Mexico to Canada to Sturgis with rock & roll: 2012

[Kevin Moore]

What follows is a motorcycle trip that started in Mexico, went up the coast of California and Oregon, on to Canada, then ended in Sturgis for the annual rally. It was done with friends ranging from rock musicians with the likes of Faster Pussycat and Guns n' Roses to TV show hosts to self-proclaimed morons.

If you like the story, more can be found at:
http://www.bikesandbuddies.com
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bikes-...70032839707633

Bikes and Buddies tells true stories of motorcycles, friends, family, and the open road, covering important topics like: setting a motorcycle on fire, almost hitting a turkey that craps on the rider, meeting a Bronx Jew in the middle of nowhere, and destroying a mini bike with the band members of Green Day. The stories are about the people and culture surrounding two-wheeled travel.

The route:




Chapter I: Riki and Taime From Mexico

After starting in Ensenada, Riki and Taime rode up the Pacific Coast Highway to San Francisco to pick me up. After a night of Chick-O-Sticks, Kraken Rum, and laughs, we packed and readied to leave for Sturgis the next morning. My son Gage tried to come, but sadly at the eleventh hour Mom put the kibosh on him going due to worries his engine was too small.

[Kevin Moore]

After crossing the Golden Gate Bridge - which was encased in enough fog that we only saw five feet of the supports - we made out way to Bodega Bay, home of Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds".



The coast was amazing, even with the marine layer.







But the sun finally came...











My wife had made biscuit sandwiches, which we ate with gusto.



A great over-the-shoulder shot of Taime riding:



By dusk, we made "Avenue of the Giants" where elephantine redwoods lined the road and not a car was seen.



And while we were supposed to camp, I royally screwed up by not reserving a site and we ended up in a Motel 6.

Such is life.

[Kevin Moore]

After our lavish night at the Motel, we continued north. I brought sustenance











We stopped at a "Prehistoric Garden" only to peruse the gift shop and get a picture with the giant T-rex out front



Riki thinks I'm #1







We made camp in Waldport, Oregon, which was fantastic. Taime - ever prepared for the great outdoors - brought an espresso machine and whiskey.



Our neighbor was a fellow named Eric, a freelance computer programmer who spent his time fishing and working from the boat. He broke out some delicious box wine and talked with us until he quietly slipped back to his camper. When I went over later, his door was wide open, exposing two bare feet sticking from his bed. He was passed out.



Riki put up his own tent...and it only took 57 minutes.







The next morning we got up early and started towards Seattle...

[Kevin Moore]

Best picture of the trip:

[Kevin Moore]

After camping in Woldport, we made our way to Portland. First came the secondary road from 101 on the coast to Highway 5. Then 5 into the city.



Once in Portland, we went to the world-famous Voodoo Doughnuts. Riki waited in line and and made sure to get me my own special doughnut.

WARNING - XXX rated

MORE WANTING - highly homoerotic







After a day in the city, we went to dinner at Taime's mom's house. She made a killer spread of burgers and sides. Just before we left, I cajoled Riki into getting on the riding mower and took this priceless video:



That night we came back into the city to see The Supersuckers with a group of Taime's friends from Seattle. We took a ferry across the sound, and I recorded this video riding onto the ship:





Just like everyone visiting San Francisco must take a picture of the Golden Gate Bridge, I had to take get one of the giant needle thingy.

[Kevin Moore]

From Seattle, we took route 2 through the Wanatchee National Forest.









Taime grew up near Seattle and while there cultivated a ravenous love of the Mexican food chain Taco Time. To this day he waxes on about their Mexi-fries and burritos, which are really more like taquitos. He found one along our way east, but when we stopped it was closed for roof repair. Luckily, Annie the owner and her brother John - who had built the building in 1979 and was now fixing the roof - open it and started the fryers to make us lunch!





This sticker from a quarter-eating vending box at Taco Time is still on my helmet.



After being well fed, we rode north from the Wanatchee Valley to the prairies.









