May 15 - Homeward Bound

Wingnut Latitude:53.4894 Longitude:-113.52673 GPS location Date/Time:05/15/2010 20:19:28 MDT

Click the link below to see where I am located. http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=53.4894,-113.52673&ll=53.4894,-113.52673&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1
On our way once again, We headed over to Lake Louise for a peek, and then headed up the Icefields Parkway.

What an incredibly beautiful day in the parkway, relatively warm with sunny skies, and a Springtime view with snow still clinging to the mountainsides giving just stunning views. I rarely make it through there without getting rained on at some point, so today was a really special ride. We dropped off the trailer at the crossing, and continued up the parkway to visit the obscure Panther Falls. Still some rotten snow on the trail and even worse when you go off trail here, like I do, to get to the real view of this little waterfall. It was a lot of work for me to get in and out today with my chest cold reducing my already out of shape respiratory system, but it was worth it. Now that Dave knows about the place, he says he will visit again in the summer.

After Panther Falls, we back-tracked to pick up the trailer and continued on to Nordegg where we stopped at the Miner's Cafe for lunch, then it was a pretty straight ride home from there. I decided to stop at a Hughs car wash to fill up and remove the evidence of the trip. The bike was pretty good at the beginning of the day, but we know we are back in Alberta when we see the bugs.

May 14 - Back to Canada

Wingnut
Latitude:51.08352
Longitude:-115.05799
GPS location Date/Time:05/14/2010 19:02:36 MDT

Click the link below to see where I am located.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=51.08352,-115.05799&ll=51.08352,-115.05799&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1

After getting up and breaking camp, we continued on to Troy and Libby and up highway 37 to the Libby Dam and Eureka where we finally stopped for something to eat. It had been nearly a whole day since we last officially ate, so we had a big meal that started with a mediocre Clam Chowder soup and the I had a steak sandwhich while Dave had a Halibut burger. We were both full, but again, we didn't realize that this might be our only meal for the day. We crossed the border back into Canada at Roosville, and then continued up to Elko, Fernie, and Sparwood, crossed over the Crows Nest to Longview where we made the requisite purchases, then continued up 22 to Bragg Creek and then West on the #1 to just about Canmore where we found a campground with SHOWERS.....what luxury. Dave had the campground manager plug in his helmet for a recharge, and then we were kind of stuck there for the night...no supper...again. Oh well, we had pepperoni from Longview :)

May 13 - Cross over to the dark side...

Wingnut
Latitude:48.56183
Longitude:-115.97631
GPS location Date/Time:05/13/2010 20:50:43 MDT

Click the link below to see where I am located.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=48.56183,-115.97631&ll=48.56183,-115.97631&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1

We started the day off breaking camp and double checking Dave's tires. All is OK. We then went to Osoyoos and dropped in on the Leesure Lite camper factory, Dave was trying to get them to sell him an axle, but no dice. We didn't get to actually see Todd and Susan's new trailer, but we did offer to pull it back to Edmonton...they didn't seem interested. Dave got some shiny hubcaps for his combi-camp though. Afterwards, we visisted to model train museum almost next door to the factory. My brother-in-law Ron could spend the whole day there no problem.



After we were all trained up, we left for the big old U S of A, riding down to Tonasket to catch highway 20 over to Republic, where we stopped fo a big Chicken Fried Steak lunch. Then we continued on Highway 20, nice pavement, quite curvy, over to Kettle Falls, tested the endurance of Dave's gas tank, finally found a station and got to Newport, then highway 2 to priest River, Sandpoint, Bonners Ferry, Moyie River, and finally a no services campground for the night. I hadn't realized that lunch was, in fact, lunch and supper, so I finally guilted Dave into giving me a powerbar he had stashed in his bike somewhere for who knows how many years. Note to self: throw an Ichiban soup in the bike somewhere.

