Left Flagstaff about 7:30 with a stop on the way, home by 10. That's really all there was to today but not really a good recap of the last 33 days.
I could fill pages and pages with things that create lasting memories about this trip, but aren't they all like that?
Everything from the towering mountains, a Moose with her baby, a large black wolf staring from the roadside, glaciers, roads built years ago with a purpose that go from paved to gravel instantly. The list goes on and on and I haven't even started on the people.
People like Sean and Bill who we shared a few meals with on Ducati motorcycles who made it to the arctic circle. Steve on his Triumph Tiger on month 36 of an around the world solo trip, humbling. The lone rider who told us about the railroad tunnel to Whittier, thanks. The photographer who was riding solo up the Cassair Highway on her Harley, and not for the first time, who reminded me of a Neil Young song:
Somewhere on a desert highway
She rides a Harley-Davidson
Her long blonde hair
flyin' in the wind
She's been runnin' half her life
The chrome and steel she rides
Collidin' with
the very air she breathes
The air she breathes.
Would I do it again? That I can't answer because my wife reads this. For now I'm content to just keep it going in my mind.
Thursday, August 2, 2018
Wednesday, August 1, 2018
DAY 32 KANAB TO FLAGSTAFF
Once you have traveled, the voyage never ends, but is played out over and over again in the quietest chambers. The mind can never break off from the journey
Pat Conroy
Yes we are in Flagstaff, yes we got here early, yes we could just ride home but we aren't.
We need this night to recap, reminisce, raise a glass, and mentally prepare to be home. My wife will tell you the quote above fits. I will be home tomorrow but my mind will take a long time to catch up.
I never wanted to be
A man of mystery
My life's an open book
by James Joyce and Agatha Christie
Sometimes I get confused
Somewhere around page two
I live the perfect crime
And crime pays more than it used to
They're checkin' the evidence
May be come charges pressed
The only one they got me on
is some misdemeanor craziness
If It All Falls Down falls down falls down
If they solve my life if they find me out
Never thought to keep all I have found
I have had my fun If It All Falls Down
A man of mystery
My life's an open book
by James Joyce and Agatha Christie
Sometimes I get confused
Somewhere around page two
I live the perfect crime
And crime pays more than it used to
They're checkin' the evidence
May be come charges pressed
The only one they got me on
is some misdemeanor craziness
If It All Falls Down falls down falls down
If they solve my life if they find me out
Never thought to keep all I have found
I have had my fun If It All Falls Down
Jimmy Buffett
I've definitly had my fun, don't want it to end but if it does I've had my fun.Another couple of hours tomorrow and this gets filed in the memory bank.
Tuesday, July 31, 2018
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
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.
Monday, July 30, 2018
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.
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.
Sunday, July 29, 2018
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.
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.
Friday, July 27, 2018
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.
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.
Thursday, July 26, 2018
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.
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.
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