Author Topic: PNW Bandit ride II (Read 35291 times)

stormi · « **Reply #15 on:** June 06, 2007, 01:25:48 PM »

Hey!! I'm not strange!!

Let me see what I can do. I can likely stay with my aunt. Hooking up with Bruce would be a good possibility. I've never ridden more than about 100kms on my own.

So it makes me a little nervous to do such a long trip alone. Like I said though, I won't be able to commit to the ride til the last minute. Which sucks, cos I know I won't prepare for it til the last minute too.

H2RICK · « **Reply #16 on:** June 08, 2007, 11:29:33 AM »

Well, Stormi, I used the word "strange" in the kindest possible way......

Bruce and I did this very trip last Labour Day weekend with a newbie female rider in her second year of riding and on a '99 Kat 750, to boot. Her riding skills were what I considered "reasonable" and she had no probs staying with us. Even though we got away from Cowtown a little later than I'd have liked (~11AM Saturday), we still managed to get to Toad Rock/Ainsworth with a little daylight left to set up the tents.....but finished up using flashlights. We did NOT burn up the roads and ALSO managed to miss what would have been the "perfect" ferry sailing from Kootenay Bay to Balfour.
Keep in mind that that was also in September so we had already lost a lotta sunlight. June at the time of the solstice will give us good light until at least 10:30 local time so no probs.
The big caveat here is, of course, the presence/absence of rain. If it's absolutely pi$$sing down then all bets are off as to times. In my experience you can add about 20% to your trip times if there's lotsa water on the road......

Hopefully we'll be blessed with +30C and unlimited sunshine all weekend....

stormi · « **Reply #17 on:** June 08, 2007, 03:02:57 PM »

Quote from: "H2RICK"

Well, Stormi, I used the word "strange" in the kindest possible way......

well,.. ok,.. I'll let that one slide then.

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Bruce and I did this very trip last Labour Day weekend with a newbie female rider in her second year of riding and on a '99 Kat 750, to boot. Her riding skills were what I considered "reasonable" and she had no probs staying with us.

I would guess that I would be about the same level. I have been licensed 2 years as of last month.

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Even though we got away from Cowtown a little later than I'd have liked (~11AM Saturday), we still managed to get to Toad Rock/Ainsworth with a little daylight left to set up the tents.....but finished up using flashlights.

You know, if I had to set up a tent in something other than lantern or flashlight, I would likely not be able to do it. We never seem to arrive at a campsite early enough to set up in daylight. I'm usually more interested in the reason we're camping than the act of camping.

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We did NOT burn up the roads and ALSO managed to miss what would have been the "perfect" ferry sailing from Kootenay Bay to Balfour.
Keep in mind that that was also in September so we had already lost a lotta sunlight. June at the time of the solstice will give us good light until at least 10:30 local time so no probs.

Also spending a lot of time riding into the setting sun though too,... no?

Quote

The big caveat here is, of course, the presence/absence of rain. If it's absolutely pi$$sing down then all bets are off as to times. In my experience you can add about 20% to your trip times if there's lotsa water on the road......
Hopefully we'll be blessed with +30C and unlimited sunshine all weekend....

Here here!

H2RICK · « **Reply #18 on:** June 09, 2007, 11:34:15 AM »

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Also spending a lot of time riding into the setting sun though too,... no?

Nope, the last leg of the trip from Creston to Kootenay Landing and then Balfour to Ainsworth is all northwards so no probs there.....although the setting sun shining through the trees on the run north from Creston to Kootenay Landing was a little strange.....stobe-like kinda......so we just slowed down instead of attacking that great riding road at warp 10 like we usually would. It was a different experience riding that road at a "sane" pace.
We also took the Balfour to Toad Rock leg at reduced speed because of the newbie rider and the first part of that leg is VERY tricky if you've never been on it before. Spectacular scenery and it really deserves to be ridden in daylight so it can be truly enjoyed. I like to ride it twice in a day if possible.....once for the view and then once for the riding fun.

