bbdig
Well-known member
Have a few for Jane 16 more days before she is weght bearing(not that I'm counting)and can drive, I hope.
The NAFO D-Tour
- Thread starter yamafitter
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yamafitter
Reigning NERDS Granite Lane Gold Medalist
I'm On Top of the World Ma
From Missoula it was time to make tracks to Calgary to meet up with the two Jeffs, MEM and Ian. The Going to the Sun Road had just opened on Tuesday so we headed for Glacier National Park. The weather looked a little iffy and it was cool enough in the morning that I had ny heated riding gear plugged in. Luckily the sun started to break through as I got closer to the park and by the time I pulled onto the GTTS road the weather was pretty decent. Coming in from the west side of the park the road is fairly flat as you run along the side of a small lake and then you start following the river coming off the mountain. There was a small waterfall that offered a good photo op...
From this point the road started heading for the sun. One of my favorite spots is the view looking back into the west park entrance from part way up the GTTS...
Further up the mountain I ran into the construction area and things got quite slow but it also offered time for some photo ops. There was a great view of a waterfall coming down and then flowing under the road...
We finally reached the top of Logan Pass...
Small wonder the road only opened two day ago...
At the visitor's center someone came up to me and told me I had a nice BMW. I sucker punched him in the head. The BMW riders I was talking to then started kicking him while he was on the ground for calling my FJR a BMW.
Here is the group milling about getting ready to leave before the cops show up...
One last photo op at the top of Logan's Pass...
I had spent too much time fooling around in the park and I had to move it if I was going to make Calgary in decent time. Just before the border I came across a herd of cattle that had broken through the fence and decided that the middle of the road was a good place to stand around. Coming up into Pincher Creek on the Alberta side I had a black bear cross over the road in front of me. It was slightly after 7PM when I rolled into Canucklehead's abode and got to work changing the oil and a few other small items. MEM. Ian & Canuckhead then had to leave to go pick up Canucklehead's bike from the shop leaving me all alone to drink Canucklehead's beer.
The route for Day 7...
From Missoula it was time to make tracks to Calgary to meet up with the two Jeffs, MEM and Ian. The Going to the Sun Road had just opened on Tuesday so we headed for Glacier National Park. The weather looked a little iffy and it was cool enough in the morning that I had ny heated riding gear plugged in. Luckily the sun started to break through as I got closer to the park and by the time I pulled onto the GTTS road the weather was pretty decent. Coming in from the west side of the park the road is fairly flat as you run along the side of a small lake and then you start following the river coming off the mountain. There was a small waterfall that offered a good photo op...
From this point the road started heading for the sun. One of my favorite spots is the view looking back into the west park entrance from part way up the GTTS...
Further up the mountain I ran into the construction area and things got quite slow but it also offered time for some photo ops. There was a great view of a waterfall coming down and then flowing under the road...
We finally reached the top of Logan Pass...
Small wonder the road only opened two day ago...
At the visitor's center someone came up to me and told me I had a nice BMW. I sucker punched him in the head. The BMW riders I was talking to then started kicking him while he was on the ground for calling my FJR a BMW.
Here is the group milling about getting ready to leave before the cops show up...
One last photo op at the top of Logan's Pass...
I had spent too much time fooling around in the park and I had to move it if I was going to make Calgary in decent time. Just before the border I came across a herd of cattle that had broken through the fence and decided that the middle of the road was a good place to stand around. Coming up into Pincher Creek on the Alberta side I had a black bear cross over the road in front of me. It was slightly after 7PM when I rolled into Canucklehead's abode and got to work changing the oil and a few other small items. MEM. Ian & Canuckhead then had to leave to go pick up Canucklehead's bike from the shop leaving me all alone to drink Canucklehead's beer.
The route for Day 7...
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yamafitter
Reigning NERDS Granite Lane Gold Medalist
This is NOT a Highway - the Run Into Castlegar
FJRGuy told us to be be ready to ride at 7AM. At 7:30 he texted Canucklehead to meet MEM & him at the only spot in Canada where anyone meets.... the local Tim Hortons...
