my multistrada world

The rest of the Trip

2009-10-28T12:13:00.002-04:00

As you can see I ran out of gas (blogwise, that is). But I did put together a little slideshow which shows highlights of my 26 day, 9,400 mile ride. Enjoy!!

http://blip.tv/file/2633130

Next season, I hope to do a "southern swing" down to Alabama, and a loop retracing my ride to Natashquan, then hoping a supply boat to northern Newfoundland, then down and around and back home through Nova Scotia.

Destination Highways

2009-08-07T12:20:00.002-04:00

In the process of planning this trip I ran across a series of books called "Destination Highways". Two enterprising bikers from BC have translated their passion for riding into a cool cottage industry. basically, they ride all the neat roads in a state (so far BC, Washington and northern California) and use a rating system to rank them. They publish the ratings along with nice descriptions with a "Click and Clack" flavor. Mike and I have used this resource to help plan the trip. The innkeeper at the Bavarian Orchard suggests we take route 3A north into the Kootenay region, along the lake and a quick check in the book reveals that this road is rated #1 in southern BC, and it connects to other road segments in the top 10. So, after a continental breakfast distinguished by homemade fruit muffins and fresh cherries, we were off to find biking nirvana.

Creston, BC

2009-08-07T12:06:00.007-04:00

Creston is a town in the mountains of British Columbia known for its fruit growing. The Bavarian Orchard motel, a "Mike Bosworth" selection, is simple, clean, and the ladie manager tells us, ripe cherries in the orchard out back which we are free to sample. We ask for restaurant recommendations and she steers us to Chatka, a Polish place just down the road.

Chatka is small and charming. We order the schnitzel, which is delicious - a nice family operation. We find a liquor store, Mike selects a nice Pinot Noir, and we head for the gazebo in the orchard for a relaxing session watching the sunset and the beautiful orchard.

Alberta? I Didn't know we were going to Alberta

2009-08-07T11:51:00.008-04:00

It was raining when we left Waterton Lakes and this day would see rain on and off for most of the ride. I must admit that when planning the ride I didn't realize that we would go through part of Alberta. The interesting thing about this area is that the huge dramatic mountains we had been experiencing for the last two days just end abruptly and immediately you are riding through flat to rolling farmland. Nice country. We pass through several small towns, a wind farm, as the land morphs back into forested mountains as we head west into British Columbia. At one point the road winds through a vast pile of rubble 20 feet high or so, with a historical marker. We stop and read about Frank's slide, which happended in the early 1900s and obliterated a mining town and about 70 lives. To the left is a mountain with a big slope of the same rubble. Apparently, a 1 kilometer long piece of the mountain broke loose and came down on the unsuspecting town. We keep on riding through winding mountain scenery and over several passes. Destination: Creston, BC

Waterton Lakes NP - Alberta

2009-08-07T11:37:00.008-04:00

After the quick visit to many Glacier, we had arguably seen enough spectacularly beautiful mountain scenery, but just north of Glacier NP is Waterton Lakes NP, a little known Canadian national park with a reputation for its beauty. So, what the heck, we have come this far, let's go check it out. The road in gave us a hint of what was to come.

The main (easily accessible) feature of the park is a fjord like lake with an old "railroad resort hotel" then Prince of Wales, and a little village. Again, I will let the pictures do the talking; It would be fun to stay at the prince of Wales fo ra few days and do some hiking.

More, Yes More Glacier Park

2009-08-02T22:05:00.012-04:00

The next morning we awoke early, enjoyed some gourmet coffee from Mike's french press, and my Jet Boil stove, two great pieces of technology. I had scrounged up some UHT half & half from somewhere so the coffee was an absolute treat. The plan for the day was to ride up into Canada and head west on Route 3, stopping the next night at the Bavarian Orchard Motel, a place Mike had found online. For a few minutes we considered heading south a bit to ride Rt 49, a road heading back into the Park that I had heard was fun. But, we had a long way to go so we headed north.

About 5 miles up the road we saw signs for Many Glacier. A quick look at the map confirmed a short (maybe 10 mile) ride back into another section of Glacier Park. What the hell, let's go!

To summarize, another mind blowing visual treat, as the road led us up to another valley of fantastic vistas. There was also a hotel. Here are a few pics:

Glacier Park

2009-08-02T20:07:00.022-04:00

One hallmark of the trip so far is that I have seen some exceptionally beautiful and interesting places, so much so that frequently I am left wondering if I have experienced the highlight of the trip, and everything to come will be a let down. Well, once again I was wrong. Glacier Park, and the "Going to the Sun Road" over Logan Pass blew away everything that came before in terms of dramatic scenery. We got to the west entrance of the Park at about 5:00 and planned to ride the 50 miles or so of the "Going to the Sun Highway" with the late afternoon sun on the mountains. We also tried to take some video of us riding which I will try to post if I can figure it out.

The first ten miles or so was fairly flat as we followed this river into the Park. We stopped for a photo op by a lake and were completely blown away by the view. Little did we know that this was merely a warm up. We continued up the road, gawking at the mountains and waterfalls on either side. Then, straight ahead, loomed a huge mountain that spanned the entire valley, and as we peered up at it we could make out the trace of a road, and the occasional gleam from a moving car, on this road that seemed to be scratched out of a sheer cliff. Well, let's get on with it! Up and up we rode. I will let the pictures speak for themselves. Once we started climbing the road surface narrowed considerably and the drop-offs increased significantly. There was a moderate amount of traffic and some construction delays, but it didn't matter, we knew we were on a special ride. Everything was breathtaking - the light, the views, the road, blah blah blah. We camped that night at St Mary's campsite in the eastern end of the Park, after a pretty good meatloaf special served family style at Johnson's Restaurant. We picked up some camp firewood on the way back to the campsite and eventually Mike got a good fire going. We sat around for a few hours watching the campfire, thinking and talking about how incredibly lucky we were to be doing this ride, and how fantastic was the ride over Logan Pass. Again, we both slept soundly.

One last thing: Glacier Park belongs on everyone's "Bucket List".

Up to Glacier Park

2009-08-02T19:59:00.003-04:00

As mentioned, Bob, our host at the Russian live suggested an alternate route to Glacier Park that would avoid the Rt 93 construction and perhaps be more fun; from Missoula, head east on I-90, pick up Rt 200 at Bonner, to Rt 83 north, upa valley between the Mission Range and the Swan Range. We were running late so didn't stop for pictures, but the valley and mountains to either side were beautiful. We reached Glacier Park late in the afternoon.

Russian Olive

2009-07-31T11:01:00.006-04:00

A bit of foreshadow: I am sitting in the Sugar Shack Baking Co, in Seattle as I write this post. It is 8:00 AM and I am enjoying a breakfast sandwich on 'savory" biscuit and a latte while I await my second tire replacement of the trip. But more on that later.

Route 93 north of Missoula is a mess. It seems they are rebuilding it (no sign of "stimulus $" signs) complete with huge culverts every 1/4 mile or so to enable wildlife to cross the road without walking in front of some logging truck. Now a bit dubious about our B&B choice, we pick our way through the construction maze in the gathering dusk. Then, at mile 16, just as Bob, our host predicted is the side road he told us about. We are to head up the road about 3 miles, but the mountains look closer and the shacks and mobile homes on the road don't give us much hope. Finally, again just as predicted, we find the house #, a five digit affair, with a gravel drive leading up to a modest house. We are greeted by Francis, who announces that this is his in-laws' place and goes to find Mom in Law Judy. We get settled in our little "guest wing" next to the garage and Judy heads off to find us some wine. Mike has fairly eclectic wine requirements due to some allergies, but Judy says "no problem", and unbeknown to us, drives off to a neighbor to get a bottle for Mike.

Over the course of our one night's stay we meet the rest of the family, enjoy our wine, watch a summer thunderstorm move up the valley from our panoramic perch, enjoy a beautiful breakfast with Bob and Judy (with real maple syrup on the waffles), and take a little stroll around the neighborhood before breakfast. All in all, it represents everything that is good and magical about random travel. The next day we head back through the construction to Twin State BMW and a new Metzeler V6 tire for the rear wheel. They are great people, inviting us in the shop, and giving Mike a lesson in chain maintenance.

Bob has suggested an alternate route up to Glacier Park, and by 11:00 AM we are off.

Up to Missoula/ The Bakery

2009-07-31T02:02:00.009-04:00

Mike and I were on the road by 8:30, eager to get on with our adventure. It would have been easy to stay on in Ketchum but the open road beckoned. We left with hugs and kisses. It was a beautiful morning. we turned onto Rt 75 north, rolled through Ketchum and into the beautiful countryside north of town, climbing gradually through meadow and aspen grove. We climbed to Galena Summit, a mountain pass with nicely graded sweepers - just right to get us psyched for the road ahead. Apparently, Mike had shrugged off the mishap because he carved up Galena Summit like an Easter ham. He has certainly learned a few tricks since our Arizona ride last Fall. The north side of Galena Summit offers sweeping views of the Stanley Basin and the Sawtooth Range and I stop for a picture at an overlook where Stephie and I stopped on our drive to Berkeley a few years ago. It brings back many memories.

We cross the Salmon River, now only a little brook, but in the next 30 miles we will watch it grow into a mighty river before it heads west. Further on, we stop for a break behind an SUV. Suddenly two guys appear, one holding a pretty impressive salmon. Now we see where the river gets its name.

Our short term goal is to reach Stanley, ID, to have breakfast at the Bakery, a restaurant highly recommended by Jay. We enter Stanley and eventually find the Bakery, a small log structure with a large line extending out the door. The crowd looks like a giant Abercrombie and Fitch commercial - count me in!

After about thirty minutes in line, we get to order, find a table and await our food - which is worth the wait. We enjoy our meal and the scene and head north. From here we follow the Salmon River, and all its twists and turns - usually without guard rails, which makes for an exhilarating ride. the river is beautiful as is the surrounding countryside.

After many miles, we cross another exciting mountain pass, with well graded sweepers, bail out lanes etc. encouraging a more aggressive approach to riding and roll into Montana.

We modified the original trip plan to get my tire replaced in Missoula, which has a BMW dealer with the tire I need in stock. We found a B&B online and after a scouting trip to find the dealer, and a good dinner at the Montana Club, a regional dinner house chain recommended by our B&B host, we head north for a run to the Russian Olive B&B. Once we are off the interstate, I grow apprehensive about the decision, because highway 93 has major construction (the sign says for 20 miles, and the B&B is 16 miles up Rt 93. We press on...

