Across Canada on an '83 R80G/S-PD

When mine was a toddler and we were at the beach I'd take off his diaper and let him run around. Proper Minnesotans were horrified.


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Interesting, Lornce. I had wondered where you got to....

Here he is in his birthday suit at a local swimming hole last summer, enjoying his first peach on his first birthday.

Wonderful report and pics.

You were playing on some of the best riding BC has to offer, so you planned it well.

Yep , those R80 G/S's are sweet....miss mine....

thanks for posting this. I never noticed this RR before. Another fine RR along with the R50/5 Canada trip.

YK

I like the teaser installments of the RR. Like a very nice wine to be enjoyed one lingering sip at a time.

Get going the glass is empty.

Next morning I met up again with Fred for breakfast in Kaslo and enjoyed some good company along with the good food at the Bluebelle Bistro. Fred's kind of camera shy and I'm not really one to stick my camera where it's not welcome. But it was fun getting a few sly shots of Fred over the breakfast table.










Maybe you have to know Fred, but these pictures crack me up. Not sure he's even aware how funny he is, but Fred could do stand-up comedy. Clever, dry wit that never quits. One of the Good Guys.


Did I mention the subframe on the G/S had long since succumbed to the load of the cantelevered Pelican case? No worries, Fred's in the house.




As a Construction Millwright I enjoy working with people, building, fabricating and fixing things. And I really enjoy working with people who know what they're doing. Working with a master fabricator like Fred was a treat as he schooled me on some of the finer points of tig welding.








Fixed better than new with additional tubing fitted and plug welded in the ID of the stock subframe tube material. A fun and productive afternoon. Many more thanks, Fred.



Enjoying the newly repaired G/S and with the company of Fred on his Buell, we returned to Toad Rock and enjoyed some more pleasant conversation with Ted. Later on, while enduring some forgettable presenter's tedious diatribe about an equally forgettable and corporately contrived "African Adventure Rally", Ted appeared to be just about as senselessly bored as I was.



We caught up with Toni and his cool old BMW while he shared his plans to strike out for the Dawson Highway and Inuvik.



Ride on, dude.



And everybody had a good time at Toad Rock's pavillion while Nelson's own Reese treated us to more of her inspired musical talent.





I Love Toad Rock.

This is awesome. It has birthed the idea of heading to hedley and area for a trip on the DR. I was through there once, but in a car, and it was for work. Have been wanting to go back and REALLY visit it, not drive through. Thanks for the intro to Ted Simon. Great philosopy on travel and humans.

The following morning it was time once again to bid farewell to the West Kootenays with another ride east across Kootenay Lake on the Osprey 2000.




And once more over the Grey Creek Pass Forest Service Road to the East Kootenays.




And St. Mary's Lake Road near Kimberly.


Somewhere between the summit and St. Mary's Lake Road I managed to bend the newly reinforced subframe, this time just beyond the span of Fred's fine reinforcement.


The destination for the day's ride was Mike and Deb's East Kootenay ranch near Wardner BC where I was greeted by one of the llamas.



For those of you who rode along in '07 you'll remember Mike and Deb's ranch. It's only gotten nicer since we last saw it.
























There was a bit of a hoe-down going on at a neighbour's place just up the road. Mike accompanies some of his buddies on harmonica.



There was some fine music being played that night.




Back at Mike and Deb's place I spent a peaceful night in their remarkable guest treehouse.


















Mike and Deb's treehouse and log cabin can both be be reserved. A beautiful place to stay if you're planning to ride in the area.



Once again, with a touch of melancholy it was time to say goodbye to Mike and Deb and the East Kootenays.

Really enjoying your RR.

I always enjoy hearing of adventure rides and camping in my backyard. I also enjoyed seeing your pictures and hearing about the balance of your trip. Excellant report.

Cheers

Mike and I had hoped to spend a day or two riding the Flathead region of south eastern BC, but with my growing concern over the receding exhaust valve and continued issues with the subframe, my desire to rejoin family in Southern Ontario won out and with mixed feelings I made my way east.

South of Pincher Creek, Alberta I stop to gaze back fondly upon the Mountains for the last time on this journey. The desire to return and live in this beautiful land is strong.















