Note: this is a long one, so grab a beverage, sit yourself down, and come along for the ride.
Part I:
This summer's riding adventure would take us to two rallies, through five states, two Canadian provinces, and cover 4,700 miles.
Heading out from Grass Valley along Hwy 20 on July 10, it was picture perfect weather over Donner Pass as we skirted the eastern edge of Lake Tahoe, crossing over the summit on Hwy 50.
Heading out - Day 1
After spending the night in Minden, NV, with fellow riders, Michael and Gwen, we all headed south on 395 to Topaz Lake Lodge and Casino, the site of the bmwst.com Unrally, north of the state line. There we were joined by 136 other riders from around the country to enjoy the abundant motorcycle roads and mountain passes of the Sierras.
A great time was had by all during the three day get together.
Due to pressing duties of being ÔÇ£co-chairÔÇØ for the event, we didnÔÇÖt get to do as much riding as I would have liked. One trip we did make was a wonderful loop up Hwy 88, then over to Hwy 50 and back to Topaz Lake. Along the way we took a side trip on Blue Lakes Road off Hwy 88, to Lower Blue Lake, a fun stretch of nice sweepers.
Blue Lakes Road off Hwy88
Proceeding west on 88 to the higher elevations, we passed Caples Lake, then stopped for lunch at Kirkwood Inn and Saloon (great food), then continued our trek west. After we passed Silver Lake, we turned onto Mormon Emigrant Trail, then onto Silver Fork Road. The very twisty, winding pavement works its way down to Kyburz along the Silver Fork River, where we picked up Hwy 50 and headed east. We completed our loop on Hwy 89, through Markleeville, and finally back on 395.
On Thursday morning we said our goodbyes to everyone and headed off for the BMW MOA rally in Redmond, OR. Our route took us north on 395 to Susanville, with little traffic once we based through Sparks. At lunch, met up with Ken and Kate (from IL) who were also on the way to Redmond. We took off together along scenic Hwy 139, through a mix of hills, valleys and pine forests around Eagle Lake, working our way north to Oregon.
Approaching Eagle Lake
At Klamath Falls, we continued on Hwy 97, a heavily congested 2-lane highway, north through the beautiful Klamath National Forrest. Entering Bend, traffic slowed to deal with the ridiculous 45 mph speed limit on the ÔÇ£expressway.ÔÇØ Joined by numerous BMWs, we reached the MOA rally site at the Deschutes County Fairgrounds in the late afternoon.
BMW MOA Rally camping with the Sisters in the distance.
At the rally we camped out with a group of riders from our local BMW club, the River City Beemers. There we spent two days relaxing, while enjoying the varied bikes in attendance, new and old, and meeting riders from all over the planet. We also took advantage of the opportunity to have new tires put on, although prices were anything but a deal. We did take a great ride up through the nearby mountains, west through Sisters on Hwy 20, over the Santiam Pass, then along the McKenzie Hwy 126 and back over the pass on Hwy 242.
This is a ÔÇ£must doÔÇØ ride for any motorcyclist coming to the area. Just watch for lots of gravel in the corners on 242, and very narrow sections of road west of the summit.
We headed out of Redmond on July 18, on a scenic ride through Prineville, on Hwy 26 thru the Ochoco National Forrest. In Mitchell we picked up 207, winding along the John Day River, and then up to Heppner. This route offers a great mix of sweepers and twisties with little traffic. We finished the day's ride at Kennewick, WA, staying at the Clover Island Inn on the Columbia River. We arrived early enough to enjoy a few hours relaxing poolside, sipping Margaritas while a great band played oldies rock music. For dinner we enjoyed some overpriced seafood at the restaurant right next door.
The next day we took 395 to I-80, thru the Washington wheat fields, to Spokane. Turning north through downtown, we picked up US Hwy 2, (one of AmericaÔÇÖs great interstate motorcycle roads), and once outside the metro area, wound our way through green wooded countryside, along the Priest River, into Idaho. We stopped for the night in Sandpoint at a funky little motel, and enjoyed great homemade pie at the Panhandler Restaurant and Bakery.
The following morning, we continued to enjoy fantastic weather during a relaxing, winding ride along Hwy 2 along the Kootenai River into Montana. We passed through Kalispell where traffic picked up significantly, and finally arrived at our Apgar Village motel in Glacier National Park on the southern end of Lake McDonald. The view from our room was truly breathtaking.
The view of Lake McDonald from our room
After getting the bike unloaded, we hooked up with my daughter, Megan, who was working in the park for the summer. After enjoying lunch together, we returned to Lake McDonald and took a small boat out to enjoy the sunshine and the incredible views from the water. That evening, we dined at the Belton Chalet, just outside the entrance to the park. The food and the restored lodge were an awesome combination.