Ketchum

2009-07-31T01:43:00.009-04:00

It's always a treat to visit Jay and Gay, two wonderful friends. Don't go for the home cooking, not that both Jay and Gay can't spin some great meals, but because there are some great restaurants in Ketchum, and Jay and Gay know where they are. This trip, we started with breakfast at Christina's a top drawer Italian spot overseen by Christina herself. Then, dinner on the veranda at the Valley Club, which included a tour of the newly renovated club house and kitchen, in which Jay played a big role. The next night we went to the Big Wood Grill, and again sat on the veranda in perfect weather. Mike and I enjoyed the trout.

We also got in a nice hike up the hill behind Jay's house, and importantly, some clean laundry. In net, another short but sweet stay with the Cassells. Sunday morning, it's off to Missoula, to get a new tire on the way to Glacier Park.

Mike's Boo Boo

2009-07-31T01:32:00.003-04:00

Mike's bike was a bit scratched up - windshield trashed hand guard gone, fairing and bags scratched and scraped. Going over Galena Summit, a mountain pas about 20 miles north of Ketchum, Mike had puled onto the shoulder to take some pictures. he hadn't anticipated the soft and uneven sand and his bike went over at about 15 mph. Mike hit hard on his shoulder and helmet and had a slight separation of the shoulder but little other damage. The bike was as described. a passerby helped Mike patch together the windscreen, and he made it to Ketchum OK. Mike got a can of Krylon and I chipped in some more cable ties, and with Jay's suggestions, we cobbled together a pretty good solution to the windscreen. It's now about 1200 miles since Ketchum and the bike (and Mike) are doing just fine.

Over to Ketchum

2009-07-29T09:54:00.002-04:00

The next day I rode about 400 miles to Ketchum, ID, where I was to meet Mike Bosworth for the next stage of the ride, and visit friends Jay and Gay Weake. No pictures on this section and not too much excitement, except: heading west from Bozeman, I took another "small" road numbered 84. What a treat! Like 78 the day before but even better, lusher, twistier.

I had another "National Geographic" moment. At the bottom of a long hill a came upon the Madison River, a famous trout stream that was wider and deeper than I imagined. After a mile or so I noticed some pelicans in the water to the left, a surprise to me. I thought they were seabirds, and we were about 600 miles from the ocean. As I watched the pelicans, I noticed something on the right side. There about 100 feet ahead, and about 40 feet in the air, was a big golden eagle, flapping its wings feverishly to gain altitude. For what seemed like a few seconds, it seemed to hover over my head before heading out over the river.

The rest of the ride was uneventful; a nice breakfast in Ennis, MT, where I finally met some riders not on cruiser bikes - Ducatis and BMWs; through some famous trout fishing areas, fairly crowded with tourists and over familiar ground in southern Idaho. Finally (I was tired again) up that sweet ride up 75 through Hailey and into Ketchum.

Mike's bike was already parked in Jay's driveway. I found Gay and she mentioned that Jay had taken Mike to the emergency rom, as a precaution after a minor bike mishap on Galena Summit. I hadn't noticed anything wrong with Mike's bike, but when I looked at the other side, sure enough, it was battered and bruised.

To be continued.

Beartooth Highway

2009-07-29T09:35:00.009-04:00

What can I say 40 miles or so of high mountain twisties, about 15-20 miles in alpine environment; just spectacular, even with construction delays and tourist traffic. I'll just post some ictures and even they don't do it justice.

At red Lodge, MT, a bustling Western style resort town I took a break. I was tired and it was late. I took a left on Rt 78, a country road as per the map, and was rewarded with a wonderful romp over and around grassy hills, ranches, with beautiful sweeper curves. Reinvigorated, I made a quick run down th e50 miles or so to I 90, then blasted into Livingston, where I had a reservation at the restored Murray Hotel, built in 1904, and right out of Legends of the Fall. Nice room and a great meal downstairs in the restaurant. Read a bit, enjoyed some Moose Drool, the local beer, and went to bed.

Even More Incredible!!

2009-07-27T13:00:00.010-04:00

From Worland, I head north on Rt 16 in desert scrub and plus 90 degree temperatures, then turn west into Cody, WY. I stop for a break and find a shade tree in a small grassy park. Lying on my back in the soft cool grass feels good. After about ten minutes I mount up and find the turn off for the Chief Joseph Trail about 1/4 mile up the road. On the road atlas this road is depicted as a low end two lane highway, but this thing is a beautiful, modern two lane highway with the wide, paved shoulders that give you confidence to cut loose a bit. The road winds through some rolling terrain and you can see the mountains looming just ahead. We start to seriously climb through beautiful grassland with big orange rock outcroppings, around a few switchbacks and up into some "high country", a fairly wide table land with big firs, meadows, and brooks. Up and up we go until we "summit" at a well developed overlook called Dead Indian. The view down the other side is breathtaking - varied terrain and mountain structures as far as you can see, and directly below another series of serious switchbacks. Lets go!!

Incredible!!!

2009-07-25T19:24:00.004-04:00

Thursday - With the big mileage behind me, and my tire repaired (I hope), I am now ready to ride on some of the most spectacular roads in the country. From Buffalo, I will head west on Route 16, which is billed as the Cloud Peak Skyway. It runs westward over the Bighorn Mountains through Powder River Pass, then down through Ten Sleep Canyon over to Worland, WY. It is a wonderful ride even though I am a bit apprehensive about the tire.

Powder River Pass is all beautiful sweepers through forests and high meadows. No traffic. Skies crystal clear, temperature in the mid 70s. Another glory day! from the west side of the pass the road winds down into Ten Sleep Canyon, a rugged piece of terrain, great twisties, still no traffic. The road finally winds down into desert scrub and into Worland.

Whoops!

2009-07-25T17:44:00.009-04:00

I was definitely tired as I rolled into Buffalo. I pulled up in front of the Occidental Hotel, a long two story brick building right out of some western movie. I backed my bike into a parking spot next to a couple of Harleys, one of which sported a sidecar. I couldn't help noticing that the people sitting on the rocking chairs in front of the hotel were looking at the rear of my bike. "Probably worried I would hit their Harleys I figured. But no, when I hopped off and took off my helmet, one of the ladies said, " I think you have a flat tire". "Oh no" I said. "I just came in on the interstate and noticed nothing strange about how she was riding".

But a closer look indicated that yes, it was going flat. A nail about an inch long was located right in the middle of the tread. The thought occurred to me that I had been extremely lucky. The flat could have occurred on the last two miles into town; or, it could have happened out on the interstate. A few miles more on the interstate and I could have faced a serious control issue. But instead, I was pulled up in front of my hotel. Then my lucked really turned good. One of the guys on the rocking chairs came up, introduced himself, and said he had been a BMW bike mechanic for over twenty years, had a tire plug kit, and would be happy to help. I had my own tire plug kit and air pump, but appreciated the help and encouragement. He helped and I bought them a round of drinks. After some Mexican take out I went to bed and slept soundly.

A tire plug is a reliable stopgap repair but not for a long trip. An interior patch would be better, especially since I planned to ride about a thousand miles over some hairy mounted roads before I could get the tire replaced in Missoula Monday morning. Luckily, the front desk had the number of a local motorcycle wrench named the Twisted Piston, and when he returned my call the next morning he referred me to Elmer's Powersports, about two blocks from the hotel. Let me just say the Erik Elmer is a saint. For $21 he put on an interior patch, allowing me to watch how carefully he went about his work. I am sending him some maple syrup when I get home. It was about 11:00 AM before I left Buffalo. I was behind schedule for one of the highlight riding days of the trip, but I had definitely dodged a bullet.

Across the Wide Prairie

2009-07-25T15:08:00.006-04:00

Wednesday was planned as the longest riding day of the trip in terms of both miles covered (730) and hours in the saddle. The plan was to go from NY Mills in western Minnesota to Buffalo Wyoming, in west central, Wyoming. The route included I-94 across North Dakota, and picking up Route 85, a north south road in the western Dakotas, riding it all the way to I-90 in Spearfish, South Dakota, then blasting out I-90 to Buffalo. I had a reservation at the old Occidental Hotel in Buffalo, an authentic vestige of frontier days. I credit my friend Brad Miller for introducing me to the charms of old western hotels. On our Arizona ride last October he had booked old hotels in Kingman and Prescott, and they were fun and reasonably priced.

Anyway, I figured this would be a boring part of the ride with not much to see, quintessential "fly-over" country which I planned to fly over. Was I wrong! North Dakota was beautiful! Soft rolling country, multiple shades of soft green, wildflowers. Even the designers of I-94 managed to introduce some big sweeping curves into a highway that could easily have been a straight shot across the state.

I took a break in Bismarck, the state capital, figuring I could find an interesting lunch spot downtown. I waded through the fast food places coming into town, rode arond downtown, found nothing, and finally settled for a burrito chain place on the strip on the other side of town. Good burrito, but I left town unimpressed.

It was another 100 or so miles to the intersection with Rte 85 in Belfield. Route 85 was a nearly straight shot southward to Spearfish. Some interesting undulations in the land, some butte advertised as the highest point in N. Dakota and little else of note. but the ride was pleasant and I made good time. At Spearfish I climbed on I-90 for the last 2 1/2 hour sprint into Buffalo, 170 miles to the west. I put the bike on cruise control, set at 85mph (speed limit 75). The Black Hills are beautiful, but then the land morphs into a scrub desert for most of the ride. At one point I pulled off on an exit to take a break and looked up to see two antelope watching me about 100 feet away. By the time I got my camera out they had moved off a bit but I got a shot of their exit. When I finally saw the exit sign for Buffalo, I was definitely ready for a break. I had been underway for over 12 hours.

Whistle Stop Inn - NY Mils, MN:

2009-07-25T09:57:00.006-04:00

By this time I should realize that people give places names for specific reasons. But it was in disregard of this insight that I booked the Whistle Stop Inn, in NY Mills, MN for a night's stay. The website indicated that the inn followed a railroad theme, but I figured it was just some railroad enthusiasts. Anyway, I hit NY Mills, a cute little town in northwest Minnesota around 7:30, after a long and wet day of riding. I cruised around a bit until I saw a makeshift sign for "bed & breakfast". At the end of the street I found it, A beautiful white victorian with two restored railcars in the backyard. The owner, a tall German woman named Jann welcomed me with the good news that she was able to upgrade me to a "suite" which had a taller bed. The room was great, if a bit over decorated like many B& Bs. Jann advised me that at this time of "night" (7:30), dinner options were limited: the Eagle Cafe and the bowling alley. Jann favored the bowling alley, I went to the Eagles Cafe and was rewarded with one of the worst meals I ever had. Enough said.

