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Month: June 2008

65 MILES OF MUD TO TELEGRAPH CREEK

65 MILES OF MUD TO TELEGRAPH CREEK

TELEGRAPH CREEK IS 65 WEST OF DEASE LAKE B.C.  THE DIRT ROAD IS WELL MAINTAINED AND SMOOTH, SMOOTH ALWAYS MEANS VERY SLIPPERY WHEN WET. WET IT WAS. THE FIRST 33 MILES WERE VERY WET, AFTER THE NIGHT RAINS. THE ROAD CONDITIONS IMPROVED THE FURTHER WEST WE RODE BUT REMAINED WET. TELEGRAPH CREEK SETS ON THE STIKINE RIVER, WHICH IS A POPULAR RAFTING AND FISHING DESTINATION. THE TOWN HAS SEEN BETTER DAYS AND WHAT YOU SEE IN THE PHOTOS IS JUST ABOUT IT. WE RODE OUT FOR LUNCH AT THE RIVER SWAN RESTAURANT AND JUST FOR THE FUN OF IT. THE RIDE OUT TOOK 2 HOURS AND I RODE BACK, NON-STOP IN 1 HOUR 28 MINUTES. THE ROAD HAD DRIED CONSIDERABLE IN THOSE 3 HOURS.

WE THEN CONTINUED ON TO WATSON LAKE YUKON, ANOTHER 3 HOURS AND LIGHT RAIN.

THE TEMPERATURES HAVE BEEN COOL BUT NOT COLD.

WHITEHORSE TOMORROW.

A BIRDS EYE VIEW

A BIRDS EYE VIEW

BILL AND I WERE HAVING COFFEE THIS MORNING IN STEWART WHEN A RED KLR WENT BY OUR RESTAURANT, SAW THE TRAVEL STICKERS OF SOUTH-AMERICA ON OUR MOTOS AND CAME IN TO FIND OUT ABOUT OUR RIDE,AS HE WILL LEAVE IN NOVEMBER FOR HIS JOURNEY SOUTH AS WELL.

HE THEN OFFERED TO TAKE US FOR A RIDE IN HIS BELL HELICOPTER TO GET A BETTER VIEW OF THE AREA, WOW DID WE EVER. OUR 30 MINUTE FLIGHT TOOK US AROUNG THE HYDER, STEWART AREA AS WE NEVER WOULD HAVE IMAGINED.

WHAT A TREAT.

DUG  CAMMAGE THANK YOU.

MORE ROAD FRIENDS

MORE ROAD FRIENDS

THIS LIVELY CREW OF HARD RIDING, HARD DRINKING CANADIANS WERE ALL DRINKING A FEW DOZEN PITCHERS OF BEER IN HYDER ALASKA’S FAVORITE WATERING HOLE. THEY ARE ALSO TRAVELING TO INUVIK.

THEY WERE GREAT FUN AND A GOOD BUNCH OF GUYS AND GALS. I HAVE NO DOUBT WE SHALL SHARE A FEW MORE BEERS WITH THEM LATER.

FRIENDS OF THE ROAD

FRIENDS OF THE ROAD

ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS ABOUT MOTORCYCLE TRAVEL IS THE VERY NICE PEOPLE YOU MEET ON THE ROAD. MARCEL AND HIS WIFE MARY ANN ARE FROM SASKATCHEWAN CANADA AND WERE ABOARD MY FERRY FROM PORT HARDY. I HAVE NOW RAN INTO THEM TWICE MORE. THEY ARE RIDING THEIR HARLEY’S TO FAIRBANKS, SO OUR PATHS WILL PROBABLY CROSS AGAIN. MARY ANN IS PARTICULARLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THE GRAVEL AND MUD PARTS OF THE ROAD.

BILL, ALASKAN DRUG DEALER

BILL, ALASKAN DRUG DEALER

YOU MAY RECALL, I MET BILL IN PERU NEAR MACHU PICCHU, BILL HAD JUST VISITED THE PARK AND I WAS GOING TO IT, BUT WE AGREED TO MEET A FEW DAYS LATER IN PUNO PERU. WE RODE TOGETHER THROUGH BOLIVIA AND TO MENDOZA ARGENTINE THEN HEADED OUR SEPARATE  WAYS. BILL AND HIS WIFE SARAH OWN AND OPERATE A DRUG STORE ON PRINCE OF WHALES ISLAND ALASKA, IN MY BOOK MAKING HIM A DRUG DEALER. BILL AND I SHALL RIDE FOR THE NEXT FEW WEEKS TO DEADHORSE AND INUVIK.