The first part of the ride in the morning was a little cool as we headed slightly west and then south down towards Turner Valley. MEM needed to stop since there were no heated grips on Jeff's FZ-1 thast she had borrowed for NAFO...
On the run south down towards the Crownest Pass we came upon a fence row that someone had thoughtfully added caps to the posts to protect the post heads from the harsh Alberta sun...
Turning west into the Crowsnest Pass we came to the town on Frank that was the scene of a disaster when over mining caused the entire side of the mountain to side and bury the entire town...
RaYzerman wanted me to make sure I stopped to see the BIG Yellow Truck at Sparwood. I saw the signs for the BIG Yellow Truck but I didn't see the BIG Yellow Truck at the Visitor's Center which was right beside the highway and I went into the back streets of Sparwood as MEM, Jeff & Ian wondered exactly what I thought I was doing. I was doiing my Bungie impersonation and was doing a pretty good job of it I might add. I finally found the Big Yellow Truck and got the following photo...
It was getting close to lunch and Jeff had to pick up a parcel down in Eureka, MT so we crossed the border and stopped at a little cafe that Jeff knew...
The burgers were quite good...
The milkshakes were also excellent. Here is our girl MEM enjoying lunch...
With the parcel picked up and lunch complete it was time to run over to Castlegar. We headed west into Idaho...
It was at this point that our leader Jeff with some input from Ian suffered a navigational error. We were running along this really fun paved road and went past a sign that directed you over to Highway 2. I had my doubts about this but I didn't have the route and Jeff had his GPS and Ian had some ****** map so I just followed. Jeff then went straight at a fork onto a hard packed gravel road. This was somewhat strange because Ian had assured us that the route was completely paved. The road then started to head up the mountain and by now had turned into a gravel lane. We then came across hard rubber strips that were buried in the gravel to stop the rains from washing out the gravel road. We then came to the point where there was grass growing in the middle of the gravel lane. At this point Jeff & Ian decided to stop for a consultation...
MEM was in a bit of a pout since she was getting dusty...
At the top it was THE END OF THE ROAD for our guides. There was a beaver pond we could have forged and always being helpful I offered to take photos if one of our two Marco Polos wanted to try to make this trek hook up to anything. Bungie would have been so proud.
We backtracked, found the correct route and finally rolled into Castlegar at 7PM, tired, dusty and with tales of adventures to tell that night.
Rob suffered the first casualty of NAFO as he and his wife made it all the way from Virginia to within 100 yards of NAFO headquarters only to be rear-ended by his riding buddy and get knocked over. No damage was done to Rob's bike other than a bent trailer hitch but his riding partner broke the windshield on his FJR in the crash. Sometimes stuff happens.
We rode about 750 km on the final day before NAFO and took this rather obtuse path...
Let the party begin!!!
FJRGuy told us to be be ready to ride at 7AM. At 7:30 he texted Canucklehead to meet MEM & him at the only spot in Canada where anyone meets.... the local Tim Hortons...
The first part of the ride in the morning was a little cool as we headed slightly west and then south down towards Turner Valley. MEM needed to stop since there were no heated grips on Jeff's FZ-1 thast she had borrowed for NAFO...
On the run south down towards the Crownest Pass we came upon a fence row that someone had thoughtfully added caps to the posts to protect the post heads from the harsh Alberta sun...
Turning west into the Crowsnest Pass we came to the town on Frank that was the scene of a disaster when over mining caused the entire side of the mountain to side and bury the entire town...
RaYzerman wanted me to make sure I stopped to see the BIG Yellow Truck at Sparwood. I saw the signs for the BIG Yellow Truck but I didn't see the BIG Yellow Truck at the Visitor's Center which was right beside the highway and I went into the back streets of Sparwood as MEM, Jeff & Ian wondered exactly what I thought I was doing. I was doiing my Bungie impersonation and was doing a pretty good job of it I might add. I finally found the Big Yellow Truck and got the following photo...
