I'm back from a brief hiatus on Ontario on business.
Just prior to Ontario, I rode about 2,100km in one weekend.
With my girlfriend in front in her
VW Golf (we had to pick up her dog), we set out for Nelson, BC, via Post Falls, Idaho.
Why Post Falls? Well, I needed some new gear and with the
loonie reaching more than 90 cents US, the time was right to head down for a quick
visit on the way to Nelson.
The ride was pretty uneventful with only a few deer in the ditches to keep me on edge. We stopped only once for food and then kept heading down south to Idaho. Well, till we got to the border that is.
With two people going somewhere together in two separate vehicles, it makes for inquisitive border guards. My girlfriend had no problem, but I got the third degree. Of course it helps when you know the roads in the area.
The guard asked, "Where are you headed?" I responded that we were heading to Nelson.
Not a good answer to give. "Who's we?" was the first question. Fair enough. Then he said, "Nelson's the other way son." I mentioned that we were traveling in a more roundabout direction as my girlfriend was from Nelson and wanted to take a different route. He asked what route and I told him I didn't have any idea and that's why the car was in front.
After a few more questions and my girlfriend ahead and her border guard having a bit of a chuckle, I was asked to pull aside under the
canopy. They asked my girlfriend to hang tight and wait for me, but she was free to go.
We waited for a couple of minutes. They were sweaty minutes. I had no reason to be sweaty, but the heat of riding in full gear and my nerves were getting to me a bit. After a couple of minutes, a different guard - the one who was asking my girlfriend questions - came out and said, "oh, you best not be leaving without this." He handed me my passport and we were on our way.
The most
noticeable change I found (other than MPH v. km/h) was that there were very few vehicles on the road with daytime running lights. Oncoming vehicles were far more difficult to see. We continued on to Post Falls where we called it a day.
The next day we arrived in Nelson late after riding through a storm in Post Falls. The roads had a couple of inches of water on them and cars in the other lane were splashing me. Fortunately I was wearing my new gear for the trip. I picked up an Olympia
AST jacket and Ranger 2 pant from
Beaudry Motorsports in Post Falls. I ordered and paid for them the week before and they arrived in Post Falls the day before I went to pick them up. Close call on the order!
In Nelson I helped out my girlfriend's dad who had a brand new
Ducati that he picked up in Calgary the day we had left for the mini-trip. He hadn't ridden in 30-plus years so we went to a parking lot where I went over some of the basic skills with him. He picked things up really quickly (I suppose it's just like riding a bike!) and we headed for a 100km ride - just like that.
The following day we rode a few hundred more kilometres, this time with my girlfriend on the back of my bike. The roads out in that area are outstanding. Tons of twists and bends and scenery that can take your breath away. Now I understand why this is Dylan's favourite place on Earth.
The speed limits range from about 60 km/h to 90 km/h, depending on the bends. The pavement is smooth as silk and they just beg to be ridden on. We were keeping to the limits and bikes would sometimes go flying past us as if we were standing still. This is an oasis for those who enjoy the twisties. We even rode past the well-known Toad Rock Motorcycle Campground that afternoon. I wish at this point that I had taken some pictures, but we were really far to busy enjoying the ride.
It was time to head home the next day and we did so in a comedy of errors. First we forgot to get fuel. Then my girlfriend forgot her purse. "Third time's the charm" I said over the intercom (I installed an
Autocom system on my bike the previous day).
Third time was not the charm. When we'd stopped to get the purse, I went in the car and parked my bike. Coming back to it, I needed to put on all my gear again before setting off, so I sent my girlfriend on her way with the intention of being a couple of minutes behind and I'd be able to catch up to her.
Just outside
Salmo, BC I was passing a car and got pulled over for speeding while I was completing my pass. The police in the area are friendly, but give no second chances. I had my first ticket in five years and had no excuses; I was speeding.
My girlfriend watched the entire thing as she had pulled over a few hundred metres down the road (in town) to wait for me. We set off and the rest of the journey was uneventful - perhaps because of the downer from getting the ticket.
Once I got home I looked at the odometer on the bike. Amazingly enough to me, my V-
strom has more than 7,200 kilometres on it since I purchased it new last July. my comfort level on the bike is definitely high and I'm looking forward to going around the world - the trip is 10 months away!
More to come...
