2016 Kamah UMCI Rally and John Day BMW rally

After a wonderful scouting Unity Camp at Lost Lake. It was now time to get on the bike again and venture forth. Carol and I loaded up and headed west for Cranbrook, BC. We had arranged rooms at the Lazy Bear Lodge and were meeting Peter and Nelly and Eric from Edson there. We also arranged to have John and Dorothy Wetherell meet us at Denny's. What a delightful time sharing old memories and getting together again. John and Dorothy no longer ride so have bought a Miata convertible. Seems to be the car of choice for x bikers.

The next morning we had a small breakfast at the motel and headed out with me leading. Don't know how that happened. Unfortunately it started to rain as we went south and it was quite cold but we forged on. Fueled up in Bonner's Ferry and agreed we would stop for lunch in Cour de Lane. Well I was concentrating so hard on staying on 93 that next thing I knew we were outside of the city and no sign of anything for miles and we were hungry wet and cold but then off to the right was a casino with food so in we went and had a bite while it poured rain outside.

The next stop was to be Lewiston for fuel but again I was concentrating on where 12 met 93 and next thing I knew we were out of town and we all needed gas. What to do , Turn around and go back or forge on. Then I suddenly remembered that casino on 12 where Joe and I had fueled up a month before and pulled in like I knew what I was doing.

It had stopped raining and we arrived at the Lewis and Clark resort and set up camp. A good turnout 83 for the rally and good fun. 

Picture out our window at the Lazy Bear Lodge

Our entourage

For some reason or other I did not take many pictures at the rally.

On Sunday everyone packed up and left except Art and Betty and the kids and I. We stayed an extra day. Karl and John looked out for Carol on the way home.

This is Rita and Brad Foltham at the dinner. They were big winners of some of the door prizes but it seems the Canadians took their fair share for sure but not me. I think I used up all my luck in Mariposa.

Art and Betty and the kids and I had a wonderful time together on Sunday and on Monday with sunny skies I packed up and headed for John Day Oregon to the BMW rally. I travelled over mostly familiar roads, through Kooskia and on to New Meadows. Okay decision. Do I go west through Council Idaho or east and south on 55 through Cascade. Well I had never been to Cascade before so east it was.( Just a note. I just found out that they tore down the Ace Hotel in Council Idaho. If you will recall, that is where I had the $25.00 room. No linoleum on the floor and camoflage sheets.)

In Cascade I found the Arrowhead campground. What a lovely campground on the Paquette River.

They do a lot of carving there and had lots of these spread around the place. There was no food nearby but I arrived in lots of time for the ice cream social. For $1.00 I had all the ice cream I could eat. Even Huckleberry so that was my dinner for the night.

Unfortunately about midnight it started to rain. So the next morning I packed up a wet tent and headed out. It was cold also and I had not eaten. I came into this town Emmett Idaho and pulled into the Blue Ribbon Cafe and Bakery. Oh what a great breakfast with homemade marble rye toast. Nothing like it. I was dripping wet but the rain let up during breakfast and I headed west and  found my way to John Day. I was one of the first to arrive and put my tent up near amenities. Almost in the same place I was at the UMCI rall there years before.

Soon people started arriving and most of my friends set up across the field. We walked up to The Outpost for meals that were not provided at the rally. We did have 2 wonderful meals provided though. Tacos one night which were excellent and fed 500 of us very quickly. The next night we had steak and chicken , again very good. Unfortunately it rained A LOT. I only went out for a short ride one day and to get fuel. 

I tried to catch the sun peaking through the clouds one day

Tim relaxing at the new coffee shop on the corner in John Day. 

This is the trophy I brought home. It is 747 miles from Calgary to John Day.

I don't know how they knew I was going to win it. It is such a likeness of me!

Will close here so I can get some things done today.

Will tell all about my journey home in next episode.

Mariposa BMW rally 2016 and home

Jimmy , DeeDee and I arrived at Mariposa after a great ride over the snow covered passes and were greeted by many friends. It was a great rally with 508 in attendance. They had good weather and many guest speakers. The usual good food and trolley rides into Mariposa where they had an art an wine tasting festival at the court house.

It was very hot so I just checked out some of the vendors and had a bite to eat before heading back to the campground. Wandering around Mariposa I spied this carving.

This old car was parked beside the festivities.

Mariposa. The mother of all counties.

Back at the campground this Africa Twin pulled in and my friend Joe is considering one so I had to take a picture. Many are touting it as the Honda of the future as it has so many new innovations.

Then the highlight of the rally for me. Ted Simon was one of the guest speakers and I got to have dinner with him. When I first started motorcycling I read Jupiter's travels. Ted rode his Triumph around the world before it was a standard thing to do by adventuring motorcyclists. He is now 85 years old and put on a delightful presentation.

