Riding the North Cascades Parkway

There is something satisfactory about taking a room in a motel because it is cheap and provides reasonable shelter for the night, but when you see families living in a single room with two beds, a countertop with a microwave, and a bathroom that includes only a toilet and bathtub/shower, then it crosses into the realm of sadness. To see a child leave the motel room with his backpack so he can catch the school bus on the street points out the depths of poverty that many in this country, and in Canada, face.  The fridge is what many would refer to as a 'beer' fridge, and when your belongings can fit into a single motel room, it's nothing short of tragic.

 

When some people have so much, I am amazed that there doesn't seem to be enough for those people to have enough to be able to live in something more than the abject poverty that seems to be so endemic in our society.  The Sterling Motel, where we stayed in Burlington, WA last night is one of those places where people one step from homelessness make their final stand. I hope the woman who asked for a cigarette for her mother, but who smoked it herself is able to avoid that fate, but the way the system is set up both in Canada and the United States, I hold no great hopes.

 

The morning began in a rather leisurely manner with the crew enjoying a cup of good coffee before leaving the motel. We left Burlington by a rather circuitous route before reaching Highway 20 and heading east through little places with names like Sedro-Woolley, Concrete, Newhalem, and Mazama.  The highway ran through a canopy of trees and the new leaves were still that early spring bright green as we gained altitude.  For the first part of the ride the clouds hung low over the landscape but as we rode further east and gained altitude the low hanging clouds dissipated to a high and sullen overcast.

 

 

This is where we're headed.

 

Getting ready to roll

 

Having a 'bolt' at the rest stop.



 

As we continued to climb and head east we began to see patches of blue and the temperature began to rise. At our first stop at a roadside park we met two couples who were doing a ride from the Tri-Cities. One of the men had a GoldWing with just about every electronic and other accessory that he could hang off a motorcycle, including quite a few LED lights. No one could say that they didn't see him coming

 

Continuing on we stopped at Newhalem where there is a small store and display area that gives a sense of what it was like to live there when the Ross Dam was being built in the early 1950s. On display along the highway was a 1928 Baldwin steam locomotive which was used to bring supplies to the construction area during the time the dam was being built. It was retired in 1954 and refurbished in the 1970s.  The bell is brightly shined and when it is rung, it continues to reverberate for twenty or thirty seconds.

 

 

 

Close as I'll ever come to being in the cab of a steam locomotive

 



 We carried on to Gorge Falls, a narrow rivulet that cascades down a narrow defile on the side of a mountain. Further on we crossed Gorge Lake and continued to the lookout over Diablo Lake which has almost emerald green waters.  We met a couple who were riding from British Columbia and heading to Anacortes.

 

 

Gorge Falls

 

Gorge Falls

 

Creek enters Ross Lake

 

Roadside waterfall

 

Diablo Lake

 

l. to r.Tom, Kerry, Garry, Jim

l. to r. Tom, John, Kerry, Jim

 



 

Diablo Lake

 

Our trusty steeds



The highway climbs into the snow zone and before too long we were in an area where the snow came down to the road and extended below us on the slopes. The highway itself twists and turns with the terrain and the peaks are rather jagged.  The combination of rugged peaks partially covered with snow is a sight that is awe inspiring. Considering the small amount of traffic, it seems that people have yet to really discover it.

 

 

This is a great way to spend a spring afternoon



 

 

Riding above the snow line in mid May



 

There are extraordinary waterfalls, large and small along this section of highway as the snow melts in the spring sun.  The state has thoughtfully made a large number of pullouts where anyone who wishes can stop and enjoy the beauty of these mountains.

 

 

Big Red above the snow line

 

Waterfall in the Cascades

 

Mountain vista in the Cascades

 

Still snow left in the mountains.

I had dropped behind the other guys to stop and take photos, many of which I include here so I was later arriving in Winthrop, a small town that has been built with a western theme. Apparently, the first novel of 'The Virginian' series was written in Winthrop in the late 1890s. The 1960 series of the same name was inspired by the novels, I believe.

