Female solo V-Strom rider age 64 rides Beartooth, Glacier, Icefields Pkwy.

[Cariboostrom]

I've just been re-reading some of my earlier ride reports, and realized that I have not yet posted my ride report from LAST year, 2011. Hey, I'm only a year behind....so what! Anyway, last year I decided to ride FOUR awesome roads: (1) south from Lewiston, Washington,on Hwy 129 through the Rattlesnake Canyon, to Wallowa Lake; (2) the Beartooth Highway from Cooke City to Red Lodge; (3) Going to the Sun Road, Glacier National Park, and last but not least, (4) the Icefields Parkway from Banff to Jasper Alberta, Canada. This would make a great "round trip" on my 2004 DL650 V-Strom, which now has 75,000 kms on her, but it still going strong. So here we go....

Day 1July 3^rd, 2011

It was raining in Quesnel when I got up….still raining as I left. In Williams Lake, still raining. In 100 Mile House, still raining. I figured that after I crossed the MacDonald summit on the road to Littlefort it would quit raining. BUT, in Littlefort at the Husky station it absolutely POURED for about 15 minutes, and then stopped. YES! Pulled in to Pinegrove campground. The woman at the desk remembered me from last year and she said "and you're on the SAME bike". Set up the tent. It was sunny and beautiful as I made supper, but by 8.15 pm it started to RAIN. Went to sleep listening to the rain drops on the tent!


Not raining this morning.....made coffee (I can handle ANYTHING with good coffee in hand!) and made oatmeal porridge for breakfast....

Day 2 July 4, 2011

The tent, however, was very wet, as I packed up. I rode through Kamloops, bought a new tank bag as the zipper broke on my old one, and took the Barnhartvale Road. Because we’ve had so much rain this area looked particularly beautiful this year, with farmers out haying. I love the wonderful smells of freshly cut hay, and the smells of the wildflowers. The lupins were in full bloom. There was quite a flock of goats and some sheep at the farm where the road goes right through the farm yard. "Hey, nice bike lady".... well maybe that's what she was thinking?

[Cariboostrom]

I was sorry to see the end of this great little road. Rode on down Hwy 6 to Lumby where I had a fabulous Reuben sandwhich with a Caesar salad…at Hubert’s. This place has awesome food and is a great place to stop before hitting the awesome Hwy 6 all the way, with lots of twists and turns to the Needles Ferry on Arrow Lake.

[Cariboostrom]

The weather was just perfect, and before long I was in Nakusp, where I bought some groceries to camp tonight. On to New Denver, and then on the fabulous road to Kaslo. It was just perfect, hardly any traffic, awesome twisties, and the river running beside the road was very full of rushing water, more water than usual.



This really is a beautiful part of the country to ride and one of my favourite areas of British Columbia.

I met this interesting guy, Peter, at the rest area on this road. He was riding an old 1978 Suzuki 400, which he has restored. I asked him where he was going to camp and he said he was going to look in the bush for a place, and he hoped there wouldn’t be any bears….quite the character. I like people like that. At the same place were a bunch of beautifully dressed out Gold Wing riders, three of them, and they politely said hello, but that was all. Sometimes simple is just best....

[Sojourner2005]

Thanks for sharing your ride. Can't wait to read more.

[bESS]

caribooStrom:

I also followed your journey last year.

too bad we didn't bump into you. We also rode to Glacier NP and were there on opening day
which was July 13, 2011

http://youtu.be/sdkIgjM7TCY

and went nearly the same way as you through Lewiston, Rattlesnake Pass, Lobo Pass & Spiral Highway before going to John Day area

bob

[TwoShots]

Originally Posted by Cariboostrom

(1) south from Lewiston, Washington,on Hwy 129 through the Rattlesnake Canyon, to Wallowa Lake; (2) the Beartooth Highway from Cooke City to Red Lodge; (3) Going to the Sun Road, Glacier National Park,

What timing! I've got a UT > MT > WA > OR > CA > UT loop to do next month. Think I'll revise my route to take in (2) and (1) after I arrive at Kalispell.

[Cariboostrom]

In Mirror Lake, just out of Kaslo, B.C. I got a campsite set up and made supper of sardines on bagels, with apples and cheese, and iced tea. Went for a walk at dusk and got some great photos of kids fishing at the dock .

Over the years I've worked out a pretty good camping routine. My tent actually sleeps 2.... (you never know, I might get lucky ) and has a very useful vestibule, where I can keep my gear dry, when not on the bike. The Givi panniers work really well for me (they came with the bike when I bought it in 2007).

