2015 Long Island or Bust Tour – Day 20 – THE DRAGON


May 12 2015-all pics clickable

I wasn’t sure what I was going to do all day here near Robbinsville, NC so I decided to drive up to Knoxsville, TN to check out some RV’s.  Just for the hell of it.  Unbeknownst  to me I ran into the real “Tail of the Dragon”…hence the above video.  I feel a little embarrassed to have thought I drove it the day before but hey…no map no clue.  Now I have an idea why many and I mean many come to drive or ride this road.

381 curves in 11 miles = WOW

Continue reading “2015 Long Island or Bust Tour – Day 20 – THE DRAGON”

2015 Long Island or Bust Tour – Day 19 – Parks, Glamping and the East


May 11 2015-UPDATE-I’m an idiot lol

Tail of the dragon Rocks! Just actual drove the real thing on my way to Knoxville 

Warm and muggy it was when I left Chattanooga, TN.  I only had a short drive to a place called River’s Edge Treehouse Resort in Robbinsville, NC

More about the resort in a bit.  The Cherokee National Park scenic by way was a treat to drive through. You can tell you are heading into the Blue Ridge/Smoky Mountain range when you see the difference in the trees and rolling hills. Continue reading “2015 Long Island or Bust Tour – Day 19 – Parks, Glamping and the East”

2015 Long Island or Bust Tour – Day 12 & 13


May 5th 2015

Day 12 was spent just cruising along from Billings, Montana to Deadwood, South Dakota.  Although much of the drive was flat I still find the surrounding in this area to be beautiful.  Weather was great, not too hot and I really did not stop much.  I wanted to get to the Blackhills, SD where I knew I was going to get a cabin and stay for two nights.  Needed to clean out my car, reorganize my “stuff”, just like I do when on my bike and of course sleep and relax. Continue reading “2015 Long Island or Bust Tour – Day 12 & 13”

2015 Long Island or Bust Tour – Day 5


April 26th 2015

I ended my day seeing this pair of Great Horn Owls.  Roosting by their nest.  So uninhibited and so beautifully perched.  Such an amazing creature and HUGE.

Continue reading “2015 Long Island or Bust Tour – Day 5”

2014 Quick Review


As I work on my post from my last road trip with my car, not my bike here TWO quick slide shows of my year in review.  I mean quick!  😃  Enjoy, and I will get my act together to post about my December 30th 2014 – Jan 1 2015, 2010 KM or 1250 mile trip.

Remembering 2014…my own form of therapy


MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE. Best to watch videos full screen and in HD

New_Year_wallpapers_Merry_Christmas_and_Happy_New_Year_2014_blue_Christmas_tree_toys_047762_

When I look back at all the years I have spent in Canada, all the fortunate riding I have been able to do since 2010 when I got my street license these videos will enable me to really see, feel and reflect. My life here has not been bad.  Continue reading “Remembering 2014…my own form of therapy”

Day 27 – Looking for Grizzly’s


Arrived home June 14th, 2014 – these are catch up posts. Day 27 was June 12th.

After spending time in South Dakota and Wyoming I have a whole new appreciation for this region.  Although much of the states can appear to be “flat” everything this time around for me, verses in 2010 when I rode x country had a beauty to it.

Continue reading “Day 27 – Looking for Grizzly’s”

Days Come Together – Day 21 & 22


Seems like so long ago I was a guest at the Dundas Glen Bed & Breakfast.  Located in Dundas, Ontario near Hamilton.  I was the first guest at this newly soon to be open B&B.  Hosted by Travis and Susan and their little daughter Georgia.  I arrived here on Day 21 and spent a night chatting with the Hosts about my travels and their travels over a great steak dinner, salad, beer and baked potatoes.  😉

Travis has been one of my face book page readers as well as the blog and invited me to come stay with his family back in March.  Glad this layover got to happen and my route took me this way.

Travis owns the same bike as mine and both are ADV riders.  They are also hoping to get known in the ADV world as a B&B that will accommodate travelers like myself and offer a very cozy and hospitable place to stay and eat for passerby’s. Continue reading “Days Come Together – Day 21 & 22”

Day 10 – Quick update


I was able to take two nights off and use a day to replenish some items I needed for the trip back , like get a new camping stove.  I broke my other one days ago.

