We accompanied the kids back down to Parry Sound under clear, sunny skies. At Tim's we found Terry and Normie, on a day ride to somewhere. Norm said that I scared off a local rider who had been bending their ear about his exploits. Apparently, i looked rough enough coming in the door that he bolted. I'm not quite sure how to take that.
We visited a bit and then headed our separate ways. Sandy and I considered riding out with Norm and Terry but, in the final analysis, decided to go right home. We accompanied Heather and Tom one more exit south and then came back north on Old Highway 69.
The ride back to Sudbury was pleasant and uneventful. Heather called later in the afternoon to let us know that they got in safely.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Ride to the Wall
Some Freedom Riders decided to gather at a New Sudbury Tim Horton's so we could ride over to the starting point at the Copper Cliff Legion together. We met Biker, Normie, Andrew (fellow S.T.O.P. Officer) and Charlie (Andrew's Dad and longtime snowmobile volunteer). Charlie is a new rider.
We rode over as a group, arriving at the Legion around 9:00 AM. The riders were gathering, as were the four Greater Sudbury Police escort Harleys and one cruiser. Many of the police were the same ones we work with on sled patrols in the winter. We registered inside as more and more bikes arrived. Near departure time, the blockers and police had a quick meeting. Then the group lined up with two police bikes in front, Butch and Cindy next, all the blockers (in orange vests) followed by the cruiser, the regular riders, the SCRC school bus and the other two police bikes.
Tom, Heather, Andrew, Charlie, Gary and Norm wait patiently as the line forms
Finally, at 10:00 AM, the group rolled out. We took a spot near the rear because of the novice riders we were escorting. We left Copper Cliff and headed west on Regional Road 55 before turning onto the by-pass and proceeding back east south of the city. At each intersection, blockers dropped off and held traffic while everybody passed. Then they fell in at the rear.
Some of the group ahead of us on the by-pass
Someone counted and said we had 125 bikes. Seemed like more to me. We continued east of Sudbury on Highway 17, holding the entire highway at about 100 KPH. Blockers kept the other traffic under control all the way. In Sturgeon Fall, we stopped for a comfort/fuel stop while many who rode last year commented on how much better the weather was this time.
Biker, Sandy, Heather & Tom in Sturgeon Falls
From Sturgeon, we continued on to North Bay, where we received an assist by NBPS in getting to the Legion in one piece. We parked across the street in a large lot and walked over.
Riders file in to the Cenotaph
The Wall
North Bay has a very nice Legion and the Cenotaph and Wall are beautiful. After all were assembled, they piped in the colour guard. The Master of ceremonies introduced several speakers, including the Chaplain, we sang O Canada, some wreaths were laid, the bugler played the Last Post and we took a moment of silence to remember the brave souls who sacrificed everything for us.
After the service, we were served a fine lunch of soup, sandwiches and cookies inside the Legion. Then we headed back as a smaller group, some other having already left. The escort stopped again in Sturgeon, where phone calls told us that Sudbury was getting beaten by a severe storm. So much for better than last year.
We continued on but, because the sky suddenly looked very angry, we stopped again in Verner to put on rain suits. All was well until we were about 20 miles out of Sudbury, where the skies opened up on us. Some people stopped at the Kukagami Lake turn-off, but there was no shelter so I continued, following the leaders, and Heather, Tom and Biker followed. I had to keep the speed down, though, and lost contact with the leaders. The rain eased as we got to town.
We could see the leaders as we hit town, but couldn't catch them. Exercising discretion, we went straight home and got on dry clothes. Actually, I didn't need to change because the new Elite II suit worked perfectly. Then we took the van over to the Copper Cliff Legion for hmaburgers and hot dogs. Since the kids were tired, we gave Biker our door prize tickets and went home early to watch the NASCAR night race at Bristol.
This was Heather and Tom's first experience with severe rain. They need to fine tune their rain gear and figure out how to keep their face shields from fogging (air flow), but they did quite well and learned some important things.
We rode over as a group, arriving at the Legion around 9:00 AM. The riders were gathering, as were the four Greater Sudbury Police escort Harleys and one cruiser. Many of the police were the same ones we work with on sled patrols in the winter. We registered inside as more and more bikes arrived. Near departure time, the blockers and police had a quick meeting. Then the group lined up with two police bikes in front, Butch and Cindy next, all the blockers (in orange vests) followed by the cruiser, the regular riders, the SCRC school bus and the other two police bikes.
Tom, Heather, Andrew, Charlie, Gary and Norm wait patiently as the line formsFinally, at 10:00 AM, the group rolled out. We took a spot near the rear because of the novice riders we were escorting. We left Copper Cliff and headed west on Regional Road 55 before turning onto the by-pass and proceeding back east south of the city. At each intersection, blockers dropped off and held traffic while everybody passed. Then they fell in at the rear.
Some of the group ahead of us on the by-passSomeone counted and said we had 125 bikes. Seemed like more to me. We continued east of Sudbury on Highway 17, holding the entire highway at about 100 KPH. Blockers kept the other traffic under control all the way. In Sturgeon Fall, we stopped for a comfort/fuel stop while many who rode last year commented on how much better the weather was this time.
Biker, Sandy, Heather & Tom in Sturgeon FallsFrom Sturgeon, we continued on to North Bay, where we received an assist by NBPS in getting to the Legion in one piece. We parked across the street in a large lot and walked over.
Riders file in to the Cenotaph
The WallNorth Bay has a very nice Legion and the Cenotaph and Wall are beautiful. After all were assembled, they piped in the colour guard. The Master of ceremonies introduced several speakers, including the Chaplain, we sang O Canada, some wreaths were laid, the bugler played the Last Post and we took a moment of silence to remember the brave souls who sacrificed everything for us.
After the service, we were served a fine lunch of soup, sandwiches and cookies inside the Legion. Then we headed back as a smaller group, some other having already left. The escort stopped again in Sturgeon, where phone calls told us that Sudbury was getting beaten by a severe storm. So much for better than last year.
We continued on but, because the sky suddenly looked very angry, we stopped again in Verner to put on rain suits. All was well until we were about 20 miles out of Sudbury, where the skies opened up on us. Some people stopped at the Kukagami Lake turn-off, but there was no shelter so I continued, following the leaders, and Heather, Tom and Biker followed. I had to keep the speed down, though, and lost contact with the leaders. The rain eased as we got to town.
We could see the leaders as we hit town, but couldn't catch them. Exercising discretion, we went straight home and got on dry clothes. Actually, I didn't need to change because the new Elite II suit worked perfectly. Then we took the van over to the Copper Cliff Legion for hmaburgers and hot dogs. Since the kids were tired, we gave Biker our door prize tickets and went home early to watch the NASCAR night race at Bristol.
This was Heather and Tom's first experience with severe rain. They need to fine tune their rain gear and figure out how to keep their face shields from fogging (air flow), but they did quite well and learned some important things.
Friday, August 22, 2008
Ride to the Wall - The Day Before
The Southern Cruisers Riding Club (SCRC) Chapter #418 Nickel Centre, under the guidance and leadership of their First Officer, Butch, have organized the Annual Ride to the Wall for several years. The ride proceeds from Sudbury to the Cenotaph and Wall in North Bay.
We have usually been out of town for this in past years. This year we're here. Further, Heather and Tom, members of SCRC #270 in Kitchener, decided to make the ride up here in support of #418. This is their first long distance ride alone.
Sandy and I decided to ride down to Parry Sound, 100 miles south of Sudbury, to meet the kids. It was hot and humid for the ride down and the new Tim's south of PS is the slowest I have ever encountered.
Apropos of nothing, rock cuts around Parry Sound are interesting.
Heather and Tom arrived on time. The last 50 miles had been their first extended ride on a four-lane divided highway. They had lunch and then we stopped at the gas station before we headed out. While they were fueling, I met another group of SCRC in the lot. They were from several chapters in Southern Ontario and were meeting Butch (SCRC First Officer) at the French River Trading Post, 60 miles further north. They headed out first.
Tom set the pace northbound while I brought up the rear. The ride was uneventful except for the part where I got annoyed at a car dogging it along at 90 KPH leading a line of cars (and us). Except for the passing lanes, where he accelerated to about 115 and limited the number of people who could get by. I finally jumped the line and got ahead of him as he hit the next lane. I got in front of him and slowed to 90, allowing all the other traffic to pass. Then I ran hard to catch Heather and Tom, who were at the front of the line that had passed.
At the Trading Post, we pulled in. The other SCRC riders were there as well as Butch (well known from the Freedom Riders) and his Second Officer, Cindy. We hung out with them and then, when it came time to ride, we followed the group back to Sudbury.
Heather (right) and Tom follow the other SCRC riders near Burwash.
When we reached town, Butch led the group into the city while we turned off on the Southeast Bypass and headed home for the night.
We have usually been out of town for this in past years. This year we're here. Further, Heather and Tom, members of SCRC #270 in Kitchener, decided to make the ride up here in support of #418. This is their first long distance ride alone.
Sandy and I decided to ride down to Parry Sound, 100 miles south of Sudbury, to meet the kids. It was hot and humid for the ride down and the new Tim's south of PS is the slowest I have ever encountered.
Apropos of nothing, rock cuts around Parry Sound are interesting.Heather and Tom arrived on time. The last 50 miles had been their first extended ride on a four-lane divided highway. They had lunch and then we stopped at the gas station before we headed out. While they were fueling, I met another group of SCRC in the lot. They were from several chapters in Southern Ontario and were meeting Butch (SCRC First Officer) at the French River Trading Post, 60 miles further north. They headed out first.
Tom set the pace northbound while I brought up the rear. The ride was uneventful except for the part where I got annoyed at a car dogging it along at 90 KPH leading a line of cars (and us). Except for the passing lanes, where he accelerated to about 115 and limited the number of people who could get by. I finally jumped the line and got ahead of him as he hit the next lane. I got in front of him and slowed to 90, allowing all the other traffic to pass. Then I ran hard to catch Heather and Tom, who were at the front of the line that had passed.
