Saturday, June 13, 2009

Stage Two of the Journey


This is the beginning of the second stage of the journey. Today we had a wonderful ride and a very nice surprise. We stopped at the Piqua, OH H-D dealer. They were the only dealer with a lid for our saddlebag, remember? Well Art asked the service man if they had the hardware to attach to the saddlebag so we could close and lock the lid. He did not but he searched all other stores and found a dealer in Mendon, OH who had the hardware. It was a 40 mile ride to the northwest. That happened to be in the direction we were going so we hopped on the bike and rode over there. Jim's H-D had the part and the owner, Jim Godwin is a lifetime H-D dealer. Since there were no technicians working today, he was more than happy to take on the task himself. He loved our story and that we were traveling the four corners so he did the work for free! While he was working, his wife Mary, took all the shoppers to their private museum in a barn next to the dealership and house. Inside the temperature, humidity, and light controlled barn was a lifetime private collection of everything Harley! There were Harley bicycles, a Harley generator, golf carts, True Glides, old side car bikes, military bikes as well as some of the old bikes from companies that H-D purchased back in the 1950's and 1960's. A Honda Goldwing, some Triumph's, and BSA's were included in the collection. Memorabilia were displayed in glass show cases around the perimeter of the museum. There was literally everything from A to Z and then some. We have seen the H-D Rolling Museum and even it did not have this stuff! If you travel through Ohio, make sure you take the side trip through the genetically engineered crop fields to Jim's H-D in Mendon, OH. It will be a worth wild trip.

We rode through light rain from there to Sturgis, MI but their H-D shop had closed. So we took a photo of Art next to the local HOG Chapter trailer.

45 comments:

  1. Good Morning Guys,

    It's 7:15 on sunday and wanted to wish you a DRY day for Gods sake.

    While I sit here drinking my coffee and reading your blog you can't believe the envy I have for the both of you. Of course the both of you have earned it. Live the dream my friends.

    Can't wait to hear what happens next on the continuing adventures of "THE FOUR CORNERS GANG"

    If that was a serious question Michelle, the third one from the left...lol.

    tc and gtg

    Ted and Sandy

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  2. Ted, We had a sunny and dry day to ride 329 miles north through Michigan. We only had a few light showers that we drove through. Thanks for the prayers. This is the Bible Belt region so that means many businesses are closed on Sunday. We found one dealer open and ordered a dot from them in Birch Run, MI. The countryside was green and beautiful all the way from Sturgis, MI to Gaylord where we are now. We have a 0900 appointment in the morning, Monday for a bike service at Zip's H-D at the 45th Parallel Line. This is halfway between the North Pole and the Equator.

    I forgot to mention a moment I thought of while traveling through Ohio as we passed Kent State University. I thought of a Social Trivia question just then. What was the date of the Kent State tragedy? Also, what was the song written about the event and who wrote and sang it? Any takers?

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  3. Hey you two, sounds like you're having a great road trip! Glad you got in some sunshine! We leave in the morning for Boise, Idaho. We'll arrive there about 7:45pm on the 18th. Then we'll be in Butte, MT on the 19th? Let me know if you're going to be near there at those times. Safe travels.
    Greg and Sue

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  4. any takers...oh please!!!!
    It was May 4th 1970 when the Kent State massacre took place. Most people remember the four dead that are mentioned in the song "Ohio" but don't even know about the other nine that were injured, one of which a complete quadraplegic. The song was written by Neal Young and performed by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. It was also written, produced, recorded and released within a week of the incident.
    I don't know if that's a fair question Michelle as I'm probably the only one of us that is old enough to remember the actual event...lmao.

    Wishing you safe miles and lots of sunshine.

    Ted and Sandy

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  5. Keep on riding, I love reading your blogs and wish you happy trails!

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  6. Oh, someone beat me to your trivia question. I was only 7 at the time but yes, I do remeber the Kent State tragedy and I knew it was a CSN&Y song (even know all the words!). Loved seeing you in person finally and I look forward to next month when the Fab Four walks together.
    Teresa :-)