Now I can get back to at least boiling water when I want and need to. Continue reading “Day 10 – Quick update”

It’s Harder Than You Think Yet Easier


Day 8-635.4 KM’s
Day 9-739.6 Km’s

I have arrived on the east coast of the USA in North Carolina yesterday, May 25th. Took me 9 days to get here with a lot of boring pavement riding

yet I was not really bored. Continue reading “It’s Harder Than You Think Yet Easier”

Day 6 & 7 – Gratitude and A bit of a Set Back



Day 6 – 742.2 KM’s. Day 7 – 560 KM’s.

Yesterday seems to be a blur to be honest. Even today because I am thinking too much. I supposed every ride report has a theme and this one seems to be amnesia. Continue reading “Day 6 & 7 – Gratitude and A bit of a Set Back”

Day 3 – X Winds, Hail & GHOST Rider (711.4 KM’s)


I need to start off by saying thank you to all the PM’s, emails and messages in general to the many out there that think I am “brave” for telling my story and going out on my own. It is what it is….I speak my mind and always have, perhaps too much. But in the end I am not alone going through a devastating and blind sided separation. Seems this happens all too often in my books.I listened to the audio version of “Ghost Rider”, by Neil Peart and narrated by BrianSutherlan. I am on Chapter 4. It was so cool to listen to his take not only on his losses but his trip up the Dempster. He kept a great journal one that I would never be able to do and the details, oh the details remind me of my own trip and feelings in 2011.I will listen to the rest tomorrow and have to say all those who recommended this book to me I thank you! Now on to today’s report.

It’s funny no one has asked how my ass is doing on the BMW OEM low seat? Well, it’s working out just fine actually. The sheep pad helps but I bet I could be doing this without it. For some reason I have grown accustomed to it.

In 2010 I rode the Going to the Sun Road through Glacier National park. It took us over 4 hours to ride the 48-50 mile road. The traffic and construction in early July 2010 was insane. Well worth it. Was a nice day but 4 hours???

Today it was closed and closed until late June.

Today started out sunny and no wind until I got through the mountains. Again in 2010 I remember what it was like to ride through Montana and Wyoming. HOLY cross winds. But for the beginning of today I saw this…

It drizzled a bit but I have to be honest it was nothing compared to later in the day. The KLIM Altitude suit being Gore Tex is handling all this rain no problem. The only issue I have is the light colour. It’s showing up everything and something weird is happening to the leather on the pants. I took some pics but perhaps I will take better ones at another time. But here are the ones from today.

both pants legs have these marks or stains? Dunno. I will see what happens when I wash them eventually. Other than the dirt and I have always had an issue with the collar. hey need to make it about 2 cm wider for heated liners. I can not zip up the jacket with my liner in to make it really water tight.

My bike turned 15,000 today. I think yesterday it was 14,000?

it was still really nice out after I got through the park. Had to take this photo op shot with a back ground like that? It’s really beautiful here, even the plains did not bore me this time. In 2010 they seem to be annoying a bit, but this time around being with me?

I like the rolling hills and the surprise curve in the road. Soothing I guess as I listened to Ghost Rider.

Not sure if anyone out there who rides long distances have ever thought about audio books. If you haven’t highly recommend getting some on your phone, use the Audible App and you are good to go.

My SPOT has died by this point. I called SPOT and they said it must be defective using so many batteries. Doesn’t really matter I know it’s defective because now it won’t boot on. It DEAD.

I am going to go to Cabelas here in Billings tomorrow and see about getting a Gen 3 Spot. The next time I can set it up online and call SPOT to activate the new device when I get one, tracking will be back on. I like to have it for me and my family.

The Spring time weather out here is definitely not boring. One minute you have sun and warmth, the next it drops 10 degrees C and it’s thundering out, lightning and hailing with down pours.

Doesn’t look that bad but when I turned a bend in the road I hit a black wall of hail. About 2 hours outside Billings, MT.

I love cargo trains when riding. We have them back in Vancouver but while riding out in the middle of no where…these things are so cool.