Day 3 July 5, 2011

Beautiful weather in Kaslo, as I packed up a dry tent, and headed down to Balfour and had a cappuccino as I waited 50 mins for the ferry to Crawford Bay across Kootenay Lake (the longest free ferry ride in the world apparently). What perfect weather, not a cloud in the sky, the lake was so calm….great place to meet people on the ferry, and I talked with other bikers and visitors from Europe, taking photos for people.



How would you like to have a place here?
I even got a compliment on my new riding jacket...

Off the ferry at Crawford Bay, I rode down Destination Highways #1 best road in B.C. to Creston, stopping at Kuskanook Harbour to enjoy the view

[Cariboostrom]

Originally Posted by bESS

caribooStrom:

I also followed your journey last year.

too bad we didn't bump into you. We also rode to Glacier NP and were there on opening day
which was July 13, 2011

http://youtu.be/sdkIgjM7TCY

and went nearly the same way as you through Lewiston, Rattlesnake Pass, Lobo Pass & Spiral Highway before going to John Day area

bob

What a coincidence....we almost met! I went through the Going to the Sun Road, on the SECOND day it was open.

[GB]

Thanks for the detailed report and lovely pics

[Cariboostrom]

At one point I stopped to admire the view and have something to eat, and when I stopped, I saw a bicycle with a little trailer topped with a Canadian flag. I said hello to the young man who was riding and asked him where he was going. Casually he said in a heavy French Canadian accent "I'm riding to Mexico!" He'd come from Quebec already, all the way across Canada and was now heading south to Mexico. Just like that! Awesome!


I always get anxious when I cross the border. I've had some very rude border guards on previous trips, however, south of Creston I approached the border and I had an interesting conversation with the American border guard about English literature!! He asked what I thought of Kurt Vonnegut, and then we had an interesting discussion about Life of Pi and Hemingway’s Old Man and the Sea….perhaps he was just trying to figure out if I really was an English instructor. He also picked up on my Aussie/Canadian accent. He was just doing his job, and was actually very pleasant.

By the time I got to Bonners Ferry, it was getting really HOT. I had a mediocre sandwhich at a truck stop and rode on through Sandspit. What a mess of traffic that turned out to be because of construction. Rode to Couer de Alene….by this time it was just cooking out, at 87F, and I was feeling pretty numb in the bum. I actually rode too far today, and should have stopped earlier, but I rode on to Moscow, and by this time I was just beat from the hot dry wind in my face and wearing full gear and helmet. No helmet law here in Idaho which seems like totally crazy to me. I had a hell of a time to find the Super 8 motel in Moscow. Got lost going around and around town, but finally found it and I was really happy to relax in an air conditioned room.

[Frostback]

You are an inspiration of confidence and character. Rock on! We need more like you. You don't need to get lucky, you ARE lucky. Hope to see you on the road.

Lee

[C-Stain]

[Cariboostrom]

Day 4 July 6, 2011
Got on the road early today as it was so hot. I soon found myself dipping down into Lewiston (I could smell the pulp mill before I could see it). I found my way to Asotin. They were digging the street up in front of the Daily Bakery. Parked across the street at the Post Office, and went in and the only guy there, fixed me a great cappuccino, and then made the absolute best breakfast sandwhich I have ever eaten. It was egg and ham and cheese on a croissant, with a bowl of strawberries and blueberries. SO good!

So then it was onwards to the Rattlesnake Pass and down to the canyon. The weather was still not too hot, as I started down the switchbacks. I stopped at the café at the bottom, and took the camera and walked out onto the bridge over the Grande Ronde river.






People were rafting, and having a great old time with dogs and umbrellas down under the bridge





It was about 11 am, and still not too hot. I rode on slowly down the bottom of the canyon, and soon began the uphill climb up and up and up on the switchbacks along this absolutely awesome road, to the Oregon border. The road had been swept recently; the road condition was excellent, with no gravel at all. The views were amazing, and the hills were greener than last year when I was here, due to the rain. Before long I was coming into Enterprise

[prometheus rising]

Great start. Whats on tap for this year?

[Cariboostrom]

Originally Posted by prometheus rising

Great start. Whats on tap for this year?

Hi there...I'm thinking I'll ride up to Smithers and on to Stewart, Hyder and see the Bear and Salmon Glaciers, then take the ferry from Prince Rupert down to Vancouver Island, look around there awhile, and on to Port Angeles, and do a bit of the west coast, and head east to perhaps do some riding in the Wallowa area, and maybe over to do Going to the Sun Rd. again (I LIKE that area!). Still have not finalized the plan yet....