Beautiful Roads & Country & Return to the Nuru Cafe

This morning, after yesterday's ride in the rain, my socks, gloves, boots and jacket were still wet or damp.  However, the sun was playing hide and seek with the clouds, so Garry and made the decision to do a ride on our day in Nelson. The plan was to ride to Kaslo, take Highway 31 to New Denver, visit the Nuru Cafe and its owner Tamara, then return the same way. 

We left Nelson heading north toward Balfour. I had forgotten how long the 60 kph zone was. It seemed to take forever to make the first 30 kilometres but when the speed limit increased the ride became interesting. The highway snakes along the slopes on the west side of Kootenay Lake so there are a large number of twists, turns, hills, and sharp curves. The beauty of this road is that any rider can choose to enjoy the road and take it at a relaxed pace, or, if more confident and risk taking, they can ride at a speed that challenges their abilities.

The highway crosses a large number of mountain streams that are flowing quickly at this time of year, especially after yesterday's rain and the cool temperatures of this spring. We stopped at one of the larger ones that was in the spring freshet. I am always amazed at the power of rushing water and this stream was a good example. An added bonus was a well done piece of art, not graffiti, that was under the bridge which did not deface anything.

River views on the way to Kaslo

Rushing river between Nelson & Kaslo

Graffiti art under a bridge on the way to Kaslo

I took the lead as we left and Garry dropped behind. I reduced speed and I soon saw his lights in my rear view mirror, so I carried on into Kaslo. I saw Garry ride in to the Husky station so I caried on the the Kaslo Museum which has a CPR caboose and the stern wheeler Moyie, which worked on Kootenay Lake from 1898 until it was retired in 1957 after the Kaslo & Slocan Railway ceased operation the the early 1950s. The boat is undergoing repairs at present. Old wooden boats take a tremendous amount of upkeep to keep them from deteriorating and this boat is almost 125 years old.

SS Moyie and CPR caboose at the Kaslo Museum.

Kootenay Lake fron Kaslo, BC

Garry didn't show up at the museum so I backtracked to the Husky station where he had the bike seat on the ground and his battery uncovered. We received advice on who to talk to to get help, but by the time he answered his voice mail, Garry had figured out the problem and fixed it. Apparently he had connected so many devices to his battery that the connection to one the terminals was rather tenuous. He removed all of the banjo connectors, put new bolts in the battery terminals, and voila, problem solved.

During our sojourn at the Husky station I met two riders from Kingston, ON, Dominic and Robert. There were on adventure bikes, and were heading to Tuktoyuktuk to dip their toes in the Arctic Ocean then head back to Kingston. They plan on riding for more than six weeks. I suggested that they make it a real polar bear thing by dropping their gear and diving in. Dominic worried that he might freeze his gonads off. I wished them luck on their ride and we headed west to New Denver. 

Domic (l.) and Robert (r.) heading to the Arctic Ocean.

We did this ride several years ago and I had forgotten what a fun ride it was. It still is. The park at the summit is a great place to stop. It has a great view of snow capped mountains, probably the Valhalla Range, and very close by is another lake that provides a different view although just as majestic. The run into New Denver is a series of curves that are just a fun ride, even on a fat Harley. It would be amazing on one of my Commandos.

Lake at the summit of the Kaslo-New Denver Highway 31

Lake near the summit of Highway 31 between Kaslo & New Denver

Garry was waiting at the Nuru Cafe with a very large coffee. I waited for a couple to order then had the chance to chat with Tamara. I haven't been to the Nuru Cafe for five years and it has changes, Because of Covid, the seating area has been walled off and made into a shop where Tamara's friend who works in a Ducati shop in Calgary works on repairing Ducatis while he is in New Denver.

Tamara in the Nuru Cafe

Entrance to the Nuru Cafe, New Denver, BC.

