High_Sides Trips and Pics

Message
Author
User avatar
High_Side
Site Supporter - Platinum
Site Supporter - Platinum
Posts: 4532
Joined: Fri Nov 28, 2003 2:05 pm
Sex: Male
Years Riding: 48
My Motorcycle: Desert-X, CB1100F, CRF300 Rally, Nightha
Location: Calgary AB, Can

High_Sides Trips and Pics

#1 Unread post by High_Side »

This will be not so much a blog, but pics and details of trips that I have taken. I have all kinds of old stuff lying around so I'll try to dig it out and post it when I get the chance. Hope you can find it interesting.....
High_Side

User avatar
High_Side
Site Supporter - Platinum
Site Supporter - Platinum
Posts: 4532
Joined: Fri Nov 28, 2003 2:05 pm
Sex: Male
Years Riding: 48
My Motorcycle: Desert-X, CB1100F, CRF300 Rally, Nightha
Location: Calgary AB, Can

#2 Unread post by High_Side »

Well, I've just rolled in from a great week on Vancouver Island and other parts of B.C. I left in the rain, rode out of the rain an hour later and had 4000 spectacular k.m. over the next seven days. Jen "lent me" her Ducati for the trip and I never got the chance to raise it up (we've got a lowering kit on it) before I left. This proved to be an issue in the tight stuff where I got to work on removing the ugly catalytic converter in every tight corner. I was starting to build a case for aftermarket pipes :wink:
Hiway #1A near Johnson Canyon (Banff Alberta)
Image
The above pic was taken about 1 hour from home. It was cold as hell and despite how the picture looks it was still threatening rain. I had decided that in the 1/2 hour prior to stopping that I would cut a tiny hole in my rain suit to allow my electric vest to work (suddenly after 30 years I get one of these and can't live without it..... :? ) I chose to make the whole in the back near my butt to minimize the chance of water getting in. After fishing the wire through, getting all my stuff back on, getting on the bike, the wire had disappeared back in to the suit. As I am standing here at the side of the road trying to find the now-missing hole, fishing the wire through the hole for a second and third time with my rain suit around my knees, I am cursing and bitching up a storm. I was conscious of listening for approaching cars and how it would look with my "pants down" fishing wildly for something in the crotch area but I never heard the oncoming gang of thirty and forty something women approaching from behind me. The first I heard of them (but not them of me) was a "nice bike" comment as they went sailing by up the hill. They were laughing their aszes of as the rode by.......
I made it to Kelowna late that afternoon feeling like I could take another 4 hours of riding with no trouble at all. This Monster was a big reprieve for my wrists that have grown to despise long distance riding on my VTR. The seat is a great improvement, and the gas range kicks "O Ring" on my regular bike as well. I missed my tank bag (no scratchies on Jens Monster...) and hard bags but the new Ventura set-up is light years better than soft saddlebags...It's not too handy to access with the rain cover though....
The next morning I left Kelowna early with hopes of catching some side roads on my way to jump the ferry to Vancouver Island. I took the 97C from to Kelowna to Merritt as a start which is a high-speed freeway that runs for several miles up and over a mountain range. There is an animal control fence and glass smooth pavement and the average speed seems to be around 140km/hr! (I did my best to bring up that average :laughing: ) It was not that many years ago that the pavement in B.C. was in horrible shape all around and it looked at though it was just going to get worse. Somewhere along the way they figured it out however, and have even began to take it too far by straightening them :shock: This is great for the super-slabs but slowly each year they are un-kinking some of the greatest secondary roads as well. Such is the price of progress.....
Once I got to Merritt I escaped the super slab and took the back road (hwy #8) up to Spence’s Bridges. It was here that I finally made friends with the Ducati on the medium sweepers, recent asphalt and lack of traffic. The scenery on this road has a real old-west kind of feel to it, even down to having an eagle soaring over-head as I slowed to take a picture. It probably feels like deserted emptiness to the people who pass through here often but to me and the Duck it felt perfect.
Stopping to take a couple of pics on hwy #8 to Spence’s Bridges...
Image
Image
From here I hook up with the old hwy #1 down towards Hope for the Hells-Gate / Fraser River Canyon run. I hadn't been on this road since I was a kid in the back of mom's station wagon and it proved to be much more fun on the Duck. The pavement is mostly pretty good with some nice curves and the raging yet scenic Fraser river running along side. There are still some great tunnels that were blasted through the rocks back in the 1950s and '60s that give this road lots of character. I'm nearly out of gas and somehow managed to miss the only station in Spence’s Bridges. There are a couple of more along the way that have died a slow death in the years since the Coquihalla Hwy went through, and I finally make it to Boston Bar running on fumes....
Scenes from along the Fraser Canyon....
Image
Image
From here I can't avoid hwy #1 and I jump back on for the drone through the Greater Vancouver area. As I get to Richmond the traffic stops as the same two lanes (in each direction) that couldn't handle the traffic fifteen years ago can still not handle it today. I wonder aloud in my helmet how the hell the same province that straightens all of the back-roads could over-look upgrading the most used piece of pavement that it owns. There are no pictures here as this is hell on hot pavement. As I watch the odd bike fly up the park-lane I decided I would have to do the same if had nay hope of catching my 5p.m. ferry at Horseshoe Bay. Another Gold-Wing rider came along for the ride as we tried to keep moving forward. This went on for several miles and I still would be in that damned line if I hadn't pissed off all of those cage drivers :mrgreen: I make it to the ferry just in time for boarding.......
Image
The bikes on the ferry included everything from Beemers to Harleys and I help one older-than-me (ahem) lady block up her brand new VTX- Honda. She had been riding for 30 years and yet somehow didn’t feel the need to be a jack-"O Ring" like some of the straight-pipe equipt, non-Asian made motorcycle riders that accompanied us on or crossing. Note to all: Revving the dodo out of your bike with straight-pipes for ten minutes before the ferry docks only proves that you are immensely over-compensating for your small dick. The older lady on the Honda has earned my respect by being genuine, respectful and the real-deal. You sir are an attention starved loser hoping that Vance and Hines can sell you the attention that you couldn’t get in High-School. You sir are a Jack-"O Ring" (and there is almost always more than one on every B.C. ferry) end of rant.
The ride up to Campbell River turns out to be a retina scorcher as I am riding right in to the evening sun. I take the super-slab (#19) and save the costal #19A for another day.

