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Motorcycle Drudgery

The rides that are done because we have to.

Trek of the Four Burritos

Travelling by motorcycle is all about pushing your boundaries, your comfort levels. You learn a lot about yourself when it comes to the physical excesses you are willing to expose yourself to alongside the uncertainty around your skills. Skills are improved through practice and doing, physical prowess is improved through good diet and exercise (which I’m guilty of ignoring). But there are other boundaries to push that are less obvious and, to some, not even boundaries at all. For NMBL and me that boundary push was travelling with others.

Our trip this July included two wonderful, talented people who were brave enough to take a chance on the two of us while we pushed the mental boundary of being just a husband-and-wife team. Kudos to CG and JS for joining in on our weirdness over four days. That takes a pair of reproductive organs.

Continue reading “Trek of the Four Burritos” →
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First Aid for Riders

When was the last time you took a First Aid course? Do you know what to do if one of your friends goes down on a ride? Do the members of the group know what to do if you go down?

No one wants to think about leaving their bikes, but it happens. Whether it’s due to weather, pushing beyond your ability, or an inattentive driver, motorcyclists get hurt regularly. Knowing some First Aid is helpful in those roadside emergencies and can even save a life. NMBL and I have both done First Aid training but our certifications have lapsed. This week we took the opportunity to update our knowledge specifically for riders. The local Mottorad dealership, High Road Vancouver, hosted a First Aid on the Road clinic  with a pair of paramedics who are riders themselves. Continue reading “First Aid for Riders” →

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Back to Tofino!

And it’s about time. Last year’s riding season was a bit crazy for us so we didn’t do any big rides or hangs. NMBL had her own adventure last year to GBB Fest but that was it! There was very little hammocking and even less motorcycling.

This year we’re getting our feet back on the pegs, hands on the throttles, and gear on the pillion. To get our butts used to the saddle again we once again trekked off to Tofino for the May long weekend. It was a great choice for a few reasons: first, Tofino is less than a day’s ride with some great mountain highway riding; second, it gives us a chance to suss out our gear with low risk after a year off; third, it’s just so damn beautiful over there! The west coast of Vancouver Island is one of the most striking places in an already stunning Province. We’re lucky to live here and have such a gem to travel to. Continue reading “Back to Tofino!” →

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Riding the Monashees, Riding Home, and Wild Fires

We left Nakusp for the North Okanagan to visit with family. That ride took us through the Monashee Mountains along Hwy 6, through Cherryville, Lumby, and on into Vernon. On the list of great rides from this trip, we’re rating this one at number two just behind the ride along Hwy 31A from Kaslo to Nakusp. Going through the Monashees was a treat! There are some very tight high mountain turns along this road that deserve the reputation it has as one of the best rides in Western Canada. The asphalt relentlessly snakes along sheer mountain cliffs. There is one stretch that is 8km of nothing but curves non-stop. It was a magnificent ride.

Continue reading “Riding the Monashees, Riding Home, and Wild Fires” →

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Alberta and Saskatchewan – Catching Up

June 24

It has been a few days since the last post. NMBL and I have ridden from Calgary to Regina in that time and are now heading back west. We’re currently hanging at Saskatchewan Landing Provincial Park enjoying nice weather and the sound of song birds as we swing in our hammocks beside the Saskatchewan River. It’s a very peaceful place. 

We’re not riding long days. This trip is about being relaxed and fresh each morning plus giving ourselves time in case something unusual happens. This tactic has treated us well. Neither of us is over taxed with a ridiculous amount of riding. We do between 300 and 400 km a day giving ourselves time to enjoy a good breakfast, have lunch, and get to the next spot with time to set up of the afternoon. Unhurried is the best way to tour. We learned that lesson last year.

Continue reading “Alberta and Saskatchewan – Catching Up” →

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Motorcycle v. Car Interactions

May is motorcycle safety month.

Being on a motorcycle is an exciting experience. Most of the time that experience is amazing. The Venn diagram with motorcycling and joy shows a lot of overlap. However, there are times when the overlap goes into the scary circle. This evening our ride home had one of those. Continue reading “Motorcycle v. Car Interactions” →

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Snow on the Mountains

And eagles in the trees! Plus almost all the weather you could think would ever happen in March.

This weekend marked our first overnight trip of the year. We were invited to go camping at Porteau Cove Provincial Park with our neighbour and her four year old son, so of course we said yes. It’s a quick jaunt from home so we didn’t have to push ourselves through bad weather and, if the elements got really nasty, it was only one night. Continue reading “Snow on the Mountains” →

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Colorado Adventure Day Nine: North to Home

Also known as To Shower, Divine… comedy? NMBL and I will probably look back at this with fondness. Right now I feel like hell.

We made plans yesterday via Google Maps (the Devil in this Comedy) and worked out a day of riding that would only be just over three hours. We were both feeling rough from the food poisoning, so that short day made sense. Three hours plus a bit. Google maps had us in Spencer Idaho by then. That would be taking the I-15 pretty much the whole way. The idea of taking an Interstate was none too pleasant but we felt it gave us the best distance for time on the road.  Continue reading “Colorado Adventure Day Nine: North to Home” →

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Colorado Adventure Day Six: Bear Lake to Moab and all the In Between

NMBL and i slept well at bear lake. It was warmer than the night before and I didn’t freeze my hands packing up. We were on the road by 7:00 am and into Evanston Wyoming in about an hour. It was a nice ride down from Bear Lake. We stopped at Anna’s on Main for coffee and noms. We had an amazing sweet empanada. So delicious! It was made with kind of a shortbread crust. Took our time, recharged our devices, got some emailing done, and got back on the road heading towards southern Utah… though we had to ride the Interstate for a bit.  Continue reading “Colorado Adventure Day Six: Bear Lake to Moab and all the In Between” →

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