 

Garry & Jim, back in the saddle again

 

Winthrop Emporium

 

Local watering hole

 

Two local characters in Winthrop

 

Winthrop street scene

 

Bikes on the main street, Winthrop

 

We met in Winthrop, had lunch, strolled along the boardwalk, and took photos before hitting the road and heading east again. Past Twisp we turned south on State Route 153 where we saw the remains of the huge fire that burned for weeks near Twisp last summer. Mile after mile as we rode, we saw charred tree trunks with the occasional stand to pines laying in jumbled masses on the ground having been cut down, perhaps to stop the fire. It was somewhat depressing to see how all the vegetation had been burned away, leaving only soil and rocks in places.

 

At the junction of SR153 and Highway 97 we headed south to Wenatchee, stopping at the Wells Dam, part of the dam system on the Columbia River.  From there it was a fifty mile run to East Wenatchee where we were fortunate enough to find a room at the Cedars Inn.  apparently, there is a music festival in town this weekend and there are also several baseball and softball tournaments this weekend.  This is in addition to the 'Run for the Border' which will have about three hundred riders taking part. Wenatchee is a busy place this weekend.

 

Tomorrow we will head south probably into Oregon and then carry on to Idaho or Utah. We haven't figured that out yet.  But this trip is about five guys and a ride. Everything else is a bonus so however it plays out, it will be great.

 

Burlington, WA to Wenatchee, Wa



 



 



 



 

And the Nebulous Journey Begins

Last year Kerry, Jim, Garry and I rode to northern California by way of Highway 101 from Anacortes, WA, to Leggett, CA, where we headed for the northern end of the Pacific Coast Highway and then followed it along the coast to Fort Bragg, CA. At that point we ran out of time and headed home, but we all enjoyed the ride so much that we decided to do it again this year.

 

Kerry invited a friend of his from Merritt, BC to join us so with the addition of Tom and his Kawasaki 1500 Vulcan, we have a group of five riders this year. Our plan was to meet in Burlington, WA because we all came from different directions and that was the easiest place to arrange a rendezvous. The plan was quite nebulous but we decided that we would ride the North Cascades Parkway to Winthrop and Twisp, WA, then head south. We considered going to Yellowstone Park but nixed that idea when we checked the weather and found that for the next fourteen days the highs would be in the 10-13C range with rain each day.

 

Right now it looks like we will turn south and ride the middle of Washington and Oregon until we figure out where we want to go. Needless to say, our plans are rather fluid at this time, but a run to the redrock country of southern Utah is a distinct possibility.

 

Garry and I pulled out of Campbell River just after noon and made a run to the ferry at Duke Point after a quick stop to fuel up in Nanaimo. We did the 170 km in just under two hours and caught the 3:15 ferry to Tsawwassen. We were fortunate enough to see a large pod of orcas which was surrounded by whale watching boats.  In my opinion they were much too close to the orcas.  A few years ago a guide from Campbell River was fined several thousand dollars for doing what these guys were doing today. Still, seeing the pod was an auspicious beginning to our trip.

 



 

The whale watching boat approached these orcas. Illegally close.

 

 

Too close!

 

 

Bull orca on his own



 

We met a man from Salmon Arm who was riding 2003 Harley-Davidson Softtail Standard. Today was his first day on a Harley and he was enjoying the ride. The story behind it was that his brother, who owned the motorcycle had died in April. Since he was the only one in the family who rode and his wife told him to buy it from the estate and enjoy it, he did just that. He wasn't thrilled with the seat though. Since his brother was, in his words, a 'shortass', he had replaced the stock seat with a thinner one to get him closer to the ground. The rider was finding the seat a little hard for his liking, but otherwise was happy with the bike.

