Crocs invade Oregon

We left Toppenish early in the morning trying to reach Bend in an urgent manner but we did take a little detour from Shaniko to Antelope on our way to Madras. And as we discovered, Oregon probably has the worst roads in the country. They wind all over the place and go every which direction. Sometimes you are led in the opposite direction and are forced to travel more miles and waste gas, unlike freeways which go straight to your destination on the most direct route.



I think the contractor must have had shares in the asphalt company as a better way would be to just make the road go straight down the hill instead of going back and forth which seems a most inefficient way to transverse the country

We had a great time meeting others in our Blogging community last weekend and we are returning home with unwritten stories to tell, or not . I have a collection of candid photos which may be worth more being sold on eBay one at a time. The netbook I have with me is utilitarian in its capacity and I struggle with the little keyboard. Also I am tired from the early morning starts so we have come to Lincoln City for a couple of days of R&R . We have lucked out with the weather as the sun is shining to welcome our arrival.



The wind has been relentless ever since leaving Corvallis and more than a few times it nearly pushed us over without warning. Soon we let the Crocs out to savour the view of the Yacquina Bridge and breathe in the fresh sea air



Since this was a long trip to Oregon it was decided to bring a companion for Mr Pink Croc . I don't know who was more thrilled, Mr Pink or Ms Yellow

One thing for sure, bloggers have personalities and I was very surprised to hear SonjaM say those familiar words upon viewing this scene from a pull-out just south of Seal Rock on the Oregon coast



From my perspective this was a delightful scene which I wanted to capture with my camera. It looked so inviting, water, sunshine and a small private beach which appeared to be deserted. If we could have climbed down the embankment I think it would have been relaxing to just sit on the beach and enjoy the warmth of the sun.

Then SonjaM uttered those immortal words, "There's a shot for Jack rIEPE"

I said, "What do you mean ?"

She must have X-ray eyes, after I squinted I then noticed what she saw, so Jack, this is for you



I know Jack would want a closer view



She is barely noticeable in the previous photo



and NO, she is not a mermaid . Here is the last shot with my lens strained to its limit



By chance we ended up at Nye Beach in Newport. It looks to be a newly constructed area with restaurants and retail shops . That's what happens when you put a novice in the lead and she stumbles into a most delightful area .

We were given the usual Seagull salute upon arrival



We had a very healthy meal. Guess who had which ?



Must be SonjaM's influence. It only took her 4 days to get me off hamburgers, and I feel better already.

Over half way to Bend, Oregon

We (SonjaM & Myself) got an early start this morning. As she lives farther from the US Border than I, we agreed that she should leave earlier. So with text messages frantically going back and forth, she finally left at 4:45am and I followed 15 minutes later. The Peach Arch Border crossing is 45 minutes away and soon we united in Blaine, WA. We were anxious to get some food and nothing was open at that early hour except the usual fast food places which we passed by. With great luck after 60 miles we happened upon this Deli



At first it appeared to be closed, but it was open and it appeared that we were their only customers on this fine summer day. It's a great feeling to start out in the dark and see the sun coming over the horizon as you are riding down the highway.

While we do not usually opt for freeway riding we had to make some time so we decided to take I-5 down to Everett then head east on Hwy 2 towards Leavenworth where we would stop for our lunch break.

We decided that this ride to Bend, Oregon would not be a ride of endurance, but rather a ride of discovery where we would stop often for photos (if safe) and enjoy he scenery at a slower pace. If we noticed impatient vehicles behind us we would slow on the straight stretches, and wave them by. We wish to travel at our pace, not a pace imposed by the tailgater.

We had a minor glitch with our radio system but managed to get them working, finally. It is so nice to be able to talk to your riding buddy.


(Skynomish, WA: No Tell Motel)

We had a relaxing 2 hour lunch break in Leavenworth . While Sonja told me that she was not a shopper, she was happily looking for a new bikini which already had some "enhancements"


(don't you like her new look?)

After a few twists and turns we stopped to admire the scenery in Yakima Canyon



We started to really feel the heat after Leavenworth and by the time we reached Toppenish, WA it was over 40c . We were sweltering in all our gear. All the locals were riding in Shorts and T-shirts.

