DAY 14-15 THE HEADWATERS AND RED LODGE

DAY 14 JUNE 2

He was born in the Bitteroot Valley in the early morning rain.
Wild geese over the water, heading north and home again.
Bringing a warm wind from the south, bringing the first taste of the spring.
His mother took him to her breast, and softly she did sing:
Oh Montana, give this child a home.
Give him the love of a good family and a woman of his own.
Give him a fire in his heart, give him a light in his eyes,
give him the wild wind for a brother and the wild Montana Skies.

John Denver

Started the day with a quick trip to the Kalispell PD where our new friend Susie, I believe she runs the department, quickly had us back on the road with guns knives and other implements of destruction. Thank You Susie! Left the Bitteroot Mountains back south in the Rockies. All day winding back and forth on beautiful two lane roads along lake after lake. Everywhere we stopped today we met the type of independent people that you expect in Montana. Friendly, outdoors type, pick-up driving, gun toting, ranchers and farmers.

Stopped for the night in Bozeman along the interstate, which we avoided all day, in an area of new hotels and restaurants, dinner and a soak in the hottub and I was ready to call it a day.

There was something in the city that he said he couldn't breathe,
there was something in the country that he said he couldn't leave.
Now some say he was crazy, some are glad he's gone.
Some of us will miss him and try to carry on,
giving a voice to the forest, giving a voice to the dawn.
Giving a voice to the wilderness and the land that he lived on.
Oh Montana, give this child a home.
Give him the love of a good family and a woman of his own.
Give him a fire in his heart, give him a light in his eyes,
give him the wild wind for a brother and the wild Montana Skies.

DAY 15 BACK IN RED LODGE AGAIN JUNE 3, 2014

Started the day with a slight back track to find the source of the Missouri River near Three Forks MT. Two small rivers join together to become the Missouri River. Stood near were Lewis and Clark camped for several days along the bank of the Missouri. Lewis was sick and the trip had to be delayed a few days while Clark tried to trade for fresh horses with the Native Americans. The name Missouri is actually a miss pronunciation of an Algonquin word for “canoe made of wood”. Spent some time on the interstate to get to Red Lodge at a decent time and checked into the same hotel we were in last year. Dodged storms all day long totally convinced we were going to get soaked and never got wet!

Everyday has been full of wildlife sightings, today was antelope and deer. Some of the deer were sleeping by the road, didn't even stir when the Harleys drove by.

Spent some time cleaning the bikes grabbed a sandwich and a beer, courtesy of Ken, and sat outside recapping the trip so far.

Over bear tooth pass tomorrow scheduled to open for the day by nine then Chief George Highway towards Cody?

Chuck

DAY 12-13 MAY 31 JUNE 1

Left Kamloops on day 12 southbound towards the border. It was an absolutely beautiful day of mountains, farms, and lake after lake. Stopped for lunch found a friendly Honda dealer and had Ken's bike in new shoes before we finished lunch.

Today being Saturday and probably one of the first nice days of the spring the roads were full of bikes. I haven't seen this many on the road since the Discovery channel special on Sturgis. There were Harleys going north, Harleys going south, Harleys  parked at bars, Harleys parked at Starbucks. An untold number of black cows had also given their all for these riders to look extra special riderish.

Arrived at the border and there were two open lines with no waiting, I pulled into the first line and was met by a very personable civil servant.

Customs: Where you coming from?
I wondered about this question as I thought the road only went from Canada to the USA?

Me: Canada

Customs: Did you buy anything?

Me: half a dozen t-shirts

Customs: Did they cost more than $10,000 US dollars
I wondered about what kind of t-shirts he wears but decided not to be flippant

Me: No

Customs: Where do you live?

Me: Phoenix, Arizona

Customs: To damn hot, where are you going?

Me: Home, eventually

Customs: Why, and do you have any vegetables?

Me: No

Customs: (after looking a passport) get out of here

I had a very hard time keeping my newly diagnosed disease under control. I wasn't aware I had this until JB recognized the symptoms since he suffers from the same disease. It usually abbreviated SAT but the offical name is Smart Ass Turrets were comments come out that should stay in. Very hard keeping it under control with this customs agent.

Stopped Saturday night in Spokane nice hotel overlooking the Spokane river, dinner and a beer outside on the waterfront at a restaurant called Ripples.

Sunday went north and got back on route 2 east over to Kalispell MT. Beautiful riding day, light traffic, great views. We have ridden portions of 2 from one coast to the other and it has never disappointed.

The Journey is the Destination
Chuck

DAY 11 FRIDAY? KAMLOOPS?

Went downtown for breakfast and the obligatory t-shirt shopping. Sorry kids your space on the bike for t-shirts as been given to grandkids and you're out of luck.

Soon found ourselves heading south on route 5 which is one of the most beautiful roads I have ever seen anywhere. Two lane, turn after turn, sometimes along a river or railroad tracks. Every time we exited a valley I thought we were coming to the end of the mountains and we would turn a corner and be right back in the middle of towering snow covered peaks.

The higher elevations had fur trees that were a very deep green and so thick you couldn't see in 25 feet. As the elevation dropped we started to see pine trees and stands of aspens adding a lighter green to the mix. Soon we were back in farm country with beautiful horse property and green fields.

In for the night in Kamloops on the confluence of two rivers, largest city we have seen in several days.

Kamloops: "Kamloops" is the anglicised version of the Shuswap word "Tk'əmlúps", meaning 'meeting of the waters'. Shuswap is still spoken in the area by members of the Tk'emlúps Indian Band.

