Joined
·
596 Posts
I am going to attempt to summarize and highlight our trip.
First thing I noticed was that a twenty dollar bill goes farther in the states than in Canada and miles roll by a lot slower than Kilometers.
We had planned the trip based on six hour map days, with gas stops and rest that makes almost an eight hour day. We will probably revise this to a five hour map day.Two tanks of gas a day equals 700 KMS or 450 miles. We stop at a half tank and fill up. That makes for roughly a planned stop every two hours.
One of our objectives was to not have ridiculously long days and to not feel wiped out when we got home. This we accomplished.
My wife had three objectives on her bucket list: visit Leavensworth, visit Astoria Oregon, and visit Ainsworth hotsprings. This too we accomplished except that I took her to Cannon beach south of Astoria.
Starting in Stony Plain Alberta we headed south on 22 to Rocky Mtn House and then west on the David Thompson Highway. ( 11 ) We very much like this stretch of road. The first night we camped at Nordegg. Day two took us to the icefields parkway and thru Lake Louise and eventually down Highway93 all the way to Fort Steele, joining Highway 9 # ) the crowsnest to Creston BC.
Day three took us south on Washington 21 to Wilber and then west on 2 as far as Wenatchee. I knw what a oulee is, now I understand Grande Coulee, awsome topogrophy along there. We finished the day on 2 at Levensworth Wash. We had a great meal there, place to stay, serenade in the morning from an Alphorn Baesr and generally enjoyed the history and scenery.
Day four we headed south on 97 to Ellensburg and joining 821 along the Yakima river, both very nice rides. At Yakima we turned west on 12 as far as Randall Wash. In this section we came around a corner and there was a huge snowcone of a Mountian in front of us. I would say this was Old Snowy Mtn at 7930 feet. The road is called the White Pass scenic byway. At Randall we made a change of plan and headed south on 131 on the east side of Mount Saint Helens, 62 miles of 15-20-25 MPH almost a two hour journey, some care was needed but it was a nice sidetrip. This put os 503 to Woodland, A short sprint up the I5 to Keslo and Longview and onto 30 to Astoria and down 101 to Cannon Beach.
Again great accomodation, food, scenery and relaxation.
On Day five we headed up the west side of 101 up the Washington Peninsula all the way to Port Angeles and eventuall spending the night on Whidbey island at a B&B, again great people and food. This peninsula is much larger than I had expected but now I know.
Day six we headed west on 20, the Cascade Highway, Diablo Lake, as far as okanogon and then north on 97 To Oliver BC.
Day seven west on 3 the Crowsnest Highway to Castlegar then north on 3a and 31 to spend some time at Ainsworth Hotsprings. We continued on Northwesterly and spent the night at Nakusp, another of our favorite places to decompress. Spent the night and on day eight headed north to Revelstoke, then east on the Transcanada Highway ( 1 ) spending our last night in Cochrane Alberta. Today north on 22 thru Rocky Mtn House and back to Stony Plain. We were home by noon on Saturday and felt good coming to a beautiful home and overgrown lawn.
We met many interesting people along the way and had some very nice conversations, found great funky places to eat, had fantastic scenery and good weather.
A bit of drizzle when we left, maybe one hour of rain enroute and some small hail, 84-88-93 degree weather. Today we hit a cold spell and had to put he liners back in.
When it rains I lower the windshield to just see over it. I learned that by sitting upright and stretching my neck up that the pain at the base of my neck between my shoulder blades went away. I keep the screen up to eliminate noise so that I can talk with my wife and to reduce buffeting for her. When it gets stink hot the screen goes down, noise be dammed.
I set the tires at 44-48 and the tires are still nice and round, thank you Uncle Mark.
Also thanks to Darius and Muddiman and RKA. My wife says the Gerbings makes a miserable trip enjoyable.
When someone says ride safe, that is not a good luck token, that means protect your wife, do not put her in danger, keep her comfortable so she can enjoy the trip and if that means driving a bit slower, so be it. I still had a great enjoyable time.
The rag fix on the fork seal kept the calipers dry all the way.
Nine days and 4500 KMS and happy all the way.
I like the LD riding shorts but on a hot day they feel like I have longjohns on. When it gets too hot after many hours, call it a day before stupid braindead mistakes are made.
That is my story and I am sticking to it.