The B&B was great however, and Jann even offered to serve me breakfast at 6:30 so I could get an early start. Which I did, heading west on Route 10 towards Fargo, ND and I-94.

The UP, Duluth

2009-07-21T23:38:00.013-04:00

The bridge at Sault Ste. Marie is kinda interesting - a two lane wonder that goes up and down with two main spans; the customs guy starts grilling me but eventually backs off and I'm back in the US of A.

I head west on Route 28 across the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, flat sandy soil with small pines everywhere. I decide to take a side trip up to Whitefish Point. I think this might be the Whitefish Bay? Point? referenced by Gordon Lightfoot in his song about the Edmund Fitzgerald. "...they say they'd have made Whitefish Bay if they put 15 more miles behind them". A side road heads north towards the point and the town of Paradise.

Well, will wonders ever cease? a curvy road? really nice sweepers heading through the forest. Can't be. This is the midwest. But it is. A delightful change from the mostly straight roads I have been riding for the last day and a half. After about 20 miles of this stuff, including a few glimpses of Lake Superior, I get to Paradise, a block or two long with a few restaurants. I make some mental notes for later and continue on to Whitefish Point, following the nicely curvy road. At the end of the road there is an old lighthouse, a few outbuildings including the Shipwreck Museum, where I find out that this area of Lake Superior has a history of Shipwrecks, including the Edmund Fitzgerald. it's a nice little museum. In one of the outbuildings housing an exhibit of rescue lifeboats and their crews, I come upon a museum "guide" telling a story. I listen and quickly realize that he is telling the story of how he was on lifeboat duty the night the Edmund Fitzgerald went down, and how he went out on a lifeboat crew when the seas subsided a bit and discovered the floating evidence that the ship had gone down. Very interesting.

I ride back to Paradise and choose a little bakery cafe that seems to have more cars in front of it. The place is run by two elderly ladies and it's quickly apparent that pie is their specialty. I order a chicken sandwich and listen to the pie orders come fast and furious. There is a run on rhubarb, which I like. It occurs to me that I should reserve a piece of rhubarb now - so it's there later when I want it. Whoops, too late. The people next to me are already being told the bad news - no more rhubarb!

Eventually, I try the raspberry which is wonderful.

Back to the main road and westward through endless forest and straight as an arrow highway. Michigan may have an economy devastated by the domestic auto industries problems and destructive high state tax policies, but its highways are in excellent shape. Later, on one particularly fine stretch, I come upon a construction zone - repaving - and join a long line of vehicles waiting for a one lane road to clear. To the right is a big sign proclaiming that this project is funded by "stimulus dollars" - of course it's shovel ready, they are just slapping another 2-3 inches of new asphalt on a perfectly good road. At the other end of this five mile stretch we again encounter the old road, again, in excellent shape. More change you can believe in.

At Munising I take a break, snap a few pics, then head to my final destination for the night, Marquette. I decide to forego a night's camping for a motel, so I can get on the road early. A nice burger on a sunny deck an early night, and I am off the next morning at 6:15 Am. The radar says there will be a line of severe storms to ride through later in the morning. As I head west out of the motel parking lot, I look in the rear view mirrors and see a giant orange sun staring back. A beautiful sight..

The early morning is great for riding. No cars cool air. By 8:30 I have covered about 140 miles, through more beautiful country, hillier than yesterday. I note a looming dark cloud formation in the distance take a break, recheck the weather radar on the I phone ( actually really useful in these situations). The radar shows a particularly nasty storm cell, but it looks like it is tracking north of where I will ride. I will probably miss that one, but there is a line of soakers that I musr ride through. So I don the raingear by the side of the road and press on. Within ten minutes I am in the thick of it.

Actually, riding in the rain is no big deal if you prepare for it, which means waterproof jacket pants boots, gloves, riding a bit more slowly, and getting off the road if its a real bad cloudburst - no visibility and puddles, which are very bad for two wheeled vehicles. I slog on, reaching Duluth in a downpour. I exit I 35 downtown and try to get my bearings. I park under one of those overhead walking bridges which connect buildings in northern cities like Toronto, Minneapolis etc, for some shelter from the rain.

I have two reasons for stopping in Duluth: have lunch at Nokomis, a new restaurant near Duluth which got an excellent write up in the NYT, and to go to Aerostich, a motorcycle on line gear store which has great stuff. I don't really need anything but would like to check the place out since I am nearby.

I call Nokomis. They can fit me in. I get directions which are to ride about 10 miles out of town up the north shore of Lake Superior. I get there just before noon and it is empty. I take off all my wet stuff, and order a cup of tea. Then, chicken gumbo and a walleye po'boy. Everything is wonderful, worth the extra ride. The chef/owner comes out to say hi to this guy who claims (technically true) that he rode out from Vermont to have lunch here. I try the goat cheese cake for dessert. Wow - with this great sauce and cherries. The waiter asks if I like it. "Wonderful", I exclaim. "Are you sure it's not too goaty?" Goaty? "No, it's not too goaty, in fact, I would say it has just the right amount of goatiness". and on and on.

I left my usual nice tip -

Later, I made a stop at Aerostich, it's store located in skid row (that's the customer entrance behind me in the picture). Inside there were a few other bikers and I tried on a few jackets for when mine ever wears out.

The skies were clearing and I was off across Northern Minnesota for NY Mills. This part of Minnesota is all rolling farmland with some forest; the big town is agricultural center Brainerd, with about 14,000 people. In traffic I pulled up next to a guy in a pick-up who looked like a cross between all the cartoon likenesses of Paul Bunyan and Popeye. "Where's the Paul Bunyan statue", I call out. "About five miles east on Route 18". A quick look down at my map tells me that I will miss seeing Brainerd's most famous attraction, a giant statue of mythic figure Paul Bunyan. Oh well. And off we go. Another 40 miles west sits New York Mills, a little farm town with a two block downtown and a few blocks of residential streets. very charming.

After a bad dinner at the Eagle Cafe (the innkeeper warned me but I didn't feel like riding back to Wadena, a take a walk around town and head back to the Whistle Stop. Good night.

Leaving for the coast

2009-07-21T22:40:00.006-04:00

Tuesday, July 21. Posting from New York Mills, Minnesota, about 80 miles east of Fargo, ND.

Question: What would you think would be located next to a B&B named the "Whistle Stop Inn"? If you guessed the main line of the Northern Pacific RR you would be correct. The trains whistle but they don't stop. Well, the place is great in every other respect and my two room suite with full breakfast for $80 is both comfortable and charming; and, the innkeeper wil get my breakfast at 6:30 tomorrow so I can get another early start.

It's been 3 days and about 1,400 miles since I left Charlotte, VT on Sunday morning at around 6:15 (I love early mornings). Here are some highlights, although I must say that nothing has happened that could be labelled "dramatic" or even "exciting" - just some great riding through some beautiful country. Also, I am frequently amused at the stuff I find myself thinking about as I cruise along at 70+ mph on some deserted country road, and I'll share anything I can remember.

My primary motivation in writing this is so I can read it in coming years and remember all the little stuff that makes these rides so wonderful. Many of you will find it boring. I understand. But if you do read some of this please write me a comment.

So, here goes:

Sunday July 21 - Departure Day. I managed to do all the prep and packing chores during the last few days so all I had to do was wake up, shower, coffee, etc, say good bye to Nancy, and hit the road. Nancy has been very supportive of this adventure and today she got up early to hang around and bid me farewell. I will miss her, and I must admit that during the last few months I have occasionally wondered if this trip really make sense. But, it is 6:15 and I am off. The plan is to cover some serious miles quickly so I head north on I 89 toward Montreal in welcome sunshine. I'll head through Montreal on it's EXPO '67 era freeways before any traffic builds up. The Champlain Bridge over the St Lawrence is freaky scary in traffic, but at 8:00 AM on Sunday morning I have it virtually to myself and admire the great view of the Montreal skyline as I cross. The Montreal freeways really are awful and I am watching carefully for the inevitable potholes or hazardous junk in the roadway. The my relief the roads are actually in pretty good repair. I find myself thinking about the trip Bobby Crozier and I made to Expo '67 in our senior year in HS; in Bobby's dad's 1954 Buick Roadmaster convertible, robin's egg blue with red leather interior; a fun four days including the college girls from Calgary we met at the fair. The memories are a bit blurry, but warm .

I head up past Ottawa (785,000 people), didn't realize it was that big and the freeway morphs into the two lane Trans Canada Highway - Route 17. Destination: Sudbury. A mining center which boasts the world's tallest smokestack, attached to a nickel smelter. The road rolls over and through the ever present "Canadian Shield" a mass of frequently exposed granite that covers most of eastern Canada north of the St. Lawrence. With hindsight, I was too focused on covering the mileage that I don't remember much. I found my B&B in Sudbury, ate a few pecans and went to sleep.

Got up early the next morning, had a nice continental breakfast, and headed west, leaving about 7:30. It's foggy, and as I ride out of town, I can barely make out the kind of industrial scarring that one sees in mining regions. The fog keeps me from getting a close look at "the smokestack". It's probably not worth a return trip. Sudbury is way north of just about anywhere, except Timmons, another big mining town about 180 miles north of Sudbury. It's big claim to fame according to the travel brochures is that Timmons is the home town of Shania Twain - remember her? The fog goes in out as I head west on 17, around the north side of Lake Huron. When it lifts one can see beautiful forests, streams meadows, granite, and occasional views of the water. It clears fully by about 9:00 AM. I'm riding at a more relaxed pace, feeling more in the groove than yesterday. It's about a five hour ride to the border crossing at Sault Ste. Marie.

Later I roll through Blind River, modestly famous for a mention in a Neil Young song I like. I have been interested in seeing Blind River since I saw it on the map while planning this trip. "Long May you Run" is ostensibly about an old car that Neil reminisces about. For reasons not entirely clear to me it reminds me of my father. Neil sings, "It was in Blind River in 1962, when I last saw you alive; but we missed that shift on the long decline, long may you run". then, "Long may you run, long may you run, although these changes have come, with your chrome heart shining in the sun, long may you run". It brings back memories of an earlier time when all seemed fine, vacations in station wagons (a certain yellow '60 Ford), before things changed for him. Amazing how a song can evoke such powerful and poignant memories. I ride around town and take a break at a little marina at the mouth of Blind River(see pic).

