Way out West - Canada to Central America

Good to be back guys n' grrls!

I'm here gearing-up for the new season, Aerostich jacket arrived in the mail the other day, I'm due for a new helmet too. I've got a new place - FINALLY I can work on my motorcycle during these long-ass winters.

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One last prairie morning before the Rockies. <br/><br/>
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It's a pretty drastic change in such a short space... <br/>
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North across the border and HOME!<br/>
It's a cocky slogan but it's TRUE. <br/>
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It's indescribably good to be back on familar ground after being away so long. It's comfortable and welcoming. I know the landscape and the plants and trees and I know that I can camp nearly anywhere I damn well please. Pull off the road and find your piece of paradise for the night.<br/><br/>
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Sure is easier to find a good brew since I lived here last...<br/>
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I'm not big on selfies, but I travel solo so much - I know I'll kick myself if I don't have any photos to look back on in thirty years.<br/>

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So true, we forget to remember who we were.

DW

It's good for people down the line too. I recently came across some great photos of my grandpa when he was about my age. I wonder what sort of adventures he got up to...

Up at dawn. Cold, clear and clean. <br/><br/>
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The Jetboil still seems fragile to me, but it's pretty damn quick and convenient to boil up coffee in the morning.<br/>
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I've been trying this Manfrotto clamp with a ball-head - leaving the tripod legs at home. Works GREAT. there's nearly always somehting to clamp it to; a sign, fence, the motorcycle. <br/>
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Thanks for the wi-fi and bathrooms, you da' man Tim.<br/>
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Small-town BC, the kind of place where you can walk down main street with a can of Pisliner in your hand. <br/>
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Visiting a friend from WAY back. This guy is nothing but trouble and always up for a good time.<br/><br/>
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Spent the afternoon at the beach with a couple young lasses on tour from Latvia. (no photos, as I was on my best-behaviour at the time...) <br/>
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He had an old Hobie Cat to bomb-around on. We'd head out whichever way the wind was blowing, beach the boat whenever we felt done, and hitchhike back to town. Next day we'd head out in the truck and go out in the boat again.<br/><br/>
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Good to catch-up with you man.<br/>
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West is best, but West is wet. No need to rush. I head off to the gold-rush ghost town of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandon,_British_Columbia"> Sandon</a> <br/>
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If you ever need a set for your slasher flick, this is it.<br/>
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Man, it is COMING DOWN.<br/>
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Mills shut-down everywhere. What are people doing for work?<br/>
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You know it's still a bit Wild West when THIS is the police station.<br/>
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Over another pass and we're in to arid land. <br/>
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Another night at the riverside inn.<br/>
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I used to work repairing those buses in another lifetime.
What are people doing for work?
Probably growing pot like everywhere else.

Man, you speak the truth.

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Cross the Coast Range, skirt round Vancouver, then on to the ferry.
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It's a gorgeous ride through the Gulf Islands to Sidney. Mount baker to the east, in Washington state, about 3200m at the peak.
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Seen from the deck of the ferry - Can anybody ID this plane (the bottom one)? Looks WWII American, Pacific theater, but I don't recognise it.
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I forgot about these guys. They run loose around Beacon Hill Park, so tame you could scoop one up for dinner. Man, they make a hell of a noise!
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Pushed through to the west of the Island,
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I tell ya, I think that clamp beats the tripod in terms of usefulness vs space/weight...<br/>
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Through the rainforest to the shore, Botannical Beach.<br/>

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You can't get bored of this place. I spent the whole day. <br/>
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First thought is a T-6 Texan.

Anton, has North Face sponsored you yet. Dummies!!! Great pics as always!

Yak-52. A Russian radial engine trainer quite similar in some respects to the Texan/Harvard. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Yakovlev_Yak-52_RA-1919K_at_IBT'11_side_view.jpg

Really enjoying following your RR - GREAT pics.

That's what came to mind when I saw it too. The floatplane looks like a turbined Otter. Nice pics as always.

loved it all, great stuff......


what surprises me is the condition of the KLR, it hardly looks any more worn now than when you started, its still a pretty smart bike.....amazing, can't remember if you said what you paid for it......but has to be great value for money.....and still probably another decent 30k in it yet if not punished too hard.

Aha! The Yak was a good clue, I think it must be a Chinese copy, Nanchang CJ-5. Check out the square tail fin and wing dihedral.

http://www.vg-photo.com/airshow/kcma2012/tigers.html



Yeah, the Otter belongs to Harbour Air. I used to watch those take-off on blustery days damn-near VERTICALLY. They'd just point into the the wind and go. Looked like an invisible hand was picking them up (I gotta learn to fly sometime Rick!)



@Hardwaregrrl I was sort-of "sponsored". A rider friend who frequents ADV used-to work for TNF. So I was able to get very reasonable prices on gear.

The bike just KEEPS GOING. I bought it with 3000km on the ODO for $4300. My first and only bike. It's at 94300km right now. I take good care of it, just regular maintenance and Neduro's Spring Bike Maintenance and Setup Guide every year. Starts right up every season. The gears are getting clunky and it feels like maybe the clutch is slipping slightly. I feel more vibration in it now like the piston is looser (really not sure). I've never had it in a shop for service, maybe it's due.

First EVER ride
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Last season
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Spot on!

Botanical Beach Spent many a day there going from pool to pool. Murmaid's purses, huge green anenomone and the sea. Been 10 years and must get back there. I hear the road from Renfrew to Caycuse is paved.

Thanks for the pics.

Yes, Caycuse to Renfrew is paved, which is a bit of a shame and a bit of twisty, fast, lightly trafficked, non-stop road

(Edit: Oh, it's paved from Mesachie Lake to Port Renfrew. Caycuse is still in the boonies.)

Botanical Beach is really one of my favourite places on the planet. I went back a second time on this trip just to hang out in the sun and shoot video

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Wow thanks for that! I could almost smell the kelp at low tide !

It is definitel one. The best player places