To be continued
Last edited by High_Side on Sun Oct 07, 2007 6:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
ofblong
Legendary 2500
Legendary 2500
Posts: 2638
Joined: Wed Apr 26, 2006 6:51 pm
Real Name: Ben
Sex: Male
Years Riding: 4
My Motorcycle: 1996 Honda Shadow Deluxe VLX
Location: Michigan

#3 Unread post by ofblong »

sweetness ;D.
96' Honda Shadow Deluxe VLX
Dream bike: Ducati Multistrada 1100S
[img]http://hdbits.org/pic/smilies/hdlove.gif[/img]

User avatar
KarateChick
Site Supporter - Gold
Site Supporter - Gold
Posts: 1083
Joined: Wed Aug 10, 2005 4:27 pm
Sex: Male
Location: 53°28' N 113° 35' W, Alberta

#4 Unread post by KarateChick »

We, me, I...like pics - gonna be a good blog!
Ya right, :wink: there are only 2 kinds of bikes: It's a Ninja... look that one's a Harley... oh there's a Ninja... Harley...Ninja...

[img]http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j135/KarateChick_2006/IMG_1245_1.jpg[/img]

User avatar
VermilionX
Super Legendary 5000
Super Legendary 5000
Posts: 5996
Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2005 3:45 pm
Sex: Male
Years Riding: 6
My Motorcycle: '06 Suzuki GSX-R 750
Location: The Valley, SoCal

#5 Unread post by VermilionX »

that's one huge a$$ tail bag.

nice pics! :righton:
Bikes Owned:
Gixxer 1000 K6 (stolen)
Gixxer 750 K6

Bikes Wanted:
VMAX
a super kewl cafe racer

User avatar
younggun
Legendary
Legendary
Posts: 251
Joined: Tue Jun 27, 2006 1:37 am
Sex: Male
Location: Sherwood Park, AB

#6 Unread post by younggun »

Good story and pics so far
Everyone has a photographic memory, some just don't have any film

[img]http://i728.photobucket.com/albums/ww285/younggun75/th_mybike.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i728.photobucket.com/albums/ww285/younggun75/th_001.jpg[/img]

User avatar
High_Side
Site Supporter - Platinum
Site Supporter - Platinum
Posts: 4532
Joined: Fri Nov 28, 2003 2:05 pm
Sex: Male
Years Riding: 48
My Motorcycle: Desert-X, CB1100F, CRF300 Rally, Nightha
Location: Calgary AB, Can

#7 Unread post by High_Side »