Eric and Marietta on Maxamillian.
First thing I noticed was that a twenty dollar bill goes farther in the states than in Canada and miles roll by a lot slower than Kilometers.
We had planned the trip based on six hour map days, with gas stops and rest that makes almost an eight hour day. We will probably revise this to a five hour map day.Two tanks of gas a day equals 700 KMS or 450 miles. We stop at a half tank and fill up. That makes for roughly a planned stop every two hours.
One of our objectives was to not have ridiculously long days and to not feel wiped out when we got home. This we accomplished.
My wife had three objectives on her bucket list: visit Leavensworth, visit Astoria Oregon, and visit Ainsworth hotsprings. This too we accomplished except that I took her to Cannon beach south of Astoria.
Starting in Stony Plain Alberta we headed south on 22 to Rocky Mtn House and then west on the David Thompson Highway. ( 11 ) We very much like this stretch of road. The first night we camped at Nordegg. Day two took us to the icefields parkway and thru Lake Louise and eventually down Highway93 all the way to Fort Steele, joining Highway 9 # ) the crowsnest to Creston BC.
Day three took us south on Washington 21 to Wilber and then west on 2 as far as Wenatchee. I knw what a oulee is, now I understand Grande Coulee, awsome topogrophy along there. We finished the day on 2 at Levensworth Wash. We had a great meal there, place to stay, serenade in the morning from an Alphorn Baesr and generally enjoyed the history and scenery.
Day four we headed south on 97 to Ellensburg and joining 821 along the Yakima river, both very nice rides. At Yakima we turned west on 12 as far as Randall Wash. In this section we came around a corner and there was a huge snowcone of a Mountian in front of us. I would say this was Old Snowy Mtn at 7930 feet. The road is called the White Pass scenic byway. At Randall we made a change of plan and headed south on 131 on the east side of Mount Saint Helens, 62 miles of 15-20-25 MPH almost a two hour journey, some care was needed but it was a nice sidetrip. This put os 503 to Woodland, A short sprint up the I5 to Keslo and Longview and onto 30 to Astoria and down 101 to Cannon Beach.
Again great accomodation, food, scenery and relaxation.
On Day five we headed up the west side of 101 up the Washington Peninsula all the way to Port Angeles and eventuall spending the night on Whidbey island at a B&B, again great people and food. This peninsula is much larger than I had expected but now I know.
Day six we headed west on 20, the Cascade Highway, Diablo Lake, as far as okanogon and then north on 97 To Oliver BC.
Day seven west on 3 the Crowsnest Highway to Castlegar then north on 3a and 31 to spend some time at Ainsworth Hotsprings. We continued on Northwesterly and spent the night at Nakusp, another of our favorite places to decompress. Spent the night and on day eight headed north to Revelstoke, then east on the Transcanada Highway ( 1 ) spending our last night in Cochrane Alberta. Today north on 22 thru Rocky Mtn House and back to Stony Plain. We were home by noon on Saturday and felt good coming to a beautiful home and overgrown lawn.
We met many interesting people along the way and had some very nice conversations, found great funky places to eat, had fantastic scenery and good weather.
A bit of drizzle when we left, maybe one hour of rain enroute and some small hail, 84-88-93 degree weather. Today we hit a cold spell and had to put he liners back in.
When it rains I lower the windshield to just see over it. I learned that by sitting upright and stretching my neck up that the pain at the base of my neck between my shoulder blades went away. I keep the screen up to eliminate noise so that I can talk with my wife and to reduce buffeting for her. When it gets stink hot the screen goes down, noise be dammed.
I set the tires at 44-48 and the tires are still nice and round, thank you Uncle Mark.
Also thanks to Darius and Muddiman and RKA. My wife says the Gerbings makes a miserable trip enjoyable.
When someone says ride safe, that is not a good luck token, that means protect your wife, do not put her in danger, keep her comfortable so she can enjoy the trip and if that means driving a bit slower, so be it. I still had a great enjoyable time.
The rag fix on the fork seal kept the calipers dry all the way.
Nine days and 4500 KMS and happy all the way.
I like the LD riding shorts but on a hot day they feel like I have longjohns on. When it gets too hot after many hours, call it a day before stupid braindead mistakes are made.
That is my story and I am sticking to it.
Eric and Marietta on Maxamillian.