I am not normally one to enjoy the GS Giants presentation but they had a great track laid out and some very courageous riders so I found it rather enjoyable this year. At the final awards on Sunday night I was delighted to win a tire pump that attaches to the battery. And also 125.00 US in the 50/50 draw. The next morning as usual I had to get up early, pack and get on the road as I had to be home on Wednesday night for a scouting meeting. So not to many pictures on the way home. Up over Sonora Pass where there was still lots of snow.  I stopped as this next place for gas. It is on 208 going around Reno and enters the interstate at Fernley..

 As I road down I 80 interesting thought arose. I was passed by an Audi station wagon with a brown tarp wrapped with rope was across the top about the width of the vehicle. Thought! That could be a body. What better place to hide it than in plain sight. Carried on. Turned north at Wells Nevada and arrived at the Motel 6 in Idaho Falls. Checked in and who pulls in beside me? This Audi with the "body" on top. I said hello and advised him he had passed me on I80 about 2 hours ago. And I explained why I remembered this. Seems his wife does pottery and it was seaweed as when it is fired it makes these marvellous colors. At least that is the story he told me. It still could have been a body.

The next day I booted it for Conrad Montana and my favorite Super 8 but I stopped at Melrose Montana for fuel and lunch and ate at the Hitching Post.

And got fuel here.

Arrived home in lots of time for the meeting.

The following weekend Carol and I rode to the car show in 3 Hills. Beautiful ride. Hot day and many beautiful cars. Here are a few.

I even found this Rat Fink for DeeDee

The next day saw me at 2 wheel Sunday. Not too many pictures as I was kept extremely busy selling 50/50 tickets to raise funds for the Veteran's food bank. We raised $782.00 Thanks to the help of Kat and Alf and Carol. 

This was before a lot had arrived. It was packed and again a huge success.

Well I will close here and then start my next adventure to the UMCI rally in Kamiah Idaho and on to BMW rally in John Day Oregon. Slowly getting caught up.

May long weekend. Campout in Helena

And journey to Mariposa!

This is a rain chain at the Huddy`s house on the May long weekend. It is working well and a good indication of the weather on this trip. It rained and was 3C all the way to the border. The border crossing guard asked me what I was besides wet and I replied Cold. He said Did I think to look at the weather forecast before I left. Heck if we did that we would never ride. Then as I went further south the temperature dropped to 0C and it snowed. I told Annie if she really did not want us to come they just had to say so. They did not have to throw Mother Nature at us. And as usual on Friday there were only Kevin and Annie and us 4 Canadians on motorcycles. Ron, Alistair and Dave from Lethbridge and I from Calgary. The next day several came from Missoula and Helena and Big Fork. Most in automobiles and trucks. I got a lot of rain and cold on the way home also.

In the garage working on a airhead. I got new tires on the weekend.

Annie with her new grandbaby

Off their back deck. 2 sand hill cranes were off in the meadow. Such majestic creatures. This is their new campfire site and so far we have been unable to use it because of weather.

Did not look too bad out the kitchen window looking east but by the time I was loaded up and gone it started to rain and poured all the way home. I had to get there though and repack as my plane left for Palm Springs the next day at 10AM.

Skies were cloudy and overcast when I left the Calgary airport but I arrived to this.

Ken picked me up and I went to there place and got the bike ready to go as the next day I had an appointment at Riverside BMW to get the water pump replaced. I arrived Okay and they took bike in. In the meantime I perused this Magnolia tree.

Okay bike is done

So on to Ridgecrest and Jimmy and DeeDee`s where we will travel together to Topaz Lake and the next day head for the Mariposa BMW rally.

Half Ass Ranch. I love this place.

Decoration outside back door. Than on to Fury`s to tell jokes in the bar.

Front yard out my bedroom window. The next day we headed north and stopped for lunch at the Coppertop BBQ in Big Pine, California but not before going through the Alabama Hills just outside Lone Pine. I did not get a single picture as it was a 1 1/2 lane road winding beside these wonderfully formed rocks. Many movies were filmed in these rocks.

Jimmy, Deedee and I.

There is the coppertop BBQ from whence it gets its name.

The food was excellent.

We stayed at Topaz Lake overnight and the road we wanted to take was cleared of snow so we headed to the rally in Mariposa. Breathtaking views and a road I had never been on before. I especially liked Mosquito Lake with a little island in the lake. Up over Monitor Pass  and Ebbett`s Pass. New roads for me and thanks to Jimmy for taking me. We arrived safe and sound in Mariposa and all kinds of friends were there. Put up my tent and walked down and mingled and said Hi. Then headed back to tent and while I was searching for shower stuff found I was so tired I fell into my tent. No pjamas no covers just fell asleep exhausted. Will continue with Mariposa and journey home in next episode. Trying to catch up as I just returned from Hamburg New York and have so many adventures to report.