Rhoadzie
02-09-2011, 08:17 PM
My wife and I left Indiana and traveled to Glacier National Park/Brendan, Ontario/Northside of Lake Superior and back home. The trip was 20 days and included time in Brendan with my CMA family for the No Borders Rally. What a wonderful trip. I will try to give the details. I recommend it to anyone
The worst part of the trip was day one when we left Indiana and traveled through Chicago to Dubuque, Iowa. After we left Rockford, IL we took the back roads from there. We took hwy 20 to Dubuque. It was a great ride. The first day was 340 miles.
Day 2
We left Dubuque and went straight across Iowa on Hwy 20 to Souix City. Then up Interstate 29 to Souix Falls, SD and across to Mitchell, SD. That was a long day with nothing much to see in Iowa and SD. (458 miles). We frequently stay at KOA campgrounds and stayed at KOA in Mitchell. We also visited the "Corn Palace" what an interesting place.
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Day 3
After the visit to the Corn Palace and the sites of Mitchell we took off for Rapid City, SD and Mount Rushmore. I can tell you this was the worst part of the trip. I am not fond of Interstate riding. But, against my better judgement, we decided to take the Interstate. We did see some great country. The Rest area at the Missouri River was great. We really enjoyed the Lewis and Clark Exhibit and the views were wonderful.
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From here to Wall Drug, We had such a terrible Head wind, in 90 degree plus weather, was physically draining. It took forever.
We finally reached Wall Drug and got a great bit of rest and grub.
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It is just a short trip from Wall Drug to Rapid City and the anticipation of Mount Rushmore was enough to raise our spirits after the heat. As we approached Rapid City, storm clouds were building. We decided to take refuge in a McDonalds. I parked the bike to protect it from the wind which was very strong and I covered it to keep it dry. The storm didn't last long, but it was a strong one. That little delay and the slow going against the Headwind put us behind scheduled but we made it to Mount Rushmore for the Evening Light Show. We just loved the tribute to the troops and veterans at the end of the show. It is well worth the night trip to Mount Rushmore.
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We didn't get a chance to see much more in this area, but have plans on visiting longer in the Summer 2011 trip. We stayed the night at Spearfish. What a great day!
DAY 4
We left Spearfish the next morning on an absolutely great ride on Hwy 34 to Belle Fourche and on to Devils Tower. The trip through the Black Hills Forest on Hwy 34 was well worth the side trip. This is a perfect road for a ride.
As we got closer to Devils Tower, we could start seeing it on the skyline. Fo course, as we got closer and closer, It grew larger and larger. Devils Tower was a great rest stop for us. All we could think about was the movie Close Encounters. We saw a lot of wildlife in the park and were fascinated by the Prairie Dog town.
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We left Devils Tower and went South to Moorcroft and then on to Gilette for Lunch. We then headed out into the Open Coutryside again. We went North on 14 and got a great tour of the Barren countryside of Wyoming. We stopped at this little park in Clearmont, Wyoming and found a small historic site, a jail. We couldn't find anything else significant about this jail, but the little park was a great rest. In this barren countryside, the park had the greenest lawn. The sprinkling system came on while we were resting, got my wife wet. She was not happy when I snapped the picture. (I think you can tell!)
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We continued through the Wyoming countryside on Hwy 14 and made a brief stop in Sheridan before heading up Interstate 90 to Little Bighorn. The temperature which had been above 90 degrees started falling. It was still pleasant but we did start adding jackets and clothing.
Little Bighorn Monument was great. The short ride through the park is full of markers to describe the battle that was Custer's Last Stand. We loved the history and the walk through the National Cemetary. We saw many wild horses and really go the feel of what it was like in the battle.
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We stayed the night at another KOA in Hardin, Mt.