It was getting close to lunch and Jeff had to pick up a parcel down in Eureka, MT so we crossed the border and stopped at a little cafe that Jeff knew...
The burgers were quite good...
The milkshakes were also excellent. Here is our girl MEM enjoying lunch...
With the parcel picked up and lunch complete it was time to run over to Castlegar. We headed west into Idaho...
It was at this point that our leader Jeff with some input from Ian suffered a navigational error. We were running along this really fun paved road and went past a sign that directed you over to Highway 2. I had my doubts about this but I didn't have the route and Jeff had his GPS and Ian had some ****** map so I just followed. Jeff then went straight at a fork onto a hard packed gravel road. This was somewhat strange because Ian had assured us that the route was completely paved. The road then started to head up the mountain and by now had turned into a gravel lane. We then came across hard rubber strips that were buried in the gravel to stop the rains from washing out the gravel road. We then came to the point where there was grass growing in the middle of the gravel lane. At this point Jeff & Ian decided to stop for a consultation...
MEM was in a bit of a pout since she was getting dusty...
At the top it was THE END OF THE ROAD for our guides. There was a beaver pond we could have forged and always being helpful I offered to take photos if one of our two Marco Polos wanted to try to make this trek hook up to anything. Bungie would have been so proud.
We backtracked, found the correct route and finally rolled into Castlegar at 7PM, tired, dusty and with tales of adventures to tell that night.
Rob suffered the first casualty of NAFO as he and his wife made it all the way from Virginia to within 100 yards of NAFO headquarters only to be rear-ended by his riding buddy and get knocked over. No damage was done to Rob's bike other than a bent trailer hitch but his riding partner broke the windshield on his FJR in the crash. Sometimes stuff happens.
We rode about 750 km on the final day before NAFO and took this rather obtuse path...
Let the party begin!!!
Bungie
FrostBack #2 - IBA # 44620
Ah grasshoppa. You have done the master proud.
I looked at your Spotwalla link late last night and I just had to start laughing. I knew their was a story in there!
I looked at your Spotwalla link late last night and I just had to start laughing. I knew their was a story in there!
Bungie
FrostBack #2 - IBA # 44620
Just looking at the weekend forecast for Kelowna South. The whole southern interior part of BC... Hope you guys packed flippers and water wings.
yamafitter
Reigning NERDS Granite Lane Gold Medalist
Arrest BikerGeek if You Ever See Him with Tools
Just a quick update on the problems I had with the loose handlebars. I stopped in at Sturgis Yamaha and they were able to tighten the loose bolts that hold the bar to the triple clamp. Thinking back to the last Tech Day in Owosso I was on my back installing the forks after installing the new taper bearing kit for the steering stem. Andy was standing around and feeling guilty as usual for not actually doing anything but stealing beer, offered to help. I know, I of all people should have known better but it was only two bolts and it just had to be righty-tighty. No way to screw that up. Guess what came loose. Guess who tightened those bolts.
That's right, I'm throwing BikerGeek under the bus. I will accept the responsibility for this but I'm not taking the blame.
Just finished uploading photos from today. Still learning the new GoPro and still having teething problems. I get some decent video if it kills me.
Just a quick update on the problems I had with the loose handlebars. I stopped in at Sturgis Yamaha and they were able to tighten the loose bolts that hold the bar to the triple clamp. Thinking back to the last Tech Day in Owosso I was on my back installing the forks after installing the new taper bearing kit for the steering stem. Andy was standing around and feeling guilty as usual for not actually doing anything but stealing beer, offered to help. I know, I of all people should have known better but it was only two bolts and it just had to be righty-tighty. No way to screw that up. Guess what came loose. Guess who tightened those bolts.