I saw this sign as we entered Waterville and after passing it, turned around and got a picture to satisfy my need for juvenile humor. For those who don't get it, Google.



We stopped to get gas and these two lovely ladies reminded my partners why my bike is best:

[Kevin Moore]

And soon the golden prairie gave way to high desert...









We stopped in the town of Sandpoint after the Washington-Idaho border and saw this truck and took this silly picture:





We saw signs in the window of many restaurants announcing that they are "Buying Huckleberries". As it turns out, the berries only grow in the wild and folks pick and sell them to local businesses. We had breakfast in a wonderful place where the owner told us the difference between pancakes and flapjacks - yes, there is a difference and I forget what. Here are the huckleberry flapjacks:



On the way out of town I saw this wonderful mural and had to take a picture. Great slogan to live by.



We made our way north through the town of Bonner's Ferry before going into Canada to visit Creston. It was uneventful and I did not take any pictures...sorry folks.

[Kevin Moore]

I posted a new story on Bikes and Buddies today entitled "From Good Cloth." It's a tale of an old man, how he helped me, and my eventual neglect.

http://www.bikesandbuddies.com/2012/11/01/good-cloth

[busdriver803]

[QUOTE=Kevin Moore;19950622]I posted a new story on Bikes and Buddies today entitled "From Good Cloth." It's a tale of an old man, how he helped me, and my eventual neglect.

http://www.bikesandbuddies.com/2012/11/01/good-cloth

Excellent read, Best intentions seem to be pushed aside by our lives too often. Always wonder how some of those chance meetings could have changed our lives if we'd have followed our hearts.

[GB]

Looks good Keep it comin'

[Kevin Moore]

Thanks, busdriver803!

[joeybeats]

Just great. Your site, your writing, your photo's, your buddies, your effort here. Just great stuff. Joey

[Kevin Moore]

Wow - Thank you very much, joeybeats. I think you made me blush!

[Kevin Moore]

Chapter II: Meeting the rest of the Folks

Riki, Taimi, and I met the rest of the crew somewhere in Wyoming. After hellos and a bite to eat, we started to ride. Within ten minutes, Dean's shovelhead broke down.



As Gilby was attempting to fix his brother's piece-of-history bike, I gave him "the dunk". He was a good sport and did not punch me.



Once the bike was fixed, we got back on our way to Sturgis. It was hot and I rode with my mascot "Purple Bear", who was filled with huckleberry honey. He was a sweet riding companion.





Dean's Shovel - a true icon of the American Road - broke down again. Luckily this fellow named Jim helped us. He was just starting a new career, trying to get his shop up and running, but this good man took the time to give us a hand.



We made Spearfish, dropped all our crap, then went out to have our fist dinner together. The waitress took this picture of us.





That night I had to share a bed with my cousin. He was drunk and snoring, so I messed with him for my own amusement.

[Kevin Moore]

Chapter III: Sturgis - the literal "Grand Daddy" of motorcycle events

We started the day by cruising around town. Dean's shovelhead was broken - again - so he stayed at the hotel to fix its 37 problems.





This guy was riding around with a little dog on his shoulder - the crap you only see in Sturgis.





After days of constipation, Riki finally made the transaction.



While in town, this guy was trying to sell us something to do with bikes. I recorded the event because, as I saw it, the guy simply wanted to fondle Riki's leg.



That night Taime's band Faster Pussycat played. Riki and "Big Schwag" hosted the event. Schwag, who I met for the first time, turned out to be a very cool guy.









Gilby headlined the night and Taime did some funky dancing to his music.



Riki and myself with The Reverend Horton Heat. He's both our hero!





Afterward, we drank beer and watched the most manly burnout ever witnessed by humanity.





That night I had taken a picture of my junk on Caleb's gas tank and sent it to him via text. He returned the favor by peeing on my bike's seat. Riki filmed it, then had someone film my response when he showed me the video of Caleb doing the deed.

The best part is I had no clue it was my bike until the end.