FOR CLARIFICATION, THE START OF MY TRIP BEGINS WITH THE SECTION ENTITLED

'LET'S START AT THE BEGINNING'

IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY READ THE 1ST INSTALLMENT JUST SCROLL
DOWN TIL YOU COME TO THE 'LET'S START AT THE BEGINNING'
HEADINGFOR CLARIFICATION, THE START OF MY TRIP BEGINS WITH THE SECTION ENTITLED

'LET'S START AT THE BEGINNING'

IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY READ THE 1ST INSTALLMENT JUST SCROLL
DOWN TIL YOU COME TO THE 'LET'S START AT THE BEGINNING'
HEADING

THIS IS THE 2ND INSTALLMENT

AFTER MY PUNCTURE, THE SUN CAME OUT, THE ROADS WERE
FANTASTIC (ALTHOUGH I TOOK IT EASY ON THE CORNERING
WITH MY NEW PLUGGED TIRE,) BUT NEEDED A CAMPSITE TO
DRY OUT AND RE-ORGANIZE MY GEAR.

lucked out finding this perfect site near Wawa

THAT NIGHT AFTER I FOUND A PARK CAMPSITE, MY FRIEND BRAD
(GOOD LUCK TO YOU AND CHENEY FOR THE UPCOMING BIRTH
OF YOUR FIRST BORN) IN BOSTON REMINDED ME THAT STURGIS
MOTORCYCLE RALLY WAS JUST ABOUT TO START. THE TIMING
(ALTHOUGH COINCIDENTAL) WAS PERFECT. SO I HEADED SOUTH
BACK INTO USA THROUGH MINNESOTA.

IT'S UNIVERSAL THAT WHEN YOU'RE RIDING ALONE ON A
LOADED UP MOTORCYCLE, YOU'LL MEET ALL KINDS, ESPECIALLY
OTHER MOTORCYCLISTS.I STOPPED FOR BREAKFAST IN TWO
HARBORS MN BECAUSE A NEON GREEN DUCATI CAUGHT MY EYE.
THE OWNER WAS A 59 YEAR OLD TEARAWAY NAMED RICK
(ALAS NO PICTURE) WHO WAS GREAT COMPANY.

HE TOLD ME TO TAKE ROUTE 34 WEST TO GET TO STURGIS AND
HE ALSO TOLD ME TO VISIT A GHOST TOWN IN MONTANA
CALLED INGOMAR.

A FEW MILES DOWN THE ROAD, RANDOMLY STOPPED INTO
A CHIROPRACTOR AND HAD DR. ROBB ANDERSON CRACK
MY BACK FOR $30.00....TALK ABOUT MINNESOTA NICE!!!

all straightened out again

FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD, SAW A LINE UP OF OLD BRITISH
BIKES. STOPPED AND MET WITH THE OWNER....I THINK HIS NAME
WAS BARRY KOLSHOI...MY APOLOGIES FOR BAD MEMORY. HE HAD
A SHOP FILLED WITH
BIKES FROM THE 60's 70's and 80's.

fully restored norton commando....very nice!!!

BOB PULLED IN ON HIS
ORIGINAL '71 TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE (EXCEPT FOR THE APEHANGERS).
HE WAS AMAZED TO DISCOVER A TRIUMPH SPECIALIST LIVED ONE
TOWN BACK. HE HAD THE BIKE FROM NEW (OR AT LEAST HIS FATHER
DID) AND DIDN'T KNOW OF BARRY! AMAZING, LIFE IN A SMALL TOWN
I GUESS.

HIT ROUTE 34

LONG STRAIGHT HOT AND EMPTY!!

I DECIDED TO TRY 100 MILES IN AN HOUR. WAS ACCOMPLISHED
NO PROBLEM, BUT THE GAS CONSUMED WAS INTERESTING.
A FULL TANK AND RESERVE CAN GET ME 250 MILES MORE OR LESS.

WITH THE HAMMER DOWN, A FULL TANK AND FULL RESERVE
(I CARRIED A GALLON ON THE BACK SPECIFICALLY FOR
THIS EXPERIMENT) TOOK ME A MERE 160 MILES! 90 MILES
DIFFERENCE!

I STOPPED FOR GAS IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE WHEN
THIS MID WEST FARMER'S DAUGHTER PULLED IN AND
SHYLY LET ME TAKE HER PICTURE

mid west cutie!!

STURGIS

WELL, STUGIS IS EVERYTHING IT'S CRACKED UP TO BE.
I HAD TO PAY $56.00 FOR A CAMPSITE BUT LUCKILY FOUND A
SITE RIGHT NEXT TO LARRY AND THERESA WHO HAD RIDDEN
IN ON A HARLEY ROADKING FROM OHIO

A GROUP OF US WENT DOWN TO 'THE ARENA' WHERE THERE WAS
A LOT OF DRINKING AND BABES

AND AS THE NIGHT PROGRESSED THE GIRLS GOT A LITTLE MORE
DARING...