At the Trading Post, we pulled in. The other SCRC riders were there as well as Butch (well known from the Freedom Riders) and his Second Officer, Cindy. We hung out with them and then, when it came time to ride, we followed the group back to Sudbury.
Heather (right) and Tom follow the other SCRC riders near Burwash.When we reached town, Butch led the group into the city while we turned off on the Southeast Bypass and headed home for the night.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
NEXUS and the Watch List
The last time we crossed at the Soo, the Border Agent on the US side let me know that the had established a NEXUS office on the Michigan side. I had been considering NEXUS for a while since, at some crossings, it provides dedicated lanes during busy time. At other times, it is a secure piece of ID that will let the Border Agent know that you have been screened and approved for entry and is a valid alternative to the passport.
So, two evenings ago, I sat down and opened an account each for Sandy and I, filled out the voluminous application forms and submitted them along with our non-refundable payments of $50.00 each. Now we have to sit back and wait for them to let us know if we will be granted and interview, the next step in the approval process.
So, with this in the works, it dismayed me when several VROC friends were good enough to send me the following CNN article. James Robinson on the Terror Watch List? Wow! I wonder how this will affect my NEXUS application. Or, if approved, whether the NEXUS card will make it easier if I fly in the future? Only time will tell.
So, two evenings ago, I sat down and opened an account each for Sandy and I, filled out the voluminous application forms and submitted them along with our non-refundable payments of $50.00 each. Now we have to sit back and wait for them to let us know if we will be granted and interview, the next step in the approval process.
So, with this in the works, it dismayed me when several VROC friends were good enough to send me the following CNN article. James Robinson on the Terror Watch List? Wow! I wonder how this will affect my NEXUS application. Or, if approved, whether the NEXUS card will make it easier if I fly in the future? Only time will tell.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Frozen North Meet In The Middle Ride
After we got back from the west last month, we were visiting the kids down in the Waterloo area when future son-in-law Tom told me about something his Southern Cruisers Riding Club (SCRC) did. It was called a Meet In The Middle and members from various areas converged on one central spot for a meal and some shared camaraderie. I remembered that Texas VROC does the same thing. Tom though the Ontario Frozen North VROC might like to try the same thing.
I posted the idea on the VROC Newsgroup and got favourable responses. Based on a relatively central location and excellent roads, Minden looked like a good "middle". We were pondering the Tim Horton's there but Guns suggested his home, a few miles north on Twelve Mile Lake. The meeting was set for noon.
Sudbury had a good contingent. After canvassing local VROCers, we ended up with five bikes meeting at the south end Timmy's at 8:00 AM. In addition to the usual culprits, Bob and Irene joined us. Bob and I worked at INCO and were active in USW Local 6600 and then 2020 back in the day. He rides a pretty 2000 Nomad outfitted with Premeux fairing and trunk.
Irene & Bob, Me, Normie, Leo and Gary in Parry Sound
(Sandy behind the camera)
The ride to Parry Sound down Highway 69 was the usual. Straight down the road, nothing special. We stopped at the new Tim's south of town for a bit. Then the roads got more interesting. Horseshoe Lake Road to Old Highway 69 to 169 to 118 to 35 to Red Umbrella Road. The roads twist and wind and have more than their share of 70 and 60 KPH curves, with a few 50 KPH thrown in for good measure. Unfortunately, there were a few slow drivers out and, with limited places to pass, some sections weren't able to be enjoyed as much as they could have been. On one occasion, we met a cruiser right after a round of passing and playing catch-up, but luck was on our side.
The Sudbury contingent on the road
We arrived at Glenn's right on High Noon. Gary V., Marker and Ralph from southwestern Ontario were already there. Then people started to roll in. RCAF from Ottawa, Bob (new guy) from Collingwood, Zever and Donna, ET and Heather and, last but not least, The Mighty Stonewall. Finally, our host Guns (delayed by a meeting in the City) showed up.
It was a good visit. We got a few photos of the gathering. Guns fired up the BBQ and brought out burgers, sausages and corn on the cob which the gang tucked into.
Due to a Freedom Riders engagement back in Sudbury this evening, our crew was forced to leave a little earlier than we would have liked to. The return trip went north on Highway 35 past Dorset to Highway 60, west to Huntsville, down Highway 11 a short way and across Highway 141 to Old 69, stopping at the same Tim's as on the way down. Then we road back up the last 100 miles the same as always.
The loop (not counting Highway 69)
The ride was great. It covered some of my favourite Ontario roads and we got to see some old friends and make a few new ones. It was nice riding with Bob and Irene.
Thank you, Glenn, for opening up your home to all of us.
I can see this becoming a regular Frozen North event in the future.
I posted the idea on the VROC Newsgroup and got favourable responses. Based on a relatively central location and excellent roads, Minden looked like a good "middle". We were pondering the Tim Horton's there but Guns suggested his home, a few miles north on Twelve Mile Lake. The meeting was set for noon.
Sudbury had a good contingent. After canvassing local VROCers, we ended up with five bikes meeting at the south end Timmy's at 8:00 AM. In addition to the usual culprits, Bob and Irene joined us. Bob and I worked at INCO and were active in USW Local 6600 and then 2020 back in the day. He rides a pretty 2000 Nomad outfitted with Premeux fairing and trunk.
Irene & Bob, Me, Normie, Leo and Gary in Parry Sound(Sandy behind the camera)
The ride to Parry Sound down Highway 69 was the usual. Straight down the road, nothing special. We stopped at the new Tim's south of town for a bit. Then the roads got more interesting. Horseshoe Lake Road to Old Highway 69 to 169 to 118 to 35 to Red Umbrella Road. The roads twist and wind and have more than their share of 70 and 60 KPH curves, with a few 50 KPH thrown in for good measure. Unfortunately, there were a few slow drivers out and, with limited places to pass, some sections weren't able to be enjoyed as much as they could have been. On one occasion, we met a cruiser right after a round of passing and playing catch-up, but luck was on our side.
The Sudbury contingent on the roadWe arrived at Glenn's right on High Noon. Gary V., Marker and Ralph from southwestern Ontario were already there. Then people started to roll in. RCAF from Ottawa, Bob (new guy) from Collingwood, Zever and Donna, ET and Heather and, last but not least, The Mighty Stonewall. Finally, our host Guns (delayed by a meeting in the City) showed up.
It was a good visit. We got a few photos of the gathering. Guns fired up the BBQ and brought out burgers, sausages and corn on the cob which the gang tucked into.
Due to a Freedom Riders engagement back in Sudbury this evening, our crew was forced to leave a little earlier than we would have liked to. The return trip went north on Highway 35 past Dorset to Highway 60, west to Huntsville, down Highway 11 a short way and across Highway 141 to Old 69, stopping at the same Tim's as on the way down. Then we road back up the last 100 miles the same as always.
The loop (not counting Highway 69)The ride was great. It covered some of my favourite Ontario roads and we got to see some old friends and make a few new ones. It was nice riding with Bob and Irene.
Thank you, Glenn, for opening up your home to all of us.
I can see this becoming a regular Frozen North event in the future.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Interlochen Michigan to Sudbury Ontario
It was dry this morning as we packed up and folded the camper. The only problem with camping at Interlochen is that the sand is pretty much everywhere. We waved goodbye and were on the road early, retracing our route home.
The Big Mac
The border crossing was easy. No line, so we rode right up to the booth. No ID requested. I declared three bottles of root beer. It was the best I could do. Welcome home.
Taken near Blind River, Ontario. 161,034 kilometers appears to be the true equivalent to 100,000 miles, but the 160,000 makes a nice, round number.
OK, it was dry almost all the way home. But, as we followed the by-pass around Sudbury, we knew we would get caught before we got home. Home, BTW, is under that black cloud. And we did.
All in all, it was an excellent weekend with fine companionship.
The Big Mac
Taken near Blind River, Ontario. 161,034 kilometers appears to be the true equivalent to 100,000 miles, but the 160,000 makes a nice, round number.
OK, it was dry almost all the way home. But, as we followed the by-pass around Sudbury, we knew we would get caught before we got home. Home, BTW, is under that black cloud. And we did.All in all, it was an excellent weekend with fine companionship.
Saturday, August 09, 2008
Interlochen Michigan - Day 2
It rained overnight. It rained again this morning. Some of us put on our rain jackets and walked to Dilbert's, where we found the place packed. After standing around looking lost, a man saving a large table for regulars who weren't showing up gave it up to us. I tried the short stack of blueberry pancakes and Polish sausage today and, unlike Furhead, was able to finish it. It rained hard on us on the way back.
After sitting in the shelter visiting for a while and checking the weather radar on Stewey's phone, Sandy and I took a nap in the camper. By the time I woke up, the rain had moved off to the south. A group of us decided to head over to The Cherry Hut in Beulah for supper.
They set up a table for us in the closed section. Service was excellent. I had a cherry bacon cheeseburger and cherry pie with ice cream. Quite tasty.
On the way back, I led up Crystal Lake Road to M-22 and took M-22 with its curves north to Deadstream again. I was careful on the turn and saw the sand. Not quite sure how black sand got here since all the local stuff is sand coloured.
In Honor, Scotty wanted to check out a lookout and I found my GPS was useless in this village. It twice tried to have me turn onto dirt roads, thinking they were paved. Then it tried to have me turn onto a road that wasn't there. Finally, with a little dirt, we found a high spot and took some photos.
Scotty's lookout
From Honor, we ran straight back to camp. The sunset played off the low-lying clouds, making a pretty picture. We took down the awning before sundown so it would be stored dry and packing up would be easier in the morning.
Sunset on the clouds at Cyclemoore Campground
The evening was subdued. We spent much of the time talking about then upcoming WWR '09 which had just been decided would be in Kentucky next June. There was a lot of enthusiasm and most planned to attend. Then it was off to bed in anticipation of an early departure by most of us tomorrow morning.
After sitting in the shelter visiting for a while and checking the weather radar on Stewey's phone, Sandy and I took a nap in the camper. By the time I woke up, the rain had moved off to the south. A group of us decided to head over to The Cherry Hut in Beulah for supper.
