To bring us up to date to today, Thursday the 29th.
A short ride of about 120 miles to Rocky Mountain House with a couple of stops along the way, one at Nordegg for a cup of tea. More Canadian beauty to ride through.
More happy hours sat on our bikes. Tomorrow we are probably going to George and Shirley’s house as we’ve been invited to stay with them again.....I assume that they meant it.....we did stay a rather long time at their place at Mable Lake.....I’ll let you know in due course.
Two happy people, two happy bikes.
North America, First and Second.
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OnHellas
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Re: North America, First and Second.
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DavidS
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Re: North America, First and Second.
Ah....the memories again. Thanks for all the updates.
As ever, I think a drone or helicopter flight are the only ways to give a sense of such a huge space it is.
We walked to Peyto Lake (the emerald lake) between Jasper and Lake Louise on the third day of our 18 day holiday, quite a few years ago now. Walking back looking at the view I rolled my ankle over on a path edge and it came up like a balloon.
My wife was double panicking. One for my ankle, the other that she was going to have to drive an automatic 22ft camper for two weeks - she only has a manual Mini!
Luckily by the next day it was just a bit sore.
What route are you taking? We hit Niagara next Tuesday then loop round Ontario, hopefully going to all five Great Lakes then Tremblant, Quebec and up part of the St. Lawrence then back round to Lake Ontario area.
Maybe we come home. Depends on BA as we’re due to fly back on a strike day.
As ever, I think a drone or helicopter flight are the only ways to give a sense of such a huge space it is.
We walked to Peyto Lake (the emerald lake) between Jasper and Lake Louise on the third day of our 18 day holiday, quite a few years ago now. Walking back looking at the view I rolled my ankle over on a path edge and it came up like a balloon.
My wife was double panicking. One for my ankle, the other that she was going to have to drive an automatic 22ft camper for two weeks - she only has a manual Mini!
Luckily by the next day it was just a bit sore.
What route are you taking? We hit Niagara next Tuesday then loop round Ontario, hopefully going to all five Great Lakes then Tremblant, Quebec and up part of the St. Lawrence then back round to Lake Ontario area.
Maybe we come home. Depends on BA as we’re due to fly back on a strike day.
2023 Husqvarna Norden 901
2014 KTM 690 ENDURO R
2014 KTM 690 ENDURO R
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OnHellas
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Re: North America, First and Second.
We decided to take the easiest route to George and Shirley’s house from Rotten Monkey House so set the day nav to shortest time.
Only the last 20 minutes or so found us once more riding in the rain but it was OK. No dramas and the destination was located with just a couple of double takes at the end.
Canadian addresses!!
Rotten Monkey House is George’s idea of a humorous take in the correct name of Rocky Mountain House. If you get to read this George....”you funny man!”
As guests at their house the bikes got to stay in a garage, they even got a bit of a wash off, and we got to stay in one place for three nights. No packing up and wondering what the next place was going to be.
We were fed, taken out and about And looked after.
Thank you Shirley, thank you George. Oh, and thank you to Willy and Uber for treating us like part of the pack. Less licking next time would be better though.
So, three nights later and it was time to pack and head off to another motel. George and Shirley took us to Tofield for Breakfast at a nice little diner. They led us on their R1200GSA outfit. A fine looking tripod off a machine. The third wheel and tub being a DMC unit. Colour matched to the bike and finished to a very high standard.
They seem to have bolted the chair to the wrong side though......
Waving goodbye as we turned east bound was, again, a bit emotional. Such kind people so far from home met by chance on a trip and all that that entails. Memories, gratitude, hopes and dreams.
It’s Tuesday morning here and here is Wainwright, Alberta. I haven’t looked outside as yet but hopefully the wind has died down from yesterday, although a tailwind isn’t to bad.
We are going to Saskatoon today and will stay a couple of nights as tomorrow is bike service time. I think mine may need some rear brake pads as they look a bit thin.
Two happy people, two happy bikes.
Only the last 20 minutes or so found us once more riding in the rain but it was OK. No dramas and the destination was located with just a couple of double takes at the end.
Canadian addresses!!
Rotten Monkey House is George’s idea of a humorous take in the correct name of Rocky Mountain House. If you get to read this George....”you funny man!”
As guests at their house the bikes got to stay in a garage, they even got a bit of a wash off, and we got to stay in one place for three nights. No packing up and wondering what the next place was going to be.
We were fed, taken out and about And looked after.
Thank you Shirley, thank you George. Oh, and thank you to Willy and Uber for treating us like part of the pack. Less licking next time would be better though.
So, three nights later and it was time to pack and head off to another motel. George and Shirley took us to Tofield for Breakfast at a nice little diner. They led us on their R1200GSA outfit. A fine looking tripod off a machine. The third wheel and tub being a DMC unit. Colour matched to the bike and finished to a very high standard.
They seem to have bolted the chair to the wrong side though......
