3,500 kms road trip

CanadianBird · 07-13-2007, 8:50 AM

Just returned from a road trip through the Rockies, Van to Edmonton.New Avon Storms.

They heated up fast and felt glued to the tarmac. I didn't experience any rain, I hate rain,

so no comment there. I don't ride at night, especially through the mnts but did 1,650 kms in two days. It's still a long day in the saddle for me. The Bird still runs strong and flawless at 109,000 kms. The weather was perfect on the ride there but got really hot on the return, 40+ C. This presents a problem, not for the Bird but for me. I can't ride with no armour so a T-shirt is out. My solution seems to work. Tech t under my J.R.mesh and a white, long sleeve tech T over my jacket. The JR is black so I needed to prevent sun absorbtion. Staying hydrated is a challenge. Can't eat in the a.m. so I drink a can of "Rock Star", 1/2 litre of h2o. When it begins to heat up, I drink h2o and Gater Aid. Lots of it to replace the electrolites. When I just have a few hrs to go I drink a can of Red Bull. Can't eat when it's hot and I'm on a long road trip, except in the evening when I'm done. I experience a little bit of road work, new, hot, ashphalt, and a couple kms of gravel, but I road the shoulder which had been swept and was clean. I spent many hours yesterday de-bugging and cleaning off a bit of tar. The Bird is a comfortable mileage muncher and is the best looking bike on the road. Especially the Glory Red.

Lois, is your Bird black with black bags? I saw a few Birds, only a couple, on the road. Through Kokonee National S to Radium Hot Springs I passed a Black Bird. Railing, I might add. Few to no "law men" and sniffed one in advance to prevent a ticket. I still haven't sorted out the ram for the 9500i. Hope to do that before another road trip to the States. I tried to fill up often to avoid the dreaded "blinking" g-gage. Still had one nervous moment when she took 20 litres.

I encountered one "wounded" Yami, R1, through the Columbia Ice Fields, limping along the shoulder. I stopped and discovered his chain was loose, no tool kit. He said he left it at home.

No cell phone either

I lent him my tools, and he managed to tighten the chain but the big axle nut wouldn't fit my tool. MMM, I should rephrase that.

Honda tools don't fit Yami bikes. He only had 10 kms or so to get to the park gate so hope he made it, foolish young squid. Hope a bear didn't get him. All that being said, it was the first time I even opened the tool kit.

My left is tired from "waving", high wave, low wave, peace signs, pointing, etc. even Harley riders wave.

When the sign says "watch for deer, moose, antelope, bears, mnt sheep,what ever large cloven hoofed mammal, DO SO!!. Why do those mnt goats like to stand in the road licking it??

Fortunately, no encounters, only a few stops to let them decide if they wanted to cross or not.

I noticed that the occasional "cage" wants to challenge but bikes don't.

It was an awsome little road trip and a brilliant bike. Cheers

raymondo · 07-13-2007, 8:59 AM

Sounds like you had a lot of fun

CanadianBird · 07-13-2007, 9:05 AM

Way too much fun, nothing better than to get out on the road and experience the country. Some of the best riding is in BC/Alberta. Riding the mountains is awsome, and the roads were brilliant. Don't like those "tar strips" used to smooth out the frost heaves. They can make the front end "nervous". The new Penske and front end from Jaws was brilliant. Smooth over rougher road and falling into corners. Get out on the road and see your country. Cheers

PJNXX · 07-13-2007, 2:21 PM

Looks like you had a great ride.

wantxx · 07-14-2007, 12:30 PM

Sounds like you had fun. Which way did you go up to Edmonton? I went to Edmonton through Jasper and back for the long weekend, nice ride but HW #1 is nicer scenery. Where did you see the Blackbird with bags? Might have been mike if in or around Kamloops? I was in Vancouver on the bike July 7 weekend. I have seen a couple birds here in Kamloops but have not seen anyone else on the forums from Kamloops. Give me a buzz next time you are on your way through.

CanadianBird · 07-15-2007, 11:42 AM

I usually ride #3 up the Hope/Princeton all the way to Crow's nest. I ride up #22 to #16 then into Edmonton from the North. Once I rode up the Ice fields to the Columbia River Crossing and E to Rocky Mnt House. I returned through Jasper, Ice Fields, Kokanee, Radium to Castlegar then home on #3 to Van. Sometime I ride up the Canyon, #1 over to Kamloops then up #5, Barrier,Blue River, Valemount to #16 then due E to Edmonton. Once I carried on #16 to Prince George, south on 97 due S though 100 Mile House to Cache Creek then W to Lilooet, and over the Duffy Lake road to Mnt Curie, Pemberton then S to Whistler and home. I rarely to never ride #1, Trans-Canada. Too many trucks and motor-homes. They are doing a lot of work on that highway. I think in the last 7 years I've been riding to Edmonton I've take every route. I've even come up from Montana through E Glacier and Waterton Lakes, Pincher Creek, Fort McCloud. I've driven and flown. I have yet used the "transporter" but when it's available I'll try that. Cheers. OH! I also gone up and down the Cochahalla. I suspose there are side streets I haven't take. Highway #3 is the most scenic highway in BC, I believe. But, who was that "masked man" flying up the Kokannee Park way?