DAY 10 WHISTLER!!!

Breakfast this morning we were told that there are two ways from Salmon Arm to Whistler. One is mostly highway with lower elevations and faster. The other is into the mountains winding roads, slower speeds, iffy weather, closed most of the year but open now. Do you really need to ask which way we went?

The road didn't really turn interesting until after lunch and we headed south from Lillooet on 99. Suddenly the road became real interesting with deep canyons, snow covered peaks and roaring rivers along the road. Many of the corners had warning signs advising a top speed of 20 KPH which is about 12 MPH but MOST could be taken much faster. The favorite sign was "No Stopping-Avalanche Area"  and the usual WATCH FOR, name your animal, we saw signs for deer, elk, wild horses, cows, and bears. The road also had numerous one lane wooden bridges and a few gravel areas were the road had washed out in the winter, what a great ride.

Ended the day in a lodge in downtown Whistler walked around the touristy (sic) area and watched the dirt bikers coming down the ski runs. Ate dinner at probably the only low life little pub in all of this tourist trap area, waitress had plenty of tattoos and a great attitude, good fun too.

Started the day as usual with the radio off listening to the bike making sure everything was right with the world. Finally turned on the radio to hear a live version of Springsteen belting out Rosalita,

Dynamite's in the belfry, baby, playin' with the bats
Little Gun's downtown in front of Woolworth's, tryin' out his attitude on all the cats
Papa's on the corner, waitin' for the bus
Mama, she's home in the window, waitin' up for us
She'll be there in that chair when they wrestle her upstairs, 'cause you know we ain't gonna come
Ah, I ain't here on business, baby, I'm only here for fun
And Rosie, you're the one

 not thirty seconds after he started came to a large yellow sign with flashing yellow lights that said ROCKS and I had to just nod my head and say yes, yes it does. 

DAY 8 AND 9 CANADA! WHICH WAY ARE YOU GOING?

DAY 8

Following a post breakfast laundry marathon hit the road and headed north. Finally crossed into Canada at the part time crossing of Cascade, on the 395 and headed west on route 3. Stopping for a cup of coffee shortly after crossing the border Jake gave the clerk a US twenty for two cups and received $21.75 Canadian in change. He thought this was due to the exchange rate but I told him I think they had to pay us to drink it.

Route 3 across BC is a favorite motorcycle route and this was obvious by the dozens of bikes we passed in small and large groups. It was another incredible ride over to Princeton then north to Merritt for the night. In Merritt we had our first Canadian/Chinese food served by a Filipino girl, not bad! Still avoiding heading to Whistler to stay away from the holiday crowds (prices) and to ride more of the incredible roads that wander through BC.

DAY 9

After a discussion with some fishermen at the hotel breakfast decided that one more day away from Whistler would be a great idea. Since Whistler was due west we headed north and east after a brief look at the map, unfortunately the paper atlas didn't list the temperature in the mountain passes and it did border on cold! From Merritt took 97c to Kelowna where we made a stop at the Harley Dealer, same dealer as two years ago heading south out of Jasper.

Ken noticed on the map that north of us there was a town called Salmon Arm and he had never seen a salmon with arms and would like too. I immediately gave this a thumbs up as I still remember the grief from bypassing the alien museum in Roswell NM during the great bad decision of 2008.

In for night in Salmon Arm, dinner at The Hideaway Bar and Grill next door were I scored a free t-shirt for asking them to change the tv to hockey from bass fishing. The owner gave us free deserts and sat down joining us for a beer.

Another good day, Whistler tomorrow?

DAY 7 NOT IN CANADA YET!

ROUTE FRIDAY

I-82 out of Yakima, 97 N from Ellensburg, 2 to Davenport, 25 along Columbia to Kettle Falls, south 395 to Colville.

Dinner last night talk turned to how grateful we are to be retired, how thankful that we made it to this point and are still enjoying ourselves. We were all thinking of Officer Glasser and the recent tragic events back in Phoenix. An unrequested but unanimous moment of silent reflection followed. This made me think of the Zac Brown song reference returning soldiers.

What can you see from your window?
I can't see anything from mine
Flags on the side of the highway
And scripture on grocery store signs
Maybe eighteen was too early
Maybe thirty or forty is too
Did you get your chance to make peace with the man
Before he sent down his angels for you?

This morning we headed out down another beautiful two lane road beside a river with white water rafting, fisherman, and a few guys in row boats just another beautiful morning. After lunch the road turned straight and fast with spring wheat crops for miles on both sides of the road. Canada tomorrow then working west toward Whistler BC. 

DAY 6 RAIN, SNOW, SUN

….climbing rapidly on wet roads soon entered the clouds themselves the dense foliage and road covered in wisps of fog when suddenly the light rain turned to snow. Before long the snow was turning to ice obscuring the bikes windshields with the geometric shapes of ice crystals.

What a great ride!

 The original route was going to take us on a much steeper road over a higher pass but it’s still closed from the winter storms. The Cascades are still some of the most heavily forested beautiful mountains I have ridden.