THIS PHOTO WAS TAKEN AT SALMON GLACIER NEAR HYDER ALASKA.

VIICTORIA & VANCOUVER ISLAND

VIICTORIA & VANCOUVER ISLAND

LEFT SIDE
RIGHT SIDE

I LEFT SISTER DIXIE’S AT 9 AM AND ARRIVED PORT ANGELES FERRY TERMINAL AT 11 AM . THE FERRY RIDE TO VICTORIA IS ONLY 90 MINUTES AND PASSES BY THE SAN JUAN ISLANDS. AS YOU CAN SEE VICTORIA DESERVES IT’S REPUTATION AS ON ONE CANADA’S MOST BEAUTIFUL CITIES. I THEN RODE THE 350 SOME MILES OF VANCOUVER ISLAND TO PORT HARDY. PORT HARDY IS THE TERMINAL FOR THE B. C. FERRY TO PRINCE RUPERT. ALONG THE WAY I MET AARON BURNS ON HIS BMW, AARON LIVES IN VICTORIA AND IS TAKING A RIDE THROUGH BRITISH COLUMBIA. I STAYED OVERNIGHT IN A BACKPACKERS HOSTEL, FOR THE VERY EARLY 5 AM GET UP FOR THE FERRY. THE FERRY WILL TAKE ABOUT 16 HOURS THROUGH THE INSIDE PASSAGE TO PRINCE RUPERT. THIS IS A VERY SCENIC ROUTE AND ORCAS ARE OFTEN SEEN. WE JUST SAW A PAIR OF HUMPBACK WHALES BREACHING. NOW, A FEW HOURS LATER AND WE SAW A POD OF 5 ORCAS FEEDING. THE INSIDE PASSAGE WILL TAKE 16 HOURS AND THE FIST COUPLE ARE JUST ABOUT LIKE THE NEXT 14.LOTS OF TREES AND GREEN, WATER TOO. THE PASSAGE IS VERY NARROW, AT TIMES AS LITTLE AS 1400 FT WIDE AND NEVER MORE THAN A MILE WIDE.  THE RIDE IS VERY LONG. I PAID $325 FOR MYSELF AND MOTO. A BERTH WOULD HAVE BEEN ANOTHER $ 90.

NEXT TIME I VOTE FOR RIDING THE MOTO.

SISTER DIXIE & FAMILY

SISTER DIXIE & FAMILY

A VERY PRETTY BEACH VERY NEAR THE MOST NORTHWESTERN POINT OF THE CONTIGUOUS USA
CRAB DINNER AT JJ’S
MELANIE AND CHUCK PACINI

SISTER DIXIE VEATCH & RUSTY
CAELIN GABREIL

AFTER, A 13 HOUR 15 MINUTE RIDE ALONG THE OREGON AND WASHINGTON COAST, I FINALLY ARRIVED IN POULSBO WASHINGTON ON BAINBRIDGE ISLAND. THE WEATHER WAS COOL IF NOT COLD FOR MOST OF THE TRIP, NO RAIN.

I SHALL SPEND SEVERAL DAYS WITH MY SISTER DIXIE AND ALSO VISIT MY NEPHEWS AND NIECES.

I HAVE NOW VISITED ALL MY SIBLINGS ON THIS TRIP EXCEPT BROTHER PAUL, WHO WAS IN TENNESSEE WHEN I LEFT, TOURING IN HIS MOTOR HOME.

BROTHER GENE

BROTHER GENE

BIG SUR COAST-LINE
BIG SUR COAST-LINE
BIG SUR COAST-LINE ELEPHANT SEAL INVASION OF CALIFORNIA COAST
BIG SUR COAST-LINE ELEPHANT SEAL INVASION OF CALIFORNIA COAST

BROTHER GENE LIVES IN NOVATO CALIFORNIA ABOUT 1 HOUR NORTH OF SAN FRANCISCO. NO, HE IS NOT GAY.

I HAD A VERY LONG RIDING DAY, 12 HOURS FROM RIALTO TO NAVATO ALONG THE PACIFIC COAST HIWAY, IT WAS COLD AT TIMES THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS AND ALONG THE COAST BUT WARM AND PLEASANT IN NAVATO.