2015 Bike Trip Wrap-Up

Once again I'm at home, looking back at another trip, feeling satisfied at being granted the chance to do what I was able to do this year. The good Lord brought me safely through another long ride, which I'm always grateful for, no mechanical breakdowns or accidents. There's always the possibility of an accident no matter how careful one is, especially in some of the high traffic areas. I also can't say enough about how well the bike ran again on this trip, though it was running way too hot until I finally did the stage 1 on the way home. People can say what they want about the Harley's, they've been performing well for me in the last three years.

Reflecting back, if I would have known how things played out, I would have taken a little more time in Arizona and done my routing through California differently. I was expecting to spend at least two days in the Yosemite area, and though I still could have seen the national park, it wouldn't have been the same without the chance to ride the Tioga and Sonora passes. Hindsight is always 20/20 though and weather is unpredictable. All in all, it was an awesome trip, and I guess I'll just have to go back to Arizona and California again sometime. Almost every state I've visited so far has a lot left for me to see, and if I get the chance to see more I'll count myself blessed.

Three years ago today I picked up my Heritage Classic, my first Harley. I figured I'd enjoy riding, though at that time I didn't realize I'd get the chance to experience what I have so far. Just under 70,000km in the saddle so far, 9 provinces visited, 23 states visited, and untold amounts of great riding and scenery up to this point. The life experience I've gained over the trips is immeasurable, the great interactions with the many people irreplaceable. It's cost me some money, but money comes and goes, the memories will be with me forever (hopefully) and it's been worth every penny spent.

Seeing so many people on the road, seeing how hard some have to work just to get by makes me realize how fortunate I am to get the chance to do what I do. It's done wonders for me mentally to get out and see some more of North America, and those that make it the wonderful place it is. Sharing the experience via this blog has been fun, though there are times when it would be fun to share it with friends/family in the moment instead of seeing it alone. I thought maybe someday there would be a lady on the passenger seat to share it with, but they are very elusive;)

Here's a few stats from the trip this year:

10,562km
10 states visited (4 new to me)
$1.16/L average for gas in Canada
$1.09/L average for gas in USA (Canadian dollars)
47.8mpg - 5.9L/100 - 39.8USmpg (exactly the same as last year!)
623.706L of gas used

Gas was much cheaper in Canada this year compared to last year, and still cheaper in the USA as well, even though the dollar is weak right now. Hotel costs were a little more expensive overall, though not even by that much. Some of that was poor planning on my part, I was a little unprepared when setting off this year.

Hopefully I can do a lot more riding this year, though it will mostly be locally I imagine. I'm also looking forward to getting back out on the golf course, trying to make the most of our short but awesome summer. Keep the dirty side down, see you somewhere in the wind!

Updated states visited map (motorcycle only)

2015 - Day 20

100th post! Fitting that the last day of the trip is the 100th entry I've made in this blog.

Woke up early this morning giving myself a chance to wake up before riding over to Gasoline Alley HD to get my bike in the shop. It didn't feel nearly as busy as it usually has when I've been to this shop, and they got my bike in at 8am sharp. After getting the bike checked in I enjoyed breakfast and some more coffee, and then tooled around the shop looking at bikes and talking with the sales guys. They were saying that they were feeling the effects of the lower oil prices, less disposable income equals fewer bikes sold.

I had the hotel room booked for another night, but my bike was out of the shop shortly after 10:30. It was an easy decision to cancel the room and start heading home. The weather was perfect and there was nothing in Red Deer to keep me there another day. By 11:15 I was on the road heading north, again spending much of the time in the hammer lane on the Deuce. With no reason to stop I kept going until I needed gas in Westlock.

The road from Westlock to Red Earth is pretty bad in some spots, really rough after getting used to the smooth roads in the USA. It was also dusty and dirty on the roads, something I'd forgotten about Alberta. I must have had a pound or two of dust in the beard by the time I got home. And the bugs, wow are they in abundance up north. They were hitting me from every direction, I swear a few times they hit me in the back! Needless to say, I hit more bugs today than the entire rest of the trip combined.

