Sydney Harbour to Boise

So I managed to find my way to Sydney and was really early for the ferry. The gate was not even open but we waited and soon there were more and more of us. Got through customs . It was a great ride through the channel and I finally saw Orcas island. We even had a whale sighting. A great gray.

House across the way from the ferry terminal

 

Waiting. That is Jennifer with her back to us.

On the ferry

Lots of motorcycles. Upstairs I managed to entertain during the crossing. DeeDee said that Terry from Seattle who is a really nice young man was blushing. Ah well.

Looking down from the upper deck. 

Orcas Island where Bob lives. On my bucket list.

Coming in to Anacortes. From here I rode the North Cascades Highway to Winthrop and then dropped south towards Wenatchee. It was getting dark so at Lake Pateros I got a lovely motel room.

I stopped here for dinner and had a buffalo burger. Cool place.

View from my room over Lake Pateros. Just beautiful.

I would have loved to tarry here awhile but my friends were expecting me in Boise.

Looking north from the motel room.

Once I left Pateros and got to Wenatchee I got to I 84 and wanted to get to the place where it connects with I 82 which goes right in to Boise. In true Marg fashion I had no idea which way to go so took the first exit and bought a map. Dave met me not far from their place and we found my tires were delaminating. Not a good thing . So made an appointment to get new tires at the BMW shop. I had a wonderful visit and several days later Dave escorted me south and we had lunch a small town in Idaho. When I arrived Dave and Bonnie were apologizing because they were having the same thing for dinner they had a year before when I arrived. I told them if it was the stuffed zucchinis we had I had been dreaming about them for the last 100 miles. It was and they were just great.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three Flags Classic and Empress Hotel

While on the island I knew Turk from Borrego Springs was also there at Cobble Hill. So I rode north to Mill Bay and met him for lunch. While there this fellow rode in on a bike just like mine. Turk then took me over to this great Bistro and we had this great clam chowder.

Kayakers being instructed by the bistro

Look Ma real clams. It was delicious.

This is my great niece Stephanie and her daughter Rae. What a sweetheart.

That evening I went over to my other great niece's. She has a beautiful home in Saanich. I met her husband and it seems he had just bought a new motorcycle. A BMW R1200GS. I told here he was a keeper. They were having a pig roast as a retirement for one of the air traffic controllers and there were quite a few there from Vancouver as well as Victoria.

 

Clematis

There is the pig

Nephew Cal, Ursula and Amber in the middle.

Beautiful open space design.

 

Ok the next morning I rode to the Empress. Found everyone and helped set up. Not too many people today as they are not scheduled to come in til tomorrow.

Tall ships in the harbour across the road.

This is our crew and set up. See how busy we all are....

From across the lobby.

Another view of the harbour. The water taxis were doing their ballet.

The Empress

This is the bathroom along with a fireplace. I told the manager my name was Margaret Rose like the princess so they had to treat me with deference. So he let me park in staff parking for the 4 days. Parking in downtown Victoria is prohibitive.

Dinner in the Bengal Room at the Empress with Jimmy and Dee Dee and Mark. Mark graciously paid for everything. His bill was close to $500.00. I did not have any drinks and my salmon salad cost $26.00. It was delicious but the cost of things there were ridiculous.

This is Mark. He is from Texas. Jimmy and DeeDee are from Ridgecrest California where I am right now. Quite the International group.

Another shot of one of the water taxis. The last evening we had the final banquet at the Crystal Ballroom across the street. The food was phenominal. The speeches and improv not so much.

The next morning it was off to Sydney harbour to catch the ferry to Anacortes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Calgary to Vancouver Island

Well a few people are emailing me and saying I have not posted anything since October and What am I doing and where am I? So I thought I would take a few moments and try to catch up. I am currently on another adventure and am in Ridgecrest California going geocaching today. Well early Sept I left on the F650GS headed for the Empress hotel. The 3 Flags Classic would be coming in on the Labor Day weekend and I had volunteered to help at the finish in the majestic Empress Hotel. I stopped at Duncan and Vickies in Salmon Arm and they graciously took me in and gave me a bed for the night and fed me this wonderful fish pie and mushy peas an English dish made from scratch. Delicious. I left the next morning and arrived in Victoria that night. I traveled up to Langford and stayed with my nephew Cal.

Leaving the ferry dock

On the way

The next day we went to Cal's work and he took myself, Ursala and great, great niece Rae and I on a flight in a Cessna over part of the island. Absolutely delightful.

This is the plane we flew in.

Statues in the office where Cal worked.

 

A Huey helicopter on the runway.

The next day we went to Sydney harbor and what a lovely place this was.

I sat on a bench and enjoyed the lovely sunshine and all the people walking while Ursula and Rae went to the museum.

 

 

The next day I was heading to the Empress to greet the first of the arrivers on the 3 Flags.

 

 

 

 

 

Radium

Well I had a few days before I went on my next adventure and someone suggested Radium and then backed out. No biggie. It sounded like a good idea so I packed up the bike and headed out. Because I had not been up that way for a very long time I decided to stop and hike Marble Canyon. Beautiful. Here are some of the photos I took.

 

This is the falls at the top of the canyon. It was a great hike and a worthwhile venture.

There is water down there somewhere and these great bridges criss crossing over the canyon.

There was a little chipmunk on this rock. I did not just take a picture of the bridge support?

Look at the layers in this rock beside the trail.

Sure is deep.

Some of the remains of a fire that swept through here a few years ago.

I met a lovely couple from Santa Cruz California wanting to know about my motorcycle.

I then continued on to Radium. It was my intent to camp but on arriving at the campground I found it would be 27.95 to put up my tent and there was a bear in the campground the last 5 nights. I did not want to pay that kind of money so he could have lunch so I opted for a motel. They were very expensive and I drove to Invermere thinking I might find a deal. How foolish . So returned to Radium and found this nice place for 96.00 tax included so opted to stay only 1 night.

That was my room upstairs.

 

Loved this decoration in the front yard. After checking in I went for a dip in the hot springs. I met a lovely couple from Medicine Hat. The pool was lovely. I had not been there in years.

 

After drying off and riding back to the motel I walked up to a BBQ place for a bite to eat. Here I sat and ate with a lovely couple from Texas. Sure enjoyed the company. I returned to my room and the next morning phoned my old boss George Bzeta and went and visited him and Judy. We had a delightful time reminiscing. As I left the Tyrol motel this is the sight that greeted me.

I then went back to Calgary. Great trip. Then I got ready to take the F650GS on my next adventure to Victoria, Boise and Quincy and Palm Springs. Next episode.