|
In Jasper, on the way - the Road Glide's first shake-down
run after motor and repainting work done over the winter
|
"I want to put miles on my bike", Gladys said, as we pondered where we should head on
the Canada Day, long weekend.
With that requirement in mind, we decided on a route through Jasper and Banff National parks.
Following that, we could end up in Olds, near Calgary, and catch the tail end of the
Bike Build-Off being held there this year. If we're going to put on miles, let's make
them scenic ones.
As we were making these decisions last-minute (Saturday morning of the trip), we figured we'd
try for a quick reservation at a motel near the Rockies. We called up the David Thompson Resort
and snatched up the last room they had left. Perfect.
So let's load up the bikes and do this thing.
A few highway miles is just what I need too. The Road Glide as well. Having the
'07 Street Bob
as a backup now, the Glide's hardly felt the road this year. I had quite a lot of it apart over
the winter (click here and
here to view work done), so I want to give
it a good shake-down run - important, since I plan to use it later in the month for a week-long
ride through B.C.
|
|
|
Rest from the wind, first day
|
The Street Bob is brandy-new and all but,
for lots of highway miles, the '98 Road
Glide's still King. Which is why I didn't sell it after getting the Bob... Well... that and the
fact Gladys would never forgive me if I did (something about having too many memories on it).
So, okay, we don't sell the Road Glide then - even though it's got around 170,000 kilometers
(over 100K miles).
Once I decided to keep it, I also decided the bike has got to start looking like its
old self again.
I say this partly because
I've seen so many guys swear they are still going to ride their old bike once in awhile after getting
a new one - only to realize,
a year or so later, that they never ride the old one. In the end, they wind up selling the old
bike anyway
- something better done sooner, if you're gonna do it.
That's just human nature. You walk by the 2 bikes. One looks nice and fresh, the other tired
and just a tad depressing in comparison. If you're going to keep the old bike,
I suggest you fix it up to look nice (and, if need be, to again run nice!). Maybe think
of it as a reward for years of service.
I should add that, when it came to laying out a few bucks to refresh the Glide, I had Gladys' full
support. In fact, I'd say she was even more eager to get the old bike back to it's former self
than I was. Turning back the clock on the bike feels a little like turning back our own clocks - not
a bad thing when you're into your fifties!
But stuff like that does cost money. The Road Glide's
inner and outer fairing had been cracked up and the engine guard bent 5 years ago (hitting a
drunken pedestrian at 100 km/hr tends to do that). And then, of course,
there was the more recent muddy road incident that bent the other
side of the engine guard (along with scuffing the tank and front fender paint). Yeah, the wear and
tear on the old bike was starting to show...
So we decided it was now time to bite the bullet and do the work that needed to be done - beginning
with a complete, new paint job. I removed the parts, brought them to a reputable painter and told him
I wanted everything back to original. While waiting for that, I worked on improving the bike's
mechanical condition. Nothing else to during the Canadian winter anyhow!
Surprisingly little traffic for it being a long weekend
|
Although the wind was strong (as you can see above), the weather was otherwise good for the
first day of our trip. A t-bag for extra storage mounted on Gladys' bike, I was able to ride without
adding the tour pak to mine; nice for reducing top-heaviness.
While refueling in Jasper we decided to put on our heat vests, as we would be cutting through
the Columbia Ice Fields next. Good thing we did, as it got pretty cold there. Once past that,
we turned east at Saskatchewan Crossing to get to the David Thompson Resort, where we had a
room reserved and waiting for us.
Or so we thought. We get there and now they don't have a room reserved for us! No one
wants to admit they even talked to us. Well that's just great. We'll never deal
with those people again.
It's 8:00 PM now. The closest place is Nordegg (about a 1/2 hour ride) and we manage to snag a
room in the only motel there.
A view from the balcony, motel room in Nordegg
|
Soakin' up the sun on the second day through Banff
|
But you can't let little glitches get you down - every vacation will
have its share of them. Besides, for the price, the room in Nordegg was far better than the room we
would have had at David Thompson.
