Ratman attempts the CDR solo, not that that's a big deal

Pete & Ned near the northern border.
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Wonderful RR, thanks for taking us along!

Thank you, AC for showing my bike's good side.....cargo strap wise.
That's a good picture of Ned. I'm tickled that you posted it.

It was an adventure, PacificPT. Not that it was particularly challenging, but it was so many days with only what you can carry on a small DS bike. It gave me a lot more appreciation for the RTW guys.

Thanks for the ride-a-long ratman. I enjoyed it.

Awesome ride Ratman, thanks for taking the time to write it up. I rate it "metaljockey" all the way.

I'm glad you did, prsdrat. Thanks for the feedback.

That may be going a little far, AustinJake, but I enjoy hearing things like that. Thanks.

Mike and I set out from Lincoln at 8:30 from the casino where we had breakfast. It's a cheap little joint on the north side of the street that touts free coffee and WiFi. Friendly folks.

Mike made contact with Pat....seems as though he was 40 miles ahead of us in a campground 10 miles north of Ovando. We all made plans to reconnect in Columbia falls (a 100 mile further north) that evening, as Pat had a buddy there who would permit us to camp in his yard, and had Wifi.

The CDR soon went into the hills north west of Lincoln. There are more trees thru there and it's hard to get any open country pictures. I didn't get any.

About 5 miles into the hills we were faced with a road closed sign caused by fires, we thought, but there was no smoke in the area. We decided to go on....which was the right decision as we never came to the end of the closed area. Scheesh.....who's running that place. Soon we came out near Ovando.

We avoided the ovando area CDR as the 4 Canadians from a couple days ago said that there was a closure from a work crew that was putting in a culvert.

Gassed up 45 miles later in Lake Seeley. 15 miles later we went back in the hills West of the road. We spent 50 miles in there with trees on both sides of the road...no pictures.

It had been a long ride from Mex, and I was just not enthusiastic. I was just riding to complete the ride. I'm sure it would have been different if there had been wide open spaces where the buffalo roamed, and all that.

My earlier decision to call it off in Lincoln would have been a good one, but finishing the ride at the Canadian Border was the honorable thing to do.

We came back to the highway near Bigfork. We busted on up the Hwy to Kalispell. Pat called again, he was in Columbia Falls. He'd been worrying about me and my rear tire. He offered to buy me a tire as a reward for me being a good travel partner.

I thought that that was one of the nicest things that I ever heard of.

Well, Mike was going to go on or summit, so I met Pat at a tire moto shop. they didn't have a tire, and another shop was closed on Monday.

I wasn't quite to the wear bars on the tire....it just wasn't urgent to make a decision on the tire. Plan 'B' was to go get some kebobs and a six pack and go to the friends backyard and celebrate Tomorrow's 'End of Trail' ride.

As we sat in the backyard, Pat got a call from Mike who was going to camp with us tonight. Luckily we had enough shiskibobs and beer for everyone.

Here's a picture....in the morning having coffee, Pat said, "What's that?" I looked, and running down the telephone line was this squirrel. That was a first.
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/srrN7BXcp8vQNlD3R0t4EtMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-j1EFlBzJcXk/UDZiN8NNi0I/AAAAAAAAUes/yo_3h8W0ydI/s800/P1050692.JPG" height="412" width="800" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/105133432232392762779/July282012?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">July 28, 2012</a></td></tr></table>

all ready to go...
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/ITvkNY7nOu3j1BJ2A7p63dMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-AdwlbZVKtw8/UCsCAF-vx1I/AAAAAAAAT_Q/4NY-MIe4oD8/s800/P1050694.JPG" height="600" width="800" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/105133432232392762779/July282012?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">July 28, 2012</a></td></tr></table>

Anyway we loaded up that morning for what was a 120 mile dirt run to the border. We stopped for rolls in Whitefish. A nice gal offer to do the photo deed for us.
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Now I return you to the former post that reported on our finish.
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showpost.php?p=19362498&postcount=57

That's about all of this ride report. Statistics are 2300 miles on my Sabre, and a whopping 4800 miles on the DR.

I've rested a few days, and am taking my wife to the Bonneville Salt Flats with me in a rental car. Were Leaving in the morning, and will prolly have some sort of a report on the Motorcycle BUB Speed meet soon which starts on the 26th of Aug.

Thanks for following along......

Thanks, MPMP. I'm glad that you came along. I spent the 1st 12 years of my life in Pt Pleasant, Ohio on the river.

I've had a few of them '80s XL. I liked them. One time I took 2 of mine out for a friend and I to ride. I couldn't get either of them kick started. I finally gave up and pull started them.....we rode the rest of the day with no problems.

The next week my right knee started acting up. It was a year before I could walk right again. Ha. I won't give up my magic button now-a-days.

Hi Ratman,

what a great RR, hard to imagine on this side of the pond as we don't have those huge open spaces .

I love your DR, I've had five of them and my present bike is a keeper. I'm fascinated by the handlebars on the DR, what are they off?

cheers, Bob.

Thanks, Boboneleg. I'm glad you enjoyed our ride.

The bigness of the country out west, is what impresses most foreign travelers over here. I'm mightily impressed with Colbatch's rides thru the out back of Russia for the same reason.

We are finding resistance from the residents of the Rocky Mtns to the use of the local roads for our adventure rides. It'll likely be highly restricted before long.

Speaking of those handle bars....they are off an 84 Honda Magna. I rebent them to get the rise (about 8") so that I can stand on the pegs and not have to bend way over or bend my legs. They are very weak that way so I welded in that crossbar.

I no doubt will ride my DR350 till I can no longer ride. Ha, I have another one in reserve if this goes tits up.

hi Ratman, wow the CDT. I am planing to do the CDT this coming July I hope I can do as well of a ride report as your's

I appreciate the thought and comment, DJ.

I'm sure you'll do a fine report. I'll enjoy reading it. Thanks in advance.