America's 2003-2004

“Two Transalps please”We flew into Vancouver on Monday 2 June with a set of throw over panniers, some tools, clothes and Tourist Visa´s for the USA. We had a wonderful start to our trip by staying with some friends while we bought bikes and insurance. We hadn´t done a lot of research so were a bit surprised on Tuesday morning when we walked into the Honda Shop and asked for “Two Transalps please”, only to be informed that Honda don´t sell Transalps in North America.

We rode on the logging roads through the mountains and camped by beautiful lakes and rivers.Vancouver Island was just fantastic. We rode on the logging roads through the mountains and camped by beautiful lakes and rivers. We met Bruce from Pt Alberni on a KLR who tracked us down the next day to give us spare tubes, a spare tyre, a beer each and a great chat (thanks Bruce). We met Steve, from New York City (Imagine That!) on his way to live in Washington State, on his beautiful 1972 BMW 600 Boxer (with the toaster tank left in NY). What a great time the 3 of us proceeded to have.

In no time we found ourselves welcomed into their party, drinking daquiris made on a gas fired blender and ended up staying the night We crossed into Montana and spent my Birthday drinking wine and eating a picnic next to a beautiful lake. Then started heading east on I90 – Sturgis here we come. In Billings we were in a Gas Station when we met a lady, Rebecca and her Grandaughter Jordan.

....a massive bison/buffalo wandered right through the campground. Leaving Sturgis we headed back west via Devils Tower, an amazing rock jutting straight out of the ground that was the USA's first National Monument and is a climbers Mecca, to Cody. From Cody, we rode the Chief Joseph and Bear Tooth Passes - amazing roads that wind up and down the huge mountains. On the Bear Tooth Pass we met 3 Aussies, John, Ron and Phil, who have shipped their bikes over from home for Sturgis and Milwaulke.

.....everyone with huge smiles on their faces.On arrival, we were adopted by a lovely family in Big Bend (just outside of Milwaukee) when we were looking for a campground. The week involved riding around to the wonderful events that Harley Davidson had put on. We toured the Buell Factory, saw BB King in concert, checked out the nightlife, cheered the 10,000 bikes on their parade through the middle of town and met loads of great people.

......3 suites in the Sheraton Leaving Milwaukee, we drove around the top of Lake Michigan and over the magnificent Mackinaw Bridge and down to Flint where we had a great weekend with Robin (who we’d met on the ferries on the Inside Passage of Alaska and then in Sturgis) who made us really welcome and helped Dom with the new panniers (side boxes) on my bike. These are state of the art Coleman Esky’s (cool boxes) in a beautiful army green colour. They look perfect and along with the frames that we picked up in a outdoor store cost the princely sum of $30.

........there on the ground sheet having a lovely snooze was a snakeWe blitzed down through New York State into Springfield Massachusetts. We had a tip off from Ireland that our great friend Sean Daly was there and we set out to surprise him. I think we succeeded! We spent the following 12 days becoming part of The Big E. The Big E is a huge Exposition that started in 1916 as a agricultural show and now includes the state buildings, homewares, side shows, circus performances, parades, concerts - you name it, the Big E has it and it represents all 6 states that make up New England.