Continuing through this near wilderness I think of the intrepid French explorers who blazed this same route before me. In particular, I think of those famous brothers, Reginald Boucher d'Irasburg and his brother, who was literally a brother, Friar Ronald Boucher D'Irasburg, who explored this route in times gone by, motivated only by their desire to trade with the Indians (whoops, Native Americans) at Fort Cassineaux, where legend has it they enchanted their Indian hosts with deft card tricks, and intimidated the natives with their loud snorting steeds with flashy chrome and leather fringed saddlery. But that was another day.

Upcoming Trip - X Country

2009-06-03T22:41:00.003-04:00

I haven't posted in quite a while, but I am back now, in the midst of planning another bike trip. This one is a month long ride from Vermont out to Portland, Oregon by way of a lot of great countryside. My last post, in which I showed off some Multistrada touring gear was a tip off that something was changing. I converted the Ducati back to its primary role - that being a great sport bike for those who don't like crotch rocket ergonomics. I still ride that bike around Vermont, including a wonderful two Gap (Brandon and Appalachian) ride to Rochester VT for lunch last weekend.

But for the x country ride I picked up a lightly used '09 R1200 RT BMW, with such touring comforts as cruise control, great wind protection, etc etc. I rode a rented R1200RT for a week in Arizona last October, and it seemed to be just the thing for a 9,000+ mile trip. I have the trip laid out on a spreadsheet and have planned an approximate route. I plan to camp about half the nights, and stay in B&B/motels, or with friends and family for the other half.

Basically, I will ride solo to Ketchum, Idaho where I will meet two great friends from b-school, one who lives there, and one who will ride in from Portland to join me for the next leg of the ride. The route out will avoid the I- 80/90 mess through Ohio- Illinois by going up into Ontario, across to Sault Ste Marie, down through Michigan's Upper Peninsula to Duluth. From there a sprint across Minnesota and North Dakota, dropping down to the Black Hills to Buffalo, Wyoming.

Then, a few days riding the fabled canyon and mountain passes of western Wyoming - Ten Sleep Canyon, over the Bighorn Mts on Rt 14 and 14A, a run up the Chief Joseph Trail to the Beartooth Highway into Montana. From there I'll make my way over to Ketchum via West Yellowstone.

From Ketchum, Mike and I head north to Glacier Park, then into southern BC and over to the Okanagon Valley, then down through North Cascades National Park, down by Mt Rainier/St Helens into Portland.

I'll get the bike serviced there, rest, then head east through western Idaho over to Lander, Wyoming to visit my daughter, then down to Aspen, Colorado to see my cousin, over to Vail via Independence Pass to see an old friend. From there it's head east through Rocky Mountain National Park, across the northern Nebraska Sand Hills, back up through Sault Ste. Marie and on home, across Georgian Bay at Tobermory if I have time.

Here's a picture of me and Mike in Arizona last October.

Multistrada Touring Accessories for Sale

2009-02-28T10:33:00.012-05:00

Here are photographs of items for sale.

Ducati 34 liter panniers with all hardware, 2 keys, instruction booklet and extra "little rubber bumper thingy"; minor scuff on red part and less minor blemish on black underside of one pannier due to dropping bike at 1/2 mph. in sand; used mini blowtorch to smooth out scratch but it is definitely visible if you squat and look at underside of pannier; $650 shipped anywhere in the lower 48.

Ducati 46 liter Topcase with luggage rack, seat back cushion, all hardware, 2 keys; a minor smudge or two but otherwise pristine; luggage rack has the "unloseable" little rubber bumpers discussed on Multistrada.net. $550 shipped with in the lower 48 or pick it up in Vermont.

Airhawk "medium cruiser" (the right size for the Multistrada); $85 shiped anywhere in the lower 48.

Adirondack Ride

2007-07-12T22:22:00.000-04:00

Since returning from Natashquan in late June I haven't been riding except for a short jaunt with my wife and another couple one evening. Part of the reason has been the weather, which has been lousy lately with almost continual rain and T-storms. But to be honest, I needed a break from riding after the trip.

Well, for the last few days the forecast has been calling for a break in the weather today, so my riding buddy Brad and I set a tentative plan for a ride: Leave early morning, cross the Champlain Bridge into New York, ride the back roads through the Adirondacks.

I woke up at 5:45Am, with the sun already streaming through the pines and glistening on the water of Lake Champlain. Sky crystal clear, temperature about 55-60, crisp -- a glory day! Met Brad about 7 Am, and we were off, Brad in the lead on his new BMW R1200RT, arguably one of the finest touring bikes out there. Brad is great to ride with - easy going, good sense of humor, and a highly skilled rider. I get better every time I follow him. We head south on familiar roads - the only excitement comes as I ride over the Champlain Bridge and an osprey trying to gain altitude flys over me about 20 feet above, in what seems like slow motion. A National Geographic moment to be sure.

We head north to Port Henry, a sorry old town in a breath taking location on hills overlooking Lake Champlain. We head inland on some backroad twisties - new to me, which rollick over hill and dale for about 40 minutes. We emerge on Route 28N - which is a pretty good road with big sweeper curves. In Newcomb Brad wants to stop for coffee at this old dive.

The coffee is pretty bad, but, in a remarkable coincidence, Brad runs into his Uncle Sam, and they share a few tender moments.

After saying good bye to the old fella, we ride on to Long Lake and Blue Mountain Lake. I regret not wearing my heated jacket, because it is a bit chilly. In Long Lake we stop for some photos and to check out Hoss' General Store.

After a quick ride down to Blue Mountain Lake, it's off to Saranac and a good lunch at the Blue Moon Cafe. After lunch, we continue east through Lake Placid, being careful to avoid the downtown highway repaving project, zip down route 73 past the Winter Olympic venues and through some spectacular terrain to Keene.

Just past Keene, Brad pulled over and offered me a test ride on his RT - he has already test ridden my Multistrada.
Of course, I jump at the chance. We are on Route 9N riding over the mountain to Elizabethtown, basically, it's a two lane speedway with a few high speed sweepers; then some twisty sections and long straights as we work our way over to the ferry dock in Essex. After I figure out the unusually long clutch, we are off. The bike is really nice, but I have trouble with the ergos, which are tailored to Brad's smaller frame. Putting that aside, the bike is pretty nifty. The supension feels very soft compared to my bike, but I find myself comfortably taking curves at fairly high speeds (for me). It feels like a high performance "big sedan" compared to my "sports car" like bike. A comfortable secure ride. THis would be great on a long trip - and the windscreen goes up and down electrically while underway. After about 15 miles, I conclude that I have to take a serious test ride with the ergos sorted out.

We reach the ferry dock as the boat is pulling in so we have only a short wait. The ride over is absolutely beautiful. The lake is calm and the mountains are very distinct in the clear crisp air.

What a great day and it's only 3:00 PM!

Getting Ready for Nova Scotia Ride

2007-07-09T08:53:00.000-04:00

It's July 9 and that means there are only 38 days until I leave on my next big ride of the Summer - an 11 day sojourn up to Nova Scotia. We leave for the Portland, ME ferry on August 16. This trip will have a different feel than the last one. Rather than riding solo as I did on the trip to Natashquan, on this trip I will be accompanied by four other gentlemen. Three of these, twin brothers Reg and Ron, and their bro' in law Boo, will be riding their cruiser bikes, while Swanny will be aboard his trusty SUV. I must say I am both excited and apprehensive about this arrangement. On the one hand, they all seem like great guys who would be fun to travel with. On the other hand, group travel means having to be attentive to the needs-wants of the others in the group. Being alone on the last ride was actually one of the best dimensions of the ride. I did what I wanted, when I wanted, went where I wanted when I wanted - a consensus of one. I never felt lonely.

Already, there are slight divisions in group expectations, and although we have all said that everyone can do what they want, prior experience with small travel groups (even just with my wife) tells me to get ready for endless compromises. Several in the group want to camp (no problem) another is whining about the prospect of rain, one member is a less experienced rider (will that mean we have to go slower than we want?), budget differences? etc. etc.

However, having some friends along does have its obvious positive aspects too.

On the plus side, having the "support vehicle" means expanded recreational options (golf clubs, fishing gear), less disciplined packing on the bike, and also means that if you go out for dinner somewhere, there is a designated driver available.

I must say, I was a little "biked out" after the last trip and haven't ridden much since. If the rain leaves this week I will go for a good ride in the Adirondacks - maybe Thursday with buddy Brad.

I plan no mods for the bike, as it performed spectacularly on the last ride. I will get the 12,000 mile service done before I go and have the guys at BCM give the bike another once over. Oh, I will do one thing: my hand grips are a bit small for my hands so I will have them built up with tennis grip material.

That's all for now. The next post will probably be a preview of the Nova Scotia itinerary.

Riding Music

2007-06-26T22:55:00.000-04:00

A friend of mine asked me about riding with an I Pod. In two words "it's great!". You get some noise attenuating earphones to lower the wind noise in your helmet, set the I Pod at mid range volume, and play your playlist. I put together a playlist for this ride that had about 5+ hours of music on it. I didn't agonize over selections, I just went through my library and made impulse selections. it worked great.

Here is the list:

AC/DC Thunderstruck
Amboy Dukes Baby Please Don't Go
Animals House of the Rising Sun
Anita Baker Giving You the Best that I Got
Band The Weight
Beach Boys Don't Worry Baby
Beach Boys Good Vibrations
Beach Boys California Dreamin'
Billy Joel New York State of Mind
Blind Faith Can't Find My Way Home
Blue Oyster Cult (Don't Fear) the Reaper
Bob Dylan Tangled Up In Blue
Bob Dylan Highway 61 Revisited
Bonnie Raitt Thing Called Love
Boston Don't Look Back
Bruce Springsteen Human Touch
Bryan Adams Summer of '69
Buffalo Springfield For What It's Worth
Byrds Eight Miles High
Canned Heat Going Up the Country
Cassandra Wilson I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry
Chicago Beginnings
Circus Maximus Wind
Counting Crows Mr. Jones
Cream Tales of Brave Ulysses
Crosby, Stills,Nash, Young Almost Cut My Hair
Deep Purple Hush
Dire Straits Sultans of Swing
Don Henley All She Wants to do is Dance
Doors L.A. Woman
Drifters Save the Last Dance For Me
Elton John Your Song
Eric Clapton Knockin' on Heaven's Door
Eric Clapton Wonderful Tonight
Eric Clapton Layla
Fleetwood Mac Go Your Own Way
Fleetwood Mac Say You Love Me
Foreigner Juke Box Hero
Glady Knight & Pips Midnight Train to Georgia
Gloria Estefan Always Tomorrow
Golden Earring Radar Love
Gordon Lightfoot Early Morning Rain
Grass Roots Let's Live For Today
Jefferson Airplane Comin' Back to Me
Johnny Rivers? Memphis
Lynyrd Skynyrd Free Bird
Mamas & Papas California Dreamin'
Moody Blues Tuesday Afternoon
Moody Blues Nights in White Satin
Procol Harum A Whiter Shade of Pale
Rolling Stones Angie
Rolling Stones Sympathy for the Devil
Ronny & Daytonas G.T.O.
Roy Orbison Cryin'
Ruby & Romantics Hello Stranger
Sade No Ordinary Love
Searchers Needles and Pins(a)
Shirelles Will You Love Me Tomorrow
Sly & Family Stone Dance to the Music
Steppenwolf Born to be Wild
Sugarloaf Green Eyed Lady
Temptations Papa was a Rolling Stone
Toby Keith As Good As I Once Was
Tom Petty Refugee
Tommy James Crystal Blue Persuasion
Traffic Dear Mr. Fantasy
Van Morrison Brown Eyed Girl
Ventures? Pipeline
Yardbirds For Your Love
Zombies Time of the Season