The next day, we played tourist, taking the ÔÇ£Highway to the SunÔÇØ up to Logan Pass. Along the way, we passed a baby bear walking along the rock wall right next to the roadway.
Along the Highway to the Sun
Up on the pass, we found lots of snow still covering the hiking paths. Numerous big horn sheep and mountain goats posed for pictures as they grazed along the trail. Glacier Park is truly a national treasure.
As much as we would have like to stay longer, we were ÔÇ£on the road againÔÇØ the following morning. Megan wanted to ride on the bike along the lake, opting not to do the Highway to the Sun, better know as the ÔÇ£Highway to the Construction.ÔÇØ We left Megan and Glacier under cloudy skies with rain threatening. At Logan Pass, we donned our rain gear and continued on to St. Mary, then turned north on Hwy 89. From Hwy 17, we passed into Canada on Hwy 6 towards Waterton. We hit a few light showers, whisking along this great stretch of road with virtually no traffic, transitioning onto Hwy 22 (The Canadian Cowboy Trail) to Longview in the middle of Alberta cattle country.
We arrived at our destination, the Blue Sky Motel, unloading the bike just minutes before it started to pour. Two doors down was the Longview Steakhouse, where we dined that evening with Mike and his wife (from Calgary), whom we had met at the Unrally. Although you would never have guessed it based on the outside appearance, we were treated to a delightful four-star meal.
The next day, our first really chilly morning, we headed north on Hwy 40 through the Elbow-Sheep Wildland Provincial Park, skirting the Canadian Rockies that were shrouded in breaking fog and a few scattered dark clouds. We experienced the amazing stretch of road with virtually no traffic.
Hwy 40, south of Banff
By the time we got to Banff, skies had cleared and the air began to warm steadily. We stopped for coffee and a chance to shed some layers in Banff, a cute village of mountain recreation outlets, tourist shops and eateries. A visit to the Banff Springs Resort Hotel afforded a chance to see some amazing architecture and admire the scenery off the bike for a while. Dodging road construction along the Trans-Canadian Hwy 1, we diverted to Highway 1A to take us into Lake Louise. This would be a great touring road (even without the construction) as an alternative to the four-lane highway.
We arrived at our hotel, Deer Lodge, too early to check in, so we took a twisty mountain road eight miles to see the aquamarine blue Moraine Lake. These mountain lakes, fed by the limestone and quartz-saturated melting snow and glacier runoff, defy accurate photography. We finally got into our room, and had a pleasant evening enjoying a light dinner and the spectacular views of Lake Louise from the lounge at the Chateau Lake Louise Fairmont Hotel. Sunset was about 10 p.m.
Lake Louise
The following day we set out on a trip out Hwy 1 to Emerald Lake, another gorgeous alpine lake, and out the Yoho Valley Road to the massive Takakkaw Falls. On the way we stopped along the Kicking Horse River to see the Natural Bridge, a rock formation that has carved through by the rushing waters. In the afternoon we headed up Hwy 93, the Icefields Highway, to check out Hector Lake, Bow Lake and glacier, and the Bow Summit overlook of the brilliantly turquoise Peyto Lake.
On July 25 we left Lake Louise for Jasper on another picture-perfect morning, heading north again on Hwy 93. Halfway along this 100-mile stretch of scenic wonder, we stopped at Columbia Icefield center, another ÔÇ£must see.ÔÇØ We hiked to the edge of the glacier, but decided not to explore the ice further. At its thickest point the glacier stands over 150 feet tall. If you have an extra $100 to spend, you can ride across the icefield on a special bus and get to hike around on the upper levels.
Columbia Icefields
That afternoon we arrived at the Jasper House Bungalows, our lodging for the next two nights, two miles south of the town. We were pleasantly surprised, to find wonderful fully-equipped, modern ÔÇ£cabinsÔÇØ overlooking the Athabasca River. Elk cruised through the property at sunset and in the morning.
The next morning we ventured out east from Jasper, about 25 miles out the Maligne Lake Road, a great motorcycle road, past Medicine Lake to spectacular Maligne Lake. There you can enjoy a decent lunch spot as well as hiking, boat and kayak rentals and a motor launch cruise across the lake.
Maligne Lake
That evening, we enjoyed a simple meal prepared in our room with a great bottle of Canadian wine from the Niagara region of Ontario. At sunset the herd of elk arrived again, a perfect ending to another spectacular day in Alberta. Tomorrow we would be heading west into British Columbia.