Coming down the eastern slope is a completely different experience with the trees giving way to wide open vistas and thankfully today drier roads. Eventually made it to The Dalles a great little city on the Columbia River. There is a bridge over the river with a great view of the dam and the large locks to move ships around the dam.

Ended the day in Yakima WA, Canada tomorrow?

Route 126 east to Redmond, 97 north to 197, 197 to The Dalles, 14 east to 97 north.

DAY 4 AND 5 EASY FIXES, CRATERS, UNPLANNED JOURNEYS

DAY 4

Road on some great roads with thick forests of evergreens, pines, and redwoods for mile after mile. Stopped for a pic of Mt Shasta and discovered a problem with Bruce’s bike. A check on the phone revealed a Harley dealer in Medford Oregon. They fixed the bike in Phoenix while I grabbed a cup of coffee in Medford. The dealership is split down the middle by the city line between Phoenix and Medford. The majority of the day was small lakes, two lane lightly traveled roads, under incredible blue skies.

I've been climbing my way through the sky
Searching for answers that I'll never find
Losing my breath as I fall
Learning to fly, letting go of it all
Learning to fly, letting go of it all

I'm gonna live like tomorrow never comes
There's no end in sight, tonight we black out the sun
Better hold on tight, before you know it's gone
And live like tomorrow never comes

I've been trying to open my eyes
Take it all in as the world passes by
Getting lost in the twists and the turns
Finding these questions inside me still burn
Finding these questions inside me still burn 

I'm gonna live like tomorrow never comes
There's no end in sight, tonight we black out the sun
Better hold on tight, before you know it's gone
And live like tomorrow never comes

ZAC BROWN

That just about sums it up for the way I feel today, good song Zac.

DAY 5

Started the day with a 70 mile ride to Crater Lake, climbing to the lake the are turned crisp but never too cold. Love being able to ride with a jacket whille the bike turns cool air and precious resources into pure power. We had to ride out the way we came in as the north lake entrance/exit is still closed for snow. Made an unscheduled turn and found ourselves on Oregon 138 from north of the lake towards Roseburg. We had no plans of riding this road today so decided to give it 150 miles or so to see what it was like.

New pavement smooth and clean with great sweeping turns where the warning signs advised 45 but could easily be taken at 65 and almost devoid of traffic. I only saw four motorcycles on that road all day, two in front of me and two behind. Finished the day in Eugene with a short walk next door to a sports bar everyone smiling about the good roads, good weather, and good company.

MT SHASTA

Day 2 and 3 Pahrump-Minden-Susanville

DAY 2

Pahrump to Minden NV via California and Death Valley. Day 2 settling into the bike and starting to forget about politics, age, aches and pains. Two lane roads on American steel with the tunes blasting will do that for me.

Riding across Death Valley with temps hitting 90 you are impressed with the sheer beauty of such desolation. Then quickly climbing into cool crisp air riding the eastern border of the Sierra's for mile after mile. Stopping for the night in Minden realized we were only a dozen or so miles and a high mountain pass from Lake Tahoe sounds like a good start for day three. Heading north out of Big Pine we had thought about crossing the mountains, heading west on the north end of Yosemite only to find all those passes still closed by winter snow.

At dinner the talk turned to prior rides since other than Jake all have been on at least eight with me. Yes Bruce I realize you have been on nine and have by way of seniority appointed yourself assistant Road Captain.

Now I think I'm going down to the well tonight 
and I'm going to drink till I get my fill 
And I hope when I get old I don't sit around thinking about it 
but I probably will 
Yeah, just sitting back trying to recapture 
a little of the glory of, well time slips away 
and leaves you with nothing mister but 
boring stories of glory days 
Bruce Sprinsteen

The stories may be boring, not to us, but at least we are still making new stories to carry us into those times of going down to the well.

Day 3

Didn't go to far today but great scenery. Took 207 over the pass into South Lake Tahoe, what a great start to the day. The western edge of Tahoe with great weather is unbeatable even with stop and go traffic. Stayed on 89 to the 49 then the 49 to the northern terminus and onto 395 for the remainder of the day. Tahoe was busy with workers but in between visitors. The skiers are gone and the buoys are still devoid of boats but us casual tourists still keep the place hopping.  

DAY 1 Phoenix to Pahrump

Well it's finally started day one of the tenth long spring ride. As usual a little apprehensive until we actually get on the road then just a few miles later it all starts to feel right.

Checked this morning to make sure we all remembered passports since we are headed up the country.

Riding north on I-17 for the 1,000,000 time to Prescott for breakfast and everything looked a little different today. When you know it will be three weeks and thousands of miles before you get back everything is suddenly better looking and fresh.

I'm going up the country
Babe, don't you wanna go?
Babe, don't you wanna go?
I'm going to some place
Where I've never been before

I'm going, I'm going
Where the water tastes like wine
I'm going
I'm going up the country
Where the water tastes like wine
We can jump in the water
Stay drunk all the time

I'm gonna leave this city
Got to get away
I'm gonna leave this city
Got to get away
All this fussing and fighting
Man, you know I sure can't stay

CANNED HEAT

Heading north into Cali tomorrow via Death Valley then turning north towards our northern goal of western Canada.