They set up a table for us in the closed section. Service was excellent. I had a cherry bacon cheeseburger and cherry pie with ice cream. Quite tasty.On the way back, I led up Crystal Lake Road to M-22 and took M-22 with its curves north to Deadstream again. I was careful on the turn and saw the sand. Not quite sure how black sand got here since all the local stuff is sand coloured.
In Honor, Scotty wanted to check out a lookout and I found my GPS was useless in this village. It twice tried to have me turn onto dirt roads, thinking they were paved. Then it tried to have me turn onto a road that wasn't there. Finally, with a little dirt, we found a high spot and took some photos.
Scotty's lookoutFrom Honor, we ran straight back to camp. The sunset played off the low-lying clouds, making a pretty picture. We took down the awning before sundown so it would be stored dry and packing up would be easier in the morning.
Sunset on the clouds at Cyclemoore CampgroundThe evening was subdued. We spent much of the time talking about then upcoming WWR '09 which had just been decided would be in Kentucky next June. There was a lot of enthusiasm and most planned to attend. Then it was off to bed in anticipation of an early departure by most of us tomorrow morning.
Friday, August 08, 2008
Interlochen Michigan - Day 1 - The Leelanau
It seemed to be a slow morning in the campground. Finally, Tomcat, Furhead, Sandy and I rode over to Dilbert's for breakfast. I had a meat lover's omelet with mushrooms added to it. Furhead had a short stack of blueberry pancakes and a Polis sausage. There was so much that he couldn't finish it.
There were no plans for the day so a few of us decided to ride the Leelanau Peninsula counterclockwise and put the word out. When it came time to leave, there were 17 bikes and I was the leader. I took a different route to get to M-22 in Traverse City, avoiding two trick left turn traffic intersections. It worked because the group ended up heading north on 22 without getting split up.
The group in the mirror
Traffic was surprisingly light. The only annoyance happened when we went through Northport on our side trip to Leelanau State Park at the tip of the Peninsula. Line painters had the main street blocked with their truck for no apparent reason, making it difficult to get through town. At the State Park, they hit us up for $6.00 per bike for Michiganders and $8.00 for out of state riders. The lighthouse and park were nice but, in retrospect, we probably could have skipped this stop.
Wrong Turn's new riding garb
Lighthouse sign in Leelanau State Park
The actual lighthouse
Chunk and Jim left us at the park, opting to stop more for photos than we could handle as a larger group. The rest of us took the excellent section of M-22 southwest of Northport and reveled in the 30, 35 and 40 MPH curves. OK, some of us did. I didn't speed but I didn't slow down for the curves, either.
In Glen Arbor, we took SR 109 through Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park. It cost us another $5.00 each to take the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive, but this was worth it IMHO. The drive is one-way and winds past several lookouts and picnic spots. Dee, Evan and Paul had done this yesterday, so they took their leave at this point.
View of Glen Lake from Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive
The Lake Michigan Overlook in Sleeping Bear Dunes
From Sleeping Bear Dunes, we moved a couple of miles south and stopped in Empire for a bit to eat. The food was OK but the kitchen at the Empire Village Inn was very slow. Some were still waiting for food when the first of us to order were finished and ready to go. Mouse and William took a shortcut back to get some food for Tomcat, who was watching Ruby the dog for the day. This brought our group down to 10.
I planned to take another shortcut but it looked pretty straight so I followed winding M-22 to an old favourite, Deadstream Road. The left onto Deadstream was about 130 degrees and looked good. There was a car coming but I figured a few of us could make it. I was almost through the turn when the back end suddenly kicked out from under the bike like it hit oil. I'm not sure what I did but my left foot dabbed and I think I steered right (into the skid). The bike came upright and I continued on, slightly shaken. In my mirror, I could see Boomer going wide in the turn.
Boomer later told me that it was a small patch of black sand on the black asphalt that almost gathered me up. It wasn't apparent until he looked closer after I slipped.
The rest of the ride back was pleasant and uneventful. There were a very large number of summer homes along Deadstream that had For Sale signs out front. I guess second homes are being sacrificed in these troubled economic times.
The Ride Map
We kicked in more money for firewood this evening. Maybe we kicked in too much because they ended up starting THREE fires. Nothing like overkill:-)
Stewey arrived from Illinois after dark, telling us about two near misses with deer. He had a new tent that had never been set up before, so a few of us assisted. Red from Bemidji, Minnesota stopped by with a couple of friends on their way to a motel. It was a nice evening.
Around 1:30, Wrong Turn and I found ourselves calling it quits along with a very small group of others. Amazing how the party breaks up so early these days, but I guess it's a sign of the times.
There were no plans for the day so a few of us decided to ride the Leelanau Peninsula counterclockwise and put the word out. When it came time to leave, there were 17 bikes and I was the leader. I took a different route to get to M-22 in Traverse City, avoiding two trick left turn traffic intersections. It worked because the group ended up heading north on 22 without getting split up.
The group in the mirrorTraffic was surprisingly light. The only annoyance happened when we went through Northport on our side trip to Leelanau State Park at the tip of the Peninsula. Line painters had the main street blocked with their truck for no apparent reason, making it difficult to get through town. At the State Park, they hit us up for $6.00 per bike for Michiganders and $8.00 for out of state riders. The lighthouse and park were nice but, in retrospect, we probably could have skipped this stop.
Wrong Turn's new riding garb
Lighthouse sign in Leelanau State Park
The actual lighthouseChunk and Jim left us at the park, opting to stop more for photos than we could handle as a larger group. The rest of us took the excellent section of M-22 southwest of Northport and reveled in the 30, 35 and 40 MPH curves. OK, some of us did. I didn't speed but I didn't slow down for the curves, either.
In Glen Arbor, we took SR 109 through Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park. It cost us another $5.00 each to take the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive, but this was worth it IMHO. The drive is one-way and winds past several lookouts and picnic spots. Dee, Evan and Paul had done this yesterday, so they took their leave at this point.
View of Glen Lake from Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive
The Lake Michigan Overlook in Sleeping Bear DunesFrom Sleeping Bear Dunes, we moved a couple of miles south and stopped in Empire for a bit to eat. The food was OK but the kitchen at the Empire Village Inn was very slow. Some were still waiting for food when the first of us to order were finished and ready to go. Mouse and William took a shortcut back to get some food for Tomcat, who was watching Ruby the dog for the day. This brought our group down to 10.
I planned to take another shortcut but it looked pretty straight so I followed winding M-22 to an old favourite, Deadstream Road. The left onto Deadstream was about 130 degrees and looked good. There was a car coming but I figured a few of us could make it. I was almost through the turn when the back end suddenly kicked out from under the bike like it hit oil. I'm not sure what I did but my left foot dabbed and I think I steered right (into the skid). The bike came upright and I continued on, slightly shaken. In my mirror, I could see Boomer going wide in the turn.
Boomer later told me that it was a small patch of black sand on the black asphalt that almost gathered me up. It wasn't apparent until he looked closer after I slipped.
The rest of the ride back was pleasant and uneventful. There were a very large number of summer homes along Deadstream that had For Sale signs out front. I guess second homes are being sacrificed in these troubled economic times.
The Ride Map
We kicked in more money for firewood this evening. Maybe we kicked in too much because they ended up starting THREE fires. Nothing like overkill:-)Stewey arrived from Illinois after dark, telling us about two near misses with deer. He had a new tent that had never been set up before, so a few of us assisted. Red from Bemidji, Minnesota stopped by with a couple of friends on their way to a motel. It was a nice evening.
Around 1:30, Wrong Turn and I found ourselves calling it quits along with a very small group of others. Amazing how the party breaks up so early these days, but I guess it's a sign of the times.
Thursday, August 07, 2008
Sudury Ontario to Interlochen Michigan
It was time to leave for Interlochen this morning and my bike chore list wasn't near complete. The trailer tires were in poor shape but hadn't been replaced. The oil wasn't changed. About all I got done was fix the malfunction of the Bushtec trailer plug, where I found a small rock stuck in the bike side plug. The other stuff would have to wait because it was time to go and see the folks in Interlochen, Michigan.
Sandy had the trailer packed yesterday so all that needed to be done this morning was to hook it up and leave. This put us on the road before 8:00 AM, running ahead of an east wind. Despite the tail wind, I have never been a fan of east winds because they always seem to bring bad weather.
We got to The Soo dry. When I phoned Mom, she suggested we stop in on the way back so we headed straight to the bridge. Wellington Street remains torn up and impassable, so I took side streets down to Queen. I was surprised to see that secondary streets in the Soo are substantially worse that those in Sudbury.
The border crossing took about 45 minutes. The line-up on the bridge extended back across the border, almost to the second peak. When we did get to the booth, the officer spent an exceptional amount of time punching things into the computer even though he didn't ask many questions. He did give us a document detailing the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative and what US ID is acceptable at the border (not much use to us). He also gave us information on NEXUS, which is now in place at this crossing and has a new office here. It looks like it's time to enroll.
The ride to St. Ignace was interesting. There were two storms on the horizon ahead of us. Looking at the GPS vector, it was clear we would miss the one to the right but the one to the left was coming in from the west and looked like it might get to the Big Mac (Mackinac Bridge) about the same time we did. I checked out places we could hold up in St. Ignace for a while so it could pass, but we beat it there. Not by much, though.
Rain moves towards the Big Mac as we beat it across
We caught a few drops as we reached the south shore and opted to skip US 31 in favour of riding straight south on I-75 to give the rain a wider berth. As we proceeded the 60 miles to Gaylord, another cell came into view. This one looked worse with all the manifestation of a severe thunderstorm. We slid by it on the west side, wet pavement and the smell of wet vegetation testifying to its recent passage.
Storm cell east of I-75
After a quick bite in Gaylord, we headed west and southwest to Interlochen. We did get a few miles of solid rain from a cloud I didn't even suspect between Mancelona and Kalkaska on US 131, but otherwise got to the campground just fine. As we stopped at the one Interlochen traffic light, a red 800 Vulcan pulled up to the light from the south. Scotty! Good timing.
