Alberta DualSport Motorcycle Club

[sarkmych]

Well, here I am planning my first adventure ride, likely solo during the Canada Day long weekend (unless there's someone out there who'd like to join me). My ex-wife gave me a free pass that weekend and I've got 4 days to explore the southern part of our province and into the good old USA. I'd much rather ride with someone else but my riding buddies are pre-disposed during that time. After much research and saving my nickels and dimes, I purchased a F800GS last summer. I am somewhat of a newbie but I've logged plenty of hours and miles on my 450. I've done Baja, the Okanagan in Kamloops and Vernon area on gnarly stuff. I've modded my 800 with the necessary protection, i.e. crash bars, rad guards, oil filter guards, barkbusters, etc.
My plan is this: I don't really have a set plan. I'd like to leave Seba Beach on Wednesday afternoon afer work and ride south. My eventual destination is somewhere in Montana. I've got most all the necessary camping stuff so I think I'm prepared that way. I have a few more items to add to my pack but I'm trying to stay as minimal as possible. I'd like to stay off the pavement whebever possible but at this stage in my riding career, I think pavement may be a blessing in disguise my first time out. I think I'll hook up with on the "Cowboy Trail- Hwy 22 just outside Drayton Valley then cut across to the FTR west of Rocky Mountain House. I think I can make Burnt / Fallen Timber campgrounds by Wednesday evening sometime. By Thursday evening I want to be somewhere in Montana. I'm thinking, anywhere in Glacier National Park would be nice. After that it's a crap shoot where I'll end up.
Any suggestions, info, warnings, etc you think I should know is always much appreciated. I will update you on my progress as it goes along.
p.s. Re: Bear Spray....Is it true it only makes you taste better??
Cheers!!

[garrett]

Sounds like a fun ride. Enjoy the solitude.

Garrett

[clarkee]

p.s. Re: Bear Spray....Is it true it only makes you taste better??

[kiffernathan]

Sounds like a great trip!

I knew a guy who was charged by a mama grizz who had two cubs. She came at him from about 50 yards away, and he was shaking so bad he barely had time to get the bearspray off his belt before she was right in front of him. He said it stopped her dead in her tracks and she took off...

If that's not a good test I don't know what is, but to you it's one of those "friend-of-a-friend" stories.

[cdnabn49]

I am totally envious... I can handle about an hour in the saddle right now and am hoping to extend my riding a little bit each time...

[sarkmych]

Sorry guys, working on a ride report for the first time. Just practicing.... bear with me, technical difficulties.




http://sarkmych.smugmug.com/Other/Canada-Day-Long-Weekend-2010/July-Long-Weekend-2010-035/925588884_ceTM4-M.jpg

[sarkmych]

[color=#0040FF]This is my first ride report so please be patient....Still getting used to posting pics.

So, I made it.
2550kms in 4 1/2 days. Great Falls and back.

After packing my baggage onto my bike , sans panniers...

with the aid of my finely tuned WR450 clothes rack...

walked my bike out of the garage...

To a somehat ominous start weather-wise...

I began my journey but had to stop at work first to make sure the smoking crater hadn't grown much...It hadn't..

After leaving work on the Wednesday June30th, I travelled down the Cowboy Trail to Rocky Mountain House then onto the FTR to the Fallen Timber campground (near Waiparous) where I set up camp the first night.

Along the way I stopped at the Mountainaire Lodge which had changed dramatically since the last time I was there. Aparrently a disgruntled employee burnt the old store to the ground, so a new one was being built.

I'd been to this area several times in the past. A fantastic place to camp and ride dirtbikes right out of the campground. very few places left where this is allowed. My kids and I love this place.
Woooo--Hooo!!! My kinda road!!

The next morning i continued my ride south through Waiparous

and then onto Kananaskis highway #40 to Coleman at Crowsnest Pass. With a few stops along the way to take a break and breathe....

After lunch in Coleman, I stopped to take in the Frank Slide, I then carried on...

I rode on to Waterton National Park intending to stay at the Waterton Village campground. The entire village was booked solid so I had to backtrack a bit to the Waterton Springs campground where they thankfully, had a few spots left to pitch a tent (no pun intended).

Only saw one bear the entire trip right outside Waterton Village but it was too busy to pay any attention to me. Wouldn't even pose for a good pic. If you look close you can see it.

Funny story: In the campsite directly beside me were a couple of young guys out to do some hiking in the backcountry. Next to them was a Hutterite family of 12 (yes 12) with a newborn that cried constantly. Directly beside me was another young couple with a baby of their own. In my experience, I knew this was going to make for a difficult night's sleep. After i rummaged around in my backpack, I found a couple of extra pairs of earplugs that I "liberated" from work. I gladly offered the boys next to me the plugs with the promise that they will thank me in the morning. They gratefully took them. The next morning when i woke up (in the rain) I asked the guys if the earplugs were helpful knowing the babies could have potentially cried all night. All I remember them saying was " I don't know about the babies but man can you snore!! We shared a good laugh and I carried on my way with a chuckle.

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[sarkmych]

I had awoken to the pitter patter of raindrops falling on my tent. Very peaceful actually. I slowly and carefully packed up the camp all wet and donning ATTGAT , experienced my first ever lay-down of the F8 (2 in total on this trip). Sorry, no photos. It was a muddy morning with the rain and after bidding farewell to the fellas next door, I being the hotdog that I think I am, stood on the pegs and twisted the throttle only to do a 180 spin out and topple over into the mud. GREAT!!! What a start to the day. I'm so used to riding the WR with the knobbies, I totally forgot that Scorpion Trails have no traction in mud.

So, after picking up my bike out of the mud (with the assistance of 2 witnesses to the spectacle I made of myself), cleaning out the pivotpegz, I carried on to the border crossing at Chief Mountain. Stopped to take a couple pics

Pretty uneventful crossing but a cool looking mountain aptly named "Chief

Waterton Lakes Park, last look from the Canadian side.

"

[Andy]

Now that's my kind of trip... great pics too.

[verneWear your gear kids]

Nice report so far! You are making me think I should keep the KLR and do long road trips! (oh yeah, i'm married...never mind)