Thanks for the comments everyone. Here is part two: The next day after arriving in Campbell River I decide to take the day off riding and spend the day with the family and head to the lake. I hadn't mentioned this as of yet but my wife, kids, mother-in-law and brother-in-law had taken the van on a parallel journey so we could combine parts of our vacation but I could still fit in my bike trip. We were all based out of my sister-in-law's house in Campbell River for most of the stay with me staying a night in Victoria. The lake was great and my son cought a 2 1/2 pound trout in the first 10 minutes of fishing. Happy, happy kid..... The lake is on the road to Gold river and has to be one of the most awesome bike roads out there!
I was concerned about he rear tire of the Duck going the distance on this trip before I left home but I was shocked to see just how quickly it had deteriorated on the trip to the island. I would need a tire soon and I had to spend a little time on the telephone to find one. The only place that stocked the correct size Michelin Pilot was the Ducati dealer in Nanaimo which could fit it in for the low price of $400! The lesson here was about planning ahead when traveling to Bring Cash. This tire would have ran me about $250 back home but what are you gonna do???? I was lucky to be able to get it in......
I rocketed down to Nanaimo the next morning for my 11am appointment at Harbor City Motorsports. They turned the bike around in about an hour while I went for lunch and planned the day. I had hoped to make it to Port Renfrew on the west coast by late afternoon but convinced myself not to get "Destination Tunnel Vision" and miss all of what the back-roads had to offer. I am a slow learner and it took me many years to figure out that you can see more in 1 hour seeking out back roads than you can in 10 days on the super slab. Freeway is Freeway - no matter what state / province that you ride through it's all the same with only the roadside vegetation and distant scenery changing. I feel sorry for distance riders who only mark their successes by how far across the map they ride and not what they have ridden through along the way. This causes me to take an exit in to wine country as I am determined not to take the #1 down to Victoria.
Wine country is pretty scattered and spread out through rolling hills connected by narrow, sometimes rough winding roads in the S.E. part of the province. Here I come across an old barn with a 1950 something truck parked beside it looking like the perfect photo-op. I stop and grab some pictures but somehow manage to screw up the perfect setting......
A few cracks at taking a picture:
Image
Image
Image
A few dead ends and up the road a little way I come across this gothic looking little church and graveyard next to a train bridge. Getting a good angle to catch the whole thing is impossible so I split it up in to a couple of little ones.....
Image
Image
Image
After more exploring I crossed hwy #1 and jumped on every "No Exit" road I could. The pavement over here was as smooth as glass, up and down and twisty as hell. This was the first time during the trip that the pavement was smooth enough to get the Duck to the edge of the tires without scrapping the cat converter....most of the time.....
A bridge along the way
Image
A couple of dead ends brought some nice ocean views
Image
An interesting tree near a penitentiary at yet another dead end. THIS was a fun road!
Image
As it's now getting late in the afternoon I take hwy#14 through Sooke on the way to Port Renfrew. This road runs along the ocean in places but is mostly inland and progressively gets twistier and VERY bumpy as you get closer to Port Renfrew. The road reminds me of the famous "Road to Hanna" on Maui with it's twists and turns and one lane bridges. I start to bang the cat converter on the Duck severely and often so I'm forced to slow down. By the time I get to Port Renfrew all of the rooms have been booked by fishermen for the big salmon run. I snap a couple of pics, plug in the vest and head back to Victoria...
Image
Image
On the way back I stopped to grab a pic of this road to show just how crazy it gets in places. Unfortunately this pic does not do justice to just how steep this corkscrew really is:
Image
I make it back to Victoria early in the evening and find a place to crash. I head out to grab a pint and take a few pictures but the digi-cam and lights don't seem to get along. This city has been called the most beautiful in Canada and for good reason. I wish Calgary would take note and build something that would stand the test of time. I'll have to return in the morning for some better pictures.
Cheers,
To be continued.....
Last edited by High_Side on Sat Oct 06, 2007 7:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
noodlenoggin
Legendary 300
Legendary 300
Posts: 415
Joined: Mon Jul 17, 2006 2:08 am
Sex: Male
My Motorcycle: 1995 Ford Thunderbird =-(
Location: Lithia, FL

#8 Unread post by noodlenoggin »

Wow! Those pictures are excellent!
1979 XS650F -- "Hi, My name's Nick, and I'm a Motorcyclist. I've been dry for four years." (Everybody: "Hi, Nick.")

blues2cruise
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 10182
Joined: Fri Apr 22, 2005 4:28 pm
Sex: Female
Years Riding: 16
My Motorcycle: 2000 Yamaha V-Star 1100
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia

#9 Unread post by blues2cruise »

I think the intersting tree you saw is a Garry Oak.

If you ever head down that was again, when you get to Hope, you don't need to go #1 to get into town.
You could go Hwy# 7. You will find it a bit slower (mostly posted at 80kmh) but oh so much nicer.
Cross over at the Albion Ferry (a free 5 minute river crossing) to Langley. You can then continue on your way to the ferries from there.

Nice pics and blog so far.
Image

User avatar
ofblong
Legendary 2500
Legendary 2500
Posts: 2638
Joined: Wed Apr 26, 2006 6:51 pm
Real Name: Ben
Sex: Male
Years Riding: 4
My Motorcycle: 1996 Honda Shadow Deluxe VLX
Location: Michigan

#10 Unread post by ofblong »

DANG everytime I see these pics it makes me wish I had the 12 grand saved already for that MS1000DS I want.
96' Honda Shadow Deluxe VLX
Dream bike: Ducati Multistrada 1100S
[img]http://hdbits.org/pic/smilies/hdlove.gif[/img]

Post Reply