Tomorrow we leave for Bend, Oregon . See you on the road

Hack sighting & Oregon or bust

The other night we were visiting a relative in the hospital and were too tired to have a home cooked meal so ended up at an English Pub for a quick dinner. Outside I noticed a Charlie6-mobile




It was a pristine Norton 750 Commando with


(a sidecar)

I don't recall ever seeing a sidecar on a Norton before. It had the usual gauges, speedometer and tachometer. Simple but functional



I was imagining that I was riding in the mountains of Colorado and breathing in the fresh mountain air.



There was no windshield, nor any spare tire but the seat looked comfy



And as I suspected, the sidecar was not made by Norton but it appeared to be very well made and was attached solidly

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Oregon or bust . . .

Well, I've run out of time . I spent the weekend doing chores which included cutting and trimming the lawn and trying to de-weed the walkway. When we replaced our front walkway we decided to install paver stones but the weeds always find their way into the crevices and I decided to do something about it. It is not often that I spend my whole sunday at home doing chores when I could be riding. But things don't get done by themselves. I also didn't want to dirty my Pink Crocs



so I opted to use my washable footwear instead

I'm trying to pack light but I'm not so good at it. I've packed and repacked, removed, added, culled and my clothes are starting to weigh a lot and I still haven't added my chargers, netbook, pocket drive, cameras (video and still) and we are only going for 6 days (5 nights). There is such a wide range of temperatures from Yakima to Lincoln City so I had to bring my jeans, just in case because I notice that night lows are 7c with highs of only 18c, as compared to Yakima which was mid 35-38c.

Tonight I relubed my chain and re-checked my tire pressures. Tomorrow I will double check everything and try to repack to conserve space in my sidecases. Shoes and crocs take a lot of room due to their non-ergonomic shape so I may have to resort to outside storage



My riding Buddy (SonjaM) & myself plan to leave in the early hours Friday morning . I plan to leave around 5:30am and head south towards Bend, Oregon where we will be meeting our blogger friends . Or course we will take the long, scenic route through Toppenish as I love Mexican food.

Watch out . . .



the Canadians are coming . See you on the road .

Virgin Tuesday, BBQ & Birthday Friday:

Coffee social and Virgin Tuesday:

As previously reported, our Urban Riders of Vancouver group is made up from an unlikely assortment of bikes and people. Many have motorcycles but prefer to ride their scooters within the city, while others have large touring machines.



Last Tuesday we met at our local Kymco dealer for a quick get-to-gether and a group ride to a local coffee shop. Our engine sizes range from 1,500cc Goldwing to 49cc scooter(s). When other drivers look at us riding in our usual formation they cannot be sure that we are together, or not. Perhaps the motorcycles are only there by chance and happen to be travelling in the same direction.



Shortly, we all arrive safely at our intended destination and notice that Tony has ridden there on his new bicycle, with trailer. Tony is an avid rider and has a Derbi scooter for commuting to work, and a Suzuki Bandit for longer distances.



A lot of us are fairly active on our local scooter forum (VancouverScootering.com) but have never actually met. Today we had a chance to meet some new faces. As is the case with most encounters we are all looking and asking questions about each other's rides.


(Rob, with his new to him, touring Goldwing)

Another Rob in the back on his Yamaha cruiser. Notice the vintage Vespa in the foreground with the Collector plates



It's always nice to see new faces and different machines



Here are my two buddies, Gary and Gerard. Gary operates the local Kymco dealership in Vancouver and we have ridden together to Kelowna with him on his Xciting X500Ri maxi-scoot. Gerard has a Honda Elite 250 which he has been riding since the ice age. I only found out that day that Gerard's birthday is July 8th, and my birthday is on July 9. He always thought that he was the oldest relic in our group, but as it turns out he is only one day more experienced than me, being born in the same year (1946).



Soon it was time to leave and while everyone else was still talking and laughing, no one noticed that Gerard was having a moment of stress attempting to start his antique machine. Now you have to understand that Gerard is very sarcastic in his use of english vocabulary and appropriate choice of words, and we all thought that he was joking. It soon became evident that indead his bike was "dead" . Unlike a motorcycle, you cannot Jump start a scooter due to the CVT and there were no jumper cables to be had. Gerard had a set in his car on the south side of town.