Tamara now has two Ducatis, the original blue and white 2004 S4R 695 Monster and as Tamara describes it, 'a banana yellow' 2000 996 Monster. My friend Jim fell in love with the lovely Tamara when she told him that she was disappointed that she hadn't worn the knees out of her leather while riding the Ducati. Now that she has two Ducatis, I told her that she was lucky that he wasn't on this trip because he would have asked her to marry him on the spot. (This is a slight burn on Jim if the reader doesn't get it.)

Tamara's 2000 996 Ducati Monster

The workshop in the former seating area in the Nuru Cafe.

Tamara and her 2000 996 Ducati Monster

Plans changed and instead of returning to Kaslo, we took the highway toward Castlegar passing through legendary towns like Silverton, and Slocan, and Winlaw. One hundred and twenty years ago this area was called the 'Silvery Slocan'. For some of the distance the highway hugs the slope above Slocan Lake with the Valhalla Range in the background. Again, a stunning vista. We live in an incredible part of the world and I wouldn't change it for anything.

Two views of Slocan Lake and the Valhalla Range

After a short stop at the Esso in Crescent Valley we returned to Nelson. While Garry went back to the hotel, I topped off my tank and rode to the foot of Baker Street. (I still haven't had the opportunity to look for 221B) where the Railway Museum is located. They are fortunate to have two locomotives on display in old CPR colours. Unfortunately a graffiti vandal disfigured on of the locomotives with his pitiful attempt at 'art'. A worthwhile stop before returning to our hotel to end the day's ride of 239 kilometres.

CPR locomotive at the Nelson Museum

One of the CPR locomotives at the Nelson Museum

110 pound Rail made in 1926 supporting the locomotives

CPR tracks at the Nelson Museum

The evening saw us having dinner at a Japanese restaurant and wrapping up a busy day in a very satisfying day. It has started raining this evening so tomorrow's ride may be a very long very wet slog. I hope I am wrong but I'm not going to count on it.

We're Ridin' In the Rain, Just Ridin' In the Rain...

 It wasn't a wonderful feeling. 

When we left Osoyoos we followed the first part of our ride from yesterday. The weather was cloudy and threatening rain but it didn't show up until we were almost at Rock Creek. It began with a very light drizzle that held until we arrived at Midway. We stopped at the Kettle Valley Railway Museum to stretch our legs and take some photos. While we were there we met John, a man who had mover there from Tumbler Ridge and who is now a director of the museum. When he was a boy he says that he lived near the KVR tracks and could remember the steam locomotives running near his house. When I was about four years old, my dad took me to see the first diesel locomotive to do the run from Smiths Falls to Toronto. When I told John the story, he said he had the same experience, and like me, he wished that his father had taken him to see the last steam locomotive run. It was a memorable random interaction of the sort that often happens when one is travelling by motorcycle. 

Our bikes at the Kettle Valley Museum and the 1900 C&W station

CPR caboose at the KVR Museum in Midway, BC

Mile 0 of the Kettle Valley Railway in Midway, BC

John in front of the Kettle River Museum

I stopped at Greenwood, as mall town that once housed one of the largest copper smelters in the British Empire. During World War I it produced much of the copper that was used in the war effort. When the war ended, the bottom fell out of the copper market and the smelter closed, never to reopen. Many of the Japanese who were interned and moved away from the west coast after the attack on Pearl Harbour were placed in Greenwood and some families remained there to this day. The Columbia and Western Railway ran by Greenwood and crossed the old highway on the east end of the town. At some point the road was widened and the concrete tunnel was pulled to the side of the highway. At one point more than one hundred flags were painted on it. Sadly, the vandals have shown up even in Greenwood, and the beautifully painted flags have been defaced and covered with ugly graffiti. 

Old Kootenay Light & Power powerhouse with the smelter smokestack.

Slag piles with 'bells' from slag pots that have been there for more that 100 years

Slag pile and 'bells' from the old Greenwood smelter.

Old Greenwood smelter smokestack.