Day 5
Every trip has to have a bad day or though it would seem. Day 5 was that day. But, it was amazing how God watches out for us and answers prayer. We headed out for a long day of riding to arrive at Glacier by the end of the day. I don't know about most people, but we had scheduled over 500 miles for this day and all of it was through back roads and the beautiful Montana Wilderness. The first part of the trip was uneventful. We took the short trip up Interstate 90 to Billings and then up Hwy 3 then Hwy 12. The day started out dreary and we had some light rain until we got to Harlowton. Then the sun came out and it warmed some. Not too long after we left Harlowton, I started to notice a severe drop in voltage. I had already noticed a severe drop in gas mileage, and now I knew we were in trouble. We were literally out in the middle of nowhere. After monitoring this for a while. I "gently" notified my wife we had a problem. I felt like the guys in Apollo 13. "Houston we have a problem." Two summers ago we had a similar problem in Yosemite. It ruined our vacation. We got to White Sulphur Springs, gassed up and headed toward Great Falls up Hwy 89. This was Sunday, 4th of July Weekend and nothing was open. On the long ride up to Great Falls, I prayed and prayed we would get there and find a Harley Dealer. I figured we could wait there a couple days and then get the biked repaired. The Trip through the Lewis and Clark National Forest was great, but I was distracted. I kept losing power and wasn't even sure I would make it to Great Falls. I got to Great Falls and had no idea which way to go. I prayed for guidance. I turned left. Not more than two blocks down was a Harley Dealer and they were open! Ok, Thanks God! I then wondered what the chances were of their being anyone in the service area. Yep, they were there. The Dealership was fantastic, they were having an anniversary celebration. They had food, music, and entertainment. After 3 hours, a new stator, and voltage regulator, we were back on the road. The wallet was lighter, but we were still on vacation.
We headed north on Interstate 15 out of Great Falls. In my exuberance to be back on the road, I didn't fill up the gas tank. Oh well, I thought I would just fill it at the next exit. Nothing was open. Ok we'll just go to the next exit. Nothing was open. I was getting worried and very low on gas. I made it 75 more miles, I don't know how. I pulled off the interstate again and saw a sign on an old building with 24hour Gas. Praise the Lord again! We pulled in the station, it was closed. BUT, the pump still worked with a credit card. YES!!!!!
We were way behind schedule and called the West Glacier KOA to let them know we would be very late. They said the night security would be there and get us to our lot. We left the Interstate and headed down Hwy 2 toward Glacier. Finally, at about 1am, we were just outside West Glacier. I rounded a turn and spotted a HUGE MOOSE in the middle of the road. My wife was dosing, but she woke up quickly as i locked up the brakes. The Moose slowly strolled out of my way. That was close.
We set the tent up in the dark and slept late the next morning. What a day!
Day 6
After a long rest and some relaxation, we took a trip to Apgar just inside Glacier. We got information about the Going to the Sun Road and planned our excursions for the next couple of days.
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When we arrived back at West Glacier we had a fantastic Double Rainbow over the KOA. We took a trip to get food and just spent relaxing time around the fire.
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Day 7/10
We really enjoyed the Road through Glacier NP. It is one of the best roads even though partially under construction. Plenty to see and the Logan Pass Visitors center is fantastic. We were there in early July and their was still a lot of snow. The roads were great but the temp was colder than normal riding temp especially at altitude. I went for a hike to the Hidden lake. It was snow the whole way.
We also stopped to have some local cuisine at Two Dog Flats restaurant. I had an Elk Burger and some special chili. It was fantastic. Enjoy the Pics!
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Day 11/12
Well, we were blessed with a great travel day to head out of Glacier NP. We were heading to Brandon, Manitoba for the CMA No Borders Rally. Before anyone goes to Canada, you have to get a passport. My wife and I did that. It was a little strange thinking about needing a passport to go to Canada. We got on Hwy 2. We had reservations at a hotel for the night. (We don't usually go to Hotels, but decided to do this because of no quality campgrounds along the way.) Big mistake! We traveled all day to Culbertson, MT. But, when we got to Culbertson the road was closed to get to our Hotel. We had to detour WAY out of the way and ended up just staying for a short stay in a rest area (camping illegally). We just rested for about 2 hours. Packed back up and continued on to Bismark, ND because of the Detour. We headed north to Minot, ND and then cross country on Hwy 5 to Dunseth, ND and then North across the Border. We arrived in Brandon. Manitoba late that afternoon. We traveled over 1000 miles in about 1 hours. We were tired!
