to weather out some monsoons. Being a harley rider, he was wrenching on his bike when I was having breakfast and getting ready to go, and still working on it when I left :p I didn't end up stopping at Hearst Castle, it was only 40 miles up the road, and I had a full tank of gas. I've read about it before at least.
I did stop at an elephant seal watching beach a little further up the coast. Unfortunately I didn't see any seals, they must have all been out for a swim, or out to hunt, or maybe they moved. There were lots of people standing around with cameras and binoculars looking confused. I read the tourist sign about the seals, but it didn't explain where they were.
The drive from san simeon onward was amazing. CA-1 weaves along the cliff edge overlooking the ocean the whole time. Great driving and even better views, I should have probably stopped to take some pictures in hindsight but was having too much fun. As you start to get closer to santa cruz the road moves inland and straightens out for awhile. Kept on the coast skipping the bay area, then crossed inland in for san francisco. Drove up and down some really steep, long hills that I can't believe people live on. Walking downhill would be fine, but it would be quite the hike up hill. Explored a few neighborhoods, and looked at the brightly colored stucco houses. It was close to 5 o'clock so lots of stopped traffic. I was thankful for being on two wheels and being able to cruise up between it. Crossed the golden gate bridge, in thick fog. Couldn't even see the top of the tower supports, or from one tower to the next. Visibility was about the width of the bridge.
I was then on the 101 for a while I think before being able to make it back out to the coast. Again, highway back to highway 1, ocean views and twisty roads. I couldn't ask for anyting more. Passed over a cattle grate on the road and a sign warning about cattle the next 10 miles. At first I didn't believe it, the terrain was so steep that I thought even mountain goats would have trouble. Cliff faces going straight down hundreds of feet to waves crashing below. But sure enough, there were cows on the 18 inch strip of grass next to the road and the guardrail.
Gas is expensive along the coast in the smaller towns, like $2 more per gallon. I had a fill-up cost of $17 compared to the normal $9-10. Enjoyed the rest of the drive until sunset before stopping to find somewhere to stay. Lots of small inns along the coast, which I am guessing are really expensive. I don't want a fireplace in my room. Probably a popular destination for couples. Drove into the comparatively larger town of fort bragg, where even the Super 8 was pricey. I guess it's the price of ocean views. Jumped online to find a cheaper place, and found the anchor lodge.
Posted June 27 2009, 2:09am via BlackBerry email.
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Day 23
Was up later then normal chatting with Darren so I slept in. Darren had a warner bros tour planned, but didn't hear back from the sound stage in time so it will have to wait till some other time. Instead he arranged some tickets for us to do the Getty Villa since it was closed to the public the day before when I went. I got there a little sooner then he did, its an advantage to be on two wheels in LA traffic. I actually kinda enjoyed LA traffic, I am sure it would be different if I actually had to cross it with a purpose rather then just wandering. All the stopping gives you a good chance to gawk. The getty villa is full of artifacts from the roman, greek and etruscan empires. I had seen examples of attic red figure vases vs black figure vases and white ground painted vases in textbooks from school so it was nice to see in person. Its amazing to see how much changes in 2500 years, and also how much stays the same.
Michael Jackson died today while I was in LA area, but was well away from any of the commotion I hear it caused. Left from the Getty to get on the road. I am really enjoying driving along the ocean, you get great views. Only got as far as San Luis Obispo today. Tomorrow, more driving along the coast. I am near hearst castle so I might check that out first. After I should make it to san francisco, or further.
Posted June 25 2009, 8:10pm via BlackBerry email.