Tunnel from under the C&W Railway.

The berm on the right is all that remains of the C&W embankment 

The Boundary Country had a long history of railway building which began near the end of the 19th century when mineral wealth including gold, silver, copper and others was discovered in the area. Along with the Columbia and Western, the Great Northern built a line to Eholt, which was built to service the large copper mine there. Just as the Greenwood smelter closed at the end of WWI, the copper mine at Eholt closed as well. Now there are very few remnants of a town which once had the first artificial curling rink in western Canada. From Highay 3 riding in to Grand Forks, the cuts in the side of the hills are the only evidence of the Great Northern Railway, which along with the CPR (which owned the C&W) brought copper ore to the smelters at Greenwood and Granby. There is lots of history in this country if one knows what to look for.

The drizzle became a little heavier as we approached Grand Forks where we stopped at Tim Horton's for a coffee and a bowl of chili. The rain began to fall heavily while we were inside so we donned our rain pants and headed east through Christina Lake. We stopped at the Paulson Bridge to shoot some photos then carried on to Castlegar. On the way we were followed by a semi with the logo 'Stark' and the Salvation Army shield on it. In BC there are pullouts at the top of steep hills where truck drivers are supposed to pull over and check to see that their braked are adjusted properly. This drive blew by two of those pullouts, totally ignoring what he was required to do to ensure the safety of his truck.

The parking lot at Tim Horton's in Grand Forks after the rain began.

The Paulson Bridge

Paulson Bridge with the C&W rail bed far below

The C&W railbed with weather in the background.

When we arrived at Castlegar, our first stop was at Canadian Tire where I bought a rain jacket. After riding almost one hundred kilometers in the rain my jacket was getting very wet and I was getting cold. My boots and gloves were totally soaked with my socks being sopping wet. After refueling we stopped at Starbucks but in Safeway stores there is no seating so we rolled on. 

Darlene and Gretel were lucky today because they were travelling in a warm dry car.

After a slight glitch leaving Castlegar and heading to Nelson, we made it downtown where we stopped at the first coffee shop we saw. It was good to get out of the rain and have a hot coffee in our hands. One of life's little pleasures. I made sure to take a photo of the mostly aptly named cannabis shop in Nelson. The main street in Nelson is named Baker Street. Tomorrow when we are downtown I will be looking for 221B.

Buddy's House of Cannabis on downtown Nelson.

Garry called Gretel to get directions and the young woman who was working in the shop also gave us directions. It was not difficult to find the Alpine Motel and it was a real pleasure to shed soaking boots, gloves, jacket and socks.

The ride today covered 275 kilometres with about 140 of them in the rain. I don't like riding in heavy rain for many reasons. We will be in Nelson until Saturday, but the weather if forecast to be wet and cold. The ride to Penticton promises to be a difficult one if the weather forecast is correct. But one can always hope.

Just For Fun

 After a beautiful day of riding yesterday, we awoke to sun this morning but after breakfast and as we were beginning to prepare for the day's ride, clouds began to roll in. And they were large grey ones which is never a good thing. Nevertheless Garry and I made the decision to do an Okanagan ride today, choosing to take our chances with the weather.

After unsuccessfully trying to find a Chevron gas station to fill up on 94 octane gas, we settled for the lower grade 91 at PetroCan before heading for Anarchist Mountain and Highway 3 east. Anarchist Mountain looms over the south end of the BC section of the Okanagan Valley and the road to the top is a rider's delight with dozens of sharp curves and some panoramic vistas. We stopped at the lone viewpoint and enjoyed the view over Osoyoos and Osoyoos Lake before carrying on to the summit. The road levels out and crosses the high country to Rock Creek where it descends into the Kettle Valley.

Osoyoos and Osoyoos Lake from the Anarchist Mountain lookout

View to the north of Osoyoos 

Our trusty steeds at the Anarchist Mountain lookout.