After leaving Red Earth the road is really nice, smooth and wide open, perfect for kicking back and cruising. I met Devon at the South Tall Cree access, and the two of us chatted there for around an hour, enjoying the warm evening sun. The final leg home from there went smoothly, pulling into La Crete at a little after 9pm.

The journey came to and end a little before midnight, pulling my bike into the garage where it can rest while I do the same. Everything at the house was in order, and I didn't waste too much time going to bed. This is by far the latest I've gone to bed in the last three weeks and I was tired.

 Same picture I took three weeks ago, much greener now

Made it back safely once again

2015 - Day 19

I had an easy day planned for today, and the cloudless sky and nice temperatures made the day even easier. It was cool outside again, the kind of cool that promises warmth later in the day, a great temperature for morning riding as the briskness in the air is so refreshing. I'm glad I took the route into Alberta that I did as it gave me a chance to enjoy a little of the Rocky Mountains on this vacation yet. Still some of my favorite scenery, right here in the home province.

The roads today were all familiar and the traffic was light so I got to relax a little and just enjoy the scenery whipping by. It's bittersweet knowing that this year's big trip is almost done again, but at the same time I'm looking forward to the summer back at home. Getting out on the golf course should be enjoyable again, as well as getting out on the ATV at least a little.

For the first time since buying the bike I finally got a chance to crack the 400km mark on a tank of gas. I've been close a few times, and would have gotten there before if there had been fuel close by. Today everything came together and it happened. Not that noteworthy, but it's always in the back of my mind when I travel so it was cool to finally do it.

It was around 4pm when I arrived in Red Deer, and after checking in I kicked back to rest a little. I must have dozed off a little because the phone ringing snapped me back into reality. Plans were made, and after cleaning up I was able to go out for dinner with an old friend. Dinner was good, and the conversation flowed easily which is always nice. The longer daylight was really noticeable today as we chatted outside, something I love about our summers up north.

Tomorrow I'll get my bike in the shop to get the 4th new tire put on the bike since I bought it 22 months ago. I've been very lucky to get as much seat time as I've gotten since I bought my first Harley almost three years ago. 70,000km in three years is pretty good considering how short our riding seasons are up here.

2015 - Day 18

Waking up this morning and seeing great weather gave me the itch to get back on the road, though the time with Stan & Jessie felt too short. Breaking up the ride from Pasco to Red Deer probably isn't a bad idea anyway, this way I can relax instead of pushing too hard, I am on vacation after all. Thanks again Stan & Jessie for your amazing hospitality again, great company and good food that make your place feel like home every time I visit.

The route today wasn't new to me as I've been over that a few times now, but it's a nice highway and the weather was great. It felt like no time had passed by the time I rolled into Spokane. I've noticed the Harley shop in the past but never have stopped in. Needing to use a restroom I decided to pull in, take care of business, and take a look around. Biking must be alive and well in the area as well, their showroom had a lot of bikes as well. Every shop I've stopped at this year has been staffed with great people, which makes stopping in enjoyable.

I was back on the road shortly, getting off the interstate and onto highway 95 a little ways into Idaho. I stopped in Bonner's Ferry for a quick, late lunch and then made my way north to the border. Getting back into the homeland was quick and easy, though the border agent could have been a little nicer than she was. Hopefully she's not as curt with Americans crossing over, as that's not a great first impression of Canadians. 

It always feels good crossing back into Canada after being in the USA for a while, getting back into the metric system one is used to growing up here. I do enjoy my time in America though, can't say enough about how well people have treated me down there, I really never have any negative interactions with folks from the USA. That concludes the American part of my trip, 10 states visited, though only 4 were ones I'd never been in, and Colorado was only a very short visit this time. 

Last pic's of the arid landscapes for this trip

Getting back into trees again

Back in Canada, this seemed like a fitting thing to do upon my return

Glad I get a little glimpse of the Rockies yet on this vacation

I usually avoid Super 8 hotels like the plague, but the one in Fernie is always clean and comfortable, not typical of that chain anymore

2015 - Day 17

Woke up a while after Stan had left for work Tuesday morning, and spent the morning being very lazy and getting some relaxation in. It was actually nice to just hang out and not have to do anything for a day. The trips I take are awesome but at the same time they are also tiring, as I'm always on the road and filling my schedule with things to see. I've tried to make sure that I don't try to do too much each day, and though the riding is fun it's also more work than driving in a car.