The campground had been rained on recently but the sand soaks it up immediately. There was a good crew there already when we rolled in and set up the camper. One very pleasant surprise was Jim (Wrong Turn), who decided to make the trip up from West (By God) Virginia at the last minute.. This was when we learned that Grandma's Kitchen, our usual breakfast stop, had closed down. Fortunately, Dilbert's Cafe opened up almost right next door to the campground. This was where we had supper before making a booze run to Ric's back at the intersection.
Another surprise when Chunk arrived from West Virginia. Jim and I helped him set up in the failing light. The bonfire was well laid out and the stars overhead were bright as we sat around and swapped tales. Many regulars and a few new faces. Sandy turned in earlier and I made my way to bed about 1:00 AM after Jim, Flip and I found ourselves to be the last ones up.
Sandy had the trailer packed yesterday so all that needed to be done this morning was to hook it up and leave. This put us on the road before 8:00 AM, running ahead of an east wind. Despite the tail wind, I have never been a fan of east winds because they always seem to bring bad weather.
We got to The Soo dry. When I phoned Mom, she suggested we stop in on the way back so we headed straight to the bridge. Wellington Street remains torn up and impassable, so I took side streets down to Queen. I was surprised to see that secondary streets in the Soo are substantially worse that those in Sudbury.
The border crossing took about 45 minutes. The line-up on the bridge extended back across the border, almost to the second peak. When we did get to the booth, the officer spent an exceptional amount of time punching things into the computer even though he didn't ask many questions. He did give us a document detailing the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative and what US ID is acceptable at the border (not much use to us). He also gave us information on NEXUS, which is now in place at this crossing and has a new office here. It looks like it's time to enroll.
The ride to St. Ignace was interesting. There were two storms on the horizon ahead of us. Looking at the GPS vector, it was clear we would miss the one to the right but the one to the left was coming in from the west and looked like it might get to the Big Mac (Mackinac Bridge) about the same time we did. I checked out places we could hold up in St. Ignace for a while so it could pass, but we beat it there. Not by much, though.
Rain moves towards the Big Mac as we beat it acrossWe caught a few drops as we reached the south shore and opted to skip US 31 in favour of riding straight south on I-75 to give the rain a wider berth. As we proceeded the 60 miles to Gaylord, another cell came into view. This one looked worse with all the manifestation of a severe thunderstorm. We slid by it on the west side, wet pavement and the smell of wet vegetation testifying to its recent passage.
Storm cell east of I-75After a quick bite in Gaylord, we headed west and southwest to Interlochen. We did get a few miles of solid rain from a cloud I didn't even suspect between Mancelona and Kalkaska on US 131, but otherwise got to the campground just fine. As we stopped at the one Interlochen traffic light, a red 800 Vulcan pulled up to the light from the south. Scotty! Good timing.
The campground had been rained on recently but the sand soaks it up immediately. There was a good crew there already when we rolled in and set up the camper. One very pleasant surprise was Jim (Wrong Turn), who decided to make the trip up from West (By God) Virginia at the last minute.. This was when we learned that Grandma's Kitchen, our usual breakfast stop, had closed down. Fortunately, Dilbert's Cafe opened up almost right next door to the campground. This was where we had supper before making a booze run to Ric's back at the intersection.
Another surprise when Chunk arrived from West Virginia. Jim and I helped him set up in the failing light. The bonfire was well laid out and the stars overhead were bright as we sat around and swapped tales. Many regulars and a few new faces. Sandy turned in earlier and I made my way to bed about 1:00 AM after Jim, Flip and I found ourselves to be the last ones up.
Monday, August 04, 2008
Freedom Rally
The 15th Annual Freedom Rally, hosted by the Freedom Riders Motorcycle Association of Northern Ontario, has just wound up. Approximately 150 riders from around Ontario, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Vermont camped in the Mine/Mill Campground by the shores of Richard Lake, just south of Sudbury for the long weekend. In fact, many showed up on Thursday, a day early.
Daytime rides and field events were complimented by nightly music provided gratis by Shirley and Mark of Spyder's Web. Food included a modified continental breakfast laid out by the club, free hot dogs every night and a Sunday dinner served under the Big Top by Classic Catering. No one went away hungry. Throughout the day, food was also available from the concession.
Many thanks to Rally Chair Shirley Bailey for pulling this all together. The Club members worked as a team and work shared was work halved. Unfortunately, Shirley was afflicted Sunday night by a kidney stone attack and was not able to share the victorious moments as we finished up on Monday morning.
Proceeds from the Rally will be donated to the Sudbury Burn Scar Garment Fund for the third consecutive year.
If you are anywhere near Sudbury on the Civic Holiday Weekend (first Monday in August) next year, please feel free to join us.
Daytime rides and field events were complimented by nightly music provided gratis by Shirley and Mark of Spyder's Web. Food included a modified continental breakfast laid out by the club, free hot dogs every night and a Sunday dinner served under the Big Top by Classic Catering. No one went away hungry. Throughout the day, food was also available from the concession.
Many thanks to Rally Chair Shirley Bailey for pulling this all together. The Club members worked as a team and work shared was work halved. Unfortunately, Shirley was afflicted Sunday night by a kidney stone attack and was not able to share the victorious moments as we finished up on Monday morning.
Proceeds from the Rally will be donated to the Sudbury Burn Scar Garment Fund for the third consecutive year.
If you are anywhere near Sudbury on the Civic Holiday Weekend (first Monday in August) next year, please feel free to join us.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Cambridge/Waterloo Trip - July 25 to 29
Friday
There was a free weekend between our return from the west and the Freedom Rally, so we decided to take the van and head down to see the kids. Since Rhonda had ordered the new tires and could put them on Monday, we loaded the bike in the trailer and towed it down to Wasaga Beach on the way.
After leaving the bike and trailer at J&R, we stopped at a discount gas bar south of Stayner for fuel. It wasn't pay-at-the-pump, so I went in after filling up and gave the young man behind the counter my card. He swiped it, looked puzzled, and then flexed the card and swiped it again. I asked him not to bend the card. He flexed it again and swiped one more time. This time, I raised my voice when I asked him not to bend my card. He mumbled something and then told me the card was declined. DECLINED?? I'm well within the limit and current on my payments.
Calling the 800 number on the back of the card is interesting if you want to talk to a real person. Zero does not work. The only option that does is the one where you want to report a stolen card. Candace took my call and, after verifying I was me and saying the card was fine, proceeded to talk to the kid. Then the charge went through. She apologized. I settled down. I am getting much less tolerant of things these days. Onset of Grumpy Old Man Syndrome?
We continued on to Kim and Mike's in Cambridge. It was a quiet evening. Kim and Sandy went shopping for a while and I took part in a VROC toast to our fallen companions on the VROC Chat.
Saturday
Kim and Mike had a wedding to go to today and they would be staying overnight. I got this picture as they were heading out the door. Did I mention that she is expecting our first grandchild in December?
Tom and Heather are engaged and have set the date for October, 2009. Yes, there is a lot afoot in the family these days and we are very happy about all of it. The venue for the wedding/reception is the Black Forest Inn in Conestogo, just north of Waterloo. We stopped by for the Saturday brunch buffet and were quite impressed with the fare. Breakfast included a custom omelet chef and carved roast beef along with many other delicacies. The desserts were out of this world. All this for only $11.95 each.
After eating way too much, we went back to Heather and Tom's where we had a session with the Wii FIT system they have. It gives you quite a workout and, since Sandy already wanted a Wii, I guess we'll have to get the works. But no Guitar Hero.
After visiting and working out, Sandy and I headed back to Cambridge where we turned in early.
Sunday
It was a slow morning. Heather and Tom came by. Nobody knew what to do, so I suggested we all trek over to St. Jacobs. After a stop at the abbreviated Farmer's Market, we parked in one of the new lots behind St. J. and wandered the streets for a while. We had lunch at an outdoor place that screwed up my order. Twice. Remember how I said I was getting grumpier? This didn't help.
After lunch, we wandered down the street and stopped to listen to a fellow play a Pan flute. He was good and I threw some change into his case. Then we went through a mall I never knew was there, checking out all manner of unusual shops.
The best was one was called Taste the 4th Sense. The photo must be of the old location. I'm not much of a hot sauce fan (or wasn't), but the proprietor has samples and will talk to customers as they try them out. I asked about serious sauces and he turned me on to CaJohn's Jolokia No. 10. There are no extracts in this sauce. The fatilii, red savina and orange habaneros are enhanced with naga jolokia powder. The naga jolokia pepper was recently certified by Guinness World Records as the hottest pepper in the world. It is hard to describe the burning except to say that it was not as harsh as others I have encountered but was definitely more all consuming. For those wanting more, he also had The Source (7.1 million Scoville units) for sale.
A group photo on the streets of St. Jacobs
Then we picked up some candy in a shop and headed for home. I got some blogging done and we watched a movie before calling it a night.
Monday
Mike was on holidays for the week, so the three of us sent Kim off to work. Then we hacked around for a while before I took Sandy up to Staples to check out computers. We walked out with a multi-media HP laptop for her. I also saw a new HP 2133, about the same size as my little Fujitsu mini-notebook but one heck of a lot more powerful. I can see a new computer in my own future.
For supper, Tom was busy but Sandy and I took the rest out. We tried the Cafe 13 Main in downtown Galt. It was interesting but I don't think we can recommend it because the service was not up to par and the food (considering the price) was only average.
The gang at 13 Main Cafe
Tuesday
We left early and stopped in Wasaga to pick up the bike. John said he figured that I would like the new tires. That was good news. If they stick, the only other concern is whether they will last.
The bike was loaded into the trailer and we gave a couple from Ottawa, whose GL1500 was delivered with a failing alternator, a ride downtown. The guy was recently retired after 26 years in infantry with the Royal Canadian Regiment. I suspect he was an officer because he is now employed in the HR field. I hope their problems worked out.