 

 

 

Our Harleys on the ferry



 

The run to the border was quite easy and when we arrived at customs the lines weren't too long. I had three lines to choose from so I slid into the middle lane. BIG MISTAKE!!!  It is extremely frustrating to see cars that were behind you in another line on either side moving along and clearing customs while you are still seven or eight cars from the customs officer. This officer was giving people the third degree, and checking almost every trunk. For each car that he passed, the other officers were clearing three - on either side! Needless to say, my advice to Garry after that was to watch which line I chose at the border, then pick another one.

 

After clearing the border, the run to Burlington was uneventful, although after 6:30 the temperature began to drop noticeably. We arrived at the motel, checked in and as we were unloading our bikes, we saw the other guys strolling back to the motel.  They had just had dinner at the Outback Steakhouse.  Garry and I made our way to the supermarket across the street and picked up Planter's cocktail peanuts, Doritos chips, and some soda. (In the US it's 'soda', not 'pop'.) That was dinner. This is one thing that is going to have to improve!

 

 

First night's dinner. This must improve!



 

All five of us got together in Kerry's room to figure out the plan for tomorrow but couldn't help but be distracted by what looked to be, but probably wasn't, a spurt of arterial blood on the ceiling. It makes for a more interesting story to say that it was blood, though.

 

 

The crew: l to r, Jim Kerry, Garry & Tom. A fine collecting of enthusiastic almost 'vintage gentlemen'.

 

Blood? on the ceiling???



 

Tomorrow we will ride the North Cascades Parkway where the temperatures will probably be quite chilly, although the roads will be clear.  This is a great motorcycle road and the sights are well worth seeing. When we arrive at Twisp, we'll have to decide where to go from there.

 

As an aside, this trip is already starting better than the one last year. As soon as we disembarked from the Coho it began to rain and continued to shower on us quite regularly for the first three days. So far we've had clouds and sun but no rain. We'll keep our fingers crossed but once we cross the mountains the possibility of rain should be somewhat less. And that's a good thing.

 



Campbell River, BC to Burlington, WA

A Great Norton Commando Weekend

Two weekends ago I drove to Victoria to visit my daughter and to check out my 1974 Norton Commando Interstate at my friend Jim's place in Sooke. It was a beautiful sunny spring day so we decided to take our Nortons out for a bit of a check ride.  Mine had been in Jim's garage undergoing his tender ministrations in order to restore it to roadworthiness. When I first bought the motorcycle I could not get it to even fire.

This past weekend I returned to Sooke, this time with my 1974 Norton Commando Roadster along for the ride. it had occurred to me last weekend that it would be great to get photos of all four Commandos together. It was something that would be unlikely to happen again.

When I arrived in Langford I stopped for a coffee at Starbucks. Parked right next to the coffee shop was an immaculate old Harley-Davidson motorcycle. I grabbed my camera and as I was taking photos, the owner walked over and removed his helmet from the handle bar so I could get a better shot. We struck up a conversation about his motorcycle. He told me that the bike, a 1948 Knucklehead, was his daily rider and, while he had a touch of Parkinson's disease, he still did a short ride every day that he could. He also mentioned that he had three other Harleys as well, one of the a 1929 model. He saw the Norton in the back of my truck and allowed that they were pretty good motorcycles too.

 

A pristine 1948 Harley Davidson Knucklehead

 



After many hours of work and some serious time kicking it over, the Norton fired up and ran quite smoothly to my delight as I was beginning to have some doubts as to whether Jim could bring the old girl to life. I shouldn't have questioned this at all. Jim knows about Nortons and knew what to do, although he admitted that he was puzzled by some issues from time to time.  I believe the comment was' "It's not fair that you have no worries about this bike at all while I lie awake at nights trying to figure out what's wrong."

On the Friday afternoon we rode in to Langford to visit Jim's friend Steve, at Phoenix Cycles. Steve is one of those guys who knows more about Harleys than even some of their engineers do. He also has a manner that can put people off if you tend to a sensitive type. Harley owners are not known for being sensitive types so it's all good. When we arrived on our Nortons he commented on our riding 'that English shit' and went on from there. It was good to find out many of the shortcomings of one of my favourite motorcycles.