Jessie and I drank some coffee and ended up having some great conversations throughout the morning as well. Their baby is one of the nicest babies I've ever seen, she never whines or cries it seems, with plenty of smiles for uncle Geno. The dogs also seemed to enjoy the extra attention with me around.

In the afternoon I took a ride out to the Harley shop in Kennewick and spent some time tooling around, looking at bikes, and talking with the sales guys. They have a lot of bikes in the showroom, and it sounds like they move a lot of iron there. After my stop there I headed down to the park on the Columbia River and spent some time walking around getting the blood flowing and enjoying the warm sun. I rode around through the three cities a little after that, and pulled up to the house in Pasco a mere few minutes before Stan arrived home from work.

The three of us relaxed a little before Stan and Jessie prepared an awesome dinner. The food is always first class when I'm there, so good to have some homemade food after all the restaurant food I've had. We sat at the table for a while after eating, talking and laughing, an enjoyable time. Between the dogs and the humans there were a few near heart attacks I'm sure as a picture came crashing off the wall out of nowhere. There was glass everywhere, strange and frighteningly loud.

The rest of the evening was enjoyable as well, more conversation about a variety of topics. Stan and I can always carry on where we left off the last time, and I'm glad we've been able to keep our friendship going over the years, despite the distance.

This is exactly what I'd be looking for once I can afford a second bike

Despite how arid the area is, as long as they can irrigate, the vegetation really grows in this climate

Blue bridge connecting Pasco and Kennewick

2015 - Day 16

So today got off to a bit of a different start than I was kind of planning for as I went to bed last night. I'd been throwing around some different ideas of where I might spend a day or two yet before starting home, but after checking the weather forecast this morning things changed. I'll ride through rain if I need to, but will try to avoid it if I can. The weather man was calling for rain in southwest Washington and northwest Oregon, as well as three days of rain in the Eugene, OR area. One of the things I was thinking of doing was riding to Eugene, and then spending the next day traveling to Crater Lake and back. I won't lie, getting a Harley t-shirt from the town I share a name with would have been cool.

I spoke with the Harley shop in Red Deer about getting a new rear tire on my way home, and have an appointment there now for Friday morning. The tire will be close to done, and this way I'll be good for the rest of the riding season I'm sure. Knowing that I decided to head east, thinking that if Stan and Jessie had time then I'd spend a day or two in the area, and if they didn't then I was in a perfect spot to jump up into BC for a few days.

It was a good choice as I was in the sun shortly, and over the course of the day it warmed up nicely. The ride to Portland on highway 20 was a little annoying today, that road was crazy busy the whole way, a long line of cars to follow. The whole Portland area seemed hopping, and it's a bigger town than I thought it was. Once through the city I was headed east on I-84, a beautiful ride for the first good stretch of it. The scenery gets a little boring after the town of Arlington, but at least the weather was nice.

Coming into the Tri-City area is starting to feel a lot more familiar after a number of visits here now. I spoke with Stan on the phone, and their hospitality was evident once again. Taking me in on short notice is very much appreciated, it's great to spend some time with friends again. It's a busy week for Stan as he's starting a new project at work, so I'll try not to overstay my welcome, but it's become a tradition to stop in here on the way home now:)

We enjoyed a good chat in the evening, and spent over an hour in the hot tub to wind down. I need to get a hot tub, it really relaxes the muscles that have gotten sore over the last two weeks. All in all it was a good day, not many pics though as I was pounding some pavement on the interstate. Interstate riding can be relaxing in some ways, as there's less to watch out for, but it seems more tiring as well. Great highways to have though!

I'll see what happens tomorrow, may end up doing a day ride out to Mount Rainier if the weather is good. 