Between Osoyoos and Rock Creek there is only one village, Bridesville, which used to be a stop on the previously mentioned VV&E Railway. I am not sure why it still exists, but it seems to be a bucolic little place, and no doubt the people who live here like it just the way it is. The road into Rock Creek descends rapidly and is a very sharp hairpin turn about halfway down. Rock Creek stretches along the Kettle River and experienced flooding in 2020. The river was flowing high today and we stopped at the Rock Creek Hotel and Pub to have a closer look. That establishment seems to be quite quirky with a sign at the entrance that read "Alcohol Won't Solve All your Problems, But Neither Does Water". As sign on the wall warns that only American made motorcycles are allowed to park near the front door. All others will be towed. A bit of levity is always good.

Kettle River running high and fast

Sign at the Rock Creek Hotel & Pub

Garry and I headed north on Highway 33 to Kelowna. The road is a very good motorcycle road with a large number of curves and elevation changes. And there was very little traffic as a bonus. The only hiccup was a ten minute wait just south of the Big White turnoff for alternating traffic because the road was being repaved. Other than that it was a sweet ride all the way. One little place has an interesting name, Joe Rich. No idea why the name, but the last time I rode through here about six years ago with my friend Jim we could smell the burnt wood odor from a forest fire which had burned in the area less than a week before.

After a Starbucks visit in Rutland we rode to Gasoline Alley H-D to check out the new bikes. Some of the machines Harley is making these days are works of functional art. They are just very pleasing to the eye. (They look real good.) One of the sales people had an amazing assortment of tattoos. but the most impressive one was the one of fairly modern H-D engine in colour. The artist who did that one is a true master.

A stop at Gasoline Alley H-D in Kelowna, BC

The weather improved as the day went on and by the time we were in Kelowna it was mostly sunny and warm. Heading south, traffic got heavier and after a stop to refuel, we were back in the thick of it from just north of the William R. Bennet Bridge (Don't ask me about my feelings as I crossed that bridge!) and it continued all the way through Westbank, but once we were clear of the turn to the Okanagan Connector traffic thinned out and we made good time to Penticton. 

Sometimes at the most unexpected times and in the most unexpected places we are fortunate enough to witness small acts of human kindness. We saw one today. As we were stopped at a light in Westbank, two women were waiting to cross the highway - one of whom was in a wheelchair. When the light changed the first woman began to cross the road. She made it more than halfway, then turned around to see the woman in the wheelchair struggling to get across the highway before the light changed. She walked back and spoke to the woman in the wheelchair, then pushed her across the road. It was a small act of human kindness but it was a real privilege to have witnessed it.

The ride along Okanagan Lake is as pretty a ride as you'll see anywhere and it went very smoothly  all the way to Penticton. It's no wonder people want to live there.

Riding through Penticton we paralleled the 'Ditch', a canal between Okanagan and Skaha Lakes that was used as a canal, but is now used mostly for recreation. Again traffic moved along quite nicely and we passed through Okanagan Falls and Oliver where we stopped to rest our weary backside and grab some snacks for later. The last twenty plus kilometres to Osoyoos went smoothly and at the end of the day we had done a 325 kilometre loop of the Okanagan Valley. Not a bad day's work for two 'Vintage Gentlemen' on Harleys. Tomorrow we ride west to Nelson by way of Midway, Grand Forks, and Castlegar.

While we were riding the ladies went wine touring and brought a bottle of white wine for dinner. They say it is good wine, but I'm not a white wine connoisseur so I'll take their word for it. Dinner went with the wine with various local cheeses and cold cuts. A very relaxed end to a good day.

   

Over the Mountains and Not So Far Away

After last night's wind and clouds, this morning dawned sunny but not too warm. Nevertheless, sun was a marked improvement to the weather we have experienced for the past several months. Before that, however, our reveries were rudely interrupted just after 5:00 a.m. by a group of people loudly talking outside the motel. At my advanced age, 5:00 a.m. is just too early for anything except for a trip to the bathroom.