The trip home was uneventful and the bike was unloaded and put in the garage without trying it.
There was a free weekend between our return from the west and the Freedom Rally, so we decided to take the van and head down to see the kids. Since Rhonda had ordered the new tires and could put them on Monday, we loaded the bike in the trailer and towed it down to Wasaga Beach on the way.
After leaving the bike and trailer at J&R, we stopped at a discount gas bar south of Stayner for fuel. It wasn't pay-at-the-pump, so I went in after filling up and gave the young man behind the counter my card. He swiped it, looked puzzled, and then flexed the card and swiped it again. I asked him not to bend the card. He flexed it again and swiped one more time. This time, I raised my voice when I asked him not to bend my card. He mumbled something and then told me the card was declined. DECLINED?? I'm well within the limit and current on my payments.
Calling the 800 number on the back of the card is interesting if you want to talk to a real person. Zero does not work. The only option that does is the one where you want to report a stolen card. Candace took my call and, after verifying I was me and saying the card was fine, proceeded to talk to the kid. Then the charge went through. She apologized. I settled down. I am getting much less tolerant of things these days. Onset of Grumpy Old Man Syndrome?
We continued on to Kim and Mike's in Cambridge. It was a quiet evening. Kim and Sandy went shopping for a while and I took part in a VROC toast to our fallen companions on the VROC Chat.
Saturday
Kim and Mike had a wedding to go to today and they would be staying overnight. I got this picture as they were heading out the door. Did I mention that she is expecting our first grandchild in December?
Tom and Heather are engaged and have set the date for October, 2009. Yes, there is a lot afoot in the family these days and we are very happy about all of it. The venue for the wedding/reception is the Black Forest Inn in Conestogo, just north of Waterloo. We stopped by for the Saturday brunch buffet and were quite impressed with the fare. Breakfast included a custom omelet chef and carved roast beef along with many other delicacies. The desserts were out of this world. All this for only $11.95 each.
After eating way too much, we went back to Heather and Tom's where we had a session with the Wii FIT system they have. It gives you quite a workout and, since Sandy already wanted a Wii, I guess we'll have to get the works. But no Guitar Hero.
After visiting and working out, Sandy and I headed back to Cambridge where we turned in early.
Sunday
It was a slow morning. Heather and Tom came by. Nobody knew what to do, so I suggested we all trek over to St. Jacobs. After a stop at the abbreviated Farmer's Market, we parked in one of the new lots behind St. J. and wandered the streets for a while. We had lunch at an outdoor place that screwed up my order. Twice. Remember how I said I was getting grumpier? This didn't help.
After lunch, we wandered down the street and stopped to listen to a fellow play a Pan flute. He was good and I threw some change into his case. Then we went through a mall I never knew was there, checking out all manner of unusual shops.
The best was one was called Taste the 4th Sense. The photo must be of the old location. I'm not much of a hot sauce fan (or wasn't), but the proprietor has samples and will talk to customers as they try them out. I asked about serious sauces and he turned me on to CaJohn's Jolokia No. 10. There are no extracts in this sauce. The fatilii, red savina and orange habaneros are enhanced with naga jolokia powder. The naga jolokia pepper was recently certified by Guinness World Records as the hottest pepper in the world. It is hard to describe the burning except to say that it was not as harsh as others I have encountered but was definitely more all consuming. For those wanting more, he also had The Source (7.1 million Scoville units) for sale.
A group photo on the streets of St. JacobsThen we picked up some candy in a shop and headed for home. I got some blogging done and we watched a movie before calling it a night.
Monday
Mike was on holidays for the week, so the three of us sent Kim off to work. Then we hacked around for a while before I took Sandy up to Staples to check out computers. We walked out with a multi-media HP laptop for her. I also saw a new HP 2133, about the same size as my little Fujitsu mini-notebook but one heck of a lot more powerful. I can see a new computer in my own future.
For supper, Tom was busy but Sandy and I took the rest out. We tried the Cafe 13 Main in downtown Galt. It was interesting but I don't think we can recommend it because the service was not up to par and the food (considering the price) was only average.
The gang at 13 Main CafeTuesday
We left early and stopped in Wasaga to pick up the bike. John said he figured that I would like the new tires. That was good news. If they stick, the only other concern is whether they will last.
The bike was loaded into the trailer and we gave a couple from Ottawa, whose GL1500 was delivered with a failing alternator, a ride downtown. The guy was recently retired after 26 years in infantry with the Royal Canadian Regiment. I suspect he was an officer because he is now employed in the HR field. I hope their problems worked out.
The trip home was uneventful and the bike was unloaded and put in the garage without trying it.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Meeting Roseman In Espanola
Roseman is a VROCer from Ohio who is active on the Newsgroup. We also met he and his friend Vicki last summer at Interlochen, where Rosie's snoring and Vicki's giggling gained them notoriety. While we were out west, word came that Rosie would be up fishing on Charlton Lake, south of Espanola. The Sudbury crew moved to set up a meeting.
Gary and Normie picked us up in Gary's car and we headed east for a 1:00 PM rendezvous at the Tim Horton's on the south side of Espanola. There was a truck with Ohio plates in the lot and there, inside at a table in the corner, was not only Roseman but Vicki as well.
We spent some time catching up on things. It was a first meeting for Norm and Gary. I had the unfortunate task of telling Rosie about Kilo and Chuck since he had been out of contact all week.
It was good to see them since they won't be in Interlochen this year. Rosie has to go to Australia on business. What a life:-)
When it came time to go, I got this photo of the two of them (Roseman is on the right) in front of a landmark of Canadian culture.
Gary and Normie picked us up in Gary's car and we headed east for a 1:00 PM rendezvous at the Tim Horton's on the south side of Espanola. There was a truck with Ohio plates in the lot and there, inside at a table in the corner, was not only Roseman but Vicki as well.
We spent some time catching up on things. It was a first meeting for Norm and Gary. I had the unfortunate task of telling Rosie about Kilo and Chuck since he had been out of contact all week.
It was good to see them since they won't be in Interlochen this year. Rosie has to go to Australia on business. What a life:-)
When it came time to go, I got this photo of the two of them (Roseman is on the right) in front of a landmark of Canadian culture.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Trip Summary - June 11, 2008 to July 23, 2008
At the end of six weeks on the road, we were ready to come home for a while.
We owe thanks to people who contributed greatly to our enjoyment of this trip.
Sherm: Thanks for so very much. For sharing accommodation with us at Topaz, Aztec and points in between. For changing the brake pads and oil on Pogo. For taking me to work out in the pool with Ace, George, Bill and the gang. For setting up the rides and the other things you did for the OTI. For the coffee pot. Anytime, anywhere, we aren't tired of sharing the road with you yet.
Pat: Thanks for putting us up, feeding us and letting Sherm ride around the country with us.
Malcolm: Thanks for letting us take the week off in beautiful West Vancouver, feeding us and helping with the hardware. Sorry we missed Jan. Next time.
VSP: Thanks for opening your house to us, setting up the Sandy Robinson Ride, taking us on the train to San Francisco, showing us Shelter Cove and The Tides and introducing us to Basque home style cooking. And thanks, along with Howard and Linda, for organizing HSVROC one more time. I'll get that Marriott number for next time I'll be in town:-))
Leona: Don, tell your Mom thanks for L&L, the teabag device and for just being her. She's an inspiration to both of us.
Malachi and Yvette: Thanks for putting us up for the night and feeding us so well. We enjoy your company and wish we could do it more often. Say Hi to the dogs and gravity defying cat.
Scorp~ and Mary: Thanks for the accommodations and the fine dinner. The tour of the area was excellent.
Jest and Colleen: Thanks for opening your beautiful home and hosting the gathering that let us get to know more VROCers. The pool was excellent. Hi to Lauren.
Fly: Thanks for the work on the Great Midwest River Run and thanks to your crew (Wrong Turn, Deerslayer and others) for preparing the dinner.
Jamey and Melanie: Thanks for organizing Aztec. It's great to ride the Black Hills with friends.
Rubbergator, GypsyCat, Laura and crew: We really appreciated the OTI. Thanks for all that you did to make it happen.
DD & Pebbles: Thanks for letting us share your special day.
It was a great trip but a tad longer than was right for us. We're going to take it a bit easer in August and September, but you will still see us here and there.
Trip Statistics
Direct route miles - 9,554
Total miles including side trips - 11,533
Total fuel - 278.8 US Gallons
Overall average MPG(US) - 41.37
Total kilometers on bike at end of trip - 158,367 (98,409 miles)
Trip Map
We owe thanks to people who contributed greatly to our enjoyment of this trip.
Sherm: Thanks for so very much. For sharing accommodation with us at Topaz, Aztec and points in between. For changing the brake pads and oil on Pogo. For taking me to work out in the pool with Ace, George, Bill and the gang. For setting up the rides and the other things you did for the OTI. For the coffee pot. Anytime, anywhere, we aren't tired of sharing the road with you yet.
Pat: Thanks for putting us up, feeding us and letting Sherm ride around the country with us.
Malcolm: Thanks for letting us take the week off in beautiful West Vancouver, feeding us and helping with the hardware. Sorry we missed Jan. Next time.
VSP: Thanks for opening your house to us, setting up the Sandy Robinson Ride, taking us on the train to San Francisco, showing us Shelter Cove and The Tides and introducing us to Basque home style cooking. And thanks, along with Howard and Linda, for organizing HSVROC one more time. I'll get that Marriott number for next time I'll be in town:-))
Leona: Don, tell your Mom thanks for L&L, the teabag device and for just being her. She's an inspiration to both of us.
Malachi and Yvette: Thanks for putting us up for the night and feeding us so well. We enjoy your company and wish we could do it more often. Say Hi to the dogs and gravity defying cat.
Scorp~ and Mary: Thanks for the accommodations and the fine dinner. The tour of the area was excellent.
Jest and Colleen: Thanks for opening your beautiful home and hosting the gathering that let us get to know more VROCers. The pool was excellent. Hi to Lauren.