There was a quick exchange of words and course of action and somehow it was my duty to bring Gerard home on the back of my mighty V-strom. All of a sudden I was panic stricken but there did not seem to be any way out of this predicament.

While I had been riding since the late 60's, it was always solo. I had NO experience at all with riding Two-up and Gerard was heavier than a sack of potatoes, or bag of dog food. I told Gerard I would go home to get my car and he said he trusted me, he would be a good passenger and not twitch around.

When I was ready he started to climb on the back and somehow the bike skewed to the right and I nearly dumped it. some how I managed to keep vertical and started the engine and was then frozen. We had to make an immediate sharp right turn out of the parking stall and soon we were traveling down Main Street. Once we got up to speed I zigged and zagged for a bit and was getting used to the additional weight.

After a while when things started to get comfortable Gerard put his arms around my waist and started to make girl friend sounds and told me that he had never been on the back of any bike before and was glad that it was me, to be his first time.

and that night, I lost my Solo Virginity . . .

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Friday, July 9th, my birthday:

It was a regular work day but Robert, the Reverend had scheduled a charity BBQ at the local Vespa Dealer from 4pm to 7pm. It is a struggle for me to leave work from Coquitlam and make it to the downtown core but i managed to get there just after 6pm, which was plenty of time to grab a smokie and beverage



Again we have quite the mixture of motorcycles and scooters in the rear parking lot. Urban Wasp is one of our gathering/meeting places so we are no stranger to their friendly staff. Having a washroom available in the area is a bonus.



Tony came again on his Suzuki Bandit but he must have been in a rush when he left home for he forgot to change out of his pajamas



I didn't need to grab the extra calories since we had planned to go downtown for my birthday dinner later but those smokies were delicious, as was the root beer

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Over the years we have become more domesticated and have gotten in the habit of eating more of our meals at home. There was a time when you would find us on Robson Street nearly every Friday & Saturday nights. Now we find the music too loud, too many smokers puffing smoke into our face, the lighting turned too low . . . But it was my birthday and we eventually found ourselves here.



I am also getting Jack rIEPE eyes and like a magnet we asked for a table for two.

I like to think that we can still get value for our hard earned money, but we didn't. While all the eye candy is pleasing with all the servers in slinky black outfits with high heels, and the food was prepared to a high level, portions were petite and prices higher than the norm. At least this is only my opinion and not a slight at the establishment. What you see in the photo is two appetizers and a BBQ rib sandwich, one water and one coke .


(Cdn $50. including HST @12% plus tip)

We had to go home and top up with ice cream.

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I may or may not post an article on the Bikini bike wash & BBQ last Saturday. I went with the intention of getting my V-strom washed, but didn't. The hamburger tasted good but I got distracted . . .


(bottom view)


(upper view)

Lonsdale Quay, North Vancouver

Being in the northern hemisphere on opposites sides of the continent from Key West, Florida we also have our Quays (pronounced "KEYS") . So if Key West were actually in Canada it would be called Quay West (pronounced "Key West") . As part of the British Commonwealth we must have adopted the British way.

It was last week that we spent nearly a whole day at the Quay and we got there very early.



There was hardly any souls in sight as we made our way to the food court to grab a breakfast of bacon & eggs



As we made our way down the isles we noticed that there were few vendors actually open at this early hour . I am told that a Beavertail is a Canadian confection with lots of sugar but I have never experienced one. Perhaps one day



My stomach started to make weird noises and I was starting to panic. I needed substenance soon


(Mrs Skoot checking out the breakfast menu)

Later in the day you would be hard pressed to obtain a table in this busy area, but for now the world is your oyster



With so many tables at your disposal it is hard to choose a suitable spot



We finally made our decision and chose the table in the left corner with a view of both sides



Not that it mattered for there was nothing to see. We had arrived too early . Today was our Corvette show and shine at Waterfront Park which is adjacent to Lonsdale Quay where there is ample shopping . Every year our Club (BCCorvetteclub.ca) puts on this show and I follow the same routine. Get there early to park my 'Vette in a good spot and have a quick breakfast. It is an excellent location on the grass with a view of the Vancouver skyline in the background



For those of you who are not car affectionados there is a reason for everything and why hoods and trunks are open or not. There are trophies for every class based upon the years of the cars and a people's choice award. If you are registered you will get ballots for each class and can vote for your choice. If you wish your 'Vette to be judged then you will grant full access to your car and keep the hood and trunk open for inspection. You can't imagine how spotless some of these engine compartments are, or the suspension or undercarriage.



