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I have always wanted to ride Beartooth Pass/hwy, Going to the Sun road, Independence Pass and many other roads along and around those area. I was going to go last year but my 4th gen gotten written off and my replacement VFR (My current 5th gen) was untested. Good thing I didn't attempt a long trip with it as I had to replace the Stator and R/R eventually. After some planning and some modifications to the bike (helibars, windscreen, Sargent seat, luggage racks) I embarked on this quite distant journey from my home in Toronto, Ontario. The plan was about 14 days but due to some Forest fires would end up being 11 days and just under 8,000kms/5,000miles. DAY 1: Toronto, Ontario to Ottawa, Illinois I left "bright" and early at 6am. I packed the VFR the night before. Luggage was a Givi 46L top box and 2x 22L side hard-bags. I strapped a tank bag to the pillion seat with emergency tools, tire repair kit etc etc. Regular Tank bag infront of me with miscellaneous stuff. Fully loaded the bike would rock backwards onto the rear tire when on the centerstand. I had to remove the top box whenever I wanted to lube the chain. lol First couple hours the Bike felt a bit "off", laden down with all that luggage but I got used to it. I encountered some light rain when it was time for my first fill up so I put on a rain jacket. I made it to my crossing into the U.S. without delay and without getting very wet. I decided to take a tiny ferry across to the States from Walpole Island, Ontario to Algonac, Michigan. It was an odd little ferry but real quick and easy. Cost me $5. The deck was wet and I just sat on the bike and held the brake during the crossing. On the American side there's a tiny little guard house for the US border. They asked a couple standard questions and I was on my way. It was on and off rain showers and I changed my route westward to get around the worst of it, but the rain gear stayed on until west of Ann Arbor, MI. The old PR3's did their job too. I made some stops here and there but I knew (and planned) that Day 1 was gonna be hard slabbing so I kept on. Some of the last legs of I-80 was a parking lot and I couldn't figure out how to use the Detour function on my new-to-me GPS. I eventually got to my stay for the night. An AirBnB in Ottawa, Il. Day 1 aprox 978kms (608 miles)

On my June/July trip to Colorado I saw a few VFRs and am curious if they are members. June 27: a red 5th gen VFR800 w/black hard bags (Givi, Kappa?) spotted south of Winterpark, Colorado, southbound on US-40 June 29: a red/silver VFR1200 at Cooke City, Montana June 29: a red 5th ten VFR800 w/black hard bags (Givi, Kappa?) southbound on US-89 towards Gardiner, Montana / Yellowsone NP

After months and months of anticipation, I finally headed out on my solo trip out west. 21 Days, 10 National Parks and 7,248 miles later, I returned home last Friday. Incredible, amazing, and unreal are all fitting adjectives to describe this trek. Seeing some of the most beautiful landscapes on the planet is a humbling experience and it gave me a new perception of what really matters. Below are some photos from my phone. However, I will be posting mostly "real" photos from my Olympus EM5 in the report. I rode my 2007 Honda VFR800, a truly amazing bike that never quit. Maybe my next trip will be on a Commando? Clearing skies in the Grand Tetons A long but surreally beautiful day across the Hi-Line in Montana Many Glacier area of Glacier National Park, Swiftcurrent Lake. Monument Valley. So cool. I couldn't get enough of Montana. It's a dream. More Teton awesomeness. Chicks keeping me up all night. Glad I got a chance to see these guys close up. Sometimes you need to put your bike in the hotel room Camping at Muley Point This report will be photo heavy!