DAY 10 MAY 29TH ROCKIES, WEATHER, GLACIERS

Left late this morning had rained and snowed during the night, still drizzling. Leaving Banff went north on route 1-A. Route 1 is a four lane divided road and 1-A had been recommended by a local rider. Beautiful two lane, occasionally one lane, road rising into the rockies of Banff National Park. Eventually found ourselves paying a new fee to enter Jasper National Park home to the highest peaks in Canada. Ken was leading so it fell to him to pay for the group pass to get us in. The weather turned cold as we gained altitude and eventually began to snow as while we were stopped at the glacier.

I don’t have words to describe the beauty of the area we rode today. It is some of the most beautiful mountain ranges I have ever seen. I posted some pictures but they don’t do it justice as they can’t convey the shear vastness of the Canadian Rockies. Surrounded by snow covered peaks often reaching up into the clouds it is breathtaking.

The elements we rode in also help to enhance the beauty. All bundled up in jackets and rain gear with the face shield snapped on the helmet you are really isolated. This gives you a feeling of being at one with the mountains, no distractions,   no existence outside of the immediate surroundings.

In Jasper for the night, the only final thought is:” I will be back”.

DAY 9 RUTTING ELK RED, BEARS, SHEEP, AND DEER

Beautiful scenic roads all day most of it in Banff National Park. Towering snow covered peaks, rivers, smooth asphalt, and lots of animals make for a great day. Stopped in Banff for lunch at a great little tavern/grill in a basement, following lunch came out to cold wind and rain.

Quickly decided that there was no need to ride any further so found a hotel with underground parking, two room suites, and a bar. In this same bar is where I was introduced to a local beer called Rutting Elk Red which contains twice the alcohol content of US beer. Excellent happy hour helped by a Polish waitress from Krakow who moved to Canada to ski.

We are here at the right time, lots of foreign tourists but the skiers have gone and the heavy summer visitors have not yet arrived.

A beautiful friendly country even if I still can't understand the speed limit (klicks) or the gas prices (liters). North to Lake Louise and Jasper tomorrow...maybe.

DAY 8 ROLL ME AWAY 5-27-14

Left this morning westbound still on route 2 the Lewis and Clark Highway still in the high plains. It didn't take long for snow covered peaks to appear on the horizon reaching up towards white scattered clouds the same color as the snow.

We rolled across the high plains
Deep into the mountains
Felt so good to me
Finally feelin' free

Somewhere along a high road
The air began to turn cold
She said she missed her home
I headed on alone

Stood alone on a mountain top,
starin' out at the Great Divide
I could go east, I could go west,
it was all up to me to decide
Just then I saw a young hawk flyin'
and my soul began to rise
And pretty soon
My heart was singin'

Roll, roll me away,
I'm gonna roll me away tonight
Gotta keep rollin, gotta keep ridin',
keep searchin' till I find what's right
And as the sunset faded
I spoke to the faintest first starlight
And I said next time
Next time
We'll get it right

Bob Seger

Route 2 is a beautiful road through the south end of Glacier National Park very rugged, high, snow covered, mountains along a river. 

Lunch in Kalispell and Tim said he was heading south, we turned north into Canada one of our goals for this trip. Rode along the western edge of the Canadian Rockies until we stopped for the night in Cranbrook BC. Takes a while to get used to all the signs being metric, apparently a speed limit of 100 is just not that fast. TThe hotel has a nice tavern with  every tv tuned to hockey, eh. North tomorrow not sure where haven't looked at a map yet.

DAY 7 THE PRAIRIE AND ROUTE 2

Except for the first four miles the entire day was spent on beautiful two lane roads riding the prairie lands of the northwest. As is my habit when we pull out in the morning I leave the radio off and just listen to the bike. Soon the bike and I are in sync with the beating of the v-twin and my head firing together.

This morning I just left the radio off and thought about the great road we were on. This path was first followed by Lewis and Clark then by the wagon trains heading west. The railroad came next following the same path followed by the automobile and now us.

At first I did not think it could be you,
But you're the only one who got off the train.
Yes, you must be my wife--Miss Annie Halsey.
I guess I am your husband,
Hello, I'm Harry Crane.

Mail Order Annie
Never mind your cryin'.
Your tears are sweet rain
In my empty life.
Mail Order Annie
Can't you see I'm tryin'
To tell you that I'm glad you're here--
You are the woman, who's come to be my wife.

You know you're not as pretty 
As I dreamed you'd be.
But then I'm not no handsome Fancy Dan.
But out here looks are really not important--no, no.
It's what's inside a woman
When she up against the land.

Mail Order Annie,
Never mind your cryin'.
Your tears are sweet rain 
In my empty life.
Mail Order Annie,
Can't you see I'm tryin'
To tell you that I'm glad you're here--
You are the woman, who's come to be my wife.

You know it's not no easy life you're enterin',
The winter wind comes whistlin'
Through the cracks there in the sod.
You know you'll never have
Too many neighbors--
There's you, babe
There's me and there's God.

You know I'm just a dirt man
From the North Dakota plains.
You're one girl from the city
Who's been thrown out on her own.
And I'm standin' here not sure of what to say to you
'Ceptin' Mail Order Annie,
Let's you and me go home.

HARRY CHAPIN

The homes now are wood or brick not sod but there is still miles between homes and many more miles between towns. Harry's song is somehow still appropriate, it is easy to imagine the early settlers coming out here to build a life and the women who outnumbered the men back east in the days following the civil war that followed. It takes very little imagination to put myself on horseback fighting the elements to scratch out a meager existence. Makes you appreciate the things we take for granted. 

I'm truly in awe of the sheer vastness of the prairie mile after mile and state after state it just goes on and on. One of the locals today said he doesn't know how many more winters he has in him. Winds of fifty mile per hour at forty below zero make for a hard existence even with modern conveniences. We managed to ride all day under partially cloudy skies in t-shirts.

 Met several veterans at various stops today and took the opportunity shake hands and thank them for their service on this Memorial Day.