Home Stretch

2007-06-25T10:32:00.000-04:00

From Maynard's, I headed south on Route 6/15 to Greenville, then west on route 16 to rejoin US201. A very pretty ride with mostly good roads. Then south on 201 along the Kennebec River, then south on Alt. 201 to 43 to Farmington. Alt 201 and Route 43 had just been repaved so it was a particulary nice ride through beautiful countryside. After a Dunkin Donut and ATM stop in Farmington, I headed west on Route 2 the main east-west route in this part of the world. what can I say? more nice scenery, passing north of Mt Washington and right into Vermont. many bikers out enjoying the day, which was a sparkler - clear, warmer and gusty.

The definite highlight of this leg of the trip was Bob's BarBQ in Bethel, ME. Bob is a well tattooed gentleman with a shaved head who, from his 60's era orange 20 foot travel trailer, sells some of the best barbeque I have ever had. The trailer is covered with magic marker tributes from previous customers and Bob's favorite line is "I'm not in it for the money". Judging from the quality of the food (even the beans and slaw were superior), I believe him, but judging from the number of people he served while I was there, he is raking in the cash. For the record, I had the beef brisket platter in "wild" seasoning - the other option is "mild". It was great!!

The rest of the ride was very pleasant, through beautiful scenery. In the last quarter mile of the ride, I was reminded of the words of famous traveler Dorothy, "there's no place like home". Here are a few pictures of my neighborhood.

Maynard's in Maine

2007-06-25T09:56:00.000-04:00

When I was planning this trip, I had a little extra time at the back end, so I decided to head down into Maine and check out the Moosehead Lake, Maine area. Form the border, I headed down US 201. Right away, the moose factor reared it's ugly head. I had seen moose warning signs all along on this trip, but now there was a moose warning sign with flashing lights and some language to the effect that the moose were really in abundance for the next 15 miles. The sign even provided statisics on the number of moose collisions along that stretch. Okaaay. Well, I didn't see any moose on this stretch, although later on I did. When cresting a hill, I noticed a pick up about 200 yards in front hit the brakes, then noticed a moose, ambling alongside the truck (not in a straight line) just off the road. They are supposed to be unpredictable in their movements and this one certainly was.

My destination was Maymard's in Maine, an 80 year old fishing camp, in Rockwood, ME, on the Moose River, still operated by the Maynard family. It was right out of a movie set, complete with taciturn manager, big old main lodge filled with hunting and fishing trophies, a perky college student from Nova Scotia waiting tables, and tons of interesting memorabilia. I had a two bedroom cabin overlooking the river. It was rustic, but well equipped, including a TV, and best of all, a wood stove, which I used to advantage during the chilly night. After a fine dinner of (really thick) prime rib, I retired to my cabin to catch up on the Yankees (not good) and enjoy some single malt scotch from the duty free shop. After another good night's sleep, and another delicious breakfast, I departed. So let's total it up: A nice little cabin in a great setting, two great meals, tax, etc -- $67.00. my only suggestion on checking out was - "raise your prices!".

Ferry Ride

2007-06-25T09:17:00.000-04:00

Saturday AM: I wake up early again after a good night's sleep, get the bike packed and head across the parking lot for breakfast. it is still very overcast and looking across the river I can see even thicker clouds and showers along the entire shore. After breakfast I move the bike down the hill to the bike queue and look for a place to read my book for a while (Oracle Bones, by Peter Hessler) a semi interesting take on putting modern China into a historical perspective.

A few more bikes join the queue: three blokes from the Boston area who have been on a long weekend ride around Quebec. Now they are heading to Bar Harbor,ME and then back to Boston area - nice fleet of bikes: a Suzuki V-Strom 1000, a purple Yamaha FJR, and a yellow BMW R1200GS. The V-Strom is packed with "supplemental gear" - GPS, radar detector and a handlebar mounted video camera being the most prominent. There is also a couple from across the river on a white Gold Wing returning from a two week trip around the US and Canada. We have a nice chat and share a coffee on the ferry. It has been said many times but bikers are a congenial bunch and the shared interest facilitates socializing. The ferry ride is uneventful. The river is very wide and beautiful and there is much interesting wildlife - a few more beluga whales, some seals, loons, etc. The ride takes a little more than an hour - it's still raining when we get back on shore, so after a gas stop, I decide to take the "interstate" to cover some ground quickly. The scenery is pretty if not noteworthy.

After about an hour I exit at Montmagny and take the back roads up over the hills toward the US-Canada border on US 201 south of St George. The rain has stopped and the gusty winds that usually signify the exit of a major weather system have taken over - it's fine by me. The road climbs out of the river valley and then goes - mostly straight south then west through forests where logging seems to be the only industry. I stop for lunch in a little neighborhood restaurant and press on. The border crossing in uneventful but there is a long wait while (I must say) a suspicious looking old van filled with people gets a thorough going over.

More Rain

2007-06-25T00:47:00.000-04:00

I didn't leave Pointe des Monts until about 11:00 AM. The lighthouse museum was interesting but I was not anxious to get out in that rain. fortunately, I had a relatively short ride today - about 250 miles to St-Simeon, the terminus for the ferry to Riviere du loup on the south shore. It rained until the last 50 miles or so near Tadoussac. Here is a picture of the Hotel Tasdoussac (red roof) and the Auberge Sur Mer in St Simeon by the ferry dock.

Pointe des Monts

2007-06-25T00:23:00.000-04:00

Pointe des Monts is a 19th century lighthouse (1830) located about 11 KM off the main road, now operated as a museum/inn/restaurant. Despite the rain it is magnificent – sitting on a little rock outcropping just offshore reached by a 200 foot wooden bridge. The accommodations are rustic but the setting and atmosphere are truly unique. The table d’hotel meal I just enjoyed included a delicious fish chowder, local lobster/snowcrab plate, rice pilaf with shrimp, dessert, etc – sort of a “death by seafood” kinda thing.

Oh, did I mention, Mr. Landry’s (innkeeper in Natashquan) father was the last lighthouse keeper at Pointe des Monts, and instrumental in its preservation.

Ok I am sleepy. Good night. Tomorrow it is on to St Simeon to meet the ferry to the south shore (Riviere du Loup) – then a quick swing down to Moosehead Lake, ME, then over the White Mts, then the Green Mts to be home Sunday night.

Day 6

I am awake by 5:30 AM and immediately look out the narrow old window to see what the weather looks like. It looks terrible. Thick fog. No, wait, that is just the condensation on the storm window. I get out of bed and walk across the hall to another room (I am the only overnight guest), which has a clear view out the window. Reality is not much better – thick, dark low clouds – light rain. I try to go back to sleep, and failing at that, I get dressed and go for a walk in the drizzle. It is hauntingly beautiful here. Several flocks of ducks mess around off the rocks – eiders I think. The sea is calm, the shoreline is classic north coast boulders and pine trees. There are a few small purple blue irises in bloom around the rocks, and on closer inspection, I realize that the place is covered with them. This will make a pretty wild scene in about a week or so. I take some more photos, but without enthusiasm. I am getting my first real dose of “I’d rather be home” feelings. I suppose I would feel differently if the sun were shining in a fresh breeze, but it’s not and I have another 250 miles to ride today. I scan the western sky for some reason to be optimistic about the weather. I don’t see one. Don’t get me wrong – motorcycling is wonderful, but it’s definitely better without the rain.

I reflect on the past evening and the meal. It was OK but the best part quite frankly was the pictures of the food that the lady showed me when I showed up. I am not too optimistic about breakfast. After walking across the bridge to check the bike and maybe find coffee, I return to shower, etc. When I go back downstairs at 7:30 another woman is there and indicates that breakfast is ready. I enter the dining room. There, on the corner table, almost dominating the room, is a phalanx of four giant cartons of Kellogg cereal, along with some 2% milk and half gallon glass bottles of apple juice and the old style orange juice “from concentrate”. My worst fears are confirmed. At my table is a basket of “muffins” in plastic wrappers. The kind that have preservatives as the lead item on the ingredient line. The lady comes over and asks me, as if it is some big deal, “would you like toast?”. A yes from me brings a follow up, “white or brown?” Her tone is full of expectation that I will be delighted that they are able to provide such culinary extravagances. I am not exaggerating, and I am not exaggerating when I tell you that a few minutes later she emerged from the kitchen carrying a big dinner plate on which were carefully placed two pieces of brown toast. They are trying, but where is Mr. Landry and those marvelous breakfasts of the last few days?

In fairness, it is difficult to run an isolated small inn, especially at the beginning of the season. It seems that I will be the first guest of the year to open one of the cereal boxes.

The night's accomodation cost me $120 including the two meals. Thinking about it, about $40 of that is going for the unique “experience” of spending the night in this place. It’s probably worth it – and the mattress was good.

After breakfast, I go outside and check the sky again. Well, maybe it’s getting a little brighter in the west. Maybe.

I take the tour of the lighthouse museum. It is pretty interesting and you get to climb to the top. I am the only person there.

Leaving Natashquan

2007-06-24T23:56:00.000-04:00

I leave Natashquan around 7;30 AM. The plan is to ride about 350 miles to a place called Point des Monts, just west of Baie Trinite. Pointe des Montes is the location of one of the earliest lighthouses on the St. Lawrence, which is now being preserved as a museum. The lighthouse keeper's house is now a small B&B/restaurant.

The clear skies last until about 10:30 when it starts raining. It will continue raining until about 3;00 the next day. Riding in the rain is not as much fun as riding in good weather, but it'd doable with proper gear. I had hoped to fill in some of the blanks from the rapid ride out. I took more pictures and poked around some villages I had raced by. For example, upon further exploration, Havre St Pierre turned out to be a fairly nice little port town, the the Fort Apache of my first impression.