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Day 13
We spent the next 3 days in Brandon, Manitoba at the Christian Motorcyclist Association "No Borders" rally. What a great time! Good Music, Good Fellowship, and Great Rides! Here are some pics from the rally.
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Day 16
We left Brandon early morning and headed out across the great white north. Well, really it wasn't white in early July. We took the TransCanadian Hwy 1 to Winnipeg. Pretty uneventful until we arrived in Winnipeg. We did meet an unusual Canadian along the way.
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We got lost in Winnipeg. I'm not sure how. But, being my stubborn self, I chose to just keep going and find my way out. It took awhile. But, we did make it back to Hwy 1. The ride was great and the scenery was wonderful especially after Winnipeg and before we stopped for the night. We stayed in a Canadian Provincial Park called Rushing Rapids Prov. Pk. What a clean, quiet, peaceful, park. We enjoyed the evening and the great roaring river, peaceful lake, and warm fire.
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Day 17
We left the Park and headed East continuing on Hwy 1. We were a little surprised about the low speed limits in Canada. But, it did allow more time to enjoy the great sights. We kept looking for Moose. I would have to say the signs became a little annoying, with NO MOOSE! However, running into one on a motorcycle is not always a pleasant experience. The trip to Thunder Bay was great. This is truly a ride to take again. We stayed at Thunder Bay KOA and it was also a great camp ground with very clean facilities and caring people. We nearly always find this at KOA campgrounds. We went to visit the Terry Fox memorial just off Hwy 1 in Thunder Bay. This was a great sight for two reasons. One -- it has a great view of Thunder Bay. Two -- Being an avid runner I appreciated Terry Fox's story. What an inspiring man.
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Day 18
Once again, the ride from Thunder Bay on the North side of Superior is fantastic and well worth the time. There are so many spots to stop and break up the trip. Water falls, beaches, picturesque views, Provinicial Parks and great small towns. are dotted along the whole way. We stayed at Obatanga Prov. Pk and had another great experience with the Canadian Park System.
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Day 19
This would be the last day in Canada. We really enjoyed our time, with a few exceptions. The gas prices are out of this world. Even with the conversion using royal measurements, it ended up being on average over 4.50 per american gallon all along the way. Using Canadian currency is a rip off as well because the banks take advantage of you. They don't just go by the exchange rate, they also charge astronomical fees. I'm glad to be an American!
We did have several stop overs on this day. Including the Indian Petroglyphs, WAWA and the SOO Locks. All were fascinating. Once again, the ride was great. I was thrilled to ride the North Superior route. I would recommend it to anyone.
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Day 20
The last day ride through Michigan and Indiana was quite adventurous. We traveled down Hwy 131 in Michigan to Hwy 66 south. Great ride except for running into a storm. We stopped in a car wash to wait out the storm. We waited and waited. The radar was showing it was going to get worse before it got better. I saw we could "Punch" through the storm and then stay ahead of it. It took about 5 minutes to get through the wind, hail, and rain. I was beginning to think I had made a mistake and then it stopped. Now all we had to do was stay in front of the storm. We did and got home, high and dry.
This was a fantastic trip and I would recommend the route and stops to anyone. As a matter of fact, I wouldn't mind doing it again!
The worst part of the trip was day one when we left Indiana and traveled through Chicago to Dubuque, Iowa. After we left Rockford, IL we took the back roads from there. We took hwy 20 to Dubuque. It was a great ride. The first day was 340 miles.
Day 2
We left Dubuque and went straight across Iowa on Hwy 20 to Souix City. Then up Interstate 29 to Souix Falls, SD and across to Mitchell, SD. That was a long day with nothing much to see in Iowa and SD. (458 miles). We frequently stay at KOA campgrounds and stayed at KOA in Mitchell. We also visited the "Corn Palace" what an interesting place.