BUT QUITE FRANKLY, THE NOISE, THE DRINKING, THE SWARMS
OF HARLEYS WERE INCESSANT, AND AS MUCH AS I ENJOYED
ALICE COOPER PLAYING HIS HITS FROM 30 YEARS AGO, IT
WAS NICE TO GET OUT OF STURGIS.

THE NEXT DAY LARRY, THERESA AND MYSELF WENT OUT TO
SEE THE FAMOUS SITES OF THE BLACK HILLS.

THE CRAZYHORSE MEMORIAL IS SPECTACULAR. STARTED
OVER 50 YEARS AGO AT THE BEQUEST OF THE LAKOTA TRIBE,
ONLY HIS FACE HAS APPEARED. HUGE AMOUNTS OF ROCK
HAVE BEEN REMOVED HOWEVER AND WORK PROGRESSES
SLOWLY BUT SURELY...

to give you an idea of the scope of the project

WHAT'S ESPECIALLY REMARKABLE ABOUT THIS PROJECT
(AND PERHAPS WHY IT IS TAKING SO LONG) IS THAT IT
IS BEING DONE WITHOUT
ANY FEDERAL AID. THE FAMILY OF THE ORIGINAL SCUPTOR
IS CONTINUING THE WORK AND THEY FUND EVERYTHING
WITH ENTRANCE FEE ($5.00) AND DONATIONS. IN FACT THEY
HAVE TURNED DOWN OVER $10,000,000 IN FEDERAL AID.
HHHMMMM....SOME KIND OF POLITICAL STATEMENT AS THE
FACES OF THOSE DEAD, WHITE AMERICAN PRESIDENTS LOOK
DOWN FROM MT RUSHMORE ONLY A FEW CLICKS AWAY.

a 1/34 scale model of what the completed mountain
will look like...see the real one in the distance...

MY LAND IS WHERE MY DEAD LAY BURIED

ONTO MT RUSHMORE. NOT NEARLY AS IMPRESSIVE BUT TOOK SOME
SHOTS HERE THAT SHOWED OUR RESPECT FOR THE AMERICAN IDOLS

I HADN'T STAYED IN A HOTEL YET AND FEELING THE NEED OF
A GOOD SHOWER STOPPED INTO A MOTEL TO ENQUIRE ABOUT
ROOM RATES. THEY TOLD ME $100.00 TO WHICH I'D REPLIED
HOW ABOUT $50.00. THEY SCOFFED AT THAT.

WITH STURGIS JUST A FEW MILES BEHIND ALL THE LOCALS
KNOW THAT MONEY IS TO BE MADE FROM THE TWO WHEELED
TRAVELLERS, SO I KEPT GOING LOOKING FOR CAMPSITE.

IT TOOK A LONG TIME TO OUTRUN THE GANGS OF HARLEYS.
FINALLY CRUISING IN WYOMING I SEE SOMETHING LOOMING
ON HORIZON...

BETTER FIND A CAMPSITE....BUT BETTER YET, JUST BEFORE
THE HEAVEN'S OPENED I WAS FLAGGED DOWN BY LOUIE, ON
A HARLEY ON HIS WAY TO STURGIS. HE ASKED IF I KNEW OF
A CAMPGROUND, I REPLIED

'DO YOU WANT TO SPLIT A ROOM?'

ET VOILA, MY $50.00 HOTEL ROOM SUDDENLY APPEARS.

LOUIE WAS FROM SACRAMENTO CA, BOUGHT SOME BEERS
AND WE WATCHED BEDRAGGLED RIDERS GETTING SOAKED
BY A VIOLENT PLAINS THUNDERSTORM. HE WAS UP EARLY,
EAGER TO GET TO STURGIS

thanks for the beers Louie!

devils tower...bit like Disney with all the Harleyfest around Sturgis

Met newbie rider Dave in Wyoming on a Triumph - rare sighting around Sturgis

Biker's concerns - deer in Montana very close to road

RIDING DOWN LONELY ROUTE 12 IN MONTANA, QUITE BY
CHANCE I SEE INGOMAR....THE GHOST TOWN MY BREAKFAST
BUDDY TOLD ME ABOUT.

I PULL IN TO MEET JERRY ON THE PORCH OF THE JERSEY LILLY

AN OLD WILD WEST BAR RUN BY TERRY....ALAS NO PICTURE!
SHE POURED ME A SHOT OF JACK (I MEAN, REALLY, WHAT
WAS I GOING TO ORDER?) MADE ME A BUFFALO BURGER AND
A BEAN SOUP THAT KEPT ME FARTING FOR THE NEXT TWO DAYS!!

TERRY SAID FOR A COUPLE OF BUCKS I COULD SHOWER UP
IN THE ABANDONED GYM. SO OFF I GO TO THE HUGE BUILDING,
COMPLETE WITH DUSTY TROPHY WALL AND SHOWER UP IN THE
BOYS LOCKER ROOM...KINDA EERIE.

SHE ALSO OFFERED ME THE TEEPEE, BUT DECIDED TO PITCH
MY TENT. WAS GLAD TO BECAUSE IN THE MORNING, THE TEEPEE
HAD OTHER OCCUPANTS. NOT SURE WHO THEY WERE, BUT I
WAS STILL FARTING STRONG...COULD HAVE BEEN AWKWARD....

teepee or not teepee?