Fly: Thanks for the work on the Great Midwest River Run and thanks to your crew (Wrong Turn, Deerslayer and others) for preparing the dinner.
Jamey and Melanie: Thanks for organizing Aztec. It's great to ride the Black Hills with friends.
Rubbergator, GypsyCat, Laura and crew: We really appreciated the OTI. Thanks for all that you did to make it happen.
DD & Pebbles: Thanks for letting us share your special day.
It was a great trip but a tad longer than was right for us. We're going to take it a bit easer in August and September, but you will still see us here and there.
Trip Statistics
Direct route miles - 9,554
Total miles including side trips - 11,533
Total fuel - 278.8 US Gallons
Overall average MPG(US) - 41.37
Total kilometers on bike at end of trip - 158,367 (98,409 miles)
Trip Map
Duluth Minnesota to Sudbury Ontario
The Last Day
I wasn't thinking too clearly this morning. We took our time getting up and leaving despite the fact that we had one more time zone to cross and over 700 miles to do on mostly two-lane roads. At breakfast, we talked to a couple of Wing trike couples from Pennsylvania. We didn't get on the road until after 8:00 AM Eastern Time.
The ride across Wisconsin and Michigan was uneventful. Traffic was light and, after a couple of gas stops,we pulled into the McDonald's near Newberry, Michigan for lunch. The tire was in the home stretch and, while looking pretty used up, looked like it would make it. I was a bit slow getting in line and found myself behind a crowd of nubile teenage girls, a basketball team from some high school. They were ordering one at a time and we took longer than planned at the stop.
Out of Newberry, SR 28 was under a lot of construction including long one-lane stretches where we had to wait for a flagman. Then we had to contend with emergency vehicles on their way to fight the bush fire shown above.
I called Rhonda and confirmed the tire order. Added front wheel bearing to the list. Nothing wrong with the current ones, they just have almost 100K miles on them and won't last forever. I also called Mom and told her that we were running late and wouldn't be stopping on our way through town. I expect to be down in August when my brother gets home from Edmonton for his annual visit.
As we got closer to I-75 and the Soo, the familiar clouds over Canada came into view. This was identical to what we saw last year on a ride home from the west. We knew we would hit them before we were done the day.
The border crossing was easy. Short line, easy questions and again, no ID requested. Maybe they know us?
Near Spanish, about 70 miles from home, the clouds got ugly and we could see that we were headed into a series of heavy local showers. We suited up in a picnic area beside the Serpent River and rode through a downpour coupled with lightning and road construction through Spanish. Once out of the first storm, Sandy got a picture of this double rainbow.
It rained off and on all the way home, the first rain we had ridden in since Wisconsin, almost six weeks ago.
On the by-pass around Sudbury, about five miles from home, Sandy got this shot of clouds showing a magenta underside as the sun went down. We pulled into the driveway about 9:30, tire intact, tired, glad to be home but saddened by the news from yesterday. After unpacking and putting the word out that we had arrived safely, we turned in for the night in our very own bed.
I wasn't thinking too clearly this morning. We took our time getting up and leaving despite the fact that we had one more time zone to cross and over 700 miles to do on mostly two-lane roads. At breakfast, we talked to a couple of Wing trike couples from Pennsylvania. We didn't get on the road until after 8:00 AM Eastern Time.
The ride across Wisconsin and Michigan was uneventful. Traffic was light and, after a couple of gas stops,we pulled into the McDonald's near Newberry, Michigan for lunch. The tire was in the home stretch and, while looking pretty used up, looked like it would make it. I was a bit slow getting in line and found myself behind a crowd of nubile teenage girls, a basketball team from some high school. They were ordering one at a time and we took longer than planned at the stop.
Out of Newberry, SR 28 was under a lot of construction including long one-lane stretches where we had to wait for a flagman. Then we had to contend with emergency vehicles on their way to fight the bush fire shown above.I called Rhonda and confirmed the tire order. Added front wheel bearing to the list. Nothing wrong with the current ones, they just have almost 100K miles on them and won't last forever. I also called Mom and told her that we were running late and wouldn't be stopping on our way through town. I expect to be down in August when my brother gets home from Edmonton for his annual visit.
As we got closer to I-75 and the Soo, the familiar clouds over Canada came into view. This was identical to what we saw last year on a ride home from the west. We knew we would hit them before we were done the day.The border crossing was easy. Short line, easy questions and again, no ID requested. Maybe they know us?
Near Spanish, about 70 miles from home, the clouds got ugly and we could see that we were headed into a series of heavy local showers. We suited up in a picnic area beside the Serpent River and rode through a downpour coupled with lightning and road construction through Spanish. Once out of the first storm, Sandy got a picture of this double rainbow.
It rained off and on all the way home, the first rain we had ridden in since Wisconsin, almost six weeks ago.
On the by-pass around Sudbury, about five miles from home, Sandy got this shot of clouds showing a magenta underside as the sun went down. We pulled into the driveway about 9:30, tire intact, tired, glad to be home but saddened by the news from yesterday. After unpacking and putting the word out that we had arrived safely, we turned in for the night in our very own bed.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
RIP Kilo and Chuck
Mark 'Kilo' Irwin - Garner, North Carolina
As mentioned in the last post, our friend Mark 'Kilo' Irwin of North Carolina suffered a fatal cardiac arrest while riding to visit a friend. Sandy and I first met Kilo at our first VROC rally in Suches, Georgia in 1999. That was where he also met Susie, aka Babe-In-The-Wind, who would become his bride. We crossed paths many times since then.
Mark was a soft-spoken man who didn't strive to be the centre of attention but always left an impression.
Chuck Burt - Round Rock, Texas
Chuck Burt was in a fatal wreck on his way back from Oregon. Word has it that he was 15 miles from home when he hit a slow moving aggregate truck that had just pulled out onto the highway. His OTI blog is one of the ones I linked to. We said goodbye Saturday night because he was turning in early for the long ride home and I thought of him more than once during the last few days. I credit the 'See gas, buy gas' rule to him. His signature cowboy hat was always a pleasure to see at any gathering, and he was at a lot of them.
Two friends in one day. This hasn't been a good one.
Sherm put together a Blog for Chuck and Kilo. Thanks, Sherm.
So long, old friends. We're going to miss both of you.
As mentioned in the last post, our friend Mark 'Kilo' Irwin of North Carolina suffered a fatal cardiac arrest while riding to visit a friend. Sandy and I first met Kilo at our first VROC rally in Suches, Georgia in 1999. That was where he also met Susie, aka Babe-In-The-Wind, who would become his bride. We crossed paths many times since then.
Mark was a soft-spoken man who didn't strive to be the centre of attention but always left an impression.
Chuck Burt - Round Rock, Texas
Chuck Burt was in a fatal wreck on his way back from Oregon. Word has it that he was 15 miles from home when he hit a slow moving aggregate truck that had just pulled out onto the highway. His OTI blog is one of the ones I linked to. We said goodbye Saturday night because he was turning in early for the long ride home and I thought of him more than once during the last few days. I credit the 'See gas, buy gas' rule to him. His signature cowboy hat was always a pleasure to see at any gathering, and he was at a lot of them.
Two friends in one day. This hasn't been a good one.
Sherm put together a Blog for Chuck and Kilo. Thanks, Sherm.
So long, old friends. We're going to miss both of you.
Miles City Montana to Duluth Minnesota
We woke up in the Super 8 in Miles City, Montana about 5:00 AM. Because the continental breakfast didn't start until 6:00 AM, we took our time getting ready and checking the Email with CNN playing in the background. Finally, remembering that we weren't on the west coast any more, I flipped over to The Weather Channel. At 5:48, on the 8's, the local forecast kicked in and finished with the local weather radar. Here was a solid green line of rain approaching Miles City from the west, and it was almost here. Time to forget the bagels and dash. Proving we can hustle when we need to, by 6:10, we had packed, fueled and were heading east just in time.
Happiness is a black cloud in your rear view mirror
Interstate 94 is a much more entertaining highway than I-90. It has many interesting features, like this tree in front of the badlands at Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota.
While we easily outdistanced the storm first thing in the morning, we spent a lot of time aimed at a very localized storm. Still, the GPS said we'd be turning and we finally did. It doesn't look like much in the photo, but it was much more intimidating in real life. We passed it by.
I had no idea what the Enchanted Highway was when we saw this metal sculpture along I-94 near Dickinson. Next time, we'll make time to travel the 32 miles to Regent and look at all Gary Greff's huge metal sculptures.
Cows can't get a square meal here
(Damn you, Slammer:-)
Water tower in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota
We crossed into Minnesota and left the Interstate in favour of two-lane roads. At a gas stop, I found a couple of sipes on the rear tire almost gone, but most were still clearly visible. The outcome was going to depend on how much meat the tire has on it.
Detroit Lakes was under construction. All of it. The highway, the side roads, streets, all ripped up. The new road is going to be concrete. Riding the thunk, thunk, thunk of a concrete road after a few winters (like US 41 around Green Bay) makes me wonder what they could be thinking.
Duluth was still a ways off, so I checked the GPS and found that there was a Town & Country Motel in McGregor, Minnesota. I called and reserved a room but, when we got to the small community of McGregor and saw the place, we called back and canceled. It didn't look like the kind of place we would like to stop, much less spend the night at. I called ahead and booked a room at the Travelodge in Duluth.
On the way to Duluth, Mom called and told me that our friend Mark 'Kilo' Irwin of North Carolina had suffered a fatal cardiac arrest while riding to see a friend. We were shocked and headed on towards Duluth with heavy hearts. Then, as we were approaching Duluth on I-35, she called again to say that Chuck Burt, our friend from Texas with the perennial cowboy hat, had been killed on the way home from OTI in Oregon. Unbelievable, like a bad dream. We just said goodbye to him on Saturday night.
Reeling, I got lost in Duluth despite the GPS. Not sure what I keyed in but I ended up downtown before I re-input the Travelodge and it took me back six miles. Then the Travelodge was now a Red Roof Inn so I flailed a bit more. It was a very upscale Red Roof and we got settled in but our mood was sombre. After reading the latest information on the VROC newsgroup, we went to bed early.