Moving east onto the high plains of southern Alberta the semi-arid grasslands stretch out as far as the eye can see.




Interrupted only by the occasional arrow straight highway.




Signs of spring flooding are still much in evidence across the prairies.




Making my way eastward on Alberta's hwy 501 it turns to gravel about midway across the province.




This isn't an ordinary gravel road. Alberta's 501 is made of unusually smooth, round, marble-sized stones that can be upwards of six inches deep, making it very difficult to ride in places. Several times I took to the grass beside the road as a safer alternative to riding in the deep, loose, ball-bearing gravel.




The entire way across Alberta east of Milk River I passed only one other vehicle on Hwy 501. Near the Saskatchewan border I saw the dust plume approaching for miles before a pickup truck hauling a horse trailer finally passed with a choking cloud and a friendly wave.








Alberta's 501 gave way to Saskatchewan's Hwy13, which became paved (soon after the border, if I recall correctly) and continued east through miles of ranch and croplands. Stopping for much-needed fuel in the town of Eastend, Saskatchewan I asked the station attendant if there was anywhere open for dinner nearby. He directed me to a hotel/diner back west along the road that I'd previously passed believing it to be closed for business. Sitting in a restaurant diner that hadn't been remodeled since the 50's, it appears that Saskatchewan's shail oil and potash boom has bypassed towns like Eastend. Looking sun bleached, weathered and half-vacant, I learned that Eastend is typical of smaller, southern Saskatchewan towns. Towns that have been in decline since a time when local family farms were more numerous. Now the farms are larger with fewer farmers and their families living in the region, requiring fewer services in town. The half empty towns now stand as a reminder of a busier, more populous past.

After dinner I continued east for an hour or so until dark and took refuge from the storm of airborne protien in a place called Ponteix. At the east end of town I found what looked to be serviced housing lots, complete with neatly trimmed lawns, gravel driveways and bordering shrubs - but no houses. Curious about what appeared to be a stalled housing development, and keen to find a spot to sleep, I wheeled the bike behind a row of shrubs, layed out my tarp and sleeping bag and fell asleep in the buzzing prairie night.

The next morning...




... while packing up and quietly leaving at first light...



... I heard what sounded like an horrific traffic accident coming from the direction of the roadway leading into town. Running to investigate I found a construction tender truck laying on it's side in the grass beside the road with some sort of high pressure gas escaping with much force and volume from somewhere! Seeing a lone figure walking nearby talking on his cellphone with a dog in tow I asked if he was involved and if he was the only occupant of the vehicle. After being assured that he was and that he was unscatherd I was relieved to discover the escaping gas was oxygen from a broken O2 cylinder that was being transported on the truck, and not propane or natural gas escaping from the truck's tank. I stayed with the truck's driver until a pickup truck arrived carrying his boss and a co-worker. Leaving him to his fate, I returned to the bike, packed up and made my way out of town.

Roger Whittaker wrote a song entitled "A day in the life of a lucky man". It's worth listening to.

Page 4 could be the visuals for that song.

Thanks for sharing,
Papa Smurf

Great pictures Lawrence - I really enjoyed them - especially because they feature my dream bike - the G/S.
Since I sold the Africa Twin last year I am looking for a proper GS - a G/S to be precise, but prices in Germany / Europe went skyrocket.

Funny thing that you met (another) German riding around in Canada - but his bike is really special. I could have taken a R50 S for that trip, but I would not dare riding such an old bike on that kind of trip.

I also enjoyed your writing - nearly as good as riding itself.

Btw:
Do you have any trips planned for 2013? I could recommend Spark Plugs motorcycle campground on Redwood Hwy in southern Oregon - the craziest campground I have every been to.

Anyway, I am looking forward to more ride reports - do not disappoint us

Damn, that is one sweet GSPD

Here I am staying up too late mesmerized by the beauty of this story and ride.
Thank you

Wow! Those photos are fantastic!

Glad you lads are enjoying the ride.

I should probably finish it one of these days...

Looks like another place to add to the must ride list for me. Beautiful

I was at this ride too & remember the bike very well. It was the coolest bike there!