May 12 - Visit Penticton and Summerland

Wingnut
Latitude:49.18445
Longitude:-119.54833
GPS location Date/Time:05/12/2010 20:46:26 MDT

Click the link below to see where I am located.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=49.18445,-119.54833&ll=49.18445,-119.54833&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1

Well, the mandatory tire pressure check indicated two problems. Dave's front tire is still leaking, and neither one of us has what we would consider an ideal tire gauge. We really started looking for the leak, putting spit in the schrader valve, and putting liquid on all the tire and along the rim seals. No Bubbles to be found. Then I said to Dave to give that valve stem a wiggle, and voila, psss...pssss...pssss. And just like that, our agenda for the day became clear. We grabbed the Gold Book and looked up the Honda dealer in Pentiction. We confirmed that they had a replacement valve in stock and could sqeeze us in, so off to Penticton we went. I find it ironic that both Dave's brother and him had valve replacement surgery within a week, and both patients are doing well. And while Dave was in the parking lot, the Mack tools guy was there and sold him a great tire guage. It's a bit big for my taste, but it works really well and I am told they make a smaller version. While the bike was in the shop, Dave threw caution to the wind and we rode 2-up over to a restaurant for lunch. I must have done OK because he got back on for the return trip.

After we got the bike back, we continued to Summerland where Dave has a brother-in-law, and we visited for a few hours before retunring to Oliver for the night.

Sorry, no pictures today.

May 11 - Nanaimo to Oliver

Wingnut
Latitude:49.1845
Longitude:-119.54889
GPS location Date/Time:05/11/2010 22:06:36 MDT

Click the link below to see where I am located.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=49.1845,-119.54889&ll=49.1845,-119.54889&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1

Well, it was time to move on from the Island and become boat people once again. But what boat to take? It was between going South and continuing into the States, or to begin our journey home and cross over to Vancouver. Well, I decided I really wanted to meet Lucille when she arrives home, so we embarked on the ferry to Horseshoe Bay. On the other side, Dave felt his front tire was low, so we pulled into a parking lot to check, and sure enough, it only had about ten pounds. I pulled out my compressor and topped him up, and we checked the rest too, but his front was the only alarming one. Then we were on our way and we met Dave's daughter Sherry for lunch again before heading out towards Hope. We checked Dave's tire again, and it is definately leaking, but no obvious nails or anything. Then we got on ther Hope Princeton highway and made our way to Princeton, then down to Osoyous, then up to Oliver, where we set up camp for the night. The road was delightful, if a bit unchallenging. Good pavement and nice wide sweeping turns, and tons of orchards and scenery.

It's called Fishing

There's a reason it is called fishing and not catching. We went out for about four hours today trying to catch some salmon, but no luck. We did get one small Ling Cod at the very end, and it ended up as a catch and release. Oh well... Next time. Of course, there was the big one that got away... ;)

Plans have changed for our trip with Lucille's early summit success, and her planned return of May 16. We are going to make our way back home over the next five or six days. Sorry Dave, it was unexpected, but I am drawn back home to my sweetie.

Destination Highway #4

Wingnut
Latitude:49.11555
Longitude:-123.93089
GPS location Date/Time:05/09/2010 21:18:11 MDT

Click the link below to see where I am located.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=49.11555,-123.93089&ll=49.11555,-123.93089&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1

Our original plan was to ride up to Port Hardy today, but we became aware of the location of DH4 west of Campbell River into Gold River, so we decided to do that instead. We also continued on to Muchalet Inlet. There we met this Turkish guy who told us all the history of the area - twice. Apparrently, all the world's problems can be blamed on the NDP, but I already knew that.

They were working in the inlet, bundling cedar logs, and the bundles were being moved around by these miniature tug boats. They were very manneuverable, and bobbed in the water like a cork. They look to be just about as much fun as riding the road up there.

I found that this highway did test my skills, particularly on downhill left turns, but I did not find the road in it's entirety to be as satisfying as Destination Highway #5 between New Denver and Kaslo. Dave says his favourite is DH3 to Lilloet, and after that, he likes the road to Tofino we were on Yesterday. I still like good old #5. But that is not to say you should avoid #4, it was a very entertaining road and should not be missed if you are ever in the area.

Going salmon fishing tomorrow.