Harrison Lake on a sunny late spring morning

We started the day with breakfast with the Griffins, then loaded the car and bikes for the day's ride. While we were standing there a family with a little girl came to the car parked beside us. The mother told us that the girl loved the bikes so I invited them to have her sit on a bike and get her photo taken on it. The mother seemed happier than the little girl. She took a photo and then I took some of the two of them, leaving two happy people.

Ready to leave the Harrison Spa Motel

On the move

Today's ride had us backtracking to Chilliwack to Mountain View H-D so Garry could buy a new helmet, which he did. The dealership had many bikes that had already been sold and some of the new ones are quite beautiful. The Street Bob is particularly striking. This is the same bike the guy on the ferry was riding yesterday morning. I love the tank paint job.

2022 H-D Street Bobs

After short stops at London Drugs and Chevron to fuel the bikes we headed out to Highway 1. As we were merging six motorcycles passed us, so we pulled in behind them. Another rider joined us so all nine of us rode most of the way to Hope at a little more than average speed. Traffic was moderate until we hit construction and two lanes merged into one slowing us down greatly. 

After a burger break in Hope and some basking in the sun it was time to think about shooting some motorcycle video of the trip across the Cascades. It took some time to sync my remote to my GoPro Hero10 but when I pulled out my chest mount to put the camera in its case I had brought the wrong case. So no video. Colour me verrrry disappointed and irritated at my own stupidity for not checking things properly before leaving home. I always say that on every trip I either forget or mess up something. So far this trip, that was it. And the scenery and riding here is so spectacular it would have been great to have some of it on video. Sadly, not this time, though.

Highway 3 (The Crowsnest Highway) took a real beating in the storms last November and much of the road surface on the west side of the mountains is very rough. I hit a few real boneshakers on the first part of the mountain ride. The road improved however, and after a brief stop at the Manning Park Lodge we pushed through to Princeton where the temperature was in the mid 20s. Standing in the parking lot I actually felt hot for the first time since last August. It was awesome!

Manning Park Lodge

Princeton took a real hit from the flooding Similkameen River in November. Several houses were condemned, with businesses flooded as well as schools. The Chevron station was closed as well as the Dairy Queen from flooding I suspect. 

We rode through Keremeos and on to Osoyoos, arriving at our hotel after riding around Osoyoos trying to find it. I miss my motorcycle GPS! I'll have to see if I can get it installed when I get home. I don't like being lost!

Highway 3 east of Princeton runs level along the river and further on if one looks closely it is possible to see lengthy cuts in the hillside above the highway. Further on to the south of the highway are more cuts in hillsides and just before entering Keremeos a long red bridge crosses the Similkameen River. Much of the roadbed for the highway, the cuts on the hillside, and the bridge are the remnants of the VV&E (Vancouver Victoria & Eastern) Railway. Further to the east of Keremeos near Cawston, the old railbed is visible for several kilometres as it runs along Highway 3. The railway was a a subsidiary of the Great Northern Railway & was build to gain access to the mineral wealth of the Boundary country. The line to Princeton was opened in 1915 but was abandoned in 1937 so these remnants are all the is left after 85 years. Still, it is good to understand why these features exist and to know some of the history behind them.

Darlene and Gretel arrived after us and after getting settled in for the next two days we went out for dinner. Two things have been very evident on our trip so far. First, prices for meals have increased drastically in the past several months. Second, many places are short staffed. Tonight the boy who met us at the front of the restaurant looked to be about thirteen and our server was so young that she couldn't bring a glass of wine to the table. Nevertheless, the meal was good and a fine way to end a pretty great day.

Osoyoos Lake and Anarchist Mountain

From the patio we saw Osoyoos Lake with Anarchist Mountain behind it. Tomorrow our plan, if the weather holds is to ride over that mountain to Rock Creek and places beyond. All told, we rode about 350 kilometres, so it wasn't a particularly long day, but it is the farthest I have ridden in a day in over five years. I have missed that.