That's right, I'm throwing BikerGeek under the bus. I will accept the responsibility for this but I'm not taking the blame.
Just finished uploading photos from today. Still learning the new GoPro and still having teething problems. I get some decent video if it kills me.
Bustanut joker
Well-known member
Biker Geek is a Tool.. But why are you tossing him unner da bus? You knew when you allowed him the privilege things might go south..
I suggest you also toss Tom as he was here watching and didn't attempt to dissuade you.
BTW.. Rumor has it they have a dehydrated VRod, just add water and yer all set. And yet you neglected me.
I suggest you also toss Tom as he was here watching and didn't attempt to dissuade you.
BTW.. Rumor has it they have a dehydrated VRod, just add water and yer all set. And yet you neglected me.
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beemerdons
Certifiable Old Fart
This is slightly off topic and Lord knows I'd never derail an FJR Forum thread and send it flying off the rails, however we played a Word Game in the Soaking Spa at Ainsworth Springs Resort where the point was to use "Bungie" as a verb!
Don Carver started this by looking up at the heavy clouds moving in over Kootenay Lake and saying: "Weather is really Bungieing up!" I followed it up with: "Did you hear that wfooshee had an ignition switch "Bungie" on his Gen 1 FJR?"
Almost 20 people, many who do not even know Bungie, came up with at least one sentence apiece using "Bungie" as a verb! Even Deb, of Rog/Deb, the nicest and sweetest Lady alive managed to give "Bungie as a Verb" a jimmy kick!
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Bungie
FrostBack #2 - IBA # 44620
Ha! Makes me smile to know I'm there in spirit.
Guess I'd better play then huh.
"Jeff really Bungie'd up the route from Calgary to Castlegar."
beemerdons
Certifiable Old Fart
First: You give good Ride Report, Bill! Your RR's are always great and this is one of the best!
Second: You have to man up and admit that Bust is right on here! Would you hand a 4 year old a hand grenade?
Third: Bungie is truly missed at NAFO! Dr. Rich and Papa Chuy found the only transvestite hooker in all of Castlegar for Bungie and he is not here to enjoy "IT"!
yamafitter
Reigning NERDS Granite Lane Gold Medalist
Getting Kicks in the Kootenays - the NAFO Friday Ride
I was fooling around too much getting caught up with the ride report and almost missed breakfast. By the time I was done almost everyone had cleared out with a large portion of the group heading to the Hot Springs for a soak after the long ride into NAFO. I had to admit to myself I could do with a little shorter ride so I planned out a roughly 300 km loop and rolled out on my own by mid-morning just as a few rain drops started to fall. I took the 3A north and then continued onto Hwy 6 heading towards New Denver. The rain had stopped but it was still overcast as I stopped at a lookout for a photo of the Columbia river...
In Slocan I stopped by the river's edge for some scenery shots...
Once in New Denver I turned onto one of the roads mentioned in the BC Motorcycle Destinations Handbook, Hwy 31A. This is one fun road though the wood deck bridges would certainly be 'entertaining' in the wet. There was no wet roads today however and I was having a very spirited ride including breaking up a Harley Pirates Parade Ride. There was no way I was going to sit behind a bunch of puttering pirates on such a fun road.
Just as we were getting close to Keslo there was a Black Bear having lunch on some berries beside the road...
One of the FJR gang had stopped and was walking towards the bear to get photos. I thought about waiting around to see if this individual became the bear's lunch but I was getting hungary myself and decided to head into Kelso. We found the bakery and there was a great pizzeria right across the road. I split a Mexican Pizza with one from the group I had caught up with. WARNING - Food Porn...
Jer was having the Lasagna...
After the pizza I went back over to the bakery and had a Nanaimo Bar for desert...
If you find yourself in Kelso the Landmark Bakery is a must stop...
After lunch is was a short ride down 31 and 3A into Nelson where I stopped downtown to check out the Patagonia Outlet store before heading back towards Castlegar. Just north of town I stopped at the Hydro Dam where they were letting a LOT of water over the spillway...