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  7. June 15, 2009- Monday
    365 miles
    Today we got up and had continental breakfast at the Alpine Inn in Gaylord, MI. We headed over to Zipp’s H-D for our service appointment on the bike. They took us in at 0900 and were finished at 1100. We hung-out for the two hours. We read, spoke with all the employees, got the cameras lens ring glued back on with hand-grip adhesive and thanked everyone one for a fabulous job. Even the detail guy came out to say he was proud to have the opportunity to clean our bike for our journey. We thanked him about four times because he really had a job to do and he even cleaned the chrome wheels. The customer lounge had two maps on the wall for people to place a pin from where they came. Pins were from all over. They gave us directions to the next store in Mackinaw City, WI. So we hit the road and headed north. The day was warm and sunny. It was only an hour drive to the next store and we drove right to it in a shopping mall. The architecture was all log buildings and very handsome. We got a pin and got back on the road. As we crossed the Mackinaw Bridge I took photos of both Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. I also photographed the open-grate bridge, the span, and the scenic view at Father Marquette Area. We drove to a little Upper Peninsula Diner for lunch. Art had a Bison Burger and I had a Chicken Santa Fe. Both sandwiches came with homemade potato chips. You could get a shower there too for five dollars! It was a hunters dream. Further down the road we passed through the Hiawatha National Forest, the Lake Superior State Forest, and the Ottawa National Forest. Another Harley rider led us to the Marquette, MI H-D, where we got our third dot for the day. We bought two balaclavas for the colder weather we would be experiencing in the Rockies. We got gas and pressed on towards WI. The animals we encountered today were some beautiful Swann’s and their hatchlings, porchipines, brown ostrich-like cranes, and lots of deer. The deer were crossing the roadway all over the place. We were extra watchful as we drove to Land O’ Lakes, WI for the night. We had dinner at Chuck’s rusty nail for pizza and sodas. We stopped at the quick market for Gatorade and novelty ice creams for dessert. When we got back to the motel room we wrote in the journal, made an account of the dots and pins and our finances.

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  8. I have enjoyed reading your blog and following your journey... it sounds as though you guys are having a great time.
    God Speed to you both~
    Teresa

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  9. Michele,
    The brown ostrich like creatures you encountered are sand hill cranes and are very prevelent in the midwest. You will sometimes see hundreds of them standing in one field.

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  10. Tuesday, 8PM

    Sup guys,

    Glad to see that you are finally having some decent weather. I was looking on the weather channel and it seems that the next couple days look promising.

    How many dots do you forsee yourselves having when you get back. A hell of a lot of them for damn sure.

    Do you guys have a time frame in mind for the trip. My reason for asking is that we will be in California in the middle of July. Was wondering where you'll be then. Wouldn't that be a trip, meeting up on the other side of the country.

    You know, I'm trying to link up with the east coast biker website but have not been having much luck. Anybody else try?

    Art, the 45 parallel is the half way point between the equator and the north pole. Wouldn't have known that if it wasn't for the blog...lol.

    gtg but you be careful,
    Hell we'll probably be here tomorrow too.

    Ted and Sandy

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  11. Tuesday, June 16, 2009
    330 miles

    Today we made good travels across the state of Wisconsin. Just as we crossed the St. Croix River into Minnesota, the skies opened up and rained heavily upon us. WI is flat and the roads are wide and gridelike. We have been healthly and well.
    We arrived at my friend Becky's and her husband and five children, one dog, and two cats. We were drowned rats! But Becky made homemade quesedillas for dinner and salad and we relaxed. Art went to bed after the day of riding whiteknuckled around St. Paul/Minneapolis.

    Sue and Greg, The weather is holding us to rest here in MN so I can contact you if we can make a connection in MT.

    Ted, We will be in CA in the beginning of July then by July 12th we will be in Phoenix for a timeshare week.

    We will definitely get together with all you friends in the fall for giggles, chat 'n chew.

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  12. Sounds like you guys are having an awesome trip! Live it up!

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  13. YEAH, the fourth of the fab four! I was pumped to see a pic of Becky with Michele. Glad the trip is going well for you and it looks like you are having an absolute blast. can't wait to see you again in Phoenix in July!!! STay safe! :)

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  14. Well let's see Left Becky & Tom's after a delicious breakfast and multiple rides with their girls in the sidecar. You would of thought it was a roller-coaster ride at Great Adventure.

    Got on the road about 9:45 AM and drove 344 miles; about 60 miles into North Dakota. We stopped at four H-D dealers and got dots. Three in Minnesota and one in North Dakota, which brings the total to about forty dealer dots/pins. Some dots are free and some dealers charge for them. Those of you who know of the map on our Great Room Wall, know the glory of our rides!

    We are now in Valley City, ND where they are still cleaning up from the floods from this past spring. There are still five foot sandbag walls along the Sheyenne River. Our Inn is at the top of a hill with a beautiful view of the valley. We are in for the night.

    Along our way today some fellow travelers warned us of the threat of tornados out west. I said, "Great! I'll just ride this bike up under an overpass and hunker down to ride it out!" We watched the skies as we rode, wondering if we would have to resort to such measures. the temperature in ND is in the 80's and our faces were nearly black with road dirt. We passed many areas of construction. Becky told us that out here there are two season's; winter and construction! Boy was she right!

    We rode to nearly running the bike on fumes today. When we filled the 6 gallon tank, we bought 5.881 gallons!!!! The gas was so low, it only registered LO on the reserve indicator, otherwise known as, 'Get some gas before we start walking!'