HEADED TO GLACIER NATIONAL PARK,ON THE WAY MET EARL,
BOB AND JOANNE.EARL (ON THE LEFT) CARRIED BALL BEARINGS TO WARD OFF ANY TAILGATERS, BOB (EARL'S NEPHEW) WORE A 9MM 17 SHOT
HANDGUN ON HIS HIP AND MADE THAT GIANT TRAILER SO JOANNE
COULD RIDE WITH ALL HER CREATURE COMFORTS....TRUE LOVE!

STAYED AT TWO MEDICINE CAMPGROUND IN GLACIER NATIONAL PARK.

not bad digs for a night

MET JIM TRYING TO STEAL MY CAMPSITE! WE AGREED TO
SHARE IT AND HE BROUGHT OUT THE JOHNNY WALKER!

OFF THROUGH THE PARK - NICE SCENERY!

LEFT THE NATIONAL PARK AND BACK INTO CANADA.

BRITISH COLUMBIA IS A SPECTACULAR PROVINCE. IT'S EVERY
BIT AS BEAUTIFUL AS THE COUNTRYSIDE OF USA, BUT
WITHOUT THE 'DISNEY' FEEL.

THE FIRST NIGHT I SPENT IN BC WAS AT ONE OF THE
BEAUTIFULLY MAINTAINED REST STOPS. BETTER THAN
MANY CAMPGROUNDS I'VE STAYED IN.

where's Bikey?

damn, dropped again!

legs, not back - bikey weighs 700lb fully loaded

back on the road again!

Nice bridges in BC

1st meeting with Gary and Joanne - more on them later - wonderful folk!

this cloud caught my eye

funny signs

foods for the overwait?

got off the beaten track to find COALMONT, interesting welcome!

and the sign right next to the 1st one

condom ads in the restroom of the COALMONT hotel

John and Josh - father and son who owned and ran the
COALMONT hotel. They charged me $12.50 us for a
bowl of chili and a shot of Jim Beam...shoulda asked
for the menu first I guess!!!

I WASN'T AT ANY STAGE ASKED TO SQUEAL LIKE A PIG, BUT
HEADED NORTH TO FIND A CAMPSITE. FOUND ONE LATE, PITCHED
TENT AND CRASHED. READY TO GO EARLY IN THE MORNING,
BUT DIDN'T WANT TO WAIT AROUND FOR THE GATE TO BE
UNLOCKED SO DROVE THROUGH THE TREES ONLY TO FIND IT
HAD BEEN BOOBY TRAPPED WITH BARBED WIRE. AS LUCK
WOULD HAVE IT ONLY THE FRONT TIRE WAS AT RISK, BUT
WAS FINE. WHIPPED OUT THE LEATHERMAN WAVE ($70.00 -
INVALUABLE TOOL), CUT THROUGH THE BARBED WIRE AND
MADE THE GREAT ESCAPE.

WAS ON A DIRT ROAD FOLLOWING MY GPS WHEN CAME ACROSS
TWO BULLS IN THE ROAD STARING ME DOWN....NO PICTURE AS
I GASSED IT QUICK. WAS GLAD MY BIKE WAS GREEN AND NOT RED!

10 MINUTES LATER STARTLED A BLACK BEAR LUMBERING DOWN
THE ROAD, AND TEN MINUTES AFTER THAT, CAME ACROSS A
MOUNTAIN LION OR COUGAR.

Look closely - there is a mountain lion just below the little
tree in the middle staring back...my zoom was on full!.

ARRIVED IN VANCOUVER AND MET TIMMY, TAMARA'S BROTHER IN P.E.I

Timmy, my gracious Vancouver guide and host

WE WENT TO GRANVILLE ISLAND - MARKET EXTRAORDINAIRE

Gone to the dogs! streets of Vancouver

WENT TO AN AIRSHOW - THANKS JOEL AND BOB FOR THE ENTRY AND BARBY!!

life's cruel when you're old and past it!!

Security for the Stealth Bomber...seemed a litte excessive...
but the girl with the machine gun...now that's hot!!

Here you go Dad, the EH 101 - my Dad used to sell these when he was in corporate world

Although the Candanians call it a Cormorant

SO RIGHT NOW I'M WAITING IN VANCOUVER (FANTASTIC CITY) FOR MY RUSSIAN VISA. WASN'T PARTICULARLY HARD TO GET BUT COST ME $30.00
US FOR THE INVITE AND ANOTHER $100.00 FOR THE PROCESSING
FEE...TAKES A WEEK IN SEATTLE. THEY ALSO KEEP MY PASSPORT
FOR THE WEEK.

DECIDED TO DO SOME MAINTAINANCE ON BIKEY.

Here's the new front mudguard extender - note the bolts this time!

Found a couple of leaks in the Scottoiler feedtube

A little GOOP and rerouting fixed the problem

Ready for new tires?

All cleaned up and raring to go - whoa horsey!
thanks for all the cleaning products Gary!!