After stopping for a coffee at Starbucks in Langford, (yes, I have brought Jim over to the 'dark side' after his lifetime of  drinking Tim Horton's 'coffee') we rode back to  Sooke where I had the idea to photograph my Norton with Jim's pair. That got me to thinking that it would be great to have a photo of all four Nortons together, so I loaded my 1974 Commando Roadster into my truck & took it to Sooke.



It was a beautiful Friday afternoon so we lined up all four Nortons for a photo op. It was an amazing sight to see four of my favourite motorcycles lined up in one place. I even made a short video which I posted on Youtube as well.

 

Four Norton Commandos

 

There's a lot of elegance here.

 

 

Four Norton Commandos. Which one is the bad boy?



A correction to the video commentary: From the far end: blue 1974 850 Commando Roadster, red 1974 850 Commando Interstate, yellow 1973 750 Commando Roadster, blue 1974 Commando Roadster.

Anyway, after a winter of working on my 1974 Norton Commando Interstate, Jim has it ticking over like a fine Swiss watch. It seems that I'm developing a habit of dropping off a Norton at Jim's in the fall, visiting it several times over the winter, then doing an inaugural run on the Circle Route from Sooke through Jordan River, Port Renfrew, Lake Cowichan, Duncan, and finally, Langford, before returning to Sooke, where I load the bike up for the journey back to Campbell River.

This year was no different. Jim arranged for Al Steenbergen to join us for the ride on Saturday morning.  Slightly after ten o'clock we heard Al's Harley approaching but neither of us was ready for the sight that greeted us as he turned into Jim's driveway. Sitting atop the 'horrid orange bike' (Jim's words) was Al who was wearing a pair of the more striking pajama bottoms that I have seen in quite a long while. Jim was horrified and told Al that he wouldn't be riding with us unless he ditched the pajamas.





 

Fashionable Al

 

Jim had a difficult time with those pants.







We headed out for our ride taking the highway to Jordan River. In places it was very cool still and the road has some serious bumps in it. If you're not careful you can hit one of those holes and get quite a jolt. After a coffee stop in Jordan River, we continued on to Port Renfrew where the guys stopped for a smoke break. When you ride with Jim and Al there are lots of those. The highway is great for motorcycle riding with lots of twists, turns, and elevation changes an we met many riders doing the route. This morning though, there didn't seem to be a lot of 'squids' which is always a good thing. On a previous ride Jim & Al had seen a 'squid's' Ducati sitting four feet deep in a ditch. Riding the way some of them do, it probably wasn't surprising that he had over ridden the road and failed to negotiate a corner.

 

Rest stop in Port Renfrew

The ride from Port Renfrew was uneventful except for our stop at the Harris Spruce, a huge tree that was spared the fate of so many of its compatriots. This is a good rest stop and we saw a group of about seven riders who were taking a break as we arrived. After the inevitable cigarette, we were off to Lake Cowichan and our lunch break at Tim Horton's.

The remaining part of the ride went very smoothly, although Jim was a mite upset with Al for not stopping at the rest stop just south of Duncan. One last stop was on the schedul where we dropped by Phoenix Cycles to see Ted and his new 2015 Indian Chief. The bike is a thing of beauty with the flowing lines that are associated with the marque, in addition to the beautiful paintwork and chrome. Polaris has done a great job with this motorcycle.

 

Ted's 2015 Indian Chief

 

Paint, chrome & styling is outstanding

 

Detail of front running light



Al has a case of pneumonia and he was probably not over it when he joined us for the ride. I think he was suffering from a relapse by the end of the ride. We headed back to Sooke where we loaded my brace of Nortons into the Toyota Tundra and I headed for home, where I arrived just after 11 p.m. It was a long day but a great one.