Riding With a Support Vehicle

The past winter and spring have had the worst weather for that time of year that I can remember. Starting in mid-October we have been subjected to a never-ending series of wet, cold, grey days. I pride myself on being able to take one of my Collector British motorcycles out for at least one ride for every month of the year. This year I had two or three rides in November, one in December, and barely managed a ride on the afternoon of January 31st. February was a little better but not much. Over the past five months I doubt that we have had more than four consecutive days without rain and temperatures have been below normal so far in 2022. 

This leads me to the reason for this reminiscence of the past winter and spring. One would hope that the beginning of June would see some respite from this weather, but it doesn't seem to be. Tomorrow, my friend Garry and I will be setting off for a one week motorcycle trip to the Okanagan. Right now the rain is falling steadily and it is forecast to keep doing so until at least late tomorrow. So the first part of our ride will be wet and cold. We are travelling with our wives who will be driving while we ride. Weather won't mean much to them.

Garry & I left Campbell River at 1:00, hoping to beat the rain. The ride was mostly uneventful except for a light shower south of Courtenay. I was wearing my helmet with a visor for the first time and it was a totally different experience riding in the rain without feeling like my face was being peppered with little bullets. Darlene and Gretel left later and arrived after Garry and I had made a visit to Montana's for ribs. We stayed overnight at the Griffins' condo. 

Ready to Roll

Darlene and Gretel had reservations for the 10:15 a.m. ferry to Tsawwassen so we left around 8:30. Again, rain threatened but didn't arrive so except for a rather cool 14C ride we arrived without incident. While we waited two other bikes arrived. One guy and his wife riding a Honda Gold wing with front wheels like a Can-Am Spyder. They were towing a tent trailer and heading on a six or seven week's ride to Alaska having left Victoria this morning. Unfortunately for them, they had reservations for Horseshoe Bay, where they were to meet their friends. Our ferry was going to Tsawwassen, at least sixty kilometres from Horseshow Bay. The other bike was a 2021 Harley-Davidson Street Bob with a beautiful orange and black tank with a large H-D 1 on it. He had picked it up from a shop in Nanaimo and told me that he had already had it up to 150 kph. He staid it rode like it was on rails.

Three wheel Gold Wing

The bikes ready to board the ferry

Duke Point, BC

When we got the go ahead to get on the ferry, Garry's bike wouldn't start, so there he was trying to perform emergency surgery on before the ferry left. Fortunately it started, he made the ferry, and there were no further issues.

The ride out of Vancouver was quite smooth with a few minor backups but we made it from the Richmond Ring Road to Highway 1 in good time. We stopped at the Starbucks in Chilliwack for a break then carried on to Harrison Hot Springs where we checked in to the Harrison Spa Hotel; a 1950s type motel that is in the process of having a seven or eight storey condo or apartment building mere inches away from the motel wall. The builder look to be using every square centimetre of their lot.

Views of Harrison Lake

Darlene with one of the Harrison Hot Springs locals.

For dinner we walked to the Black Forest restaurant, a German establishment. The meals were pricey, but good. The weather is still very cool and cloudy and the temperature never exceeded 16C. This weather continues to blow. The best I can say about it for the past two days, it that it didn't rain except for an occasional light shower. I hope that tomorrow will be a better day weather-wise. And I hope to have more photos for tomorrow's entry.

Finally, the INOA Rally!

This post is almost three years late because I wasn't aware that there was wifi available at the main hall in the Gray's County Fairgrounds in Elma, WA until the evening of the last day of the rally and then life intruded. However, I have finally managed to have the spirit move me to write something about the rally.