Continued -
Part I:
This summer's riding adventure would take us to two rallies, through five states, two Canadian provinces, and cover 4,700 miles.
Heading out from Grass Valley along Hwy 20 on July 10, it was picture perfect weather over Donner Pass as we skirted the eastern edge of Lake Tahoe, crossing over the summit on Hwy 50.
Heading out - Day 1
After spending the night in Minden, NV, with fellow riders, Michael and Gwen, we all headed south on 395 to Topaz Lake Lodge and Casino, the site of the bmwst.com Unrally, north of the state line. There we were joined by 136 other riders from around the country to enjoy the abundant motorcycle roads and mountain passes of the Sierras.
A great time was had by all during the three day get together.
Due to pressing duties of being ÔÇ£co-chairÔÇØ for the event, we didnÔÇÖt get to do as much riding as I would have liked. One trip we did make was a wonderful loop up Hwy 88, then over to Hwy 50 and back to Topaz Lake. Along the way we took a side trip on Blue Lakes Road off Hwy 88, to Lower Blue Lake, a fun stretch of nice sweepers.
Blue Lakes Road off Hwy88
Proceeding west on 88 to the higher elevations, we passed Caples Lake, then stopped for lunch at Kirkwood Inn and Saloon (great food), then continued our trek west. After we passed Silver Lake, we turned onto Mormon Emigrant Trail, then onto Silver Fork Road. The very twisty, winding pavement works its way down to Kyburz along the Silver Fork River, where we picked up Hwy 50 and headed east. We completed our loop on Hwy 89, through Markleeville, and finally back on 395.
On Thursday morning we said our goodbyes to everyone and headed off for the BMW MOA rally in Redmond, OR. Our route took us north on 395 to Susanville, with little traffic once we based through Sparks. At lunch, met up with Ken and Kate (from IL) who were also on the way to Redmond. We took off together along scenic Hwy 139, through a mix of hills, valleys and pine forests around Eagle Lake, working our way north to Oregon.
Approaching Eagle Lake
At Klamath Falls, we continued on Hwy 97, a heavily congested 2-lane highway, north through the beautiful Klamath National Forrest. Entering Bend, traffic slowed to deal with the ridiculous 45 mph speed limit on the ÔÇ£expressway.ÔÇØ Joined by numerous BMWs, we reached the MOA rally site at the Deschutes County Fairgrounds in the late afternoon.
BMW MOA Rally camping with the Sisters in the distance.
At the rally we camped out with a group of riders from our local BMW club, the River City Beemers. There we spent two days relaxing, while enjoying the varied bikes in attendance, new and old, and meeting riders from all over the planet. We also took advantage of the opportunity to have new tires put on, although prices were anything but a deal. We did take a great ride up through the nearby mountains, west through Sisters on Hwy 20, over the Santiam Pass, then along the McKenzie Hwy 126 and back over the pass on Hwy 242.
This is a ÔÇ£must doÔÇØ ride for any motorcyclist coming to the area. Just watch for lots of gravel in the corners on 242, and very narrow sections of road west of the summit.
We headed out of Redmond on July 18, on a scenic ride through Prineville, on Hwy 26 thru the Ochoco National Forrest. In Mitchell we picked up 207, winding along the John Day River, and then up to Heppner. This route offers a great mix of sweepers and twisties with little traffic. We finished the day's ride at Kennewick, WA, staying at the Clover Island Inn on the Columbia River. We arrived early enough to enjoy a few hours relaxing poolside, sipping Margaritas while a great band played oldies rock music. For dinner we enjoyed some overpriced seafood at the restaurant right next door.
The next day we took 395 to I-80, thru the Washington wheat fields, to Spokane. Turning north through downtown, we picked up US Hwy 2, (one of AmericaÔÇÖs great interstate motorcycle roads), and once outside the metro area, wound our way through green wooded countryside, along the Priest River, into Idaho. We stopped for the night in Sandpoint at a funky little motel, and enjoyed great homemade pie at the Panhandler Restaurant and Bakery.
The following morning, we continued to enjoy fantastic weather during a relaxing, winding ride along Hwy 2 along the Kootenai River into Montana. We passed through Kalispell where traffic picked up significantly, and finally arrived at our Apgar Village motel in Glacier National Park on the southern end of Lake McDonald. The view from our room was truly breathtaking.
The view of Lake McDonald from our room
After getting the bike unloaded, we hooked up with my daughter, Megan, who was working in the park for the summer. After enjoying lunch together, we returned to Lake McDonald and took a small boat out to enjoy the sunshine and the incredible views from the water. That evening, we dined at the Belton Chalet, just outside the entrance to the park. The food and the restored lodge were an awesome combination.