I stopped into the BC Liquor Store to pick up some Nelson Brewery After Dark for the beer swap. I never even stopped at a Tim Horton's today. I must be sick.
I was fooling around too much getting caught up with the ride report and almost missed breakfast. By the time I was done almost everyone had cleared out with a large portion of the group heading to the Hot Springs for a soak after the long ride into NAFO. I had to admit to myself I could do with a little shorter ride so I planned out a roughly 300 km loop and rolled out on my own by mid-morning just as a few rain drops started to fall. I took the 3A north and then continued onto Hwy 6 heading towards New Denver. The rain had stopped but it was still overcast as I stopped at a lookout for a photo of the Columbia river...
In Slocan I stopped by the river's edge for some scenery shots...
Once in New Denver I turned onto one of the roads mentioned in the BC Motorcycle Destinations Handbook, Hwy 31A. This is one fun road though the wood deck bridges would certainly be 'entertaining' in the wet. There was no wet roads today however and I was having a very spirited ride including breaking up a Harley Pirates Parade Ride. There was no way I was going to sit behind a bunch of puttering pirates on such a fun road.
Just as we were getting close to Keslo there was a Black Bear having lunch on some berries beside the road...
One of the FJR gang had stopped and was walking towards the bear to get photos. I thought about waiting around to see if this individual became the bear's lunch but I was getting hungary myself and decided to head into Kelso. We found the bakery and there was a great pizzeria right across the road. I split a Mexican Pizza with one from the group I had caught up with. WARNING - Food Porn...
Jer was having the Lasagna...
After the pizza I went back over to the bakery and had a Nanaimo Bar for desert...
If you find yourself in Kelso the Landmark Bakery is a must stop...
After lunch is was a short ride down 31 and 3A into Nelson where I stopped downtown to check out the Patagonia Outlet store before heading back towards Castlegar. Just north of town I stopped at the Hydro Dam where they were letting a LOT of water over the spillway...
I stopped into the BC Liquor Store to pick up some Nelson Brewery After Dark for the beer swap. I never even stopped at a Tim Horton's today. I must be sick.
yamafitter
Reigning NERDS Granite Lane Gold Medalist
NAFO - Saturday, BeemerDons CBA Certification Run
The weather forecast was pretty poor and it was overcast in Castlegar before the ride. The night before I had agreed to lead Don and Dr Rich on a short CBA Certification run over to Rossland for coffee & muffins and return. I also agreed to slow down so BeemerDons BMW could keep up.
We headed west on the Crowsnest Hwy over the pass and as expected judging from the clouds we ran into some light rain. I then turned our small group south onto Hwy 3B for some nice sweepers over the Strawberry Pass into Rossland and the rain stopped for a while. When we stopped at the Red Mountain Ski Resort (The home ski hill of Nancy Greene, the first Canadian to win a Gold Medal for Canada in skiing) the rains rolled in so we stopped at the cafe downtown for coffee & muffins. As the rains increased a decision was made to take to wuss route back to Castlegar.
I have this all on video for CBA President Don Carver's approval and can certify that the distance travelled was under the 100 km limit allowed under CBA Rules. My Garmin trip log recorded a total distance of 91.3 km. As we came back into town the rains were pretty severe and the river was well up and starting to flood some areas. Dr Rich & BeemerDons went back to bed like all good CBA riders. I request that CBA president, Don Carver please forward all CBA swag to BeemerDons and Dr Rich on a successful completion of this epic ride.
The weather forecast was pretty poor and it was overcast in Castlegar before the ride. The night before I had agreed to lead Don and Dr Rich on a short CBA Certification run over to Rossland for coffee & muffins and return. I also agreed to slow down so BeemerDons BMW could keep up.