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Day 3
After the visit to the Corn Palace and the sites of Mitchell we took off for Rapid City, SD and Mount Rushmore. I can tell you this was the worst part of the trip. I am not fond of Interstate riding. But, against my better judgement, we decided to take the Interstate. We did see some great country. The Rest area at the Missouri River was great. We really enjoyed the Lewis and Clark Exhibit and the views were wonderful.
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From here to Wall Drug, We had such a terrible Head wind, in 90 degree plus weather, was physically draining. It took forever.
We finally reached Wall Drug and got a great bit of rest and grub.
http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2110&thumb=1 ('http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2110')
It is just a short trip from Wall Drug to Rapid City and the anticipation of Mount Rushmore was enough to raise our spirits after the heat. As we approached Rapid City, storm clouds were building. We decided to take refuge in a McDonalds. I parked the bike to protect it from the wind which was very strong and I covered it to keep it dry. The storm didn't last long, but it was a strong one. That little delay and the slow going against the Headwind put us behind scheduled but we made it to Mount Rushmore for the Evening Light Show. We just loved the tribute to the troops and veterans at the end of the show. It is well worth the night trip to Mount Rushmore.
http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2127&thumb=1 ('http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2127') http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2126&thumb=1 ('http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2126') http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2125&thumb=1 ('http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2125') http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2111&thumb=1 ('http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2111')
We didn't get a chance to see much more in this area, but have plans on visiting longer in the Summer 2011 trip. We stayed the night at Spearfish. What a great day!
DAY 4
We left Spearfish the next morning on an absolutely great ride on Hwy 34 to Belle Fourche and on to Devils Tower. The trip through the Black Hills Forest on Hwy 34 was well worth the side trip. This is a perfect road for a ride.
As we got closer to Devils Tower, we could start seeing it on the skyline. Fo course, as we got closer and closer, It grew larger and larger. Devils Tower was a great rest stop for us. All we could think about was the movie Close Encounters. We saw a lot of wildlife in the park and were fascinated by the Prairie Dog town.
http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2128&thumb=1 ('http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2128') http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2129&thumb=1 ('http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2129') http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2112&thumb=1 ('http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2112') http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2113&thumb=1 ('http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2113') http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2114&thumb=1 ('http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2114')http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2159&thumb=1 ('http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2159') http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2158&thumb=1 ('http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2158') http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2160&thumb=1 ('http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2160') http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2123&thumb=1 ('http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2123')
We left Devils Tower and went South to Moorcroft and then on to Gilette for Lunch. We then headed out into the Open Coutryside again. We went North on 14 and got a great tour of the Barren countryside of Wyoming. We stopped at this little park in Clearmont, Wyoming and found a small historic site, a jail. We couldn't find anything else significant about this jail, but the little park was a great rest. In this barren countryside, the park had the greenest lawn. The sprinkling system came on while we were resting, got my wife wet. She was not happy when I snapped the picture. (I think you can tell!)
http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2130&thumb=1 ('http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2130')
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We continued through the Wyoming countryside on Hwy 14 and made a brief stop in Sheridan before heading up Interstate 90 to Little Bighorn. The temperature which had been above 90 degrees started falling. It was still pleasant but we did start adding jackets and clothing.
Little Bighorn Monument was great. The short ride through the park is full of markers to describe the battle that was Custer's Last Stand. We loved the history and the walk through the National Cemetary. We saw many wild horses and really go the feel of what it was like in the battle.
http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2118&thumb=1 ('http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2118') http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2117&thumb=1 ('http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2117') http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2116&thumb=1 ('http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2116')
We stayed the night at another KOA in Hardin, Mt.
