Retrospective

It was a great trip, one of those experiences that gain in significance as the days pass. I woke up on Monday morning thinking it was Saturday. Then I remembered ... you're retired now. It is Saturday. Everyday is Saturday!

Just thought I would reflect on a few things before I forget.

It was a great accomplishment for me. The longest motorcycle trip I have ever attempted--11,359 miles in 30 days. Saw the best scenery with great friends. Learned to ride the dirt, and mud, and gravel--new experiences for me. Everyday was better than the day before. Many people have given me good advice and I would be glad to share my 2 cents with anyone planning a similar trip.

Here's some of my best's ...

Best advice--Alaska is great, do it now!

Best motorcycle--V-Strom 650
Best 2up--V-Strom 1000
Best cruiser that thinks it's a dirtbike--Shadow 750

Best dirt roads--The Dalton, Denali Highway, Top of the World, Cassiar Highway

Best dealership--Northern Powersports, Fairbanks

Best river trip--Denali Outdoor Center

Best community--Jack River Nation
Best dinner--Al's house with friends
Best lunch--Bub's Subs, Denali
Best afternoon snack with harp music--Chateau Lake Louise

Best heat--109 in the Badlands!
Best car--Jerry's '35 Chevy

Best shower/jacuzzi--7 Gables, Fairbanks
Best camping--Blue Gables, Buffalo, WY

Best traveling companions--Joe, Jeff, and Olivia

Tomorrow: who knows ... maybe that "long way round" trip I've always wanted to take. I should have continued on to Vladivostok while I was in Alaska. I could be sleeping in a yurt by now! Oh well ...

For me it was the best of trips.

If you've gotten this far in the blog, many thanks for your interest and support. I wish you all the best!!!

July 30 Sunday

Left Greensburg, IN around 7:30. I was headed home!!! It was foggy and that was great for riding … no sun and the temperatures were cooler. Making good time, but trying to stay under the state troopers radar—very difficult to keep the speed down when you’re headed home …

Had to take an alternate route since a bridge was under repair—no problem for the GPS. It routed me along some great 2 lane roads in Kentucky—beautiful rural farms and gentle twisty roads. It’s Sunday morning and I pretty much have the roads to myself. All the time I’m thinking, make sure you slow down for the towns—experience tells me there is a local cop out to get me. As I’m leaving a restricted speeding zone, I get to the edge of town and I can see the 55 sign in the distance so I open it up. As I round the curve, there he is--a trooper coming toward me in the opposite lane! He looks at me (and I look at him) and down at my speed … A train of cars are stacked up behind him and he is in a difficult place to turn around. I round the bend and am out of sight—I look in my rearview and my heart is pounding. Luck is on my side, no flashing lights—he let me go …

Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia, (paying tolls …) Virginia, and finally home in North Carolina. Met my family for my favorite dinner from my favorite restaurant. Great to see everyone … thanks to my wife for encouraging me to go (and to come back …).

Thanks to family and friends for all your support and encouragement. Special thanks to my traveling friends—Jeff, Olivia, and Joe. It was the best of times!!!

Tomorrow: Metacognitive Retrospective

July 29 Saturday

Left DesMoines around 9 and headed for the superslab. My goal was a modest 600 miles. Got mired down in the heat again, but not as bad as yesterday. Mid-afternoon I took a nap at the best rest stop I have ever seen! Nice shaded trees and grass just for me. It was the best nap ever and I didn't get arrested for vagrancy :)

Made good time after the nap and stopped in Greensburg, IN for gas. They were having a car show (great band too) and I decided to stop for the night. I won the prize for the bike with the most dirt! Jerry's 35 Chevy was awesome ...

Tomorrow: Home!!!

July 28 Friday

Left the EconoLodge at 7 before the major heat. Headed for the Badlands. There were already fire trucks there! Probably just a precaution because I didn't see any fires.

The morning light in the Badlands is fantastic!!!! Took a lot of pictures and even found a "peace rock." Thought it was particularly appropriate given the world situation today. The Badlands was my last tourist thing.

Around 11 I put on the Aerostich and headed home. It was hot ... very hot--did I say it was hot? It was hot--109!!! Stopped because I had run out of water, not gas. Filled up with gas and water--would have had lunch except for the long lines that were created by the tour bus that stopped just ahead of me. Had a biker lunch of cheese crackers, beef jerky, and peanuts. Did I mention that it was hot?

Next gas stop was at the Iowa border. 32 0z Gartorade and chicken strips fixed me up. Bought a bag of ice and filled all my pockets--did I mention that it was hot? It was definitely hot.

I was determined to do 600 miles. When I got to DesMoines I found a Hampton Inn!!! Now I'm at the Granite City Food and Brewpub with wi-fi, Chicken Parm and an IPA--life is good!

Heard from Jeff--he's alive and well at St. Hellens. Yet to hear from Joe--hope he's ok.

Tomorrow--Louisville

July 27 Thursday

Devil’s Tower was the first stop—an impressive monolithic structure. Was able to post to the blog at the Trading Post.

Traveled to Deadwood via the Spearfish Canyon—just to get a taste of the local roads. It’s close to Sturgis and there are a lot of motorcycles in town—all clean Harley’s. My bike is a stark contrast with all the dirt and mud from Alaska. Several people commented on my NC plate and that I was a long way from home. When I mentioned that I was on the way home from Alaska/Prudhoe Bay it was incomprehensible—did you ride there?

