red dirt cowboy
Vendor
Ride report:
Redlands, California to Lake Louise Alberta, July 2-July 19. Trip total 4495 miles. Best gas mileage 43.5. Final gas mileage reading 42.6.
This was my first tour on the ST1300, and only my second long tour on motorcycle (first was Redlands, CA to Albuquerque, NM and back on Harley Road King).
July 2: Left Redlands at 3:30 am, arrived Mesquite, NV at 9:00 am, temperature was already 103 F. Holed up for day and most of night at Virgin River Casino Motel. Temperature reached 117 F. Won cost of room from free slot play.
July 3: The longest day – five states (NV, AZ, UT, ID, WY), from Mesquite NV to Afton WY, 555 miles total ride, from 3:30 am to 7 p.m. Beat a thunderstorm by about two minutes on arrival to Afton where my brother was meeting me (cager out of Minnesota). Motel in Afton (Lazy A motel).
July 4: Stayed in Afton for festivities including the really cool “Ranch Rodeo”. No ride.
July 5 - 7: Afton WY to Grant Campground in Yellowstone. Really gorgeous ride through Tetons. At end of day on 5[SUP]th[/SUP] parked bike at Grant post office, covered it, and gave it a rest for three days (caged around park with my brother and camped with him at Grant, Canyon and Madison campgrounds, all reserved in advance). On 7[SUP]th[/SUP] in evening picked up bike and rode from Grant to Madison.
July 8: Madison campground to Lincoln, Montana via Ennis, Virginia City, and Homestake pass outside Butte. Swam at Fairmont Hot springs. Almost lost camelbak in Deer Lodge, MT (rode off with it laying on bike and had to double back after nine miles, recovered with light damage but still usable). Motel in Lincoln. Did laundry.
July 9: Lincoln, MT to West Glacier via Swan Valley. Swim at Swan Lake. Motel outside Glacier in Columbia Falls, MT.
July 10: West Glacier, MT to Waterton Lakes National Park, AB via Going to the Sun Road, border crossing at Chief Mountain. Stunning ride. Camped at Waterton in Townsite campground (reserved in advance). Most beautiful place on trip.
July 11: The long way from Waterton to Banff (via Fernie). Swim at Radium Hotsprings. Camped at Banff Two Jack Lake campground (reserved in advance). Banff sucks, like a big expensive city in the middle of park, with four lane highway running through it. Very long day.
July 12: Banff to Nakusp Hot Springs, BC via Lake Louise (my furthest point north on the ride). Chalet room in Nakusp Hot Springs. This was the “unscheduled portion” of my trip, and one of the best days through the most beautiful country, stopped at Ainsworth Hot springs.
July 13: Nakusp Hot Springs to Post Falls Idaho via Nelson BC, Kootenay pass and Sandpoint ID. Crossed US border at Rykerts, ID. Motel in Post Falls (long day).
July 14. Post Falls, ID to Redmond, OR. Got hit by high winds in Columbia gorge and headed for the hills, where I got hit by extreme heat and forest fire smoke. My toughest day, mild heat stroke. Did a little fishing in Deschutes River (no luck), and dipped myself in it repeatedly . Hub Motel in Redmond, OR. (looks like a pit but actually not bad all in all).
July 15: Redmond OR to Smith River, CA. A really gorgeous ride through Sisters to Florence and then down coast. Motel in Smith River (Shipashore Motel – great little motel).
July 16: Smith River, CA to Willits, CA. Motel in Willits. Went to see Planet of the Apes at the movie theater in Willits.
July 17: Willits, CA to Sausalito CA (cut over to coast and Ft. Bragg, followed it until Bodega Bay). Slept on friend’s boat docked by Angel Island.
July 18: Sausalito CA to San Luis Obispo via Big Sur. One of the great rides of all time. Stayed at friend’s house in See Canyon.
July 19: San Luis Obispo to Redlands CA, arrived home at 3 p.m
I was originally going to ride until July 22 evening, but cut trip short to make it home for daughter’s 11[SUP]th[/SUP] birthday party. My plans were to go to Jasper, Yellowhead Highway to Sea to Sky highway, to Vancouver Island, to Port Angeles, and down WA coast to Oregon. But I was told Jasper was jammed with tourists and I wasn’t impressed with Banff and Lake Louise (tourist city). I turned around for home exactly halfway through my time. Trip there (to Lake Louise) was 2125 miles, trip back was 2370 miles. In retrospect a good decision, I can save Vancouver Island for a whole ‘nother trip, it would have been too much (not that it wasn’t already at some moments).
Bike is bone stock except: throttlemeister, G2 throttle tamer, goldwing rider pegs, risers, Corbin seat, Bestem T-box 2012 rear box. Tires were Michelin Pilot Road 4 GTs brand new. Bike had fresh oil change, new plugs, new rear drive oil, new front brakes at departure (had 16K on it when I left).