The next morning we mulled over where to go on Day 2 (yeah, we don't plan ahead too much). I'd like
to head back into the mountain parks via Saskatchewan Crossing and then ride south to Banff.
But that would mean paying the $17.00 park entry fee again. So be it then. We're right on the
doorstep now and $17.00 isn't going to hold us back from the finest roads. This turned out to be a
good decision. When we arrived at the park gate, the attendent informed us the park fee is
waived in honour of Canada Day. Cool.
After passing Banff we took Hwy 1A to Cochrane and, from there, went north to Olds - where the Bike
Build Off was being held. Arriving at 5 PM Sunday, they were just readying to announce the winning
bikes and builders.
The bike build-off judging in progress
|
Gladys and friend in front of winning metric class bike
- the "Canada Bike"
|
While we're unwinding with friends at a campsite later on, a biker walks over with a
question. "Do any of you have a bolt like this?" He's got a sample bolt (which he temporarily
removed from another part of his bike) in his hand. It's the one needed to hold the rear of his
gas tank on. It probably rattled off during his travels.
Although I carry lots of stuff in my toolbag, I tell him I'm sure I don't carry spare bolts. But
you never know until you check, so I take the bag out and start digging around. Dog gone, I
do have some bolts in there... and, hey, one of them is perfect for what he needs. So he
heads back to his bike, a happy man.
|
|
|
Of course, a few beers and socializing after
|
For our return trip to Edmonton, we decided to take Hwy 2A. 2A used to be the main
highway connecting Edmonton to Calgary - far more scenic than the new super slab, Hwy 2.
The route gets a little tricky though. Where it cuts over the new highway, 2A ceases
to exist for awhile and you have to catch the turn-off on Hwy 2 to get back on 2A.
The sign indicating 2A is literally yards from the location where you have to swerve off and
decelerate onto a circular off-ramp, which requires some hard braking action if you're moving
at a good clip.
I'm not precisely sure of the location of the off-ramp to reconnect to 2A, but I
have a rough idea - better than Gladys anyway - so I take up the lead. I should have
suggested she travel some distance behind me during that stretch because, when I finally
did see the exit, I had to brake and turn so fast that she couldn't react safely in
time to do the same thing; ending up going right past the turn off.
Not a problem because, when faced with tricky situations, the main emphasis should
be on safety. Not able to make a turn-off safely, She/we might lose a half hour or so while she
gets to the next overpass and comes back, but that's better than smacking bikes together.
So, at the nearest available spot after losing her, I pull over and wait for her to sort
things out. We have an understanding about this (as can see described by clicking
here and reading the write-up of Day 2).
The follower always looks for the leader in a situation where the follower
either couldn't or wouldn't follow. I was on the correct route, so it would be silly for me
to try find her, since she doesn't know where to go (yet).
Eventually she'll sort things out (even if it requires asking directions) and find me - so
long as I stay on the route we had agreed on, right? Well, I sure hope so 'cause, just before
we left Olds, I put my wallet in her saddlebag. Without that, I won't even be able to
afford enough gas to get back to Edmonton! (note to self: never do that again)
|
|
|
Trying to find each other on Hwy 2A
|
A half hour waiting beside the road passes and, finally, here she comes on the overpass,
heading right for me... then, there she goes, right past me, turns around further down the
road and takes off in the opposite direction, out of sight. Oh no!
So I wait another half hour until she decides to try the same general location again.
This time I manage to flag her down. And, of course, it was all my fault (sound
familiar, guys?).
After we gassed up the bikes and finished shouting at each other, we got back on Hwy 2A and
had a real nice ride back to Edmonton - occasionally (jokingly) giving each other the finger
as we went.