Waving goodbye as we turned east bound was, again, a bit emotional. Such kind people so far from home met by chance on a trip and all that that entails. Memories, gratitude, hopes and dreams.
It’s Tuesday morning here and here is Wainwright, Alberta. I haven’t looked outside as yet but hopefully the wind has died down from yesterday, although a tailwind isn’t to bad.
We are going to Saskatoon today and will stay a couple of nights as tomorrow is bike service time. I think mine may need some rear brake pads as they look a bit thin.
Two happy people, two happy bikes.
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OnHellas
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Re: North America, First and Second.
Along the Victoria Trail by the North Saskatchewan River.
This is the oldest building in Alberta that is still in its original footings.
This is the oldest building in Alberta that is still in its original footings.
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OnHellas
- Posts: 2610
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Re: North America, First and Second.
The mighty DMC tub and 1200GSA.
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OnHellas
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Re: North America, First and Second.
Another day, another country, another season...no more photos though!
Actually we’re still in Canada and another day has indeed been ridden. The season has definitely changed from a back West last week. Today was like a summers day, Yellow flowers in the verges, butterflies fluttering and endless sunny blue skies stretching across the prairies.
The prairies make this part of Canada look like a different country. I did think if Northern France as we trundled along earlier today.
Gone are the mountains and fir trees. Now it’s rolling farmland with Wheat, Rape Seed and grass fields with cows.
Long straight roads stretching to the horizon, further squaring off our tyres.
There is a beauty to it though, 25 degrees of beauty at one point, each one a degree of centigrade.
A summer day indeed.
Arriving in Saskatoon soon had the dreamy thoughts erased as we started to deal with the traffic.
The satnav did its job and we went straight to the motel. A luggage trolley from the lobby was employed to transport the Panniers and Top Box up to the room so we could take the bikes around the corner to the BMW dealer ready for their services tomorrow. The mile walk back made us quite hot....I’m not complaining, just saying.
Fingers crossed that the bikes are OK and don’t require more than what they’ve been booked in for. I’ll let you know of course.
We could both do with a haircut really so we’ll have a look around the area and see if we can find somewhere. Mines gone a bit weird after the last butcher/barber had a go up in Fairbanks.
Only one or two more cuts before I can go back to good ole Frank in Sunny Sunny Whitstable.
Two happy people, two happy bikes.
Actually we’re still in Canada and another day has indeed been ridden. The season has definitely changed from a back West last week. Today was like a summers day, Yellow flowers in the verges, butterflies fluttering and endless sunny blue skies stretching across the prairies.
The prairies make this part of Canada look like a different country. I did think if Northern France as we trundled along earlier today.
Gone are the mountains and fir trees. Now it’s rolling farmland with Wheat, Rape Seed and grass fields with cows.
Long straight roads stretching to the horizon, further squaring off our tyres.
There is a beauty to it though, 25 degrees of beauty at one point, each one a degree of centigrade.
A summer day indeed.
Arriving in Saskatoon soon had the dreamy thoughts erased as we started to deal with the traffic.
The satnav did its job and we went straight to the motel. A luggage trolley from the lobby was employed to transport the Panniers and Top Box up to the room so we could take the bikes around the corner to the BMW dealer ready for their services tomorrow. The mile walk back made us quite hot....I’m not complaining, just saying.
Fingers crossed that the bikes are OK and don’t require more than what they’ve been booked in for. I’ll let you know of course.
We could both do with a haircut really so we’ll have a look around the area and see if we can find somewhere. Mines gone a bit weird after the last butcher/barber had a go up in Fairbanks.
Only one or two more cuts before I can go back to good ole Frank in Sunny Sunny Whitstable.
Two happy people, two happy bikes.
-
DavidS
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Re: North America, First and Second.
Don’t go near Toronto!
We drove out of the airport car rental lot in our massive SUV (we booked a dinky one) at 4.00pm yesterday and the traffic to Niagara was M25 stop start 60% of the way and very busy with bigger than I remembered trucks thundering along at car speeds.
One good bit was the multi occupant car lane (for bikes as well) as it was almost deserted. We loosely reckoned only about 1 in 300 cars were multi occupant.
Niagara is as tacky as ever but the falls at night looked good but small. Off for a proper explore today then the US side tomorrow. Obviously still worth seeing as one of the worlds greatest natural wonders.
We drove out of the airport car rental lot in our massive SUV (we booked a dinky one) at 4.00pm yesterday and the traffic to Niagara was M25 stop start 60% of the way and very busy with bigger than I remembered trucks thundering along at car speeds.
One good bit was the multi occupant car lane (for bikes as well) as it was almost deserted. We loosely reckoned only about 1 in 300 cars were multi occupant.
Niagara is as tacky as ever but the falls at night looked good but small. Off for a proper explore today then the US side tomorrow. Obviously still worth seeing as one of the worlds greatest natural wonders.
2023 Husqvarna Norden 901
2014 KTM 690 ENDURO R
2014 KTM 690 ENDURO R