Both Nortons ran flawlessly over the 150 mile ride, a testament to both the quality of the motorcycles and to Jim's wizardry in keeping these machines running. I am indeed fortunate 'vintage gentleman' to own not one, but two of what I consider to be one of the greatest motorcycles ever built. Next week we will be heading out for a ten day ride to the US. Right now we're not certain where we will go but it should be a terrific ride with  more blog posts to come.

A Message From a Legend and Great Rides Too!

Since 1971 I have had a love affair with Norton Commando motorcycles. My first real motorcycle was a 1971 Commando Roadster and since then I have had a soft spot in my heart for the marque. Last November I bought a 1974 Norton Commando Interstate and brought it to my friend, Jim Knight, in Sooke, BC.  He did a lot of work to make it roadworthy and now, it is ready for the road.

 

 

1974 Commando Interstate

 

My newest addition



On Friday I drove to Sooke so that I could take the Interstate for my first real ride on it. Jim has it running so well that it starts on the first or second kick so when I kicked it to life and took it on the road.

This bike is fast and with the Dunstall pipes it has a few more horsepower than a Commando with standard pipes. The Dunstalls have a deeper sound and are louder as well.   It accelerates well, handles beautifully, and sounds kind of 'ballsy'. Even though I rode it for only 50 kilometres, already I think it will be my favourite.

When we returned to Jim's place I took photos of the two Nortons together, then Jim pulled out his 1974 Roadster and I photographed all three. Later I posted the photos and a video I took on Facebook's Norton Commando page.  I received several comments and quite a few 'likes' on both posts.

 

 

l. to r. 1973 Norton Commando 750 Roadster, 1974 Commando 850 Roadster, 1974 Commando 850 Interstate

 

 

Commando video



When I checked my computer on Saturday morning I found a message from a man named John E Favell. As the message stated, he worked on the design of the 850 engine in the early 1970s.  I was impressed and honoured that he responded to my post. Here is the message.

"John, Whenever I see a photograph of a Commando posted on FB I get a feeling that is obviously unique to me and difficult to describe. So occasionally I simply send a message to thank the person who made the post. I was a member of the original design team then continued all manner of responsibilities related to the engine and transmission including the design of the 830 (not the Combat) and the intake and exhaust systems until the demise of the Company. Each Commando is therefore a part of me. Thank you."

 

How cool is that? A message from one of the original members of the design team that created the finest Norton engine in the best version of the Commando, in my opinion.  Jim was quite impressed as well. This is a message that I'd like to print and frame because I don't think many of those guys are around any longer. In addition, I checked out his FB page and found that after Norton Villiers went out of business in about 1975 or '76, He emigrated to the US where he went to work for Harley-Davidson from 1979 until 1995. This guy spent most of his working life with my two favourite motorcycle companies.

 

We planned to do a ride to Spunky's Motorcycles near Parksville with Jim's friends Al and Shaky Bob', but All wasn't able to make the ride because he had come down with pneumonia. Jim reported that he was dressed impeccably when he went to visit him before the ride.

 

 

Fashionable Al



 

Since I didn't have a bike to ride to Parksville (the Norton isn't a long distance bike for a 'vintage gentleman' such as me) Jim gave me the choice of one of his motorcycles. I chose to take his 2004 H-D Fatboy. As it turned out, it was a good choice.

 

The 165 kilometer ride to Spunky's was broken up by several stops, the first at Tim Horton's near Barnes H-D, Starbucks in Duncan, and a rest stop at Cassidy before we reached the dealership.  The Fatboy was a real treat to ride. The handling is neutral and a rider quickly becomes very comfortable riding it.

 

 

Fat boy on a Fatboy

 

Jim on his Fatboy

 



 

Bob on his 649 cc Yamaha Star



The return trip was similar with a stop at the Dairy Queen in Parksville for lunch where I switched bikes and rode Jim's Electra Glide classic, a coffee stop at Tim's in Ladysmith, a smoke stop in Duncan, and a last coffee stop at Times near Barnes H-D before the last lap to Sooke. We rode 333 kilometres today and the weather was ideal.