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  15. Glad you all had a dry day, thought of you when I watched the weather tonight on the western edge of Minnesota and hoped you were past it! The sun even came out here for a while.

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  16. Kent said, We've had so much rain here that I think I've started growing gills. Pic's look great, look forward to many more.Be safe,love ya.

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  17. June 18, 2009- Thursday
    344 miles
    Today we got an early start after the complimentary breakfast at the Wagon Wheel Hotel. Michele started out driving and Art was in the sidecar. She bumped the curb and revved the motor and spun off down the Interstate like there were no holds barred! She took us to the first destination in Jamestown, North Dakota. We were an hour early so we gabbed up a storm with a local old guy who was waiting for the dealership to open as well. Once we got the dip dot, Art took the helm and we headed west. Soon the clouds gathered their fury and we found ourselves in the midst of a morning thunderstorm. We holed up under an overpass to ride out the first of many storms today. Visibility was near zero! See the photo on the sidebar. We ran into three men from the Yukon Territory. They were going home after a visit to Akron, Ohio. We all put our rain gear on and rode into the rain. We rode to the next dealer in Mandan, ND. Got a dot and rolled into yet another storm. This storm had hail in addition to all the other fun features! So we pulled over under another overpass and were joined by the Honda Goldwing Trike Crew, with trailers! GACK!!! After this rain, we headed into Montana. We passed the lovely Painted Canyon, roadside sculptures, the Theodore Roosevelt National Park and we entered the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. By then the weather was beautiful so we got a campsite in Glendive, MT, 50 miles west of the ND border. We ate dinner and took these last photos of our campsite and are watching the sunset.

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  18. June 19, 2009- Friday
    413 miles
    Today we started out early. Art went to buy coffee from the Conoco station but they were closed as was the Family Café across the street. He walked to the casino and asked the girl behind the desk if he could buy a cup of coffee and she responded with questioning him if he was a guest of the resort and casino. Art said no. She said then it was up to the manager. The manager gave Art two large cups of coffee ‘to go.’
    We drank our coffee and Art could not get into the men’s room to shower. Turned out he tried the employee door and it was locked. So we broke camp successfully. It went really well. We packed the bike and headed west. We rode until the breakfast bell rang in our stomachs. We pulled over into a gas station for gas and then ate a nice meal at the café next door. The weather was great so we pushed on towards Billings, MT. When we reached the H-D dealer there, Art ran in and got his dip dot and we hopped back on the bike and rode to Belgrave, MT.
    At one point we had a hard time finding gas with greater than 89 octane levels. So, Art bought a bottle of STP Octane Booster. He added it to a tank of gas that we were forced to purchase because we were in cattle country and no one there needed greater than 85 to 87 octane fuel. The scenery began to change from Badland foothills to the snowy peaks of the Rockies. We had been waiting to see the horizon change and we were not disappointed. We pulled over to some rest stops and also to the side of the highway for some photo opportunities.
    At the Belgrave H-D dealer Art found a very handsome pin that he purchased and took the free dealer dip dot they had for him. He also picked out a new belt buckle for Father’s Day. We got gas and ate at the truck stop then traveled to Three Forks, MT and got a room at the Broken Spur Motel, YEEHAW!! All checked-in now and downloading pictures and updating the Blog.
    We noticed a great amount of infrastructure work going on in MT. The same is going on in all the northern most states. In MT they are repairing range fences, road surfaces, building new roads, working on railroad tracks, and making things ready for the winter. When we look off into the distance, we can see the weather going on in other parts of the state. Predictions are for rain over the weekend and Art is saying he would like to travel as far as we can tomorrow before the rain wipes out our efforts and then hole-up for the weekend. We are taking it one day at a time. We ran into a man in Billings who says we will love a visit to Alaska. Many people have inquired about our journey and they get the story of how we made it to here from PA including escaping Maine with all its rain, mud and moose!

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  19. Saturday 8AM

    Hi Guys,

    Hope this finds you both well and most of all dry for a change. The weather here is the same til midweek, Partly cloudy with a chance of showers.

    So far all of your pictures have been great but the ones of the rockies are just awesome.

    I was thinking yesterday that you guys need an anthem or theme song or something. Since yesterday was a particularly boring day, I sat down and came up with this little ditty.

    Sung to the tune: Bicycle Built For Two

    Artie, Artie
    We're living the dream through you.
    On your Harley,
    Your Harley built for two.

    Michele will drive til sundown,
    We're really having fun know.

    And we won't stop,
    For no dumb cop,
    On our Harley built for two.

    Pretty corny huh...lol

    Hey guys we gotta go but just know we're with you.

    Ted and Sandy

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  20. Hello All,

    Does anyone know what's going on with Art and Michele? They haven't said anything in a while.

    We're starting to get concerned.

    Ted and Sandy

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  21. Might be they're out of wireless range.

