July 2024 Moto Ride

Clinton to Lone Butte to Kamloops to Clinton BC Loop - 250 miles We had to adjust our plans a bit give the huge wildfire in and around Jasper National Park, which has closed roads in/out of Jasper and the surrounding area and done some devastating damage.  So we spent 2 nights in Clinton and had an easier day today, sleeping in, enjoying a leisurely breakfast, and taking off around 11am for a loop ride around the Clinton, British Columbia area. But before we left, we got a photo of our new Moto Club t-shirts in the lobby of our hotel: Our route took us past MANY lakes - a theme in BC. There is a lot of water here; seems like we pass 10-15 lakes or rivers on every ride. The scenery is spectacular and photos do not do it justice. Below are a few shots of Lac De Roches. Seen from Hwy 24 and n estled within the heart of the BC wilderness, in the “Land of Hidden Waters,” lies Lac Des Roches, known for its trophy Gerrard Rainbows and freshwater cod (burbots) that are prevalent in the win...

Everett, WA to Clinton, BC - 340 miles Well....we spent another half day in the RAIN. Relentless. Constant. Not fun. But the further north we got, the better the weather turned. By the end of the day we were in the sun. We got up really early to try to get thru the Customs & Immigration checkpoint as early as possible. After talking to the folks at our hotel in Everett and hearing "it could take 30 mins, could take 3 hours", an early start was a must.  We feasted on in room coffee (ew) and Cliff Bars for breakfast (double ew), and then got on the road. But first we had to deal with our wet gear from yesterday. Here is Kate using the blow dryer to try to do something about her boots.  As we approached the border, we lucked out in that there was only a 5 minute wait. I went first. I got grilled by the agent after handing him my passport: Where are you coming from ? What is your address in the US ? Where are you going ? How long will you be in Canada ? Have you ever been to ...

Newport, OR to Everett, WA - 337 miles Today we experienced the GREAT NORTH WET. 337 miles of pouring rain.  All.  Day.  Long. Didn't even get one picture. Not one video. It was a literal wash out. Our alleged waterproof boots and gloves....were not. When we stoped for gas, we had to wring our gloves out. Our shoes were full of pooled water.  Thankfully the bikes handled well, and our rain gear held up. This is pretty much what everything looked like from inside out helmets today: Here are some lovely photos I lifted from the interwebs of what we would have seen if we could have seen anything on today's ride. Otter Rock, OR: Depoe Bay, OR: Tillamook, OR: Canon Beach, OR: The Astoria-Megler Bridge, over the Columbia River, connecting OR & WA: We FINALY got to the hotel around 5:30, soaking wet, and needing a good meal and a good cocktail. Thankfully our hotel had both ! Tonight's drinks were martinis ! Do you see a theme ? Finally, I wanted to share an injury with...

 Eureka, CA to Newport, OR - 311 Miles Our ride today was all coast, all day.  Pockets of sun among the fog. Thank goodness for heated gear ! We had breakfast around 7:15am in the hotel, where we had to listen to a woman who clearly wanted attention telling horrible stories of her childhood loud enough so everyone could hear. Public Service Announcement - therapy. By a professional. We also met a woman who was on her way out for a run - and get this - she is heading to Banff. How bizarre would it be if we ran into her in Eureka AND Banff ! Kickstands up at 8am, heading out of Eureka, hugging the coast.  Klamath, Crescent City, and finally into Oregon. We spent a lot of time in the fog, but it finally lifted so that we could enjoy the coastal beauty. The bikes are handling really well on the trip ! See the two people in this shot ? Gives some perspective on how HUGE the beaches on the Oregon coastline are. We thought this rock looked like a shark fin... What is that dorky ...