Sunday was a travelling day. After spending the night at my daughter, Rachel's place in Victoria, I was in the lineup for the 10:45 a.m. Black Ball ferry, Coho, to Port Angeles, WA. The day was warm and calm and the ferry ride to Port Angeles was uneventful, except for an 850  Norton Commando Interstate ridden by a guy from Comox. When he tried to kick start his motorcycle, the bolt for the side stand broke and the loaded bike went down on its left side. With help, Alan was able to right his machine and ride it onto the ferry..

From Port Angeles, it was a two and a half hour drive to my friends Steve & Bette's house near Olympia. I brought Steve two growlers of fine Canadian beers, Driftwood Fat Tug IPA and Phillips Citricity IPA. Both are very tasty brews. I was greeted by Steve with iced beer and we enjoyed a couple of them before going for dinner.

Next morning, opening day of the International Norton Owners' Association rally I was up at 6:00 a.m.and after breakfast headed to Elma which was about 35 kilometres from Olympia. I arrived at the fairgrounds before 8:30, registered, picked a camping spot, then set up my tent. My friend Clint arrived before 9:00 a.m. and set up as well before we unloaded our Norton Commandos.

Three more guys pulled in to our area and set up as well. Ron from north of Bend, OR, Dennis, from LaPine south of Bend, and Rich from Chehailis, WA. Ron brought his bike on his 1971 Volkswagen with a flatbed. It was one of the hits of the rally with people dropping by to talk to him about it every day.

Dennis had a Kenny Dreer 880 Commando that was immaculate. It is a one of a kind bike that was a Cycle World project several years ago. Rich, an engineer from Chehailis, WA, had a 1972 750 Combat Roadster. 

After setting up, the first order of business was to lay in refreshments for the next several days. I bought a dozen Budweisers, Clint bought a fifth of Jack Daniel's, while Dennis picked up some Stella Artois. 

The weather was mixed at Elma. Because it is not too far from the coast each morning we experienced marine fog for several hours with it often being cool and damp until around 11 a.m. One day the fog never cleared although it lifted somewhat so we experienced a rather cool day for the middle of June.

Because I am writing this from memory, I am rolling as many experiences as I can recall into one blog entry. On one of the days Clint and I did a ride around the Elma vicinity. The roads were great for riding a Commando and Clint, on his 1968 Commando fastback led the way through the countryside. As we crested one rise we saw an unexpected and amazing site - two cooling towers, one completed vessel containment building and one partially completed vessel containment building. 

I was a student at the University of Washington in the early 1980s and remember when the Washington State governor at the time, Dixie Rae pulled the plug on the project because the project, run by WPPS (Washington Public Power System) was about $5 billion over budget. In any case, this ties in with another news story from around the early 2010s when Volkswagen submitted false data to the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) about emissions from their popular diesel engines. When that was discovered, Volkswagen was fined a great deal of money and was forced to offer replacement vehicles to anyone who wished to take the offer. thousands did, and Volkswagen was left with thousands of cars that they couldn't sell so they had to store them. Several thousand cars were stored at the waterfront in Auburn while thousands more were stored in the open fields around the cancelled reactor. Because they had been sitting in open fields for several years they had mold in them and no doubt mice had invaded the cars making nests in them and eating the soy-based coverings for the wiring.

One evening Clint drove Dennis, Rich and me to a bar in Elma. They had great wings, but the cook was not working that night so our second order of wings took more than two hours. On another night we drove to a barbecue place where I had brisket. Never had it before, but it was tasty.

I entered my green 1974 Commando Interstate in the Concours. I placed third. Clint entered his fastback in the original category. It was clearly the best bike in the class, but a there was guy who had entered his heavily modified bike in the same category. He was wealthy lawyer who had spent a great deal of money on his machine and was also a member of the Northwest Norton Owners' Association. Not surprisingly, his Commando was awarded first place, even though, in the minds of many, the bike was entered in the wrong category where there would not be as much competition. Politics once again raised its ugly head.