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  22. yeah, was thinking that too. But for two days.

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  23. June 20, 2009- Saturday
    413 miles
    Today we started out and had a continental breakfast at the motel. It rained over night and was cool in the morning. Then when we left town, it was raining and then it turned really cold down to 40 degrees and then it began to sleet! Oh, we were really having fun then! We stopped and put on our balaclavas. Thank goodness we purchased those! The view was of cloud covered mountain tops. Even though it was covered, the vistas were quite breathtaking. The Rocky Mountains and the shift to the Bitterroot Mountains were beautiful and awe inspiring. We took some photos and stopped by the Missouri, Yellowstone, Clark Fork, Lolo Rivers and Coeur d’ Alene and Timothy lakes. Idaho is a refreshingly pristine, beautiful state. I would like to come back here and visit the area again someday.
    From Three Forks, MT we traveled to the Butte H-D, then onward to the Missoula H-D dealer. The weather cleared and became sunny as we rode into Idaho. We went to Coeur d’Alene H-D and then onward to Spokane Valley H-D. I was thinking of how lucky men are to have their penis’s. The whole world is their toilet. I told Art that I truly have penis envy. You guys can take a wiz damn near any place you choose. He said girls can too, but there are consequences. So girls, go to the website to learn how to ‘pee while standing’ at http://www.peestandingup.com
    We ate dinner at Marie Calendars’ in Spokane Valley. They make the most decadent pies and pastries. Art tried a piece of homemade banana-chocolate cream pie for dessert. I had their homemade cornbread with my chili. We could not get onto the internet tonight so I will try tomorrow.

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  24. June 21, 2009- Sunday
    371 miles
    Today we left quickly from the Motel 6. We were just glad to have slept well. I think we did poorly keeping hydrated yesterday because when we rehydrated at our destination in Spokane, WA, we both got explosive diarrhea. YIKES!!! That is a risk when too much water is drank at once instead of keeping hydrated throughout the day. We learned that the hard way.
    Today we did much better. Even though we got one hour of clear riding with Michele in the sidecar, by 8:30 AM it began to rain and it was very cold with temperatures around 40 degrees. We stopped at The Viking Diner for breakfast and we also put on our rain pants. We loaded up the bike in our rain configuration. By now we are so good at doing that it takes less time than ever! We rode across the state of Washington through the Cascades Mountains. The air was cold and then, as if it could not get any more surprising, we found ourselves riding in the clouds and it was snowing! We have made this trip through rain, sleet, hail, and now snow. We escaped tornados in MN on the day we left there.
    As we approached Seattle, the winds picked up as they roared down the mountain sides of the Cascades. We had to lean into every curve just to stay on the bike. We stopped and took photos of the range to the north and Art put on another layer. I decided I was going to a sporting goods store tomorrow to buy a pair of snowmobile coveralls! We made the decision to head for Alaska tomorrow!
    Today we celebrated Father’s Day by having a late lunch at a Vietnamese restaurant. The food was terrific. I cannot remember what it was called. I think Art had a Bun Rang: a broiled Lemon Grass Chicken sandwich with lettuce, carrots, green and jalapeño peppers on a French roll. I had Ca Gia: which was 2 spring rolls and a side salad with lettuce, rice noodles, chopped peanuts and assorted veggies topped with a cold, clear broth. Delicious all the way around!
    In spite of trying to get dots at three H-D dealerships we only ended up getting two, one at Skagit H-D in Burlington, WA and the other at Sound H-D in Marysville, WA. The third one we will have to contact after we get home and have them mail us one (Eastside H-D, Bellevue, WA) or stop on our way back from Alaska. Although I will enjoy having our map (at home) represent our route of travel for this trip it’s a pain in the ass trying to find the dealerships.
    So we are done traveling for the day and have a room at the Fairfield Inn in Burlington WA. I just walked out and got us both milkshake’s and we’re calling it a day.

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  25. Art and Michele say:

    Hey Everyone, we were off the connectivity grid again here in the great northwest! Sorry to scare you all. Sometimes it works and sometimes it does not. We are all psyched-up to start our way into Canada on Monday and make our way to Alaska! We plan on taking a visit to the Blaine, WA Northwestern-most Corner first thing in the morning then crossing the border. Hope we don't loose touch again. Hang in there with us! We thank you all so much. It makes us feel at home that you are there, too. Check out our photos from the last couple of days. If you question if there is a God, then you need a visit here!