Making up seems easier while you're side-by-side on separate bikes. I might have to keep that
one in mind for the future...
|
|
In Jasper, on the way - the Road Glide's first shake-down
run after motor and repainting work done over the winter
|
"I want to put miles on my bike", Gladys said, as we pondered where we should head on
the Canada Day, long weekend.
With that requirement in mind, we decided on a route through Jasper and Banff National parks.
Following that, we could end up in Olds, near Calgary, and catch the tail end of the
Bike Build-Off being held there this year. If we're going to put on miles, let's make
them scenic ones.
As we were making these decisions last-minute (Saturday morning of the trip), we figured we'd
try for a quick reservation at a motel near the Rockies. We called up the David Thompson Resort
and snatched up the last room they had left. Perfect.
So let's load up the bikes and do this thing.
A few highway miles is just what I need too. The Road Glide as well. Having the
'07 Street Bob
as a backup now, the Glide's hardly felt the road this year. I had quite a lot of it apart over
the winter (click here and
here to view work done), so I want to give
it a good shake-down run - important, since I plan to use it later in the month for a week-long
ride through B.C.
|
|
|
|
Rest from the wind, first day
|
The Street Bob is brandy-new and all but,
for lots of highway miles, the '98 Road
Glide's still King. Which is why I didn't sell it after getting the Bob... Well... that and the
fact Gladys would never forgive me if I did (something about having too many memories on it).
So, okay, we don't sell the Road Glide then - even though it's got around 170,000 kilometers
(over 100K miles).
Once I decided to keep it, I also decided the bike has got to start looking like its
old self again.
I say this partly because
I've seen so many guys swear they are still going to ride their old bike once in awhile after getting
a new one - only to realize,
a year or so later, that they never ride the old one. In the end, they wind up selling the old
bike anyway
- something better done sooner, if you're gonna do it.
That's just human nature. You walk by the 2 bikes. One looks nice and fresh, the other tired
and just a tad depressing in comparison. If you're going to keep the old bike,
I suggest you fix it up to look nice (and, if need be, to again run nice!). Maybe think
of it as a reward for years of service.
I should add that, when it came to laying out a few bucks to refresh the Glide, I had Gladys' full
support. In fact, I'd say she was even more eager to get the old bike back to it's former self
than I was. Turning back the clock on the bike feels a little like turning back our own clocks - not
a bad thing when you're into your fifties!
But stuff like that does cost money. The Road Glide's
inner and outer fairing had been cracked up and the engine guard bent 5 years ago (hitting a
drunken pedestrian at 100 km/hr tends to do that). And then, of course,
there was the more recent muddy road incident that bent the other
side of the engine guard (along with scuffing the tank and front fender paint). Yeah, the wear and
tear on the old bike was starting to show...
So we decided it was now time to bite the bullet and do the work that needed to be done - beginning
with a complete, new paint job. I removed the parts, brought them to a reputable painter and told him
I wanted everything back to original. While waiting for that, I worked on improving the bike's
mechanical condition. Nothing else to during the Canadian winter anyhow!
Surprisingly little traffic for it being a long weekend
|
Although the wind was strong (as you can see above), the weather was otherwise good for the
first day of our trip. A t-bag for extra storage mounted on Gladys' bike, I was able to ride without
adding the tour pak to mine; nice for reducing top-heaviness.
While refueling in Jasper we decided to put on our heat vests, as we would be cutting through
the Columbia Ice Fields next. Good thing we did, as it got pretty cold there. Once past that,
we turned east at Saskatchewan Crossing to get to the David Thompson Resort, where we had a
room reserved and waiting for us.
Or so we thought. We get there and now they don't have a room reserved for us! No one
wants to admit they even talked to us. Well that's just great. We'll never deal
with those people again.
It's 8:00 PM now. The closest place is Nordegg (about a 1/2 hour ride) and we manage to snag a
room in the only motel there.
A view from the balcony, motel room in Nordegg
|
Soakin' up the sun on the second day through Banff
|
But you can't let little glitches get you down - every vacation will
have its share of them. Besides, for the price, the room in Nordegg was far better than the room we
would have had at David Thompson.