But, you can't sugar coat it, the ride back to the west was not as much fun as the ride east.

The Nordic Express

2007-06-24T23:38:00.000-04:00

Wednesday night I set the alarm for 5:00 AM. The plan is to get up, get the bike ready, go see the Nordik Express before it departs, have breakfast at 6:30, then hit the road early. At 5;00 AM I am already up. It’s sunny and cloudless again. That’s good. I finish packing, put the bags on the bike, and ride over to the docks. The Nordic Express is there in all her “glory”. She’s an interesting boat – all business – an ice breaker hull, stocky lines, a midships area for passenger accommodations that looks like it contains some staterooms, and the stern of the ship is rigged for containers, including a tall crane that looks like it was lifted from some construction site, not purpose built for the ship. Motor vehicles are put in these steel frames that resemble side less containers, then hoisted aboard, as are standard containers, some of which I saw being packed with groceries off an 18 wheeler yesterday. I notice the small fire truck that was parked at the auberge yesterday. Apparently it is for one of the isolated villages. There were some Innuit families boarding with the old Grand Ma and little infants.

Another great bike trip would be to ride to Natashquan, then put the bikes on the Nordic Express, see the other villages, then get off the ferry on the northern tip of Newfoundland, do Newfoundland, then take anther ferry to Cape Breton, etc, etc

The End of the Road

2007-06-24T23:21:00.000-04:00

Route 138 ends about 5 miles east of Natshqan on the banks of the Natashquan River, which forms a pretty significant economic barrier to building the road further east. a ruuty gravel track heads north from this spot a few KMs to a few fishing camps.

Day 4: Hanging Out in Natashquan

2007-06-24T23:01:00.000-04:00

This is the day to take a break from riding. I will explore Natashquan and just hang out, then start heading back on Thursday morning. I get up around 5:30, putter around, then have breakfast downstairs at around 7:15. It’s good – eggs over easy, sausage, homefries, etc, well prepared and served. Mr. Landry, the innkeeper does a good job. After breakfast I ride over to the docks and check out the action. There are about 5 commercial fishing boats at the dock. None are from Natashquan. I think they are crabbers (snow crab) from the look of the circular pots. There are also some longshoreman moving product around. I learn it’s in anticipation of the arrival of the Nordic Express, an all purpose ferry/freighter that services Natashquan and the villages to the east, none of which are accessible by highway to the rest of the world. Once a week this boat makes the rounds of these villages bringing everything and everyone (there are some seaplanes going there as well but the Nordic Express is the main show. It arrives in Natashquan at 4:00 AM tomorrow and leaves at 7:00 AM. I think I will go see it. After leaving the dock I putter around a bit (lube my chain, adjust mirrors, try to find a working cash machine, do laundry, etc. Eventually I take a nice walk on the local beach, which starts from behind the general store. Nice beach, but I am not a beach person. But I do find a nice looking bar/restaurant right on the beach and decide to come back for lunch. The food is very good and inexpensive. I go for the special beef bourgignon which is excellent. I decide to come back later with my book and read on the deck and enjoy the atmosphere and a beer. Very mellow and very friendly accomodating people. Rod Stewart is singing old standards on the sound system which reminds me of Nancy – nice thoughts.

I come back and read for a while, then take a nap and miss dinner, which is just as well, since I have already eaten enough.

I am a lot less motivated for the ride tomorrow. Maybe it’s because there may be rain, although the sky is still cloudless, or maybe it’s because the ride does not hold the excitement of experiencing new places – like the ride out to Natashquan. I decide I will focus on filling in the gaps that linger from the ride out. Looking in more depth at places I just glimpsed briefly in the dash to get here. That helps, but rain means a longer, sloppier ride.

Natashquan impressions: A nice little village, beautiful setting, all the houses are well kept, Local French and Indians seem to mix very freely and there is no evidence that one is an underclass. Modern conveniences abound – cable TV, ATMs, internet?? Strong sense of community and community pride, and of their history. Canadian bi-lingual policy doe not seem to extend to these French outposts (no English). It is far away, but not as isolated as the next villages to the east, which do not have highway access.

Day 3: On to Natashquan

2007-06-24T19:28:00.000-04:00

I awoke at around 5:00 AM to a bright sunny sky and promptly fell back to sleep. At 6:30 I tried it again and this time it stuck. The bike was still there under its cover, always a good sight, just outside the night manager’s window, Shower, repack the cases, load the bike and I'm on my way. I figure I’ll get some breakfast a ways out. The first half hour or so is pretty boring, except that it feels good to be roaring along on an unknown road. I pass a Toyota after about 10 minutes. It turns out this is the only vehicle I see going either way for about 1/2 hour.

After about a half hour of mostly straight, mostly flat, total pine trees, the road climbs and twists its way up another headland along the ocean, climbing past rock outcroppings and nice waterfalls emerging about 150 feet above the water, with meadows dropping off steeply to bluffs? over the water. There is a road crew up ahead so I slow way down and take a moment to glance down at the water. Wouldn’t you know it? There is all its glory is a whale, very near the shore, about 40-50 feet long with a small dorsal fin. I decide to stop and watch a bit. The whale surfaces again and again. As I scan across the wider water I notice several other whales. I watch them for about ten minutes then hit the road.

After a while the “50 KM ahead” signs announce my arrival at a village – Sheldrake, a small fishing village in another beautiful setting. There is a little gas station/market so I decide to fill up and find some breakfast. I also reach into the topcase for the heated jacket as it is bloody cold – sunny but cold – a reminder that I am pretty far north. The store has a “limited menu” so I settle for a big chunk of “carrot-pineapple” cake, which I eat sitting outside watching the ocean. It is pretty good. Then it’s back on the bike, winding my way through the village and out into the great unknown.

Now, the terrain is flat again, but in a totally surreal environment. We have the ubiquitous exposed granite but basically it is flat with very sparse vegetation, scrubby pines and moss. This continues for miles, as I am cruising by at 80+ mph, which despite all the undulations bumps and frost heaves, feels entirely secure. A mile or so of straight, then a bend then another straight. All I can think is that I’m on location for another Lord of the Rings movie – or video game. This scenery is punctuated by occasional river crossings and the realization that on my right side, the ocean is a few hundred yards away and visible. To the left (north), this scenery goes to the horizon, where some mysterious hills rise. I didn't take too many pictures here because I can’t figure out how to show the scenerey in a remotely interesting photo, and I don’t feel like stopping on those soft (very soft) looking shoulders. Later I realize that I could have parked my bike in the middle of the road, gone for a ten minute walk, and no one would have passed by.

I notice the terrain is changing again. The granite undulations are gone and now it’s really flat. Looks like a giant bog, to the north as far as the eye can see. Small ponds (puddles) of standing water are everywhere, a few scrubby pines, but basically a big bog. Again –very surreal – especially as one flies by. …. For miles and miles …. And miles.

I’ve got my I Pod (I broke down and bought one for this trip) going with sound attenuating earphones. I put about 60 songs in a playlist for the trip and in this section of the ride the I-Pod randomly selects the following:

Thunderstruck AC/DC
LA Woman Doors
Baby Please Don’t Go Amboy Dukes
Don’t Fear The Reaper Blue Oyster Cult
Hush Deep Purple
Free Bird Skynnard
Juke Box Hero Foreigner
Sympathy for the Devil Stones

Well, that’s a pretty good moment to be in: zipping along at 80-90 mph on a crystal clear day, in a surreal world with your heated jacket oozing BTUs and your I-pod serving up some nice riding music - and absolutely no traffic - at all. And the Multistrada is eating up the very less than perfect road surface.

Then reality sets in – A Moose warning sign -- for 15Kms, so I back it down to 65-70 and press on. A sign indicates Havre St Pierre to the right so I head in to check it out and top up the tank. You ride through this gaudy wooden gate – sort of lighthouse themed, with some message about 150 years of history. The gate, intended I am sure to attract tourists and show civic pride, gives the impression of a stockade. Beyond the gate is vaguely reminiscent of Mad Max – real modern day wild west. Nothing specific – just a feeling. I gas up and leave.

Back on the road, it more of the same, except now the road is lined with Larch trees, evergreens with feathery light green needles – for miles. Then, back into the Shield – granite, riding near the water, a few cute fishing villages, some bridges over some more awesome rivers --- then NATASHQUAN!!! The name has an almost mythical quality after 3 days and about 900 miles. In reality, it is a nice little fishing village in a pretty setting. There are some pretty decent tourist services – two or three restaurants, a few B&Bs and the nice inn I am staying at. Air is cool and very clear and crisp, almost fall like. I check in, then go to find some lunch. Behind the (nice) general store, there is some kind of food place – not a exactly a restaurant. Inside there is a counter and an older woman making what look like a cross between seafood pizzas and pot pies. One of these with lobster shrimp and scallops, about twelve inches in diameter, is $10 Cdn. I sort of understand that it will take her about 30 minutes to bake, so I go for a walk along the beach out to these old fishing shacks – picturesque. When I return she has the “pizza” and invites me to the ice cream parlor section, which overlooks the water - to eat. It’s delicious and the view is perfect!

After lunch I ride out to the true “end of the road” on the banks of the Natashquan River, a big time river that, at the moment, creates a barrier to further easterly highway development. I later learn that the Canadians have started building a road easterly from the villages on the other side of the river – and the Canadians version of the “bridge to nowhere” is in the works. At the moment, these villages are not linked to the rest of Quebec except by a ferry that arrives weekly. This is the reason I saw only two 18 wheelers on the entire 260 mile ride today.

That’s all for now.

Some More Stuff

2007-06-19T06:30:00.000-04:00

It's now Tuesday morning. The sun rose before 5:00 AM and there will be almost 17 hours of sunlight today (I'm getting pretty far north). Some other tidbits from the last few days:

Sunday, the bike passed the 10,000 mile mark in St Isadore, about 25 miles south of Quebec City (see silly photo from yesterday)

We saw a small pod of Beluga whales while taking the free ferry across the Saguenay River. Froom the signs, it would appear that whale watching is an important industry in that region, especially this time of year, when many whales come to the St. Lawrence estuary to mate.

Virtually the entire route yesterday was posted with moose warnings - As I got tired late yesterday on the flat, straight forested part of the road, I found myself yearning for a nice big 18 wheeler to tuck in behind so I didn't have to be quite so vigilant to these massive creatures.

Here are some more photos from yesterday, included a self portrait taken while waiting for the Saguenay ferry

Natashquan is within reach, only another 260 miles.