So, I have to admit…riding solo can be scary at times. If you are reading this post to this point I will confess it is taking a little more time getting used to being on my own. Like parking. I have almost dumped the bike more times than I care to admit because I never judge parking surfaces well. Cheryl did. I find myself at times looking in the rear view mirrors only to see no one is back there. Scary to me since I always had a back.

I respect solo riders a whole lot more now. We are on our own for sure. But on the other hand I am liking my own pace and not even really having anyone to talk to but strangers.

I have to give kudos to Shoei helmets. I love this new RF1200 but I have always LOVED how easy it is to take the shield off these helmets to get a good cleaning of the mechanisms and the shield itself. Brilliant.

This 2013 Beemer is making a really decent touring bike. I like it!

Navigating for me is new. I never had a GPS on my bike until last year. Maybe that was a foreshadow because something prompted me to get one and learn how to use it. Coming in handy I have to say. I am using a Montana 600.

When I got to a road construction area that says wait until your pilot car arrives, this can mean minutes or hours. I waited an hour. So, listened to my book and watched cows graze. A little annoying because I lost an hour yesterday time wise due to Mountain time and today due to waiting.

Started out sunny and cool while waiting but look what happened.

It was kind of funny. I was loving the gravel and dirt and was cruising right along while the cars and trucks behind me seemed more tentative. it was slippery but I have done the Dempster and Dalton in the piss down rain and this was nothing but maybe 10 KM’s long?

There is where the cross winds almost blew me off my bike a few times. I trust my bike and trust me to relax in such powerful gusts. Felt like a football player leaning into the wind to keep myself low. My body actually aches from today. The wind for me acts like I am a punching bag. Truthfully? I rather ride in crappy rainy weather than HIGH cross winds. it made for a great work out.

The another storm came up. In Montana you can see for miles so you can also see your destiny. I watched the skies and pulled over at a gas station to get my heated gear on. The temperature was about 18 C then dropped to 6. I spoke to an army young man moving to Texas from Fairbanks who said he heard it’s really bad going the direction we were heading. Well? it was…huge hail, wind, thunder, lightning, pouring rain that bounced off the road up my pants leg. Also, it rained so hard that it was bouncing off my bike up my helmet until I put my chin down.

The hail hurt my hands through my gloves and to kicker was the wind challenge as well. This lasted for about an hour. KLIM gear kept me dry as a bone as well as my Gore Tex KLIM gloves.

Gas station where I changed.

Came out of it and again nothing but blue skies but windy.

I did not take pictures in the middle of the storm…I thought that would be just dumb if I did. I needed both hands on the handle bar. Wyoming is having funnel clouds and also bad storms. So, what lies ahead?

I decided to head to Billings, instead of Buffalo, WY due to time. After 711 KM’s and the cross winds I was done. So, stopped in Billings which is sort of good. I am going to go to Cabelas outdoor store tomorrow and see about getting that new Gen 3 SPOT. Maybe I can have tracking back up sooner than later if they have one in stock. They open at 0900 so my start time will be later than I want.

That is Billings down below and the weather was perfect. I got another KOA cabin for the price of a tent site. It pays to show up late and a little off-season.

As the diabetic that I am it’s important I check my sugars at times. Mine seems to be doing OK except yesterday I dropped to 3.6. Hypoglycemic which is not good but today I was better.

I am paying more attention to my diabetes than any other trip. I need to so I can stay alert. I have no one telling me I am acting weirdly.

And finally a nice sunset to end the day. Oh, and some really really ANNOYING loud young man who just went to bed, made for a great day. Which is actually what I had a great day. One thing I hope this distraction of a trip does some healing so when I go back I am not a complete disaster as I was before I left. I need to be able to be functioning again on a more consistent basis. That is my wish for this trip. Safety, enjoyment and finding myself somewhat whole again.

Continue reading “Day 3 – X Winds, Hail & GHOST Rider (711.4 KM’s)”

Departure Day


Nothing like getting woken up at 0215 to three dogs barking in the house and then I made the mistake in letting them out and all hell broke loose.  We have bears around as well as many other creatures.  I did not see anything but the dogs had a scent.

The culprits…


So, innocent looking here Sierra and Cruizer Continue reading “Departure Day”

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