Redlands, California to Lake Louise Alberta, July 2-July 19. Trip total 4495 miles. Best gas mileage 43.5. Final gas mileage reading 42.6.
This was my first tour on the ST1300, and only my second long tour on motorcycle (first was Redlands, CA to Albuquerque, NM and back on Harley Road King).
July 2: Left Redlands at 3:30 am, arrived Mesquite, NV at 9:00 am, temperature was already 103 F. Holed up for day and most of night at Virgin River Casino Motel. Temperature reached 117 F. Won cost of room from free slot play.
July 3: The longest day – five states (NV, AZ, UT, ID, WY), from Mesquite NV to Afton WY, 555 miles total ride, from 3:30 am to 7 p.m. Beat a thunderstorm by about two minutes on arrival to Afton where my brother was meeting me (cager out of Minnesota). Motel in Afton (Lazy A motel).
July 4: Stayed in Afton for festivities including the really cool “Ranch Rodeo”. No ride.
July 5 - 7: Afton WY to Grant Campground in Yellowstone. Really gorgeous ride through Tetons. At end of day on 5[SUP]th[/SUP] parked bike at Grant post office, covered it, and gave it a rest for three days (caged around park with my brother and camped with him at Grant, Canyon and Madison campgrounds, all reserved in advance). On 7[SUP]th[/SUP] in evening picked up bike and rode from Grant to Madison.
July 8: Madison campground to Lincoln, Montana via Ennis, Virginia City, and Homestake pass outside Butte. Swam at Fairmont Hot springs. Almost lost camelbak in Deer Lodge, MT (rode off with it laying on bike and had to double back after nine miles, recovered with light damage but still usable). Motel in Lincoln. Did laundry.
July 9: Lincoln, MT to West Glacier via Swan Valley. Swim at Swan Lake. Motel outside Glacier in Columbia Falls, MT.
July 10: West Glacier, MT to Waterton Lakes National Park, AB via Going to the Sun Road, border crossing at Chief Mountain. Stunning ride. Camped at Waterton in Townsite campground (reserved in advance). Most beautiful place on trip.
July 11: The long way from Waterton to Banff (via Fernie). Swim at Radium Hotsprings. Camped at Banff Two Jack Lake campground (reserved in advance). Banff sucks, like a big expensive city in the middle of park, with four lane highway running through it. Very long day.
July 12: Banff to Nakusp Hot Springs, BC via Lake Louise (my furthest point north on the ride). Chalet room in Nakusp Hot Springs. This was the “unscheduled portion” of my trip, and one of the best days through the most beautiful country, stopped at Ainsworth Hot springs.
July 13: Nakusp Hot Springs to Post Falls Idaho via Nelson BC, Kootenay pass and Sandpoint ID. Crossed US border at Rykerts, ID. Motel in Post Falls (long day).
July 14. Post Falls, ID to Redmond, OR. Got hit by high winds in Columbia gorge and headed for the hills, where I got hit by extreme heat and forest fire smoke. My toughest day, mild heat stroke. Did a little fishing in Deschutes River (no luck), and dipped myself in it repeatedly . Hub Motel in Redmond, OR. (looks like a pit but actually not bad all in all).
July 15: Redmond OR to Smith River, CA. A really gorgeous ride through Sisters to Florence and then down coast. Motel in Smith River (Shipashore Motel – great little motel).
July 16: Smith River, CA to Willits, CA. Motel in Willits. Went to see Planet of the Apes at the movie theater in Willits.
July 17: Willits, CA to Sausalito CA (cut over to coast and Ft. Bragg, followed it until Bodega Bay). Slept on friend’s boat docked by Angel Island.
July 18: Sausalito CA to San Luis Obispo via Big Sur. One of the great rides of all time. Stayed at friend’s house in See Canyon.
July 19: San Luis Obispo to Redlands CA, arrived home at 3 p.m
I was originally going to ride until July 22 evening, but cut trip short to make it home for daughter’s 11[SUP]th[/SUP] birthday party. My plans were to go to Jasper, Yellowhead Highway to Sea to Sky highway, to Vancouver Island, to Port Angeles, and down WA coast to Oregon. But I was told Jasper was jammed with tourists and I wasn’t impressed with Banff and Lake Louise (tourist city). I turned around for home exactly halfway through my time. Trip there (to Lake Louise) was 2125 miles, trip back was 2370 miles. In retrospect a good decision, I can save Vancouver Island for a whole ‘nother trip, it would have been too much (not that it wasn’t already at some moments).
Bike is bone stock except: throttlemeister, G2 throttle tamer, goldwing rider pegs, risers, Corbin seat, Bestem T-box 2012 rear box. Tires were Michelin Pilot Road 4 GTs brand new. Bike had fresh oil change, new plugs, new rear drive oil, new front brakes at departure (had 16K on it when I left).
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