Day 5
Every trip has to have a bad day or though it would seem. Day 5 was that day. But, it was amazing how God watches out for us and answers prayer. We headed out for a long day of riding to arrive at Glacier by the end of the day. I don't know about most people, but we had scheduled over 500 miles for this day and all of it was through back roads and the beautiful Montana Wilderness. The first part of the trip was uneventful. We took the short trip up Interstate 90 to Billings and then up Hwy 3 then Hwy 12. The day started out dreary and we had some light rain until we got to Harlowton. Then the sun came out and it warmed some. Not too long after we left Harlowton, I started to notice a severe drop in voltage. I had already noticed a severe drop in gas mileage, and now I knew we were in trouble. We were literally out in the middle of nowhere. After monitoring this for a while. I "gently" notified my wife we had a problem. I felt like the guys in Apollo 13. "Houston we have a problem." Two summers ago we had a similar problem in Yosemite. It ruined our vacation. We got to White Sulphur Springs, gassed up and headed toward Great Falls up Hwy 89. This was Sunday, 4th of July Weekend and nothing was open. On the long ride up to Great Falls, I prayed and prayed we would get there and find a Harley Dealer. I figured we could wait there a couple days and then get the biked repaired. The Trip through the Lewis and Clark National Forest was great, but I was distracted. I kept losing power and wasn't even sure I would make it to Great Falls. I got to Great Falls and had no idea which way to go. I prayed for guidance. I turned left. Not more than two blocks down was a Harley Dealer and they were open! Ok, Thanks God! I then wondered what the chances were of their being anyone in the service area. Yep, they were there. The Dealership was fantastic, they were having an anniversary celebration. They had food, music, and entertainment. After 3 hours, a new stator, and voltage regulator, we were back on the road. The wallet was lighter, but we were still on vacation.
We headed north on Interstate 15 out of Great Falls. In my exuberance to be back on the road, I didn't fill up the gas tank. Oh well, I thought I would just fill it at the next exit. Nothing was open. Ok we'll just go to the next exit. Nothing was open. I was getting worried and very low on gas. I made it 75 more miles, I don't know how. I pulled off the interstate again and saw a sign on an old building with 24hour Gas. Praise the Lord again! We pulled in the station, it was closed. BUT, the pump still worked with a credit card. YES!!!!!
We were way behind schedule and called the West Glacier KOA to let them know we would be very late. They said the night security would be there and get us to our lot. We left the Interstate and headed down Hwy 2 toward Glacier. Finally, at about 1am, we were just outside West Glacier. I rounded a turn and spotted a HUGE MOOSE in the middle of the road. My wife was dosing, but she woke up quickly as i locked up the brakes. The Moose slowly strolled out of my way. That was close.
We set the tent up in the dark and slept late the next morning. What a day!
Day 6
After a long rest and some relaxation, we took a trip to Apgar just inside Glacier. We got information about the Going to the Sun Road and planned our excursions for the next couple of days.
http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2137&thumb=1 ('http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2137') http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2132&thumb=1 ('http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2132') http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2133&thumb=1 ('http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2133') http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2134&thumb=1 ('http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2134')
When we arrived back at West Glacier we had a fantastic Double Rainbow over the KOA. We took a trip to get food and just spent relaxing time around the fire.
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Day 7/10
We really enjoyed the Road through Glacier NP. It is one of the best roads even though partially under construction. Plenty to see and the Logan Pass Visitors center is fantastic. We were there in early July and their was still a lot of snow. The roads were great but the temp was colder than normal riding temp especially at altitude. I went for a hike to the Hidden lake. It was snow the whole way.
We also stopped to have some local cuisine at Two Dog Flats restaurant. I had an Elk Burger and some special chili. It was fantastic. Enjoy the Pics!
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Day 11/12
Well, we were blessed with a great travel day to head out of Glacier NP. We were heading to Brandon, Manitoba for the CMA No Borders Rally. Before anyone goes to Canada, you have to get a passport. My wife and I did that. It was a little strange thinking about needing a passport to go to Canada. We got on Hwy 2. We had reservations at a hotel for the night. (We don't usually go to Hotels, but decided to do this because of no quality campgrounds along the way.) Big mistake! We traveled all day to Culbertson, MT. But, when we got to Culbertson the road was closed to get to our Hotel. We had to detour WAY out of the way and ended up just staying for a short stay in a rest area (camping illegally). We just rested for about 2 hours. Packed back up and continued on to Bismark, ND because of the Detour. We headed north to Minot, ND and then cross country on Hwy 5 to Dunseth, ND and then North across the Border. We arrived in Brandon. Manitoba late that afternoon. We traveled over 1000 miles in about 1 hours. We were tired!