06 Greyhound · « **Reply #19 on:** June 12, 2007, 10:36:56 AM »

The long range forcast for the weekend is looking very good. On or just above average and dry.

http://www.theweathernetwork.com/index.php?product=fourteenday&placecode=cabc0070

At this point in time I'm thinking that I will be going down on Friday evening to Cranbrook and then on to Salmo on Saturday morning hoping to be there before noon.
From there I will be going north to New Denver and over DH 5 to Kaslo. How far I get depends on the usual stuff.

Afer that I will see about completing the trip back to Cranbrook, or going North to Revelstoke on Sunday.

All subject to change and or suggestions of better routes.

H2RICK · « **Reply #20 on:** June 12, 2007, 11:16:10 AM »

OK, Tony....Bruce and I will try to hook up with you in either Salmo or Ainsworth or Toad Rock on Saturday night. You and the PNW guys can set the place and Bruce and I will try to be there, keeping in mind that we are both camping fanatics. We CAN motel it if necessary but when the weather's nice there's nothing like the stars and a big campfire. It must be the caveman in me or something....

pmackie · « **Reply #21 on:** June 12, 2007, 01:44:03 PM »

Well...I'm hoping to catch up with you guys for part of the ride. But, I'm tied up Saturday. THe best I can do is get up early Sunday, and come meet you guys somewhere on route. Maybe Crawford Bay for the ride south to Creston?

Once the group figures out a tentative route, I'll figure out where I can meet up.

H2RICK · « **Reply #22 on:** June 16, 2007, 12:03:43 AM »

OK....Have we got a final meeting point for Saturday night from you US folks yet ?? Hmmm ??? The world wants to know.....

Bobcat · « **Reply #23 on:** June 16, 2007, 12:41:57 AM »

Let's meet in Salmo on Saturday night. Now, where in Salmo?

06 Greyhound · « **Reply #24 on:** June 16, 2007, 11:20:00 PM »

Salmo it is. I will ride from Cranbrook up to Crawford bay and back to Salmo on Saturday in the evening.
Suggestions for a Sunday ride?

pmackie · « **Reply #25 on:** June 17, 2007, 12:07:32 AM »

My suggestion...Salmo to Castlegar, New Denver, Kaslo, Balfour, Creston. Then split East/West/South.

It will be a bit of a push to get all the way back to Calgary for Sunday night.

Rocketjock · « **Reply #26 on:** June 17, 2007, 01:35:10 PM »

Hey, I could do this. Anyone from Vic., Van., or Seattle want to join me at any point? Motels work fine for me. Let me know.

06 Greyhound · « **Reply #27 on:** June 17, 2007, 01:40:09 PM »

That sounds good to me; I don't have to be back home until Monday night so I don't have to push it too hard.

I am really looking forward to the ride to New Denver from the south; if it's half as nice as the ride down from Nakusp it will be great.

I have to admit that New Denver kind of creeped us out on our last trip through. Something about the guy putting cream on the wounds on the head of the Pit Bull guarding the gas pumps.

I was impressed by the Don Quixote Motel however. We didn't stay there, but did stop to admire the architecture.

We also had a nice time in Sandon. Pretty quiet, but a nice little side trip for a coffee break provided the store is open.

H2RICK · « **Reply #28 on:** June 17, 2007, 10:59:11 PM »

OK....Salmo it is for Saturday evening. We'll have no problems making it from CowTown to Salmo for that. Now we camping fanatics just have to pick a place to put up the tents for the night.....
It looks like there's a place called the Selkirk Motel and RV Park just west of Salmo on #3 that would fill the bill. I just called them and unfortunately they have no motel rooms available for next weekend....but lots of tent spaces available.
Another place called Pine Springs Motel & Trailer Park also has lots of tenting spaces.
Wow, they even have a park cum campground right in town called the Knights of Pythias Park that loks like it might be the perfect place.
Any suggestions from you other folks ??

06 Greyhound · « **Reply #29 on:** June 18, 2007, 10:32:38 PM »

Good news and bad
I managed to get a reservation at the Selkirk Motel and RV park. 250 357 9557
But the bad part is that I got the last room. The RV park has spaces left As of 7:30 MDT.
Don't wait to reserve for Saturday.

The other good bit is that I will be away on Friday after work and will be in Cranbrook for the start of my morning ride on Saturday. and the weather is still looking good.

Where are we going to meet up or should we take a quick once around town and stop at the collection of Bandits.