More rocks

2015 - Day 15

I got off to another relaxing start this morning, knowing that I didn't have a very long ride planned for today, and I had all day to get there. The skies were very overcast and the temps were cool as I hit the road. Not far into Oregon the clouds suddenly disappeared, replaced by glorious sunshine! That was unexpected as my weather app called for overcast skies for most of the day. So much for that app, the sun stayed out for the remainder of the day, which I was very thankful for. As long as the sun is out it neutralizes the cool temperatures, though I still had the thermal undwear on all day. The gauge on my bike hovered right around 60 degrees all day.

The ride up the Oregon coast was fantastic today, amazing views were in abundance all day long. Some of the inland riding seemed a little blah at times, mostly because of the spectacular ocean views that I was on the coast for. It did take me all day to ride from Crescent City to Lincoln City as I stopped many times to take pictures and also just to sit and take it in.

The plan for the coming week is still a little up in the air right now, I've gained a few days by missing out on Yosemite so I'll need to decide what's next. I could possibly be starting the journey home tomorrow or Tuesday, or maybe spend a little time with friends in Washington depending on their schedule. I'm ok with whatever happens, it's been a great trip already with a lot of things seen that I wanted to see.

After checking into the room and a little relaxation, I went down to the beach to watch the sunset. I was down there for almost an hour, a nice end to the evening. I can now tell women I enjoy walks on the beach and sunsets:)

2015 - Day 14

Woke up a little later than usual this morning after a very full day yesterday, enjoying the chance to sleep in until 8am. Took my time getting ready to hit the road, knowing that I wasn't going all that far today, though much of what I road today had low speed limits. Not feeling very hungry this morning I started off with a light breakfast, just some yogurt and an orange. I've never really been a fan of yogurt but it hit the spot today.

I left Ukiah on highway 101, then headed west on highway 20 once I reached that junction. Highway 20 was an absolute delight to ride today, traffic westbound was super light and I spent most of the ride with no one ahead or behind me. I've been feeling like my riding skills were a little rusty after the long winter, and though I've piled up some miles on the trip, it hasn't been roads like today. There were a ton of corners on 20 from Willits to Fort Bragg, finally getting to wear down the edges of my tires.

Once I got to Fort Bragg I took the first street that took me right to the coast, getting my first look at the Pacific Ocean in many years. If I'm not mistaken, the last time I saw the Pacific was somewhere in the early 90's on a family vacation. There's just something neat about being at the ocean, the relentless waves coming in has a calming effect it seems. The air was cool but the sun made it feel nice and warm, a welcome change from the cold and snowy/rainy conditions at this time yesterday.

From Fort Bragg I continued north on highway 1, riding along the coast for a little while before heading inland again to 101. It was another awesome ride over the coastal mountains, just corner after corner again. The traffic was light, but steady, so one has to beware of oncoming traffic as well as some steep drops into ravines. I didn't have much time to gaze at the trees as all my focus was on the road, dancing through corners on my big hog. A small, light crotch rocket would be a blast on a road like that.

A late lunch in Fortuna and some gas for the bike and I was off again. I took the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway through some fantastic groves of redwoods, man those are some massive trees. There's no way to photograph a tree hundreds of feet tall, or to acurately see how enormous the trunks are. One feels very puny riding through a forest like that, the road like a tunnel through the trees. It was noticably cooler on that stretch of road, the trees totally sheltering the forest floor. It's not something I'll forget anytime soon.

After the scenic drive through the redwoods I was back on 101 for a few miles before calling it a day in Crescent City. After a call home I got to talking with another rider from Virginia, he'd ridden down to Key West and then all the way over to the Pacific Coast. He'd recently lost his wife, and decided to just get out and ride. I'm sorry for his loss, and don't understand how one would feel in that situation, but I do know that getting out and riding is probably the best therapy in the world.

First look at the Pacific Ocean in years, spectacular

Paid $3 to drive through a tree, worth it. 315 feet tall, 21 foot diameter, and it said the maximum age was 2400 years. It's hard to fathom a tree being that old!

Like I said, hard to capture the trunk size in a picture, they're massive

View of the harbor from my room, so peaceful

Tonight this is home, and the lady at the front desk made it feel like I was at home. Nothing nicer than friendly people with a sense of humor when on the road, as we all seem to enjoy positive human contact