DAY 7 DAWSON CREEK TO FORT NELSON

After breakfast it was apparent that the rain was here.

Suited up in rain gear, warmed up six very cold bikes and headed into the storm. The kind of riding that really isn't comfortable but pushes you to be hyper aware and just makes you feel alive. Wrapped up in the cocoon of the rain gear, tires slinging water riding closer to the edge.


There's a dark cloud rising from the desert floor 
I packed my bags and I'm heading straight into the storm 
Gonna be a twister to blow everything down 
That ain't got the faith to stand its ground 
Blow away the dreams that tear you apart 
Blow away the dreams that break your heart 
Blow away the lies that leave you nothing but lost and brokenhearted

Springsteen

When we stopped for lunch the weather had cleared and it was time to strip off the rain gear, eat a hearty lunch and head on down the road.

The road was in great shape, heavy forests of deep green, puffy white clouds and just a great afternoon getting to Fort Nelson.

DAY 6 DAWSON CREEK!

Finally made it to the jumping off point for the AL-CAN Highway. Took the long way to get here today but talking to other riders our northern route avoided some severe storms. Great roads, lots of green, forests so thick you couldn't see 3 feet in. A long route but a great day.

Approx map of today(click here for map), posted a few new pictures on the link.

DAY 5 JULY 5TH STRAIGHT FROM GARTH

 I woke up feeling a little tired, a few aches and pains, looking forward to a great day on two wheels. The road was long straight with a slow speed limit (110K) redefining boring. Grass lands and crops as far as the eye could see in every direction. Even a lane change became a reason for celebration because it caused movement to the left or right.

This ol' highway's getting longer 
Seems there ain't no end in sight To sleep would be best, but I just can't afford to rest I've got to ride in Denver tomorrow night 
 
And the white line's getting longer and the saddle's getting cold I'm much too young to feel this damn old All my cards are on the table with no ace left in the hole I'm much too young to feel this damn old 
 

I know stop complaining, you're on a motorcycle 2000 miles from home with good friends and weeks of riding yet to come. After a trip to dinner and working out the kinks in the spa all is right with the world again. Yet when I heard Garth Brooks on the radio today I just had to agree with him because at that exact time I was feeling "much to young to feel this damn old". 

DAY 4, JULY 4TH HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA

O beautiful for spacious skies

For amber waves of grain

For purple mountain majesties

Above the fruited plain!

Spent the day on I-15, varied from construction to 80MPH roadway with 50MPH curves, ended the day in Lethbridge, Alberta.

DAY 3 ROCK SPRINGS TO DILLON MONTANA

The entire day was absolutely beautiful with roads changing from grasslands to canyons following different rivers. Weaving back and forth on well maintained pavement crossing small bridges with almost no traffic.

Lunch on the Idaho border at Alpine next to a huge reservoir (Palisades Reservoir) on the Snake River. Following the coast line we found a hydro-electric plant at the dam. We were then back following the river, looking down at bright blue rafts full of people. If you had ever ridden the Soaring Over America ride at Disneyland this was one of the scenes straight from that IMAX production. The difference being this was real, right there in front of you happening in real time.

Dinner was at a small local dinner, The 4B's, with decent food, an interesting clientele, and a highly animated waitress. Anjelica, "there isn't a g in it I'm no angel" she was running around the entire place, got our orders right and could explain the difference between a knucklehead, pan, and evo Harley motor. Her first ride as a kid was on her dad's knucklehead. Lets just say she was interesting...

DAY 2 MONTROSE TO ROCK SPRINGS WY

Montrose to Grand Junction, ridden it several times just not that interesting. Left Grand Junction ended up on 191 riding through some gorgeous country with winding roads, switchbacks, mountain passes, with great pavement.

Temperatures ranged from warm (80) to low 60's  at the top of the pass surrounded by aspens, and pines. Eventually rode the west side of Flaming Gorge before ending up in Rock Springs Wyoming. The claim to fame of Rock Springs, it was the boyhood home of Butch Cassidy. He grew up to be the town butcher hence the nickname Butch before turning to train robbery as a preferred retirement plan.

A very pleasant day exploring some new roads but fairly soon we are going to have to get serious about heading north if we are going to make Alaska.

Added a few pics on home page, hopefully many more to come.

DAY 1 PHOENIX TO MONTROSE

Today was the beginning of our 12th guys ride around this great country. Left Phoenix as scheduled with an ultimate goal of meeting our six rider in Montrose Colorado. The day went pretty much as planned with our arriving at the hotel within thirty minutes of each other.

Listening to a James McMurtry song on the way here today the choruses reminded me of our group. Twelve trips ago it was:

Just us kids in the parking lot
Out here givin' it all we got
We don't want to get old and die
And there ain't nothing we wouldn't try

We weren't exactly kids back then we were all just retired but feeling very young and ready to take on the world from two wheels. Today we are still willing but as Jan pointed out to me at one of our breaks today we make more concessions to age than we used to.

Just us kids hangin' out today
Watchin' our long hair turnin' gray
Not so skinny maybe not so free
Not so many as we used to be

Leaving Cortez and heading up Lizard Head Pass we were just as young as we ever were and once again ready to take on the world, give anything a try.

A pretty good start to what we hope will be a pretty good trip.