http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2165&thumb=1 ('http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2165') http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2164&thumb=1 ('http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2164')
Day 13
We spent the next 3 days in Brandon, Manitoba at the Christian Motorcyclist Association "No Borders" rally. What a great time! Good Music, Good Fellowship, and Great Rides! Here are some pics from the rally.
http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2172&thumb=1 ('http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2172') http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2173&thumb=1 ('http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2173') http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2174&thumb=1 ('http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2174') http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2175&thumb=1 ('http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2175') http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2176&thumb=1 ('http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2176') http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2177&thumb=1 ('http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2177')
Day 16
We left Brandon early morning and headed out across the great white north. Well, really it wasn't white in early July. We took the TransCanadian Hwy 1 to Winnipeg. Pretty uneventful until we arrived in Winnipeg. We did meet an unusual Canadian along the way.
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We got lost in Winnipeg. I'm not sure how. But, being my stubborn self, I chose to just keep going and find my way out. It took awhile. But, we did make it back to Hwy 1. The ride was great and the scenery was wonderful especially after Winnipeg and before we stopped for the night. We stayed in a Canadian Provincial Park called Rushing Rapids Prov. Pk. What a clean, quiet, peaceful, park. We enjoyed the evening and the great roaring river, peaceful lake, and warm fire.
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Day 17
We left the Park and headed East continuing on Hwy 1. We were a little surprised about the low speed limits in Canada. But, it did allow more time to enjoy the great sights. We kept looking for Moose. I would have to say the signs became a little annoying, with NO MOOSE! However, running into one on a motorcycle is not always a pleasant experience. The trip to Thunder Bay was great. This is truly a ride to take again. We stayed at Thunder Bay KOA and it was also a great camp ground with very clean facilities and caring people. We nearly always find this at KOA campgrounds. We went to visit the Terry Fox memorial just off Hwy 1 in Thunder Bay. This was a great sight for two reasons. One -- it has a great view of Thunder Bay. Two -- Being an avid runner I appreciated Terry Fox's story. What an inspiring man.
http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2186&thumb=1 ('http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2186') http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2184&thumb=1 ('http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2184') http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2183&thumb=1 ('http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2183') http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2182&thumb=1 ('http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2182')
Day 18
Once again, the ride from Thunder Bay on the North side of Superior is fantastic and well worth the time. There are so many spots to stop and break up the trip. Water falls, beaches, picturesque views, Provinicial Parks and great small towns. are dotted along the whole way. We stayed at Obatanga Prov. Pk and had another great experience with the Canadian Park System.
http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2185&thumb=1 ('http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2185') http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2186&thumb=1 ('http://www.motocampers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=152&pictureid=2186')
Day 19
This would be the last day in Canada. We really enjoyed our time, with a few exceptions. The gas prices are out of this world. Even with the conversion using royal measurements, it ended up being on average over 4.50 per american gallon all along the way. Using Canadian currency is a rip off as well because the banks take advantage of you. They don't just go by the exchange rate, they also charge astronomical fees. I'm glad to be an American!
We did have several stop overs on this day. Including the Indian Petroglyphs, WAWA and the SOO Locks. All were fascinating. Once again, the ride was great. I was thrilled to ride the North Superior route. I would recommend it to anyone.
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Day 20
The last day ride through Michigan and Indiana was quite adventurous. We traveled down Hwy 131 in Michigan to Hwy 66 south. Great ride except for running into a storm. We stopped in a car wash to wait out the storm. We waited and waited. The radar was showing it was going to get worse before it got better. I saw we could "Punch" through the storm and then stay ahead of it. It took about 5 minutes to get through the wind, hail, and rain. I was beginning to think I had made a mistake and then it stopped. Now all we had to do was stay in front of the storm. We did and got home, high and dry.
This was a fantastic trip and I would recommend the route and stops to anyone. As a matter of fact, I wouldn't mind doing it again!