Happiness is a black cloud in your rear view mirrorA story from the past..................
Near Glendive, Montana, I recognized the spot where my 1980 Honda GL1800 Wing stripped the splines where the drive shaft met the final drive while riding home from the Rider Rally in Cody, Wyoming back in 1988.
As some of the guys went to Glendive to see if they could find someone to haul me to town, Leo and I were pushing the bike to try and get shade under a farm road overpass when a local in a pickup truck stopped. He said he had a ramp and tie-downs and asked if I wanted a lift to town. Does a VROCer argue in debate? I sure did and he got me there before the Honda dealer had gotten plates for their motorcycle trailer to come and get me.
The Honda shop went right to work and had a list of parts needed by 1:00 PM. It was Friday and they sent the list to Honda in California marked URGENT RUSH and specifying overnight delivery. It was noon in sunny California and I guess the surfer dude warehouse guy took the afternoon off because there were no parts on Saturday. My friend John stayed with me as I waited four days for the necessary parts, shipped on MONDAY, to arrive.
The senior ladies who ran the gift shop in the Best Western rented videotapes and VCR's, so I caught up on my movies. There was a pool, sauna and restaurant so we kept amused. On Tuesday, after the parts arrived and we picked up the bike, we were heading out when the ladies flagged us down. They gave us a bag of snack type goodies and a hand lettered sign that said CANADA OR BUST!
Often you can have fun even when things are going radically wrong and I believe there are more good people in the world than bad.
Near Glendive, Montana, I recognized the spot where my 1980 Honda GL1800 Wing stripped the splines where the drive shaft met the final drive while riding home from the Rider Rally in Cody, Wyoming back in 1988.
As some of the guys went to Glendive to see if they could find someone to haul me to town, Leo and I were pushing the bike to try and get shade under a farm road overpass when a local in a pickup truck stopped. He said he had a ramp and tie-downs and asked if I wanted a lift to town. Does a VROCer argue in debate? I sure did and he got me there before the Honda dealer had gotten plates for their motorcycle trailer to come and get me.
The Honda shop went right to work and had a list of parts needed by 1:00 PM. It was Friday and they sent the list to Honda in California marked URGENT RUSH and specifying overnight delivery. It was noon in sunny California and I guess the surfer dude warehouse guy took the afternoon off because there were no parts on Saturday. My friend John stayed with me as I waited four days for the necessary parts, shipped on MONDAY, to arrive.
The senior ladies who ran the gift shop in the Best Western rented videotapes and VCR's, so I caught up on my movies. There was a pool, sauna and restaurant so we kept amused. On Tuesday, after the parts arrived and we picked up the bike, we were heading out when the ladies flagged us down. They gave us a bag of snack type goodies and a hand lettered sign that said CANADA OR BUST!
Often you can have fun even when things are going radically wrong and I believe there are more good people in the world than bad.
Interstate 94 is a much more entertaining highway than I-90. It has many interesting features, like this tree in front of the badlands at Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota.
While we easily outdistanced the storm first thing in the morning, we spent a lot of time aimed at a very localized storm. Still, the GPS said we'd be turning and we finally did. It doesn't look like much in the photo, but it was much more intimidating in real life. We passed it by.
I had no idea what the Enchanted Highway was when we saw this metal sculpture along I-94 near Dickinson. Next time, we'll make time to travel the 32 miles to Regent and look at all Gary Greff's huge metal sculptures.
Cows can't get a square meal here(Damn you, Slammer:-)
I had called J&R Cycle, my dealer of choice, yesterday to order tires. They had taken a long weekend off and were closed until today so I called back. Rhonda wasn't in so I gave the order to her daughter, Lorelai. Said I'd check back tomorrow. We're going to give the new Avon Cobras a try, even though the fast late wear rate of the Avon Venoms has been a concern.
You know, the prevailing winds on the great plains are usually from the west. On the westbound legs, I look forward to heading east because the wind will be at my back. Invariably, I travel east on the rare days when the east wind is blowing. Today was no exception.
In a North Dakota truck stop, we met a couple on a BMW R1150RT. They were from the Northwest Territories and were headed for Spearfish taking turns in the driver's seat. The heat (low 80's) was really bothering them. I have trouble imagining just where in the NWT you would find the 1150RT to be the bike of choice.
You know, the prevailing winds on the great plains are usually from the west. On the westbound legs, I look forward to heading east because the wind will be at my back. Invariably, I travel east on the rare days when the east wind is blowing. Today was no exception.
In a North Dakota truck stop, we met a couple on a BMW R1150RT. They were from the Northwest Territories and were headed for Spearfish taking turns in the driver's seat. The heat (low 80's) was really bothering them. I have trouble imagining just where in the NWT you would find the 1150RT to be the bike of choice.
Water tower in Detroit Lakes, MinnesotaWe crossed into Minnesota and left the Interstate in favour of two-lane roads. At a gas stop, I found a couple of sipes on the rear tire almost gone, but most were still clearly visible. The outcome was going to depend on how much meat the tire has on it.
Detroit Lakes was under construction. All of it. The highway, the side roads, streets, all ripped up. The new road is going to be concrete. Riding the thunk, thunk, thunk of a concrete road after a few winters (like US 41 around Green Bay) makes me wonder what they could be thinking.
Duluth was still a ways off, so I checked the GPS and found that there was a Town & Country Motel in McGregor, Minnesota. I called and reserved a room but, when we got to the small community of McGregor and saw the place, we called back and canceled. It didn't look like the kind of place we would like to stop, much less spend the night at. I called ahead and booked a room at the Travelodge in Duluth.
On the way to Duluth, Mom called and told me that our friend Mark 'Kilo' Irwin of North Carolina had suffered a fatal cardiac arrest while riding to see a friend. We were shocked and headed on towards Duluth with heavy hearts. Then, as we were approaching Duluth on I-35, she called again to say that Chuck Burt, our friend from Texas with the perennial cowboy hat, had been killed on the way home from OTI in Oregon. Unbelievable, like a bad dream. We just said goodbye to him on Saturday night.
Reeling, I got lost in Duluth despite the GPS. Not sure what I keyed in but I ended up downtown before I re-input the Travelodge and it took me back six miles. Then the Travelodge was now a Red Roof Inn so I flailed a bit more. It was a very upscale Red Roof and we got settled in but our mood was sombre. After reading the latest information on the VROC newsgroup, we went to bed early.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Spokane Washington to Miles City Montana
There was no bread or bagels in the Super 8 breakfast nook this morning. We headed out before 6:30, still partly hungry. The rear tire always looks worse in the morning, so I think I will just look at it at night in the future.
We had stopped on the wrong side of Spokane. My general rule is to try to get through a city before stopping to avoid rush hour traffic in the morning. I guess we were early enough, though, because the traffic density wasn't a real problem and we were through Spokane and into Idaho before we knew it.
While we rolled through Coeur D'Alene, I worked on breakfast plans. The GPS said the next two McDonald's were in Kellogg, Idaho and Missoula, Montana. We would be in Kellogg sooner than we wanted to eat but we would get to Missoula, with the time change, after the breakfast was finished. So Kellogg it was. But it wasn't, because they were sealing the McD's parking lot and the place was closed. So we rode over Fourth of July and Lookout Passes and had a breakfast of hamburgers and fries in Missoula.
In the Missoula Mickey D's, we met a Beemer GS rider returning to Seattle from Detroit. We shared some tales of cross country riding and then went our separate ways.
The ride to Billings on I-90 was dull. The ride from there to Miles City, Montana was duller. I was trying for Glendive, the town I got stuck in for four days back in 1988 waiting for a drive shaft for my GL1100. I haven't been back since. But it was 38C (100F) and the sun was going down so we stopped at a Super 8 in Miles City, Montana after a 693 mile day.
There was a couple from Quebec on a Harley towing a trailer at the motel. They had just had the primary chain tensioner rebuilt in Billings under extended warranty and were now heading home to Quebec City. I talked to them for a bit while bringing in our luggage and then Sandy and I turned in early.
We had stopped on the wrong side of Spokane. My general rule is to try to get through a city before stopping to avoid rush hour traffic in the morning. I guess we were early enough, though, because the traffic density wasn't a real problem and we were through Spokane and into Idaho before we knew it.
While we rolled through Coeur D'Alene, I worked on breakfast plans. The GPS said the next two McDonald's were in Kellogg, Idaho and Missoula, Montana. We would be in Kellogg sooner than we wanted to eat but we would get to Missoula, with the time change, after the breakfast was finished. So Kellogg it was. But it wasn't, because they were sealing the McD's parking lot and the place was closed. So we rode over Fourth of July and Lookout Passes and had a breakfast of hamburgers and fries in Missoula.
In the Missoula Mickey D's, we met a Beemer GS rider returning to Seattle from Detroit. We shared some tales of cross country riding and then went our separate ways.
The ride to Billings on I-90 was dull. The ride from there to Miles City, Montana was duller. I was trying for Glendive, the town I got stuck in for four days back in 1988 waiting for a drive shaft for my GL1100. I haven't been back since. But it was 38C (100F) and the sun was going down so we stopped at a Super 8 in Miles City, Montana after a 693 mile day.
There was a couple from Quebec on a Harley towing a trailer at the motel. They had just had the primary chain tensioner rebuilt in Billings under extended warranty and were now heading home to Quebec City. I talked to them for a bit while bringing in our luggage and then Sandy and I turned in early.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Charleston Oregon to Spokane Washington
It is time to head for home.
The one concern I have is that the rear tire, which I have been religiously monitoring, has gotten down to the wear bars in a few spots. This is the point at which a tire is usually thrown away, but we have 2,600 miles yet to go. I expect it will make it just fine, but I will keep a close eye on it.
We said our goodbyes to the few people who were up. The last two we saw were Malachi and Yvette. We'll see you again before too long, Joe. Then we rode into town and had breakfast with Sherm and Pat at a place called Dishners. Thanks for breakfast. Parting is such sweet sorrow but we'll see Sherm in Arkansas in September.