First Two Days: Charlotte to Sept-Iles

2007-06-19T00:42:00.000-04:00

Day 1

It’s about 9:00 PM on Sunday night (Day 1). I just came back from an OK dinner in charming Baie-St-Paul, about 65 miles east of Quebec City. The day began at about 5;45 AM and I was on the road at 6;20, having packed and done final check of the bike Saturday afternoon. The weather was cool but pleasant with some high broken clouds – the weather report said a chance of showers. I figured they would be late day-evening showers and t-showers so I hoped to miss them. Ron and Reg Boucher planned to Ride with me to Orleans, stopping for breakfast along the way. It turns out Reg couldn’t make it so Ron and I left at about 7;00 AM. The ride started with a quick blast up I-189/I-89 to pick up Route 15, a pleasant 2 laner with mostly sweeping turns as it heads northeast from Essex Junction. We stopped for a nice breakfast in Johnson, then headed up Route 100, with a few more twisties and bumpier than 15. Then a 5 mile hitch on VT 58, a surprisingly nice stretch so far into the boonies. We gassed up in Orleans, then went our separate ways, Ron on a swing up by Lake Willoughby, another of Vermont spectacularly beautiful spots, and me up I-91 to the Canadian border.

The border crossing was uneventful but a few miles into Canada it started raining, and continued raining, with periods of heavy rain, for about the next three hours.

[Note: I fell asleep, now it is Monday night and I am in Sept Iles , about 350 miles from Baie-St-Paul. I will try to catch up]

I had the good sense to pull into a rest area as soon as I felt a drop and put on my rain gear, in this case a set of old foul weather gear in red, but not Ducati Red. It wasn’t bad riding in the rain and I think the fact that I was on a lightly traveled interstate highway contributed to my sense of comfort in the rain. The only problem the rain contributed to was my missing the exit for the Sherbrooke bypass. Thus, I came to ride right thru suburban strip and downtown Sherbrooke. On top of that I wasted time taking another wrong turn. When I finally got clear of Sherbrooke I was ready for a break, and found some edible (and hot) chicken soup at a little roadside dive. I was on Route 112, a fairly direct route from Sherbrooke towards Quebec City. I didn’t see much because it was raining but Thetford Mines did make an impression. I guess they have one of the world’s largest open pit (coal?) mines there. I was cruising along in heavy rain, when all of a sudden I caught a glimpse of these massive looming vegetation-less hills (mountains?) which rose up for several miles on either side of the road. Residue from the mining operations I guess. I’ve seen evidence of mining before (Scranton area) southern Vermont slate, etc, but this tops them all in terms of scale. Later, the rain lets up and the sun begins to poke thru – must be a big shot of Canadian air because it’s much cooler and very windy. I leave Rte 112 and pick up I-73 towards Quebec City. It’s a limited access highway but only two lanes at this point. Soon it is four lanes, then six as it makes a bee line for The Saint Lawrence and Quebec City and another “riding first” for me – riding through an urban area on expressways. I must admit that when planning this trip I tried to avoid Quebec City for this reason. I have rarely ridden on interstates let alone in urban traffic. Well, at least this would be Sunday afternoon.

There is a nice suspension bridge carrying I-73 over the Saint Lawrence and there was pretty heavy fast moving traffic. For some reason, at this point in the ride, I felt very comfortable in this new situation and managed to get myself on Route 138 east of Quebec without any problems. I regret not driving through downtown Quebec or stopping in the old city, but that will have to wait for another trip. The road east of Quebec runs right along the river and is pretty commercial for the first twenty miles or so, til you get past St Anne. Then it gives way to beautiful countryside with the mighty St Lawrence always in the picture or nearby. Right away one is confronted by the Canadian Shield – A massive granite formation (all of northern Quebec and Ontario) which for hundreds of miles runs all the way to the St Lawrence. In the Charlevoix region, it is less obtrusive, with the dramatic headlands broken frequently by rolling hills and fertile valleys, and all sorts of cute colorful farmhouses, little villages with their churches, and weekend homes many which emulate the old farmhouses. Baie-St-Paul is a larger village of this type, looking a bit like a European farming center that has morphed into a tourist town. Last night I stayed at a beautiful B&B just outside town. The proprietors spoke no English but with my slight memory of school French we got by. They even let me put the bike in their garage ($75 CDN with a great breakfast).

Day 2

East of Baie-St-Paul Route 138 heads inland for a stretch, so when I left this morning, I took Route 362, which follows the St Lawrence shore for about 30 miles before rejoining Rte 138 at La Malbaie. It’s a wonderful romp up and over some beautiful hills. After La Malbaie. Things get progressively wilder and once you cross the Saguenay River at Tadoussac, it begins to resemble the frontier. It is not an exaggeration, for most of the route out to Sept Iles, to say that most of the evidence of civilization consists of little villages strung out along the road, and power lines from the big hydro plants. To the north of the highway, the wilderness, meaning huge granite hills and outcroppings and pine forests, comes right to peoples’ back yards. The highway goes up down and around this granite, past many crystal clear little lakes and ponds, and over countless rivers and streams cut in the stone. The mouths of these rivers have no sandy deltas. They are rushing streams until they touch the estuary. You see many spectacular vistas – to the south, numerous scenic coves, headlands and river mouths, frequent views across the broad St Lawrence to the south shore and its mountains. The granite is interspersed with stretches of sandy expanse, in some places reminding me of a moonscape with scrub pines – leftovers from the glaciers, I guess. After Baie Comeau, the road becomes pretty straight through endless stands of evergreen trees, not exciting riding, but the journey takes on a “because it’s there” feeling at this point. I kept thinking of Long Way Round.

The net effect is to think how insignificant is the impact of man on such a vast wilderness. This was my recurring thought, despite the huge power lines, hydro dams and an occasional pulp mill or aluminum smelter. In a way, not unlike I imagine parts of Alaska – but only a few hundred miles from the northeastern US.

Other stuff: The bike is GREAT! Although short stretches of the road have been recently improved, much of the ride today was on 60s era vintage pavement, with 10-12 foot wide lanes, NO hard shoulder, just this sandy gravel mix which, based on the deep rut marks, had the consistency of beach sand. Thus, for long stretches there is simply no margin for error. These sections also provide an endless stream of cracks, bumps, old frost heaves etc. There are plenty of interesting curves and up/down portions. Oh, and the traffic, particularly the 18 wheelers usually loaded with logs, giant pipe, or heavy construction equipment, drives between 70-85 – all the time. On one tighter than expected sweeper, I was somewhat disconcerted to watch a fully loaded automobile carrier barreling towards me with some of its wheels almost off the road. Hmmm? Anyway, the Multistrada handled these roads in excellent fashion providing a fairly comfortable and very secure feeling ride. And this is with about 80 lbs of extra bags and gear.

Eric at BCM – GREAT JOB tuning the suspension!

I’m getting sleepy so that’s all. Tonight I am in a fleabag motel in Sept Iles ($75 CDN with internet access and surprisingly, a good Italian restaurant). Tomorrow, a 240 mile ride to Natashquan and, literally, the end of the road.

T Minus 39 Hours, 6 minutes 27 seconds

2007-06-15T15:53:00.000-04:00

I am now in the final preparation stage of the journey. We have some vistors for dinner tomorrow so I plan to get the bike all packed and ready by about 4:00 PM tomorrow.

Wednesday, I trailered the bike over to BCM Motorsports in Laconia, NH -- a three + hour drive, but they are one of the best Ducati specialists in the East and possibly the country (and they are my dealer). Their mission has several pieces: first, to install panniers, a top case, hand guards and a center stand. Well three out of four, is OK, but not great. Seems Ducati NA got blitzed for centerstands, so mine is back ordered despite a 6 week order lead time. It's no big deal except it makes it a bit more inconvenient to lube the chain while en route. The situation is difficult only because all the guys at BCM are so great and so amazingly competent that you can't find anyone to vent your frustration on.

Second, I want Eric to optimize the suspension, something he talked about in a maintenance seminar I attended during the winter. Eric finds (as I suspected) that with my weight (246lbs in full gear) the progressive rear spring is a bit overwhelmed. He substitutes a beefier non-progressive Ohlins spring, tweaks front and back settings, and pronounces it "better", suggesting that I probably don't want the $500+ "gold valve" which might make it a little bit better still. Eric says that the result of his tweaks will be less "squat" on acceleration and make the many small bumps one encounters more comfortable. He shows me the pre-load adjustment for a fully loaded bike.

The third mission is to check out the bike pre 2000+ mile trip and see if he can reduce some vibrations I have been experiencing. Bike checks out but he "leans" the fuel-air mix a bit to optimize with the Staintune exhaust. At 5:30 PM, armed with a new t-shirt and receipts for parts and labor, I hit the road -- after a nice day hanging around the shop with Eric and Kyle, demo-ing a new Multistrada (a bit more torque - as if the bike needed it), ogling all the bikes in the showroom, watching the Bike Week hordes streaming into town and schmoozing with various Ducatisti -- all in all a pleasant day.

Yesterday, I went for a final shakedown ride with Brad and Kim. Brad rode a new silver R1200RT, trading in his R1150RS to make room in his 20+ bike stable. Kim rides a new orange-white Bonneville, the perfect complement to his early 70's, pristine (but still balky) Norton Commando. After a pleasant lunch at "Almost Home" in Bristol, VT we head over Lincoln Gap, the gnarliest of the Green Mountain Gaps- very steep, narrow pavement where paved, and closed in winter; then a romp down Route 100 through Granville Glen to Rochester; then a right on Route 73 over Brandon Gap. The good news is they just repaved this road. So it's a great run. The bad news is they are still mounting guard rails and stuff, and soon we are creeping behind a construction truck. Now, one of the great things about riding with Brad is he is a highly experienced rider, and doesn't mind sharing some of his tricks. He showed me one on this part of the run, when he pulled off and let the truck get a few miles ahead so we would have a clear road to run on, then he proceeded to head for the construction crew's porta potty to "drop a deuce" (as my stepdaughter says). My options were to wait for him like a dummy or take off. I took off over this beautiful freshly paved mountain road. After another refreshment stop in Brandon, the rest of the ride consisted of blasting over back roads in the Champlain Valley with one beautiful vista after another. It was a glorious day! But, enough of that - this was supposed to be a shakedown run before the big trip. Let me just say the bike performed flawlessly and the suspension tuning Eric performed really made a difference vs. an OK setup before. The vibrations are reduced somewhat. The bike is ready - and I will be ready to go Sunday.