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  26. June 23, 2009- Monday
    283 miles
    Today we got up and had coffee which Art made in our wonderful room in the Fairfield Suites, Burlington, WA. I went online to check the ferry schedule for the Alaska Ferry to Ketchikan from Prince Rupert, BC. We learned the prices, schedule and the specials we would be able to take advantage of. Then we went downstairs for a wonderful free continental breakfast. Back in the room, I had to call Verizon and straighten out our account back home. Art also spoke to the service representative to let them know he could always change back to Comcast if they do not fulfill their service commitment. We checked out the hours of operation of the Bellingham, WA H-D dealer and the one in Ketchikan, AK as well. We packed the bike, expecting rain and we took off around 8:30 AM. We made our way, in the rain, to the Bellingham H-D and Art got a dealer dot and a letter opener! Then we made our way to the Northwestern-most Corner of the United States, Peace Arch Park in Blaine, Washington. We took our photos and jumped back on the bike and headed to the border crossing.
    The signs along the way informed motorists that there was a 45 minute at the border crossing. When we got there, the rain had stopped. We made our way to the guard and that is where the fun began! He asked us for our passports, got out of his booth and looked at the bike, and then he started his questions. We got nabbed for having pepper spray. We got a ticket and was sent over to the claim processing line. We had already been in line for over an hour. We were seen by the guards promptly and they asked where in the sidecar was the pepper spray. I told them and they confiscated it. But at least they were nice enough to give me back the leather holder. We filled out the paper work and then jumped on the bike and made our way to Route 1 East. Art was determined to get a dot from a Canadian Dealer. We went roundy-round on RT 1 until we found it and he got two free dots.
    In the rain, we blasted-off towards Prince George, British Columbia. Canadian Rockies are fiercely strong and mighty. Route 1 East winds all through the intimate peaks and valleys of the Pacific Coastal Range. We took plenty of photos of peaks, ranges, and the rivers. The twisties were relentless. We leaned hard around the curves for hundreds of miles. Eagles and other birds of prey soared near us delighting our fancy for wildlife. We did not have to strain to see the wondrous wingspan of the Bald Eagle as it glided majestically through its range territory. We saw a double rainbow and passed through heavy forest, rocky crags, and barren canyon lands of British Columbia. We were not disappointed in the beauty of the wild landscape.
    We settled for the night at 6:00 PM at the Good Knight Inn after a yummy and nutritious dinner at Dairy Queen, Canadian style. The exchange rate varies per proprietor: $ 1.00 Canadian/$ 0.95 US. We have been advised to stay indoors as there has been a cougar sighted in the town of Cache Creek where we are.

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  27. The above post was misdated. We posted that Monday, June 22, 2009. Sorry! On vacation, one sometimes gets the days mixed-up. That is a good sign!

    June 23, 2009- Tuesday
    386 miles
    Today we got started at 6:45 AM after having a cup of coffee in our room. The cougar never appeared at our room so we were safe for the night! After a cool morning ride for about an hour in the sunshine, no rain, we ate breakfast at a little roadside café. Then we continued on our way north on Route 97. Around ten in the morning we stopped for gas and learned there had just been a fatal head on crash ahead. The road was closed for the nest six hours. We took a detour along with everyone else which included backtracking about eight miles and turning off to the side of the mountain onto a side road. Tractor trailers were part of the posy as well. Soon the road ended and we were all traveling on a light duty road on the edge of the mountain. To the left of us were tree tops of pine and cypress trees and to the right of us were base trunks of more pine and deciduous trees. There were no guard rails and the dirt clouds were growing from the trailing convoy. I was amazed at the huge double-trailer agility to maneuver these back north woods roads. We made it out alive. The experience proved the saying, “Take the road less traveled for that will make all the difference.” The scenery was breathtaking. There was a river below surrounded by the mountains and forest. We never would have seen the wilderness had it not been for the detour.
    We came to the main road and continued our journey toward Prince George. After lunch at another roadside café, we went right to the Prince George H-D, and Art got his dealer dot for the day. We headed west toward Smithers, BC when the weather changed to rain. Why am I not surprised? The day was long already so we pulled over to a neat little country motel for the evening.

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  28. Sing on wrong pass word wrong user name sing off open new account what the hell just happend
    i hope this one works and one more thing go to a new blog what the hell was wrong with the old
    one well one thing is for sure u 2 are haveing the time of your lives Great work
    GOD SPEED
    Ray

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  29. P.S where the hell is the spell check
    i'm a drop out we cant't spell for shit