It’s windy today and the heat is an intense 108 today (120 in the Badlands with a hiking death from dehydration). At Wall, I decided to call it a day. Jumped in the pool and headed downtown to Wall Drug for a touristy dinner.

Will hit the Badlands early in the morning when its not so hot and then head for home.

July 26 Wednesday

Left Great Falls around 10, blindly following the GPS. Sometimes it routes you in unusual places—found myself in the middle of “Dick’s RV and Camping.” When I looked down the road I could see that it had been blocked off. A quick check of the GPS and I could see that it was taking me right down the middle of a street barricade. All the Alaska experience finally paid off … I just went right through the barricade,over the curb, and I was on the correct street—pretty cool!

I left the mountains behind and am in a new kind of beauty—grasslands, wheat, horses, and cattle country. Followed 89S through lonely roads, small towns, and beautiful scenery. Hit the “loose gravel” construction zone one more time—no problem, I had plenty of experience—it just added the Montana dust to the Canada and Alaska dust on my Aerostich!

Once I hit the interstate it was just follow my nose to the east. Stopped in Buffalo, WY for the night. Paul, Joe, and I came through here on our California trip. It’s the place where we celebrated Paul’s “performance award.” Thanks Paul for taking the rap for us!

Camped at the Blue Gable—pool, wireless, and all the comforts of home. Had my favorite dinner and ice cream--walked through the beautiful downtown. It’s a great place … hope to return one day when I can spend more time.
Tomorrow: The Badlands

PS: Thanks trading post at devil's tower for the wi-fi connection!

July 25 Tuesday

Took one last look at the map and Joe headed off for Cleveland—needs to get there by Friday. Three days and 2100 miles—also needs a rear tire. Hope all goes well.

I went through Glacier and on towards the Badlands. We all started together but now we are on our separate adventures (Seattle, Key West, Cleveland …)

I'm looking forward to a new day, leaving the comfort and security of traveling with friends and headed out alone. Glacier was great, but slow. The road is unique in that it wraps closely around the mountain. Over the continental divide and you can see forever!!!

Met Ahren and Leah. They had been to the Baja--I'm putting it on my list. Left Glacier on 89S--a great road--twistier than you would think. Feels good to open it up--accelerate, gear down, and power out.

The Montana landscape is changing from the mountains to the rolling grasslands of big sky country. I'm rolling now!

Hoped to make it to Billings, but was sidetracked by a Hampton Inn sign that advertised--indoor pool and the internet! Decided that Great Falls was a great place to spend the night. Tony Roma's was across the street! I was back in civilization.

Hope Joe, Jeff and Olivia are doing as well ...

Tomorrow: towards Rapid City

July 24 Monday

Joe needed to return to Cleveland by Friday, so the objective was to get him down the road. We left Jasper around 10—headed down the Icefields Parkway. It was magnificent country. The Canadian Rockies are spectacular. Beautiful weather sort of like Alaska but warmer and with traffic—a lot of motorhomes. Stopped at the Columbia Glacier and walked up—wow!

Jeff and Olivia were headed to Seattle. Joe and I needed to get on down the road so we said our good byes on the glacier. We had traveled many miles and experienced many wonderful times together but now it was time for us to go our separate ways. Thanks Jeff for taking the lead and thanks Olivia for documenting our trip with wonderful photos!

Joe and I had lunch at Lake Louise—this is a must see. Olivia said we should go there and it is incredible. The mountains come down to the lake and we dined amid harp music and elegant surroundings (much too nice for biker scum) in the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise.

93S (Bow Valley Parkway) is a wonderful road over the Continental Divide. A lot of wildlife (big horn sheep, carribo, two huge moose, and many deer—but no time to stop. We were on a mission to get to the border!

Crossed into the USA around 9-it was great to be back! As we traveled toward Whitefish, the sun was setting at our backs.

I could see it in my rear view mirror--sort of nostalgic and retrospective, looking back at all the great times in Alaska and Canada.

Stopped in Whitefish for the night. Joe and I had our last dinner at the bowling alley—he would be leaving early for Cleveland.

July 23 Sunday

Left Telkwa around 10 headed for Jasper. The area is beautiful … a lot like Alaska with traffic. We can tell were back to civilization—the gas stops have snacks (not only a snack but a lot of snacks, too many choices). No more electric vest … it’s hot!
Got to Jasper around 6—it’s a happening place. Sort of touristy with expensive hotels. Joe and I decided to camp.

They had 9 bear sightings today. Because of the hot weather the bears are coming down the mountain. So … this could be my last post.

Having my favorite dinner at the Jasper Pizza Palace--on the rooftop patio. Life is good!

Tomorrow: Banff toward Glacier National Park and the USA

July 22

Hyder to Telkwa

Talked with Brian (GS1150 from MA) and he said you have to go to the Salmon Glacier. It's down the same dirt road where we saw the bears--about 20 miles. We figured it would take about an hour. We spent 4 hours there--it's absolutely incredible!!! The glacier is blue, not just any blue but an awesome glacier blue. The weather was cool. Small streams and waterfalls cascade down the mountain to the glacier. There is also a river of cold air that travels with the stream. When you cross one by motorcycle you can feel how cold they are. You might miss that in a car.

You have to be there in person--no photograph can capture it. Seems like every day is more spectacular than the day before--but this is a new best! The Salmon Glacier--put it on your list.

Left Hyder around 3, determined to get closer to Jasper. We got to Telkwa. Stayed in a great place on the river (Two Rivers). Ate at the Three Bridges--became good friends with Ian, Jason, etc. Solved all the world's problems.

Today was the best ever ... life is good.