Since this is my Blog I just had to include a photo of my 'Vette but I don't wish to be a slave to my car and prefer it not to be judged. I hardly have any time to even wash it. I prefer to use my extra time to ride my Wee instead , or to do my chores such as cutting the grass



Here's another compressed view showing you the Vancouver skyline

After the show and shine we were invited to a private BBQ at one of the member's home.



There were 'Vettes parked all over the place and we had a fine time socializing and planing our next adventure

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This particular venue is usually held on the first Sunday in July. We have a more or less standing reservation with the North Vancouver parks board for our exclusive use of this park, for a fee (of course). The Lonsdale Quay is a popular place for both tourists and the locals. There is lots to do and many vendors sell dustcatchers. There is a hotel on site and shopping on nearly 3 levels in the main building. Access by car, bus or ferry from the downtown area.

The Quay is also a destination and they try hard to have artists perform throughout the summer. We are lucky that every year they have an Elvis tribute artist perform on this same weekend and we look forward to his performance. Mrs Skoot loves anything Elvis and can often be found dancing to the music

I wish to introduce you to Steve "Elvis" Elliott . I met Steve a few years ago and often bump into him at various 60's venues and car shows. He is a recent Grand champion having won the Elvis competition in Pentiction a few years ago.

http://elviselite.com/

If you go to his site you will find out more about him. Better yet, book him for a private party. I can assure you that he is a wonderful entertainer and I am proud to say that " I knew him when . . . "

Turn your speakers up and sing along




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Nothing stops the march of time and this year is no different . As you get older you find that "time flies" .

Not that anyone is interested but tomorrow is my birthday. I am XX years old and I feel it. I am falling apart. I am trying hard to keep the pieces together for a few more years but I notice more aches and pains than usual. Nothing special is being planned, perhaps a Hamburger somewhere, or have left overs at home. We'll cross that bridge when the time comes. In the meantime I go to work as usual and see if I get any surprises when I get home.

Wee & Nella

So many things to take care of before our big adventure to Oregon. It has taken me over 2 weeks to get some bike keys cut. It seems that most locksmiths don't open on Saturday . I don't understand their reasoning of only opening from 8am to 5pm on regular work days. Finally, I decided to leave work early on Friday to obtain another ignition key and duplicates for my Kappa (Givi) top/side cases. I was very particular to obtain the generic ones without the huge plastic ends, which are very bulky . It was my idea to give this extra set to my riding buddy , just in case I misplaced mine.

I also decided that I would get my bike serviced and given a final safety check, just in case and ended up at EMS



EMS: Essential Motorcycle Services is an independant motorcycle service facility which is unique in that they have female mechanics. They have an excellent reputation who go beyond the call of duty. They treat you like family and explain everything that they do in understandable terms



Here's Michelle, finishing up the synthetic oil change on Nella.

While I was there I mentioned to Ted (Owner of EMS) that perhaps my clutch cable should be lubricated. He pulled the lever a few times and said something was wrong with the freeplay. It turned out to be something that would have caused me to be stranded in the middle of nowhere.



It seemed that the pivot bolt had sheared off and the upper section was just being held in place by gravity. With my luck, somewhere 100 miles from civilization this would have caused me to be stranded. I was lucky that Ted discovered this problem and fabricated a suitable modification to get me back on the road.



They really take care in what they do and have very flexible hours, by prior arrangement you can even get service on a Sunday . Watching people work makes you hungry and we found ourselves on our way to sunny Ladner for a quick bite to eat



We made our way to a riverfront outside patio and enjoyed the warm sunshine as we quenched our hunger pangs



guess who had what ?



Sitting on the wharf, watching the boats and the occasional eagle fly by is a great passtime. Another Wet Coast experience



A great time was had by all


(Nella & Pinkie)