Today I performed some essential pre trip activities - cutting the grass, making a playlist for the trip (to be released on CD in a special GIFT BOX), finalizing the packing list, laying out the stuff I am bringing on the trip and figuring out how I want it in the bags, etc. I will pack it tomorrow.

Also, contacted Reg and Ron (those fabulous Boucher twins), to see if they want to be my wing men Sunday morning for the first few hours of the trip. They do - so that will be fun. We will blast northeastward through Northern VT (Routes 15 to 100 to 58 - hooking up with I 91 in Orleans. Just another great VT motorcycle route.

I'll post a picture of the loaded bike tomorrow PM.

Riding Friends

2007-06-07T13:34:00.001-04:00

As long as the novelty of blogging is still with me, I thought I would post a few pictures of some of my riding buddies. I haven't learned how to sequence the pictures, so bear with me.

First, a shot of Sean, my daughter's fiance and his father, Skip on our recent ride to Cold Spring NY.

Then, a shot of Brad (with Triumph), Kim (with Norton) and me from last summer after a nice ride through northern VT, and one taken this year with Brad's 500cc Honda Turbo, and Kim's new Bonneville.

Next, we have Brad, standing with his BMW R1150GS Adventure. Brad is a true afficionado of fine bikes, especially older British models. You could perform surgery in his storage barn, which doubles as a museum of motorcycling and cafe racer leathers.

Finally, a shot of Reg and Ron, the fabulous Boucher twins, on a Sunday Am breakfast run to Schroon Lake NY about a month ago. Ron's an ex Harley rider who recently purchased a nice black Fat Boy, with lots of nostalgia touches like leather fringe on the handlebars, wide whitewalls, and chrome by the square yard. Reg, the more pragmatic of the two, just bought a nifty red Honda VTX 1300 cruiser, and is getting it tricked out with such exotica as a more comfortable seat for his wife.

Upcoming Trip to Natashquan, Quebec

2007-06-07T10:57:00.000-04:00

For the last two months or so, I have been planning a bike trip to Natashquan, Quebec. Why Natashquan? And just where is Natashquan? Natashquan is a little fishing village on the north shore of the Bay of St.Lawrence, just south of Labrador. It has the distinction of being the town at the end of the road (Route 138) that heads east along the St. Lawrence River from Quebec City. There are a few villages to the east of Natashquan, but they are accessible by boat only. The last piece of road into Natashquan was completed about 10 years ago, so it is still relatively unchanged from the way it has been for years before. I chose Natashquan as a destination for the simple reason that it is a relatively unique destination within reach on a one week trip from my home in Vermont, and is fairly exotic with the lightly traveled scenery and French language and culture.

I am planning the trip for the third week of June. No riders I know can go at that time so I am going solo. Planning a trip like this involves planning the route, researching and securing accomodations, researching points of interest, preparing the bike and myself, and assembling any gear and equipment I think I may need. Here are a few thoughts on each of these areas:

Planning the Route

Considerations include daily mileage target, avoiding superslab, points of interest, etc. Although you read about those "Iron Butt" guys doing 800-1000 mile days, and I heard a lecture by Gary Eagan, famous Ducati long distaance rider talking about riding across Canada (on a Multistrada) in 51 hours. My idea for this ride is to ride no more than 7-8 hours, and preferably less. Since I will be mostly on secondary roads, I figure an average of 40-50 mph (while riding) is reasonable, which makes 300 miles a good working target. That should leave time for a relaxed pace with frequent stops for pictures, pee breaks, sightseeing, etc. I plan to stay mostly in "mid market" B&Bs, with one motel stay in Sept Iles.

The basic plan is to leave early Sunday morning, ride up through northern VT, to a border crossing at Derby Line. From there, I will work my way up to Quebec City, where I plan to look around a bit in the Old City, then head east to my first night's stop in Baie-St-Paul, a small resort town about 60 miles east of Quebec City or about 340 miles from home. Settlement gets really sparse as you head east, and by riding a bit farther the first day, I will be able to comfortably reach Sept Iles the second night (another 340 miles). From there, it is about 240 miles to Natashquan. Leaving Sunday morning enables me to avoid any rush hour traffic as I head through Quebec City on freeways.

I plan to spend two nights in Natashquan, exploring a bit and trying the exceptional salmon fishing they have up there. For the ride back, I will ride west on Route 138 to Baie-Trinite (about 330 miles). In addition to being about the right mileage from Natashquan, Baie-Trinite also has a beautiful little inn attached to a working lighthouse, which looks pretty interesting. From there, I will ride further west to spend the night at St-Simeon (260 miles). The next morning, I will board a ferry for the 1 hour plus ride to Riviere du Loup on the south shore of the St. Lawrence. From there I will head west through the old resort villages along the river, then head south into Maine, on US 201, a well known scenic ride through the Maine forest. I will detour a bit east to spend the night at Maynard's in Maine, a rustic looking fishing resort on Moosehead Lake (another 260 miles). The next morning I will head for home taking 201 to Skowhegan, then Route 2 across Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont to home in Charlotte (343 miles). Total mileage (excluding any side trips) is just over 2,100 miles.

Preparing the Bike and Rider

First let me say that the Ducati Multistrada is probably not the first choice to make this kind of trip, but it is not a bad choice. There are better all out touring bikes (Honda Gold Wing, BMW R1200RT, etc). As the name Multistrada suggests (many roads- or in this case road types), the Multi is designed to be versatile, light weight with performance of a sport bike in the twisties, the suspension and durability to handle rough rural roads, good ergonomics (not a crotch rocket) and enough comfort and cargo capacity for longer trips. With the exception of a few weekend trips, I have used my Multi mainly for recreational riding on all the beautiful, curvy roads that abound up here. To go on an extended trip, I will need to add a few items -- hard saddlebags (panniers) and topcase for adequate luggage capacity, hand guards, a taller "touring windscreen and a centerstand for en route chain lubrication. Fresh tires and an oil change were recently added, and next week I will bring the bike to BCM in Laconia to install the new gear, give the bike a once over inspection and fine tune the suspension.

My preparation consists mainly of my normal conditioning plus some additional ab and flexibility work (advice compliments of Gary Eagan). Also, I ride as much as I can, and read whatever I can find about long distance bike travel.

Gear, Equipment and other Preparations

Fortunately, I do not have to reinvent the wheel. The web, including a great enthusiast's forum called multistrada.net, is full of the experience of others on this subject. Some basics include raingear, bug spray (this could be really important at this time of year where I am going), tire repair kit and pressure guage, ass kicking lock, motion alarm, augmented tools. I am also bringing an extra quart of gas (it's really rural) good for an extra 10-15 miles in a pinch, laptop (happily, most little inns and motels have web access), ethernet cord, maps (no GPS for me), mace (you never know), digital camera and small tripod, cell phone (for spotty coverage), rechargers for stuff, waterproof lighweight bike cover, earplugs, etc. If I can find them, I plan to bring my small binoculars. Whale watching from shore is possible all along the route, not to mention lots of other interesting stuff to see.

Everyone recommends to pack light and do laundry along the way, or bring old clothes and just throw them out as consumed. I plan to bring three day's clean clothes and do laundry in Natashquan - bringing moisture wicking golf shirts, a set of capilene (good if it's cold) and my heated under jacket, an extra pair of riding gloves a pair of sneakers for walking around and some kind of fleece - small size shaving cream, shampoo, some advil, etc.

Other Considerations

I purchased emergency med-evac insurance (surprisingly cheap) which assures that in the case of a medical emergency you won't be left to the vagaries of local medical capabilities. I will also carry personal med info (blood type, etc).

Spreadsheet with travel itinerary/contact info for places I will be staying - so loved ones know where I am supposed to be and can contact me if desired.

Printed Mapquest maps locating Ducati dealers along the route (there is just one in Quebec City) as well as directions to the various overnight accomodations.

Torque settings for the various screws and bolts on the bike, in case I need to let some local wrench work on the bike

A Canadian insurance card

It will be interesting to see how I would modify this list upon return.

Choosing a Son in Law

2007-06-07T09:22:00.002-04:00

OK, so you don't get to choose your son in law, but if you could, you probably would choose one with whom you shared some interests (besides your daughter). Well, I got lucky in that regard. Recently, my daughter Stephanie phoned to tell me that she and Sean, her long time beau, had gotten engaged while vacationing in the Dominican Republic. Now Sean would make a good son in law for many, many reasons, but I consider myself fortunate because in addition to all that good stuff, Sean is a biker. Recently, Sean, who has ridden for years, was given a Honda 1100 cruiser bike by his Dad, apparently the reward for not dying in a bike accident before reaching his late 20's (or something like that). I look forward to many years sharing riding experiences with Sean (and his Dad). This weekend, we will rendezvous at Americade in Lake George, a huge touring biker group grope. Here is a picture of me, Sean and his Dad taken on a recent ride to Bear Mountain and Cold Spring, NY.

Why are most amateur motorcycle photos so boring (to others)?

2007-06-07T08:29:00.000-04:00

Let's face it, most of the motorcycle pictures friends show you contain either different views of the bike or static pictures of the bike and its owner in front of some setting. Mine are and will be of that variety. The reason is simple. When you are riding, it is very difficult to take a picture. Also, who wants to stop a nice ride, get off the bike, compose a picture of your fellow riders, and then have them ride back and forth until you get it right? I will try that sometime but it is not at the top of my list. This shot was taken on my first overnight trip, in June 2006. It was a 600 miler to Rangeley, ME - then a loop up into southern Quebec and back home. Bob Sahlman was my riding partner. Bob's a business broker from Warren, VT who rides a sweet Ducati ST2. The shot was taken at an overlook on Route 27 in northern Maine near the Canadian border.

The photograph

2007-06-07T06:38:00.000-04:00

The photo (below) was taken in May, 2006 at the top of the Appalachian Gap. I had been riding about a week and for some reason wanted to try out what is probably the #1 "twistie" in the area. I made it to the top in not the most graceful style. I remember a few things about the ride. One, was almost losing it in a hairpin - with a lack of throttle control and downshifting technique - I lurched into the other lane -fumbling about til I found a gear and corrected. luckily there was no oncoming traffic. I must say that is the only nasty situation I have encountered so far. I also remember the exhilaration of making it up (and over) the Gap. Finally, I remember having my doors blown off (figuratively) by some kid on a rice rocket down in the less curvy sections. I was cruising along at a nice clip when I felt and heard this momentary roar beside me. Then he was gone, leaving me with the thought that I have a lot to learn - and so does the guy on the rice rocket.

2007-06-07T06:29:00.000-04:00