We wrapped up the event on Friday morning so I headed back to Steve and Bette's place for the day. After a great visit, I headed north to catch the Port Angeles ferry, the Coho, to Victoria. While I was waiting I met the son of one of the SD72 V-Ps. He was a young guy who had made a whirlwind tour to northern California and was on his way home. 

The trip to Victoria was uneventful and I was able to spend the rest of the day with my daughter in Victoria before heading home on Sunday. All in all, it was a good rally although not up to the standard set at Howard Prairie, OR in 2014, or Quincy, CA in 2016.

The following two rallies were set for a racetrack in Michigan in 2019 and upstate New York in 2020. the 2020 rally was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The following rally scheduled for 2021 in Lumby, BC was also cancelled for the same reason. So, I have no idea when the next western INOA rally will be held, but I hope it will be soon because I am not getting any younger. 

A Dilemma and An Award

I missed the two week road trip this year due to a detached retina but I have been determined to make it to the 2018 International Norton Owners Association (INOA) Rally in Elma, WA this year. And it begins on Monday. 

It was difficult to decide which of my my two 1974 Norton Commandos, both of which have been restored by Ron Baillie, Commando restorer extraordinaire, But eventually I decided to leave the red roadster at home and take the green Interstate at home despite being told by many Norton owners on the INOA and Norton Motorcycles Facebook pages, that I should bring them both. Other contributors suggested that I take one and leave the other at home with the keys and a full tank of gas and they would help me out by riding it for me. I have respectfully declined all offers.

Take this one?

Or this one?

The decision is made.

I drove to Victoria, BC, yesterday and visited with my daughter for the evening before arising early this morning and driving back to Duncan for the Duncan Days Motorcycle Show & Shine. I took the red roadster last year and won the Best Restoration trophy so I was hoping to win in the Best British category. The Interstate had already won the Best British Bike award at the Wheelies' show in Victoria at the end of May so my hopes were high.

It was an very hot day today and being in the sun for five and a half hours is not easy However, I had the opportunity to speak to many people, some of whom were taken with the colour and I asked many of them to consider voting for my bike as the People's Choice. My daughter Rachel and he friend, Dion came to the show and voted for my bike so I was off to a good start. I have to admit that I was shameless in asking people to vote for the bike but you never know what people will do. There is a good chance though if you ask them. 

1969 Triumph Trident with my Commando

Another 1974 Norton Commando

Royal Enfield Bullet

A very beautiful pair of 1971 Honda 750 Fours

1940 Harley Davidson with sidecar

1974 Norton Commando

When the prizes were announced the Best British went to a 1955 Triton (Norton featherbed frome & Triumph engine) which was immaculate. The owner didn't know he had won because he hadn't heard his name being called so he was ecstatic when I told him that his bike had won. The show was better organized this year and there were six categories including the aforementioned best British, Best Harley, Best Italian, Best Vintage, Best Metric, Best Classic (I believe).

1955 Triton. Best British Winner

There were many more bikes, some quite extraordinary including a beautiful pair of 1971 red Honda 750 Fours. They didn't win.but I though that they were the best looking metric bikes there.

Finally, the last prize, People's Choice was awarded and it went to the 1974 Norton Commando. My bike. I was surprised and very happy. Apparently many of the people that I had shamelessly asked to vote for my bike had done so. After all, I am a politician, even if it is only a Board of Education trustee so it didn't bother me to do so. For some, People's Choice is the ultimate prize at a show and, because I didn't win in my category, I'm going with that.

 Another one for the trophy shelf

Tomorrow it will be up early, drive to the Black Ball Ferry terminal, get off at Port Angeles and drive to Olympia where I'll spend Sunday night with my friends Steve & Bette before leaving early Monday morning for the rally in Elma. I'm really stoked to be going and if things work out right I'll camp next to my friend Clint Campbell from just outside of Edmonton.

So, there won't be much blogworthy stuff happening until Monday. The weather is supposed to be very hot so we'll be able to ride and not worry about rain. It's a great way to start a rally.