I was also able to spend two very relaxed evenings with my daughter and her partner. It was great to spend a few hours chatting and catching up on things. So, all in all, this was a terrific weekend.  I drove back to Campbell River on Sunday morning to finish the weekend.  I think it is just about time to bring my Norton home.  Maybe next weekend? 

 

In ten days I will be starting my first long ride of the season so the blogging season will soon be upon us.

 

Another Addition to the Family

I am a great believer in 'serendipity', a fortunate happenstance, or pleasant surprise.  So it was last November when I was checking out business cards at a local printer.  Since I was near a local independent motorcycle shop, 'Bikesmith' run by Brain Smith here in Campbell River, I dropped in. Brian had two early '70s Triumphs in his shop and when I was looking at them he asked if I was interested in buying one. I replied that I was more of a Norton guy, and asked if he knew anyone who had one for sale.
 

He told me that he knew a gentleman, Paul, who was quite ill but who had a Norton Commando for sale and gave me the name and phone number. I contacted Paul and asked if he was interested in selling. When he told me he was I arranged a time to meet him and check out the bike.

 

 Paul was a motorcycle fanatic who had several motorcycles, dirt and road, at his house. He actually had a pristine 1978 Bultaco in his living room. He had been quite an off-road motorcyclist for quite a while and, as a person of English origin, he also loved the old British motorcycles as well. Unfortunately, Paul was fighting brain cancer and was quite weak.

 

We talked about the Norton and I looked at it in his garage. He had a price in mind, but due to his condition it didn't feel right to 'grind' him on the price, so we agreed on a price that was close to what he was asking.  In addition to the Interstate tank, seat, and side panels he also had the seat, tank, and side panels for the Roadster version of the motorcycle, an added bonus. 

1974 Norton Commando Interstate



I paid him for the Commando, we did the paperwork which was a convoluted process, and was finally able to bring it to its new home in my garage where it kept company with my other 1974 Commando Roadster, and my 2009 Harley-Davidson Ultra Glide Classic.

 

I couldn't get the motorcycle to run properly, so in late November I took it to Sooke, BC where my friend, motorcycle mechanic extraordinaire, and Norton guru Jim Knight lives. Jim has a real knack for fixing old British motorcycles and a real love of all things motorized with two wheels.  He has owned BSAs, Triumphs, Nortons, many Harley Davidsons, a BMW, Yamaha, Honda, and Kawasaki motorcycles, many of which he keeps in his extended garage/workshop. At any time it is possible to see one or two motorcycles on his work stand, or partially dismantled and cloth-covered on the floor. It was into this atmosphere that I delivered my newest Norton Commando to  undergo his mechanical ministrations.

 

In late November I rolled the Commando into the back of my Toyota Tundra, and drove the 280 kilometres to Sooke and into Jim's experienced hands.  I visited it several times and on one occasion I spent nearly half an hour trying to coax it to life by kicking it over to no avail. (Pre-1975 Nortons do not have electric start.)

 

In the meantime Jim went over the Commando with a fine-toothed comb finding all the parts that needed to be replaced. The list is extensive. After all, this is a forty year-old motorcycle with twenty thousand miles (thirty-three thousand kilometres) so some stuff is bound to have worn out and need replacement.

  

Last week my wife and I made a trip to Victoria and dropped in to visit Jim and the Norton. Once again, I was on kicking duty while Jim was ready to adjust the carbeurator.  This time we met with more success.

Initially, the Norton gave us hope by actually firing, although it didn't idle. Being the persistent type of guys we are, I just kept kicking it over and listening to it fire a couple of times before it quit. Eventually, the engine turned over for several seconds before stalling and each time it ran a little longer. After thirty to forty tries the bike actually idled before it stalled when the throttle was opened. Finally Jim was able to coax the engine into higher revs when he turned the throttle so he took it for a short ride up the driveway, as did I. This Norton runs beautifully! I can hardly wait to get the cosmetic stuff fixed and put it on the road in the spring.

My 1974 Norton Commando Interstate.  The Dunstall pipes make it sound louder than most Commandos.



