Valerie's Belfair WA Real Estate Blog

Okay so it wasn't very silent!  But it was sure impressive!!! 

Anacortes, WA 2009 Oyster Run

Oyster Run 2009 in Anacortes, WA! The entire main street blocked off with 4 rows of bikes parked the entire length.I counted 100 bikes coming in every ten minutes. And just when you think you've got the coolest bike...

I don't know what kind of a bike you would call it, but it was suuuuuurree pretty!   Not so sure it's for a long road trip! What do you think?

An incredible day with incredible bikes, incredible weather, and incredible people!......

Our journey to The Road to the Sun~Day two -Doesn't bring very much Progress -but it IS progress.

Our first night of camping wasn't as bad as I expected. Except for the downhill slope we were sleeping on (nylon sleeping bags and a downhill slope do not mix), MY worry of the rattle snakes, the wind, and the bird that decided at 4AM it was time to really make some racket, I made it through the night! 

Here's the link to the first leg of our trip if you want to catch up to how and why we ended up camping....

The neighbor campers were pretty impressed with the bundle of firewood my husband brought back on his bike (wish I'd taken a picture). There was actually a REAL bathroom too with running water (this was one of my pre-requisites with my husband-no bathroom - no campee for me). Thought the rattlesnakes were going to be a problem, but they kept their distance and I kept mine. We'd definitely stay here at this campground again- Make note Spring Canyon Campground- Grand Coule, WA on the will do again list.

 But it's time to go... onward to the next stop and towards our final destination -Glacier National Park.

We packed up the bikes. Amazing how meticulous my husband is and what he can carry on his bike. He is CONSTANTLY reminding me that he has to carry some of my stuff... and yeah he got the tent back in the same little bag that it came out of! MIRACLE! (LOL)...The sleeping bags though seem to take up more room this time packing. Ben and his kitchen sink took a little longer, but with a little help we got all his gear back on his bike as well - bungee cord hell, but dam it was secured. We were ready to roll.

COFFEEE- I NEED COFFEEEEEE!!!!! First mission of the day COFFEE!!!. Course my husband will bypass every coffee shop for miles unless I flag him down or pull over....(I usually get my way one way or another)!

We decided to head towards Bonner's Ferry, Idaho rather than going south and up.This was going to be our stopping place for the night. We didn't want to spend buco bucks on a hotel but we didn't want to camp either. 500 miles later we need a shower and a soft comfy bed....

Only 200 miles today we did. But we were wiped. Figure it was from all of that wind that was beating us to death until we got to the Idaho border as well as the hourly uphill climb trying to sleep. Plus we don't want to ride too late - too many large animals start roaming around near dusk and after... 

Time for a good nights sleep on a normal bed with a warm and soft mattress and best of all? A shower and COFFEE in the morning! WHOO HOO. I CAN SMELL THE COFFEE ALREADY!  Life's little luxuries!

Cute cute place we find in Bonners Ferry. Log cabin motel. Small family run and recently redone. We hitched our rides up by the hitching posts, grabbed us a shower, some inexpensive supper and kicked back on the patio soaking up the last of the days light. Good drink, good food, good company. Another place to add to our "we can do places" in our journeys.

Tomorrow we should reach our turn around destination Glacier National Park. I hope you'll continue to follow as we share our tale of our trip to "The Road to the Sun" and beyond.

The First Day on the Road to the Sun.....

We left on a Wednesday. Motorcycles packed with tents,sleeping bags, a few changes of clothes and no laptop.... (OMG can I DO THIS???).

A goal in mind.... Glacier National Park - that was the turn around point. We had been waiting for this all spring and it was finally time to go. The weather was going to be perfect if we could get ahead of a day of rain moving into the Hood canal area. The day is June 23rd 2009. 

We were on a tighter budget this year (who isn't?). That meant tenting it for a couple of nights (again - OMG can I do this?).

• Camping was not one of my favorite things to do- guess I'm kind of spoiled
• Do you know what its like packing for a 7 day trip on motorcycle and bring a sleeping bag and a tent?
• And trying to to get that dam tent and sleeping bag back in the little bag it came in??Geesh.... Ok ok .
• The tents and sleeping bags were a feat in themselves for me.

First stop : Lake Roosevelt near Grand Coulee Dam.... 

The first day is awesome. We scoot out of town first thing in the morning, We want to get across the pass before the rain moves in. We'll be free and clear then. We fuel up, stop for a good breakfast and watch the weather as it starts moving in.

Got to go! The smiles on our faces are big and broad. All of the bikes were itching to go with a purrrrrrr (ok more of a roar) breathing easy in the perfect weather...

We take the Kingston ferry to Edmonds, WA and hit Route 2 East from there. I am excited. This is MY first long trip and the "boys" don't think I can do it on my Dyna Low Rider. They said I would have "Monkey Butt" (not sure what that is but that's what they said) and would probably be WHINING to stop.  I was going to prove them wrong....

There are three of us -each on our own bikes. Myself on my Dyna Low Rider, my husband on a Harley Ultra Classic ("Cadillac") and our good friend, Ben on an Indian. We have all ridden together before so we know how the other rides. We each have our own "eccentric" ways as well and it will be interesting to see if we can mesh through the whole trip. 

My husband and I shake our heads in amazement and chuckle at Ben, who has his bike so loaded down we're not really sure he does not have the kitchen sink with him.  He is the butt of our harassment pretty much throughout the trip...but he still loves us!

The weather turns warmer -okay HOT (102 degrees)- as we come into traffic in Wenatchee.

Here's where we have our first foul up of the trip. When in town, I failed to make a left hand turn when the boys did - sooooo  needless to say I was "mis-guided" for a few minutes as I tried to find my way back to them through the one way streets. I knew I was in for some razzing. 

I am scanning the roadside wondering where they stopped and hearing in my head their razzing comments -especially my husband's - "What the hell are you doing? And you failed to turn - why??? I knew you wouldn't be able to keep up with us."  and much much more. My husband doesn't cut me much slack when it comes to riding- figures if I'm going to ride with the big dogs and all, I gotta keep up with them.

I spy them parked in a gas station, acting as if they've been there for hours -hands raised to me in question.  Uh oh-they've already started the razzing as I approach. I got a plan though!

 I stop my bike - rip of my leather gloves and coat, throw them down on the ground and.....

start CRYING!  YES! Razzing stopped!!!  Okay-okay okay-so it was a little unfair,sneaky and snaky but hey a girls got to do what a girls got to do!

After consoling me and gathering my coat and gloves back up, we saddle back up (with me in the lead this time-they aren't losing me again), and find our way out of town....

It's all a memory as we make our way along some of the most awesome rodes to ride in the Pacific Northwest- The Cascade Loop and beyond.  The scenery spectacular, very little traffic and just us and the puuuurrrrr of our bikes...

Tears gone and smiles on all of our faces as we pull into our first campsite alongside Lake Roosevelt near Grand Coulee...

It doesn't get much better than this we think.... or does it? The days to come will tell.

We rode 306 miles this leg of the trip. Oh and NO MONKEY BUTT FOR ME!!!!

More razzing and fun during the next leg of our trip!