It was 10C when we rolled out northbound on US 101. We rode up to Florence and then cut over to Eugene and I-5. Some pick-up truck driver in Eugene got upset at me. Honked his horn and gave me the finger. I guess I did something wrong but have no idea what. Then I leaned on my own horn when a van moved into my lane without signaling. Thanks, Honda, for making a horn that scared the guy.
We rode up I-5 to Portland and caught I-84 east along the Columbia River Gorge.
Columbia River Gorge
Looking across at Washington
Volcanic rock
John Day Dam on the Columbia
The one concern I have is that the rear tire, which I have been religiously monitoring, has gotten down to the wear bars in a few spots. This is the point at which a tire is usually thrown away, but we have 2,600 miles yet to go. I expect it will make it just fine, but I will keep a close eye on it.
We said our goodbyes to the few people who were up. The last two we saw were Malachi and Yvette. We'll see you again before too long, Joe. Then we rode into town and had breakfast with Sherm and Pat at a place called Dishners. Thanks for breakfast. Parting is such sweet sorrow but we'll see Sherm in Arkansas in September.
It was 10C when we rolled out northbound on US 101. We rode up to Florence and then cut over to Eugene and I-5. Some pick-up truck driver in Eugene got upset at me. Honked his horn and gave me the finger. I guess I did something wrong but have no idea what. Then I leaned on my own horn when a van moved into my lane without signaling. Thanks, Honda, for making a horn that scared the guy.
We rode up I-5 to Portland and caught I-84 east along the Columbia River Gorge.
Columbia River Gorge
Looking across at Washington
Volcanic rock
John Day Dam on the ColumbiaWe stopped at Biggs Junction where they have a Mickey D's in a Pilot Truck Stop. We stayed here back in '04 in the Travelodge Hotel. Today, there were no (zero, none, nada) parking spaces in the Pilot. Crazy. We fueled at the Chevron and took off our cold weather gear. There was a BMW with Quebec plates. The couple, from Quebec City, had shipped the bike to BC since they only had two weeks to ride. Good plan. Skipping food, we continued on.
In the gorge, we saw a disturbing sight. There was a bike on the other side with a trailer. It looked like the riders were picking up the detached top half of the trailer, which looked like it could have been a Lees-ure Lite. It appears that someone didn't have the luck we did back in '05. Unfortunately, there was no way we could get across to help.
Eventually, we turned onto I-82 north and crossed into Washington State. We hit the max temperature about here at 36C. We made a food stop at Mickey D's in Kennewick and then I called the Super 8 near Spokane and reserved a room. We got in about 6:30 after covering 573 miles (according to the GPS). The rear tire looks about the same as it did this morning. I am cautiously optimistic.
Now the blogs are up to date. We will ride early tomorrow since we lose an hour to Time Zone and I'm hoping to cover some serious miles.
In the gorge, we saw a disturbing sight. There was a bike on the other side with a trailer. It looked like the riders were picking up the detached top half of the trailer, which looked like it could have been a Lees-ure Lite. It appears that someone didn't have the luck we did back in '05. Unfortunately, there was no way we could get across to help.
Eventually, we turned onto I-82 north and crossed into Washington State. We hit the max temperature about here at 36C. We made a food stop at Mickey D's in Kennewick and then I called the Super 8 near Spokane and reserved a room. We got in about 6:30 after covering 573 miles (according to the GPS). The rear tire looks about the same as it did this morning. I am cautiously optimistic.
Now the blogs are up to date. We will ride early tomorrow since we lose an hour to Time Zone and I'm hoping to cover some serious miles.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Other Oregon Trails International VROC Rally Blogs
I will keep adding to this and bumping it to the top for those who would like to follow the activities from different sets of eyes:
Sherm - Coos Bay, Oregon
http://oregonvroc08.blogspot.com
Jamey T and Melanie - Lead, South Dakota
http://oregontrailvrocrally2008.blogspot.com/
Tom and Denise - Elizabethtown, Kentucky
http://www.oregontrailtrip.blogspot.com/
Chuck - Round Rock, Texas
http://www.2008-july-vroc13091.blogspot.com/
Kudzu - Charlotte, North Carolina
http://SummerTour2008ddj.blogspot.com
Grampa D - South Milwaukee, Wisconsin
http://coosbayotr.blogspot.com/
Rubbergator - Fedral Way, Washington (Rally Organizer)
http://oregontrailrally2008.blogspot.com/
Sherm - Coos Bay, Oregon
http://oregonvroc08.blogspot.com
Jamey T and Melanie - Lead, South Dakota
http://oregontrailvrocrally2008.blogspot.com/
Tom and Denise - Elizabethtown, Kentucky
http://www.oregontrailtrip.blogspot.com/
Chuck - Round Rock, Texas
http://www.2008-july-vroc13091.blogspot.com/
Kudzu - Charlotte, North Carolina
http://SummerTour2008ddj.blogspot.com
Grampa D - South Milwaukee, Wisconsin
http://coosbayotr.blogspot.com/
Rubbergator - Fedral Way, Washington (Rally Organizer)
http://oregontrailrally2008.blogspot.com/
OTI Saturday
Bike lined up in front of Captain John's first thing in the morning
In the lobby, Malachi talks to Scotty while Slammer and Marlene look onSherm's Ride without Sherm
I woke up early this morning and got on line. Since I had ridden Sherm's Ride yesterday with the GPS on, I was sure there was a way to get the GPS to tell me where I had been. Once I found the right site (www.zumoforums.com), I found the answer. The ride from here all the way to the Umpqua Lighthouse was saved as one track and the unit easily (once you know how) converted it to a route that could be followed again.
Word came down that Sherm had, in fact, been diagnosed with three kidney stones. Efforts to go after them had not been successful and he was pretty heavily medicated. Brian, the other casualty, had been transferred to Portland. The CT scan showed no brain swelling but he wasn't conscious yet.
We set out on time with less bikes than we had yesterday but more than I had expected. The only change from yesterday's ride was a short detour at Bandon led by White Eagle/Peabody/Mark to see the Bandon shore.
Tour leader overlooking the Bandon shore
Bandon shore
Group photo at the Umpqua LighthouseSome riders returned to Charleston from the lighthouse. Sandy caught a ride back with Nickels. I took the rest on to SCP in Reedsport. From there, I appointed someone to lead the elk viewers on up the road and I took the remainder back to Charleston. I pulled into the motel lot with one bike, Valdez, behind me. It was a pleasure riding with you, Valdez.
Darkside
Notwithstanding the VROC server, the Darkside has come to refer to motorcyclists who use a car tire on the rear of their bikes. Biglefti, aka Lanny, has done just this with his Wing but is using a taller tire meant for a Dodge Sprinter van. I took it for a spin. While a little different from a bike tire, it does work. I took a series of 30 MPH corners at 45 and, other than a slight tendency to centre itself upright, it felt not bad. Now consider $115 and the possibility of 50K miles.
There are many who vehemently criticize this practice but I am no longer one of them.
The Wedding
Didsbury Dave (so named because he hails from Didsbury, Alberta) and his lady Romy (aka Pebbles) decided that they wanted to share their wedding vows at OTI. They spent some time getting everything set up. Romy, originally from South Africa, has just recently become a Canadian citizen.
At 6:00 PM, VROCers saddled up and followed the groom to Cape Arago. There, on a scenic bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the deed was done.
Dave's father and step-mother escort Romy down the 'aisle'
Darkside
Notwithstanding the VROC server, the Darkside has come to refer to motorcyclists who use a car tire on the rear of their bikes. Biglefti, aka Lanny, has done just this with his Wing but is using a taller tire meant for a Dodge Sprinter van. I took it for a spin. While a little different from a bike tire, it does work. I took a series of 30 MPH corners at 45 and, other than a slight tendency to centre itself upright, it felt not bad. Now consider $115 and the possibility of 50K miles.
There are many who vehemently criticize this practice but I am no longer one of them.
The Wedding
Didsbury Dave (so named because he hails from Didsbury, Alberta) and his lady Romy (aka Pebbles) decided that they wanted to share their wedding vows at OTI. They spent some time getting everything set up. Romy, originally from South Africa, has just recently become a Canadian citizen.
At 6:00 PM, VROCers saddled up and followed the groom to Cape Arago. There, on a scenic bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the deed was done.
Dave's father and step-mother escort Romy down the 'aisle'
The presentation of the CLAPThe minister rattled some of the attendees by stating that, instead of a ring, the bride was going to give the groom the CLAP. Actually, it was some CLAP (Chrome, Leather and Performance) in the form of a Zumo GPS.
You may...........
The sun breaks through on the horizonAn auspicious omen
The recessional
The Happy CoupleCongratulations, Dave and Romy. May you be blessed with many long and happy years together.
Back At The Beach House
It was raffle time. Instead of calling numbers, we had all written our name on tickets. You had to be present to win, so I had Jamey T's tickets, too. Jamey won some nice vest extender chains. I won a nifty LED flashlight. Then the wedding cake arrived and we proceeded through the receiving line and got cake before drawing the 50/50. I can't remember who won but it wasn't me.
Since we were out in the morning, Sandy and I said our goodbyes and headed to bed soon after the draw was over.
It has been a fine rally. Thanks to Lisa and all those who assisted her. You all did a fine job and should be very proud of yourselves. Our special thanks to Sherm and Pat for the extra touches.
Back At The Beach House
It was raffle time. Instead of calling numbers, we had all written our name on tickets. You had to be present to win, so I had Jamey T's tickets, too. Jamey won some nice vest extender chains. I won a nifty LED flashlight. Then the wedding cake arrived and we proceeded through the receiving line and got cake before drawing the 50/50. I can't remember who won but it wasn't me.
Since we were out in the morning, Sandy and I said our goodbyes and headed to bed soon after the draw was over.
It has been a fine rally. Thanks to Lisa and all those who assisted her. You all did a fine job and should be very proud of yourselves. Our special thanks to Sherm and Pat for the extra touches.
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