Member Contributer Olive Posted May 27, 2012 Author Member Contributer Share Posted May 27, 2012 Its a bad sign when Calgary is warmer than the States.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Olive Posted May 28, 2012 Author Member Contributer Share Posted May 28, 2012 Today was a short run - 250 miles from Billings, Montana to Great Falls, Montana. I stopped for gas at Eddie's Corner. One of the truckers came up to me as I was paying to let me know that highway 3 was impassable by Motorcycle to the south east. "Are you referring to the construction detour through mud and potholes that I rode through fifteen minutes ago?", I asked. Apparently so. When he said it was impassable by motorcycle he forgot to account for Olive. That was a very nasty stretch. I stopped just before entering the detour to eyeball it. Talked to a truck that was coming out of it, who assured me that it was the last bit that was the worst, and that the only other option was a couple of hours detour. I decided to take it. As the bike started bumping over potholes and ruts I started to really double question my judgment. Wow. The potholes were full of water, the ridges were muddy, and the bike was slewing. I fed it just enough gas to keep it moving, and cautiously piloted it around the worst potholes when I could do so safely. Sometimes it wasn't possible to avoid them, just had to grit the teeth and go through them. They always say that the grass is greener - the oncoming lane looked a lot smoother, so when there was no oncoming I headed to my left to dtake the better footing. There were a few times when I was questioning if I was going to make it through the mud bog. The construction detour went right through a windfarm, and I can attest to the fact that it was placed in an area with ample wind. As if the mud and drizzle wasn't enough the snow began to fall. Very relieved I noted the end of the muddy potholes and the rise onto pavement... Wow. I really don't want to repeat that experience again. I kept it upright, and that is what counts. One mile down the road... Nooooooooooooo! Round two... Well, nowhere to go but forward - turning around and going back through the crap I had just come through didn't seem a good option. Back off roading in another mud bog. Slewing side to side, sliding from pothole to pothole as the bike tried to maintain balance. I continued to remind myself to remain loose and let the bike find its own way with gentle guidance. All I had to do was keep moving forward - if I stopped I don't think I would have found adequate footing to keep the bike vertical. Eventually came the end of round two. Thankfully it was only two batches, and I figured the rain would clear the worst of the mud from the bike. Definitely if I had that choice to make again I would go for the two hour detour to avoid it. Having filled the bike with gas, I decided to stop for a bite to eat and to warm up. The bike got a few odd looks - it was a little muddy. So was the rider - I had mud on my jacket, pants, boots and helmet. As I was leaving Eddie's corner another driver coming in cautioned me about the same construction zone. Apparently a car had gotten stuck in it when he came through. Really glad that I wasn't behind him - stopping in that zone would have been very unfortunate. I took a few photos - remember, it was raining and despite this the mud clung to the bike. Take a look at the mud gathered inside the fairings. This bike was in pristine clean and polished condition when I picked it up a week ago - I got it a little dirty. Continuing to head towards Great Falls I found more snow. Blowing snow. Sleet and snow. The roadside was white as the snow accumulated. Snow was piled on roofs and decorated the edges of the windshields of oncoming vehicles. Every four or five seconds I had to sweep my glove across my visor to clear the snow/slush and restore vision. Cold wet air hit my face as I had little choice but to leave my visor cracked to allow air to flow through so it wouldn't fog. Vision was already compromised without making it worse. The temperature fluctuated. 36. 32. 29. 31. 34. 28. 32. 32. 33. 35. 30. Not very nice numbers. The road was wet, water pooling in places, and I fought the strong winds that wanted to push my bike around on the road. Hmmm... perhaps a little TOO early in the season to ride? After another hour of this I finally reached Great Falls, and found a place to stay for the evening. It is going to be a little difficult to be at work tomorrow morning, however pushing onwards through the conditions was nothing short of insanity. This makes three days where I have ridden through snow and challenging sub freezing conditions. Tomorrow the forecast looks a little more promising. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Veefer800Canuck Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 Yikes. Sympathy card in the mail! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Olive Posted May 28, 2012 Author Member Contributer Share Posted May 28, 2012 Why sympathy? For a bit of mud and cold weather? I have since dethawed, and I kept the bike vertical, even if a little filthy. Just finished breakfast and about to pack the bike for the final leg of the trip. A balmy 37F outside right now, overcast but not raining. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer MaxSwell Posted May 28, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted May 28, 2012 Hey Olive, you are an inspiration. If I ever encounter snow on my travels, when I freak out, I'll just remind myself: "Olive did it so it must be possible. Just keep on truckin', carefully." Glad you made it so far in one piece. Keep up the good work. Terry the Wide Eyed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Veefer800Canuck Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 DE-thawed? So you went out and got frozen again? :-p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Solomoto Posted May 28, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted May 28, 2012 I sure hope you had the Gerbings set at max! Anything below 50 and I have to crank it up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Olive Posted May 29, 2012 Author Member Contributer Share Posted May 29, 2012 DE-thawed? So you went out and got frozen again? :-p Yes. I did just that again today. It only dipped to 34F though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Olive Posted May 29, 2012 Author Member Contributer Share Posted May 29, 2012 I sure hope you had the Gerbings set at max! Anything below 50 and I have to crank it up. My heated gear is still in my Givi trunk. Since I had an electrical gremlin I decided any additional draw on the electrical system was asking for trouble. Instead I wore all of the clothing that I had with me - layers! Today it warmed up to 56F by the time I got home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Olive Posted May 29, 2012 Author Member Contributer Share Posted May 29, 2012 ‎3,275 miles. 5,270 km. My bike is parked on the street in front of my house. When I left Great Falls, Montana this morning it was 37F and windy. Found a bit more snow as I headed north west towards the border crossing at Sweet Grass/Coutts. Far better conditions than I had encountered the previous few days. Arriving at the border I had a few moments of stress. The first was when I presented myself at US Customs to export. I've done this before and I know the drill. I emailed all of my paperwork last Tuesday - they need it three days in advance. I sent two additional emails requesting confirmation of receipt and received absolutely nothing in return. I tried to call multiple times to confirm that they had received the paperwork I had sent - it either rang with no answer, or I received a machine that helpfully provided me with office hours and the advice "do not leave a message - messages are not checked". When I arrived at the border they had zero record of having received it or any of my subsequent emails asking for confirmation of receipt. A little concerning. I sweet talked the border guard into processing it while I waited. They weren't very busy at the time I was crossing which likely helped. The next issue was with the title and bill of sale. The names didn't match - James on the title, Jim on the bill of sale. This was another source of stress, which was eventually resolved. Finally I had paid my GST on the bike, collected my paperwork, received the export stamp on the title and was on my way. Riding in Alberta again I was reminded that we have two seasons - Winter and Road Construction. Winter apparently has turned to Road Construction. Found a few nice places where they were paving and had grooved roadways. Of course, one of my absolute favourites is discovering fresh oil on the road with helpful signage advising "fresh oil - proceed at own risk". (Ever noticed the placement of these signs? There is no option except to proceed - no way to turn off the road or turn around.). Arrived home in rush hour, and slightly warmer temperatures than I had been riding in all day. The first trip of the season is complete. I didn't do an Iron Butt, however I did get a very early convincing pre-season start on How Low Can You Go for 2012... In the next few days I will sort through pictures and begin the process of posting up a proper ride report, that fill out the short snippits of my progress that I have been sharing while on the road. Not as many pictures as I would have normally taken - the weather put a damper on those. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer rdguy Posted May 29, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted May 29, 2012 ‎3,275 miles. 5,270 km. My bike is parked on the street in front of my house. ...................... Arrived home in rush hour, and slightly warmer temperatures than I had been riding in all day. The first trip of the season is complete. I didn't do an Iron Butt, however I did get a very early convincing pre-season start on How Low Can You Go for 2012... Olive, The IBA is willing to consider and sanction all sorts of interesting rides. I'm just not sure how to describe and name the last couple of rides you've posted... I remain your humble (and awed) servant, Glenn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweeper Posted May 29, 2012 Share Posted May 29, 2012 Hey Olive, you are an inspiration. If I ever encounter snow on my travels, when I freak out, I'll just remind myself: "Olive did it so it must be possible. Just keep on truckin', carefully." Glad you made it so far in one piece. Keep up the good work. Terry the Wide Eyed. Last year I took a one day 600 mile round trip with Skuuter. I had made the trip once before and swore never again. I nearly froze to death. This time I had a sign in my map pocket "WWOD". It is still there today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Olive Posted May 29, 2012 Author Member Contributer Share Posted May 29, 2012 Last year I took a one day 600 mile round trip with Skuuter. I had made the trip once before and swore never again. I nearly froze to death. This time I had a sign in my map pocket "WWOD". It is still there today. Super to finally meet you in person Sweeper! The longest day I had this trip was 580 miles. And yes, I got a picture of that sign... it will appear in the ride report. It's very simple... it gets cold. you keep riding. It starts raining, you keep riding. The wind starts blowing, you keep riding. It starts snowing, you keep riding. Conditions turn to a white out, you keep riding. You find a motel, you stop. Yes, it was chilly. I know a lot of people on here have been checking out the weather reports of where I was riding - it was insane! The storms were following me the entire trip. I certainly wasn't expecting to see conditions like these on the trip, however the only way out was through. There was only one night this trip when I could have pitched a tent - not regretting that I left it at home this time. I knew it was early season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Dutchy Posted May 29, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted May 29, 2012 Welcome home! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer motormike Posted May 29, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted May 29, 2012 I don't know what you paid for the 2008 or the import tax, but there is a 2009 with ABS in Victoria, B.C. for $10k. It is listed on the "World" site. : ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Chuckster Posted May 30, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted May 30, 2012 Olive, glad you made it home safely. What a trip! You fixed me from ever complaining about catching some rain now and again on my commute home from work. I enjoyed meeting and talking with you at TMAC! Chuck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Olive Posted May 30, 2012 Author Member Contributer Share Posted May 30, 2012 Chuck - I think I fixed MYSELF of ever complaining of a little rain. Although I think the blame for the snow rests squarely on my shoulders - I tempted the universe. Just before I left my Manager confirmed my return date to work, and I jokingly commented "I will be back Monday, unless I hit a blizzard.". The universe took that as a challenge and delivered with real style. The one real benefit of the storms that followed me home is that nobody can ever accuse me of being a fair weather rider. Next on my agenda are 1. Wash 20lbs of mud off of the bike. 2. Go thorough pictures. 3. Post up a proper ride report for the trip. Was doing the bare minimum while travelling - however it seems that most members do appreciate realtime updates during a journey. Have phone, will post! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Olive Posted June 2, 2012 Author Member Contributer Share Posted June 2, 2012 Today I finished the RIV (Registrar of Imported Vehicles) inspection on the bike. Basically they check mileage, VIN, lights, reflectors and ensure the bike is reading speeds in km. Now I can take care of the out of province inspection and register the bike. Took the bike in to a pressure wash today - it is now once again Silver. I was beginning to think that I had a brown bike. Mud had gotten everywhere from the offroad detour I had taken. Still have to wash my jacket. In reference to motormike's comment above about the 2009, I'm honestly NOT starting a collection of VFRs even though it may appear that I am. I paid significantly less than the bike you mentioned in Victoria, even accounting for the cost of flight, trip home, GST and inspection costs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer vfrcapn Posted June 2, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted June 2, 2012 Great way to break in a new to you bike, glad you made it home ok in some pretty bad conditions! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Dutchy Posted June 2, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted June 2, 2012 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Olive Posted June 2, 2012 Author Member Contributer Share Posted June 2, 2012 Just to make Dutchy happy I present "Twins". Keep tuned and I will start from the beginning with the FULL story and lots more pictures. Been a mad scramble the first week back - but that's normal for a trip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Polarbear Posted June 3, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted June 3, 2012 Super! Got a favorite one?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer NorthernVFRDave Posted June 3, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted June 3, 2012 Glad to her you made it home without to many issues. I remember my trip to the east coast in 07 pouring rain and I found a 10km stretch of groved pavement after riding that I almost wante to give up and come home. The IBA is willing to consider and sanction all sorts of interesting rides. Ya just don't cross the US/Canadian board well trying to do a 1000mile in 24 hours. Because in Canada its a 1600km in 24 hours ride not a 1000miles (same thing) so they rejected me last year as the last 40miles I needed to complete a 1000miles happened in Canada so it didn't count. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Veefer800Canuck Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 You're keeping the one with ABS, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer rdguy Posted June 3, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted June 3, 2012 Ya just don't cross the US/Canadian board well trying to do a 1000mile in 24 hours. Because in Canada its a 16000km in 24 hours ride not a 1000miles (same thing) so they rejected me last year as the last 40miles I needed to complete a 1000miles happened in Canada so it didn't count. That's weird. There are actual SS1000 rides which require riding both sides of the border. Zen riders out of Toronto have been doing a Lower Great Lakes SS1000 (circle Erie and Ontario) for years. Glenn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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