WOW DAY 31 BRIGHAM TO KANAB

Left Brigham and did a quick blast down I-15, rush hour wasn't an issue. Finally made it to Utah 20 east and immediately started to climb into the pines on a great twisty road. This route soon found us south on 89 heading towards Kanab for the night. Temps got into the 90's right at the end of the day but nothing severe and nothing that a cold beverage couldn't fix.

 Sometimes the lights all shining on me
Other times I can barely see
Lately it occurs to me
What a long strange trip it's be

Truckin' up to Buffalo
Been thinking you got to mellow slow
Takes time, you pick a place to go
Just keep truckin' on

You're sick of hanging around, you'd like to travel
Get tired of travelling you want to settle down
I guess they can't revoke your soul for trying
Get out of the door, light out and look all around

Grateful Dead

It's been a great trip and we could be home tomorrow, tired, hot, fighting rush hour. I don't think so, see you Thursday after one last day and a couple more meals on the road.

DAY 29-30 OMAK-MISSOULA-BRIGHAM

Day 29

Left Omak on Route 155 quickly climbed into the mountains before dropping down to Grand Coulee Dam. Stopped for a picture at the viewpoint and left on 174 then onto route 2 to Spokane.

Then it was time (sadly) to give up the cool mountain roads and start riding interstates to head towards home a little faster. I-90 into Missoula where a trip to the hot tub and a short walk to an eclectic pizza/pasta joint for a great dinner. Finished off dinner with a shared desert and a scoop of ice cream with fresh Huckleberries, what luck they were in season!


Day 30

500 miles today and I'm tired, not hard miles all on interstate. I-90 to I-15 south to Brigham City. Weather was fairly cooperative, left with a temperature of 51 with jackets on and managed to need them for the first several hours before packing them away possible for the last time.

After several weeks of jackets being the norm none of us are ready for the heat that is sure to come in the next few days.

Looking forward to home but I still enjoy the ride and I still can wake up in a bad mood throw a leg over, head down a new road and feel all my worries and cares just melt away.

That first few minutes in the morning with the radio off just listening to the wind and the engine can't help but make you smile and feel all is right with the world.

DAY 28 WILLIAMS LAKE TO OMAK WASHINGTON

Rode south on 97, there you're up to date.

Actually temps varied from cool in the morning to 100 at the Canadian/US border. Scenery from  drop dead gorgeous with a lake or river full of people visible almost all day. Those not in the water were in there cars driving to the water causing traffic delays on the one lane roads.

The closer we got to the border the traffic started to thin and we were soon at the crossing for our last rip through customs. The US Agent waved all of us up at once asked a few simple questions and sent us south with a "welcome back", very easy crossing.

Fifty-five miles down the road decided to call it a day when we spotted at Best Western in Omak, dinner at Roadhouse 97.

DAY 27 SMITHERS TO WILLIAMS LAKE

Just read Ken's he pretty much nailed our day except for the ends.

The end of the Cassiar Highway

The end of hotels with odd names and strange rooms.

The end of looking up during the day to see glaciers.

The end of lonely roads without traffic, Mounties, painted lines or frequently without pavement.

The end of needing a jacket all day.

The end of looking ahead to a new adventure and the beginning of looking towards home.

DAY 26 DEASE LAKE, YUKON TO SMITHERS, BC

Left this morning after having a quick breakfast with food purchased last night at the small grocery store. Headed south on the next leg of the Cassiar Highway along side towering mountain peaks, thick forests, and the occasional glacier in the higher mountain valleys.

With the good also comes the not as good, in this case it was the occasional patch of gravel or dirt, anywhere from ten feet to a half mile that would sneak up on you quickly at 65 or 70. Overall the road was great with the frost heaves evened out with gravel and warning flags.

Pulled into Smithers and they are in the middle of a heat wave like much of the west temps were in the 80's, how do people function in this heat?

 We can now add the Cassiar highway to the roads we have taken and to our ever expanding repertoire of great memories.

DAY 24-25 WHITEHORSE TO DEASE LAKE

Bike was ready before closing Tuesday and we could have pressed on to Watson Lake but for no real gain. Also, we wanted to try a highly rated Yukon Mexican (?) food restaurant along with the appropriate adult beverage, both were excellent.

Day 25 found us on the road before 7 AM with temps  in the 50's and good roads ahead of us. After a few days exploring on foot it felt great to all of us to be back on the bike with a full day of riding ahead of us. Blue skies and smooth roads leading the way and all bikes humming along.

 A few hundred miles down the road turned off the Al-Can and headed south on Route 37. This route is known as the western route and the Cassiar Highway, runs through the Cassiar mountains. Two lane, lightly traveled.

This route had a few areas of construction and one wait of less than five minutes for a pilot car. We also were treated to some of our favorite signs:

Still a great ride with gorgeous scenery, posted 60  or 70 KPH easily ridden 60 or 70 MPH with a few exceptions. One exception was a poorly aligned narrow steel grate bridge already occupied by a semi failing to obey the 20 KPH sign. Shortly before stopping for the night a large wolf was walking down the road and moved into a ditch watching us go by with large yellow spooky eyes.

A great day to be alive and riding, ended in Dease Lake at a large, for the area, hotel of 40 rooms which is currently sold out for the night.

DAY 22-23 WHITEHORSE-WHITEHORSE-WHITEHORSE

SUNDAY-22
 Unable to transport bike to a Harley dealer, the closest one is only 750 miles from here. JB needed to get started for home and not wanting him to ride these lonely backroads alone Jan left with him until the can get down to I-70 and part ways. Spent Sunday walking around Whitehorse, finishing the day with dinner (courtesy of Bruce) at a great little restaurant.

MONDAY-23
Monday morning Bruce and I were at the Yamaha dealer, recommended to us, twenty minutes before they opened to find ourselves fourth in line for the service writer. He quickly let us know that front wheel bearings for a Harley Street Glide were not in his parts inventory or anywhere in Whitehorse.

Rode in on the Greyhound
I'll be walkin' out if I go
I was just passin' through
Must be seven months or more
Ran out of time and money
Looks like they took my friends
Oh, Lord, I'm stuck in Lodi again
John Fogerty

Waited until after nine for some of the few Harley Dealers south of us in British Columbia Province to open and the phone calls started. Another forty-five minutes and the parts were found, they are currently being driven to an airport then flown to Whitehorse. Bruce may have wished he had saved the money spent on dinner for shipping costs. The service department assured us that if they came in as expected he would be a morning priority. FINGERS CROSSED!