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  30. June 24, 2009- Wednesday
    404 miles
    Today we started out with cloudy skies but no rain. Thank God I got to ride in the side car for about one hour then the weather changed. We stopped for gas, breakfast and a stretch. Although the day was rainy again, the scenery across the final leg of crossing the Pacific Coastal Mountain Range was sweet and pure again. We traveled along the Skeena River to the north of us and the mountains to the south and west of us. We were surprised by the number of Black Bears we saw along the road today. They were playing and frolicking in the shoulder area. Once they heard the stereo blasting from the Street Glide, they hauled ass into the wilderness!
    We stopped at the Smithers H-D dealer and Art got his dot. We spoke to some local people who admired our Street Glide and Hack. Then, we rode all the way to Prince Rupert. We stopped at the ferry pier and everything was closed. Art checked us into a hotel and we ate a very good dinner of Smoked Alaskan Salmon and soup and salad. Back at the room we went online to discover there was availability in the morning on the Alaskan Ferry for a round trip to Ketchikan for an overnighter. We got a nice hotel in Ketchikan and booked a two berth room on the ferry for the return trip to Prince Rupert. The trip over to Alaska is 5.5 hours and the return trip is 7.5 hours.
    I will be getting nice photos and goodies in Alaska and we are very excited that this part of the trip is possible. The economy had necessitated the ferry company to combine this past Tuesday’s trip with Thursday’s trip and it was very full to get accommodated. We had a great day but the rain is relentless!

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  31. Hey Ray, Tell Barb that the Street Glide and Hack need a Bikini Bike Wash but the temperatures are too cold up here for bikini's!

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  32. OK Folks, now for some Canadian calculator work.

    Gas is sold in cents per liter. The price is around 120.9 cents per liter. How many liters in a gallon? How much does a gallon of gas cost in Canada?

    Distance between towns is measured in Kilometers. How many kilometers in one mile?

    Speed is posted in Kilometers per hour. How fast in Miles per hour is 100 kilmeters per hour?

    The Canadian dollar is slightly stronger than the American dollar. The rate of exchange is $1.00 Canadian = $.95 American. Our dinner tonight was $31.92 Canadian, how much would that be in American money? How much tip would you leave in both Canadian and American money...if any because my bagel was stale?

    To our advantage, the Canadians have decided that at the gas pump they would accept and even exchange of money to buy gas. Still, if you figured out the price of gas conversion above, you would be saying, DAMN!!!

    Just some fun facts to chew on! Love you all!!! See you tomorrow from Alaska!

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  33. o.k. it is a slow night at work and we have been studious for you.'
    Here are your answers.
    There are:
    3.78 liters per gallon The current cost of gas in Canada. $4.57/gallon Canadian or $4.34 American.
    1.61 kilometers per mile

    If you are going 100 KPH that is the same as 62 MPH
    Your dinner cost $30.32 in American and while I wouldn't reduce the tip, I would ask for the bagel to be removed from my bill.
    Any more questions?

    Becky

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  34. Hey Gang, We are in Ketchikan, Alaska now.

    Thanks Becky, for the excellent answers. It is a tad bit more expensive over there in Canada. I had my Lemon Zinger hot tea removed from the bill as it was worth more than the bagel. Who knew? Bargaining has been our way of life on the road because the economy it quite scary for all proprietors of inns and motel/hotels that we have literally gone into each establishment and named our price (except for the ferry!)

    The ferry trip was relaxing as we needed to get off the bike for a while. Art likes the ferry system so well that we may just take the ferry back to Seattle from Prince Rupert to spare the road grind for about 4 days. Then it is about 1700 miles to San Ysidro, CA for the southwestern corner!!! Then on to Phoenix. Soon we will reunite!!

    So today we walked 1 mile and sailed 80 miles and getting ready for some fresh Alaska Salmon for dinner! Yahoo!!!

    See you all soon!

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  35. Hi Guys,

    We're still here and glad tosee you are too.

    Haven't been on in a couple days because of some sort of virus. Wouldn't even let us online. Had to call in Microsoft to fix it but it's better now.

    Looks like you guys are still doing great. We're still in love with the pictures.

    Well it looks like you might be out of the rain for a while now, atleast we hope so. Coming into the southwest you are entering there dry period.

    Once you get to the Mojave Desert you might be wishing for a brief shower...lol.

    well got to go for now but will be back.

    love you guys

    Ted and Sandy

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  36. June 25, 2009- Thursday
    1 mile walked, 80 miles ferried on the Alaskan Marine Highway
    Today we got with the alarm radio at 5 AM and packed out two bags to walk one mile in the rain down to the Alaskan Marine Highway. We checked-in at the terminal, showed our passports, signed the US customs claim form, and boarded the Taku vessel for Ketchikan, AK. On board we watched the men load all the vehicles. We decided to leave the bike back at the hotel we stayed at last night, The Anchor Inn. The vehicles were packed in like sardines! The last two parked in the garage area were big campers/RV’s. What an operation. They had to back out and in three times to make everything fit. The Captain of the vessel gave orders to fit everything or we were not going anywhere! Those guys were working their magic scooting all the vehicles within inches of each other. It was kind of scary!!!
    We took 2 reclining seats in the starboard side and watched as we left the port in the fog and rain. See the photos. We walked around and got the ‘lay-of-the-land’ of the ferry. I found the cafeteria and we went up and had a simple breakfast. Then we took our places and fell asleep for a couple hours. When we awoke, we were in the fjord with islands to the starboard side and high Alaskan mountains to the port side. The fog was gone and the day was shaping up to be clear, cool, and sunny. Yippee! We took lots of photos of the ferry and the scenery. When we pulled into port in Ketchikan, we jumped into the first taxi and spun off to the Harley Shop. Art selected his dealer dot and I bought a couple t-shirts. We are assembling a package to send home from the post office.
    The town of Ketchikan is a busy tourist port and a major fishing center. We are looking forward to fresh Salmon and Halibut for dinner in the hotel’s restaurant called Annabelle’s. The hotel’s name is The Gilmore Hotel which is on the national registry. We recommend you stay here because it is still family owned and operated and the service is unlike the Hilton or the Marriott. The cruise ships are right outside our window. The sun is shining and shines over 17 hours a day at this time of the year. That makes for a long party atmosphere in this town.
    Art decided to hand-wash his boxer shorts and hung them and his socks out the window on Front Street, to dry! Gotta love that guy!