I went to the insurance agency to apply for a collector plate but when I get it I'll have to insure the bike for the road a minimum of three months.  I'll wait until a few weeks before I want to insure it for more than storage before I apply to put it on the road. Insuring it for three months when I won't be riding it doesn't seem to be too smart.

And in related news, I was going through a box of old stuff that had shown up in the basement, and I came upon my original British Columbia Motorcycle plate from 1973.  It is in excellent condition and I wish I could use it on one of the Nortons.  Although, to be fair, it spent its riding life on a 1972 Suzuki GT750 triple.  This bike is sometimes referred to as a 'kettle' or 'water buffalo' because it was liquid cooled.

The original plate that I put on my 1972 Suzuki GT750 when I arrived in British Columbia. 



The other event is a sad one. I bought the Norton for a gentleman, Paul Wilkinson, who had bought it with the intention of riding it.  A month later, he was diagnosed with brain cancer and never was able to take it out on the road.  When I bought it in early November he was quite ill but still optimistic.  When I collected the bike I picked up everything but the Roadster side panels.  Not wanting to bother him about it, I left it until last week when I dropped by his house to see if anyone had located them.  I was met at the door by his partner who told me that he had passed away that morning. It was terrible timing.

I didn't really know Paul, but we had spent time talking about things and he told me that he had been in the Royal Navy for thirty years, working as a helicopter mechanic.  He was in the fleet that the Royal Navy sent to the Falkland Islands in 1982, and he had seen Argentine attacks on the flotilla there, witnessing the attack on the destroyer Galahad that resulted in its burning and sinking.

On retirement from the Navy he emigrated to Canada, where he found employment with Helifor, a company that does helicopter logging on the BC coast.  He engaged in his love of riding and was quite a good motocross rider with  number of trophies, ribbons, and medals in this office.  He ruefully made the comment, "I had such plans for that Norton,"  It reinforced my belief that life is short and has unexpected twists and turns so you should do what you love while you can.  It was tragic that Paul had worked all of his life and just before he got to the place where he could really enjoy the results of a lifetime of work, he was struck down. 

Now begins the task of getting the Norton ready to ride for the 2015 season.  I'm excited about having two Norton Commandos in my garage and that I'll face the dilemma of having to decide which motorcycle, Harley-Davidson, Norton Commando Raodster, or Norton Commando Interstate, to ride on any given day. The problems that life throws at you!

In any case, I think that there are a lot of old guys like me who would love to be able to ride a Norton one more time. And I get to do it any time I want!

Meanwhile I still have my first 1974 Commando sitting in my garage awaiting the call of the road and the weather has been astounding here for the past week.  On Sunday I bit the bullet and insured it.  Because it has a Collector plate insurance is $184/year so it wasn't too much of a hit.

On my way home I remembered that I needed a battery because the old one was with my red Norton. After finding the model number I had to find one on a Sunday afternoon.  Canadian Tire was a bust but Lordco had the battery I stock.  I was able to get one at a substantial discount because the counter person couldn't find my account and gave me the top discount.

I took the battery home, added sulphuric acid and put it on the battery charger so I wasn't ready to ride until late afternoon.  I pulled the bike out of the garage, opened the fuel cock, tickled the carbs, turned they key, then kicked it over.  Not too amazingly, she fired up first try.   After sitting in the garage for five months!  This is a great bike!

Because it was late and the sun was going down we rode to Starbucks for a coffee instead of taking a long ride.  I had forgotten how cold riding can be in the spring when there's no fairing on my bike.

 

Springtime Norton

 

Looking east toward the mainland



On Monday I started earlier and did a ride south along the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The sun was out and it was about 10C; a beautiful spring day. I brought my camera so I stopped in a pullout near the water and shot some photos and video.  It was a good way to start the season and I am ecstatic to be 'Back in Black' for another motorcycle season. And here is a short video of my blue Commando:

 

 

This is going to be a good riding year!