We headed west on the Crowsnest Hwy over the pass and as expected judging from the clouds we ran into some light rain. I then turned our small group south onto Hwy 3B for some nice sweepers over the Strawberry Pass into Rossland and the rain stopped for a while. When we stopped at the Red Mountain Ski Resort (The home ski hill of Nancy Greene, the first Canadian to win a Gold Medal for Canada in skiing) the rains rolled in so we stopped at the cafe downtown for coffee & muffins. As the rains increased a decision was made to take to wuss route back to Castlegar.
I have this all on video for CBA President Don Carver's approval and can certify that the distance travelled was under the 100 km limit allowed under CBA Rules. My Garmin trip log recorded a total distance of 91.3 km. As we came back into town the rains were pretty severe and the river was well up and starting to flood some areas. Dr Rich & BeemerDons went back to bed like all good CBA riders. I request that CBA president, Don Carver please forward all CBA swag to BeemerDons and Dr Rich on a successful completion of this epic ride.
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dcarver
Well-known member
Excellent RR, 'Fitter!
Good to see the CBA membership increasing, kudos to you for two more noobie CBA peeps!
CBA
Good to see the CBA membership increasing, kudos to you for two more noobie CBA peeps!
CBA
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yamafitter
Reigning NERDS Granite Lane Gold Medalist
Took some down time today and decided to stay in Castlegar for another day. Got laundry done and bought a new rain jacket after loosing my Frog Togg somewhere along the way. I now have a passenger that wants to go see his cousins up in Hyder, AK...
Tomorrow the plan is to go over to Vernon to see a friend and then head up to Salmon Arm.
Tomorrow the plan is to go over to Vernon to see a friend and then head up to Salmon Arm.
yamafitter
Reigning NERDS Granite Lane Gold Medalist
Editorial Note - In an effort to keep this a one-stop shopping experience I have reposted this here from the NAFO Banquet discussion. Many thanks (I think) to Surly for sending up the Vegemite from Down Under to make the banquet a truly international dining experience....
I thought my Vegemite sandwich looked pretty appealing...
though it would have worked better had we had some at the Owosso Tech Day when I was looking for grease for the steering stem.
Also while MEM was distracting everyone with the Vegemite, Old Man Niehart was stealing the mini pies by the tray full...
MEM knew the effort and all the special permits Surly had to get to bring a toxic substance into Canada......anyone know why MEM was pimpin' the Vegimite so hard tonight at the banquet...?
I'm sorry I didn't get a photo of Kevin's (NSRider) wife trying to scrape the Vegemite off her tongue with a butter knife. It was that or she was attempting emergency surgery to disconnect her taste buds in her tongue from her brain.
I thought my Vegemite sandwich looked pretty appealing...
though it would have worked better had we had some at the Owosso Tech Day when I was looking for grease for the steering stem.
Also while MEM was distracting everyone with the Vegemite, Old Man Niehart was stealing the mini pies by the tray full...
Bustanut joker
Well-known member
Ewww!! That stuff looks like whats left on me arse wipe after a dump..
beemerdons
Certifiable Old Fart
I had a big spoonful at Mary Ellen's urging and it was just like I remembered it: Salty and gooey, just like the Marmite we will be getting on the Alps trip next month!
And Bill F. is so right on about "Pops" Niehart stealing the little lemon pies, he was stuffing his pockets with them; plus, he put those chocolate pastries in his hat!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marmite
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Subscribed!
Great RR so far, Bill.
Glad you were able to ride to the sun.
I'm really yearning to see all of that Montana stuff live and in person.
Hopefully next year?
Great RR so far, Bill.
Glad you were able to ride to the sun.
I'm really yearning to see all of that Montana stuff live and in person.
Hopefully next year?
Hudson
Well-known member
Awesome, Yamafitter. He would have been sitting on the top of a toy bin at a Kelso thrift shop, but thanks to you and Don, he's gonna see some new sights. Please post pics of his adventures along the way!I now have a passenger that wants to go see his cousins up in Hyder, AK...
vabrzn
Well-known member
Enjoying your journey!