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  37. Hey Gang, we are back in the USA! Yippee!!!

    Long trip back to Prince Rupert overnight on the Ferry. We'll get some rest and post later. M&A

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  38. Well here we are back on the Canadian soil. We boarded the Matanuska Ferry of the Alaskan Marine Highway System last night, June 26th at about 8 PM and settled into our berth for the overnight trip back to Prince Rupert, Canada. We had dinner onboard then hit the hay! In the morning we were awakened by a knock at the door to get up and ready to disembark in 30 minutes. We made ourselves dressed for rain as we have been conditioned for it throughout this whole trip.

    To our delight it was calm and cool outside and the sun actually came out! I took it as a good sign. We made our way throygh customs and grabbed a cab back to The Anchor Inn for the day and night. We need to catch another ferry in the morning at around 4:30 AM and take the bike with us this time. We are headed to Port Hardy, Canada where we will ride south to the Port of Victoria, Canada and take another ferry to Port Angeles, Washington, USA. From there we will start our 1700 mile journey south to San Ysidro, CA which is the soutwesternmost corner of the United States.

    It was a nice change to use the ferry systems instead of repeating our 1200 mile ride back from the route we came. We are resting and gearing up for the next leg of the journey. Onward and southward now. Enjoy the photos!

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  39. Sunday, 06/28/09
    8:30 AM

    Hi Guys,

    So glad to see that everything is going so well for you both.

    The pictures are still fantastic. Do you guys know how many you have taken.

    How many dots do you have now Art.

    We're still with you guys.

    Ted and Sandy

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  40. June 28, 2009- Sunday
    331 miles by ferry from Prince Rupert to Port Hardy; Northern Expedition
    Today we awoke to a wake-up call at 4:30 AM. We got dressed and packed the bike in the drizzling rain. We rode down to the BC Ferries Terminal and waited our turn in line, in the rain with another motorcyclist. He rode down to Prince Rupert from the Arctic on a Suzuki 1100. He endured 1000 miles of dirt roads to get to paved road and make it through the Yukon to Prince Rupert and take the ferry that we were on. The BC Ferry was brand new and it was named the Northern Expedition. We made it to Port Hardy in 16 hours. We enjoyed a lovely brunch with another traveler. Then we napped in our berth. The room was wonderful with a full bathroom and desk, two closets; two beds arranged side-by-side with a night table in between them. There was a flat screen TV for our personal entertainment.
    I worked on my course on my laptop while Art watched the Nascar race. At 2:15 PM I went up to The Raven Lounge to watch a movie. Art joined me there after the race. After the movie, which was about the Skateboard history, we had light dinners in the a la’ carte lounge. We went back to our berth and took showers and fell asleep. We woke-up to the phone call from the Purser telling us that we were in port already and that we should come down and ride our motorcycle off the ferry!
    We dressed and made our way to the bike. Everyone was gone! We fired-up the Street Glide and rode off the ferry right to the Pioneer Motel in Port Hardy We checked in and got ourselves situated and were in bed watching a Batman movie at 11:30 PM. This was a very relaxing day and we are getting excited to ride in the morning to Victoria, BC, Canada.

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  41. June 29, 2009- Monday
    324 miles
    Today we got up early at the Pioneer motel. We packed the bike in the morning sunshine! The temperature was 38 degrees Fahrenheit. The fact that the sun was out filled us with excitement for the days’ ride. We rode south on Vancouver Island toward the city of Victoria. We stopped first at the 105 mile mark, for some breakfast. The local folks were fascinated with our journey story and offered tips on places to go on the island. Vancouver Island is beautiful and we stopped to take some photos.
    We arrived at the Vancouver H-D dealer where Art got another dot. At this time he has collected 55 dots and has a total of seven to get from dealers in the mail. We located the Black Ball Ferry in Victoria then found a nice hotel to spend the night. After checking-in, we had dinner around 4:30 PM. We did a load of laundry, showered and relaxed to update the Blog and our journal.