The next morning we mulled over where to go on Day 2 (yeah, we don't plan ahead too much). I'd like
to head back into the mountain parks via Saskatchewan Crossing and then ride south to Banff.
But that would mean paying the $17.00 park entry fee again. So be it then. We're right on the
doorstep now and $17.00 isn't going to hold us back from the finest roads. This turned out to be a
good decision. When we arrived at the park gate, the attendent informed us the park fee is
waived in honour of Canada Day. Cool.
After passing Banff we took Hwy 1A to Cochrane and, from there, went north to Olds - where the Bike
Build Off was being held. Arriving at 5 PM Sunday, they were just readying to announce the winning
bikes and builders.
The bike build-off judging in progress
|
Gladys and friend in front of winning metric class bike
- the "Canada Bike"
|
While we're unwinding with friends at a campsite later on, a biker walks over with a
question. "Do any of you have a bolt like this?" He's got a sample bolt (which he temporarily
removed from another part of his bike) in his hand. It's the one needed to hold the rear of his
gas tank on. It probably rattled off during his travels.
Although I carry lots of stuff in my toolbag, I tell him I'm sure I don't carry spare bolts. But
you never know until you check, so I take the bag out and start digging around. Dog gone, I
do have some bolts in there... and, hey, one of them is perfect for what he needs. So he
heads back to his bike, a happy man.
|
|
|
|
Of course, a few beers and socializing after
|
For our return trip to Edmonton, we decided to take Hwy 2A. 2A used to be the main
highway connecting Edmonton to Calgary - far more scenic than the new super slab, Hwy 2.
The route gets a little tricky though. Where it cuts over the new highway, 2A ceases
to exist for awhile and you have to catch the turn-off on Hwy 2 to get back on 2A.
The sign indicating 2A is literally yards from the location where you have to swerve off and
decelerate onto a circular off-ramp, which requires some hard braking action if you're moving
at a good clip.
I'm not precisely sure of the location of the off-ramp to reconnect to 2A, but I
have a rough idea - better than Gladys anyway - so I take up the lead. I should have
suggested she travel some distance behind me during that stretch because, when I finally
did see the exit, I had to brake and turn so fast that she couldn't react safely in
time to do the same thing; ending up going right past the turn off.
Not a problem because, when faced with tricky situations, the main emphasis should
be on safety. Not able to make a turn-off safely, She/we might lose a half hour or so while she
gets to the next overpass and comes back, but that's better than smacking bikes together.
So, at the nearest available spot after losing her, I pull over and wait for her to sort
things out. We have an understanding about this (as can see described by clicking
here and reading the write-up of Day 2).
The follower always looks for the leader in a situation where the follower
either couldn't or wouldn't follow. I was on the correct route, so it would be silly for me
to try find her, since she doesn't know where to go (yet).
Eventually she'll sort things out (even if it requires asking directions) and find me - so
long as I stay on the route we had agreed on, right? Well, I sure hope so 'cause, just before
we left Olds, I put my wallet in her saddlebag. Without that, I won't even be able to
afford enough gas to get back to Edmonton! (note to self: never do that again)
|
|
|
|
Trying to find each other on Hwy 2A
|
A half hour waiting beside the road passes and, finally, here she comes on the overpass,
heading right for me... then, there she goes, right past me, turns around further down the
road and takes off in the opposite direction, out of sight. Oh no!
So I wait another half hour until she decides to try the same general location again.
This time I manage to flag her down. And, of course, it was all my fault (sound
familiar, guys?).
After we gassed up the bikes and finished shouting at each other, we got back on Hwy 2A and
had a real nice ride back to Edmonton - occasionally (jokingly) giving each other the finger
as we went.
Making up seems easier while you're side-by-side on separate bikes. I might have to keep that
one in mind for the future...
|
|
|