The next day, we played tourist, taking the ÔÇ£Highway to the SunÔÇØ up to Logan Pass. Along the way, we passed a baby bear walking along the rock wall right next to the roadway.
Along the Highway to the Sun
Up on the pass, we found lots of snow still covering the hiking paths. Numerous big horn sheep and mountain goats posed for pictures as they grazed along the trail. Glacier Park is truly a national treasure.
As much as we would have like to stay longer, we were ÔÇ£on the road againÔÇØ the following morning. Megan wanted to ride on the bike along the lake, opting not to do the Highway to the Sun, better know as the ÔÇ£Highway to the Construction.ÔÇØ We left Megan and Glacier under cloudy skies with rain threatening. At Logan Pass, we donned our rain gear and continued on to St. Mary, then turned north on Hwy 89. From Hwy 17, we passed into Canada on Hwy 6 towards Waterton. We hit a few light showers, whisking along this great stretch of road with virtually no traffic, transitioning onto Hwy 22 (The Canadian Cowboy Trail) to Longview in the middle of Alberta cattle country.
We arrived at our destination, the Blue Sky Motel, unloading the bike just minutes before it started to pour. Two doors down was the Longview Steakhouse, where we dined that evening with Mike and his wife (from Calgary), whom we had met at the Unrally. Although you would never have guessed it based on the outside appearance, we were treated to a delightful four-star meal.
The next day, our first really chilly morning, we headed north on Hwy 40 through the Elbow-Sheep Wildland Provincial Park, skirting the Canadian Rockies that were shrouded in breaking fog and a few scattered dark clouds. We experienced the amazing stretch of road with virtually no traffic.
Hwy 40, south of Banff
By the time we got to Banff, skies had cleared and the air began to warm steadily. We stopped for coffee and a chance to shed some layers in Banff, a cute village of mountain recreation outlets, tourist shops and eateries. A visit to the Banff Springs Resort Hotel afforded a chance to see some amazing architecture and admire the scenery off the bike for a while. Dodging road construction along the Trans-Canadian Hwy 1, we diverted to Highway 1A to take us into Lake Louise. This would be a great touring road (even without the construction) as an alternative to the four-lane highway.
We arrived at our hotel, Deer Lodge, too early to check in, so we took a twisty mountain road eight miles to see the aquamarine blue Moraine Lake. These mountain lakes, fed by the limestone and quartz-saturated melting snow and glacier runoff, defy accurate photography. We finally got into our room, and had a pleasant evening enjoying a light dinner and the spectacular views of Lake Louise from the lounge at the Chateau Lake Louise Fairmont Hotel. Sunset was about 10 p.m.
Lake Louise
The following day we set out on a trip out Hwy 1 to Emerald Lake, another gorgeous alpine lake, and out the Yoho Valley Road to the massive Takakkaw Falls. On the way we stopped along the Kicking Horse River to see the Natural Bridge, a rock formation that has carved through by the rushing waters. In the afternoon we headed up Hwy 93, the Icefields Highway, to check out Hector Lake, Bow Lake and glacier, and the Bow Summit overlook of the brilliantly turquoise Peyto Lake.
On July 25 we left Lake Louise for Jasper on another picture-perfect morning, heading north again on Hwy 93. Halfway along this 100-mile stretch of scenic wonder, we stopped at Columbia Icefield center, another ÔÇ£must see.ÔÇØ We hiked to the edge of the glacier, but decided not to explore the ice further. At its thickest point the glacier stands over 150 feet tall. If you have an extra $100 to spend, you can ride across the icefield on a special bus and get to hike around on the upper levels.
Columbia Icefields
That afternoon we arrived at the Jasper House Bungalows, our lodging for the next two nights, two miles south of the town. We were pleasantly surprised, to find wonderful fully-equipped, modern ÔÇ£cabinsÔÇØ overlooking the Athabasca River. Elk cruised through the property at sunset and in the morning.
The next morning we ventured out east from Jasper, about 25 miles out the Maligne Lake Road, a great motorcycle road, past Medicine Lake to spectacular Maligne Lake. There you can enjoy a decent lunch spot as well as hiking, boat and kayak rentals and a motor launch cruise across the lake.
Maligne Lake
That evening, we enjoyed a simple meal prepared in our room with a great bottle of Canadian wine from the Niagara region of Ontario. At sunset the herd of elk arrived again, a perfect ending to another spectacular day in Alberta. Tomorrow we would be heading west into British Columbia.
Continued -