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  42. HEY!! I cant believe you made it up to Ketchikan! Lucky you! That may have been the same ship we were on up there last year. Did you do anythign fun up there?

    I thought you were joking about making it up there... but I can see you were not!

    I hope you are taking lots of pictures! I want to see them all.

    Well im on my 4th paragraph so ill say good bye for now! - Bryan and Tiffanie

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  43. Hey Gang! We are back from the deep forest at the foothills of Mount St. Helen's where we spent the night last night in a lush campground in the state of Washington. Here is the update.

    June 30, 2009- Tuesday

    22 miles by sea; 191 by land; Total 313 miles

    Today we awoke in Victoria, BC, Canada and checked out of the hotel. We got gas and went about spending all our Canadian money. We rode over to the Black Ball Ferry Terminal and paid for our transit then we parked the bike in the first place in line number three. We walked across the street and had a wonderful breakfast before our departure. I had salmon-eggs Benedict and Art had crab-cake eggs Benedict. We rode onto the ferry at 9:00 AM. We spent the waiting time chatting it up with others who were admiring our bike. After tying up the bike in the ferry garage, we shopped on-board the vessel Coho. Art bought a pin and I bought a copper bracelet. We took photos of the scenery and Mt. Bakerfield, over 10,000 feet in elevation. We spent all our Canadian money except one two dollar coin they call a ‘toonie.’
    We went to the bathrooms before we prepared to disembark the ferry and lost each other. I thought Art went down to the bike so I made my way down to the garage. He was not there but the ferry attendants were getting everyone ready to drive off. I untied the bike, turned it on and was ready to ride it off and wait for Art in the parking lot. Just then he came around another car and took over. What a relief! We rode off in single file and made our way Through Port Angeles. The scenery was beautiful of Olympic National Park.
    We drove across the bridge of the Puget Sound and rode to the Silverdale H-D dealer where Art got his first dot back here in the USA. He was so happy to be on our homeland soil. We worked our way across another bridge in Tacoma, WA where we could see Mt. Rainer, over 14,000 feet in elevation. We visited the Lacey, WA dealer and stopped for dinner in Grand Mound, WA. We saw the signs for the Lewis and Clark State Park of WA so we decided to camp for the night. The weather was sunny all day and hardly a cloud was in the sky. We rode right to the park and up to the check-in board. We picked our own camping spot, filled out the registration form, and paid our $14.00 fee in the steel box for the Ranger.
    We pitched our tent in 15 minutes and jumped inside about 7:30 PM and relaxed. We had no mosquitoes in the tent so we had a relaxing time and fell asleep to the birds in the forest. This state park is located in the foothills of Mt. St. Helen’s, about 100 miles away.

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  44. Just so you understand, I am posting two days of Blog because we were off the connectivity grid yesterday because of being deep in the forest with the trolls and the hobbits!!!

    July 1, 2009- Wednesday

    234 miles

    We woke-up with the birds this morning about 6:15 AM. We broke camp, packed the bike and I opted to sit in the sidecar. We stopped at the local gas station/coffee shop for a cup of Joe. We were thinking that we were approaching the 10,000 mile service mark for the bike and the rear tire has taken a licking. So we were prepared to find a Harley dealer to service the bike today. We headed south on Route 5 and collected a few more dealer dots and headed for the Eugene, OR H-D dealer. We had been advised by a customer at another dealer to head down to the Eugene store as they had the experienced staff to service our bike with the sidecar.
    When we arrived, Art made the appointment for the service and it turned out they took the bike right in and will have it ready tomorrow. The most experienced servicemen will be taking care of our bike. One of them has had sidecars and been riding them for the past 30 years! He gave us a ride to the local Motel 6 where we checked-in and got dinner at the Denny’s restaurant next door. We showered and had a nice meal next door and settled in for the evening. We charged all the gadgets and batteries. Great day again on the journey!

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  45. Over the last two days we have riden past the most beautiful peaks in Washington and Oregon. All are worth a vacation in and of themselves. All are still snow covered and awe inspiring. The weather has been sunny both yesterday and today. Quite a switch! The temps are in the 80's and 90's now and tomorrow in northern California it is predicted to be in the low 100's. We have spent the last few weeks thicken our blood for the cold and rain and now all of the sudden it is hot!
    The bike is in the Harly shop in Eugene, OR getting its 10,000 mile service and a new rear tire. This staff is very experienced in the service department and we highly recommend this shop for your Harley needs if you ride it out this way. Enjoy the photos!

    Brian, You dog! I thought you abandoned us. We were on ferries so I wonder if you were on ferries on your last trip? I thought you and your family took a luxury cruise up the Innerpassageway? We'll tell you the whole story when we go out for gelato!

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