my new to me KLr test rides, part 1

[04klr]

After the wrenches and torches were put away, it was time for a road trip test ride of the "new" 07 Klr globe trekker and at the same time attending my GF's horse event in Hope was the start to the plan.
Left Kamloops wanting to try out the Nicoamen cr fsr. which i had spied on the map last year, the first 8km of incline is the icing, the rest of the road is the cake. The road straight up the walls of the Fraser Canyon bends back and forth in beautifully arcing switchbacks, some seeming close to an impossible 360Deg. I've now done a return trip in the opposite direction and as determined as i was to count the bends, I can only say there are at least 30 switchbacks, I saw a couple of Snakes with broken necks along the roadside from trying to take the turns, if a person was only to go to up 8k for a couple of pics. then come back down it would be a very worthwhile sidetrip. When you see these falls turn left.


three weeks ago would've been far too competietive for the new bike as the snow has only now become passable.

I only saw these cracks in the road after I returned to my bike after taking the picture of the scary 1000ft slide off the side of the road, I imagined myself planting down my foot and inadvertantly stomping the whole ledge sliding to the bottom, made my laugh, and yes I know that is the wrong response.


this is the view down the slide off the side of the road about 100ft. away from the above pic.

the view from around the 7k mark looking down to the canyon below, terrific view.


it's just water, it can't hurt you, now did I remember the "T" vent mod. (yes)

this fsr has many scenic stops and is very cool climbing up the canyon only to crest over to view the backside of the mtns. below merritt.


nicoamen becomes N. Ainslie and dumps you out back into the canyon approx. 8k up from b. bar. The true bummer about this fsr is that in between my southern direction ride of three weeks ago and northern direction ride on sunday they have run a "Road Wrecker 3000" across most of the track (cat with a blade down??) turning a two thumbs up reccomended fsr to a barely ok ride, way too bumpy, perhaps do the suggested northern end 8k and back for the twists and view and call it done.
The kLr parked beside the truck and horse trailer taking a bike to a horse event was an eyebrow raiser and prompted some "my husband has a bike at home, maybe he could come to these events" conversations.


Here's pic. from the horse event in where Sherri and "tilly" aced all that attended.


While down I was able to assist the boys clearing trail up at Tamihi, and they made me take the Klr where I didn't want it to go, so much for this one staying out of the bush. There are no pics. as I'm shy to take out my camera when it's raining which it did all day long.
Next stop was on the Island where I managed a sidetrip up mt. arrowsmith, with good timing as it wouldn't have been possible not long before, made some first tracks. The sight of the Alberni inlet AND the Straight of Georgia is way cool, essentialy seeing both sides of the Island at the same time. If I were a hippee I'd say "far out man".


With slow to respond frozen fingers, I realized at the last moment that this teeny weeny wash was straight edged and 2 feet across and bout a foot deep, computing that I wasn't going to stop the plump kLR in time, plan "b" was to slap the shifter and whack the throttle wide open thus getting a full 3/4 of the bike across the gap, which for those who are good at math will know that is not enuf of the bike to avoid that rather terrific whack into the other side of the gap, luckily no damage or flat (or sudden stop).





Well trip number 1 went well, no big issues with the bike as set-up, not enuf K's (1500+)on this trip and even got in some unplanned trail riding (thanks DSBC), I need about 6 thou on the bike to get it broke in to where I can do-hickey and valve set, which is why this is a two part post. Part 2 is the 3100k whirlwind trip covering Ab, Mt, Id, Wa, and a border crossing where they see, "maybe 2 cars a day and once a year we see a guy on a bike that looks like yours".

Enjoy.

then get out and ride!

 

[04klr]

the test ride part 2.

the test ride part 2.

the first test was too short and more dirty than needed so off to bag 3100k of gravel and pavement.
The first three day total of just under 2700k felt pretty good on the klr, headed NE from the loops to take a right in Canmore up to the spray lake area on a scenic gravel rd. to head on thru to the peter lougheed nat. park.




The exit from spray lakes is on Hwy 40 which is a twisty smooth vacant piece of Alberta hwy. which after a gravel ending dumps you out in Coleman, not far from the Lundbreck prov. rec, site a nice camp spot along the river.

as you leave the rockies on the crowsnest pass on the way to Writing on Stone Nat. Pk. you can see the seemingly misplaced Sweetgrass mtns. in montana over a hundred miles away.

this station was definetly closed

truth in advertising, a bar that sells hi-test. the entire building has been sprayed with spray foam insulation then painted white??

You break east in Milk River towards Writing on Stone park, and where no matter what the sign over the restauraunt at the golf coarse says, if this is "fine dining"

then this is a mint condition t-bird.


the landscape in the nat park is quite surreal and unique for the area, if not for the whirlwind nature of the trip more than an hours exploring should be done here.





welcome to the prairies

After crossing the border in Arden where "we get maybe two cars a day here, and maybe once a year a fella comes by with a bike that looks like yours, with a guy on it that looks like you" was the comment from the border guard who clearly was in his ideal retirement job position. The sweertgrass mountains go from looming on the horizon to standing in from of you growing from the prairie floor, the three main peaks tower up to 6000ft and as they stand by themselves create quite a sight.
The day I went thru to the mountains was just after the rains and I was glad for it as this forest service rd. would've been a challenge.


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The day brought many unique sights like the sundogs that shone the promise of more rain


and the plane that Jethro bilt, he said he could build it, he never said he could fly it.

and a headstone in the blackfoot reserve graveyard from the times of the first treaties that were signed in the US (then promptly ignored)

Day 2 was a very long day with waaay too many deer and elk for my tastes, I ending up setting up camp along the river just outside Libby Mt. well after dark.

a cool dam on the border of Idaho and Wash.

Libby on thru to Seedro wooly on the emptiest twistiest (driest) roads I could find spent the night in a room rather than breaking camp in the rain. How can you say no to a Philly cheesesteak omelete for breaky.


Lots of gravel and backroads all across southern Alberta Montana Idaho, likely the better part of 2 thou of gravel, then a meander back to the sumas border crossing on hwy9, where if you take the Mosquito Lake rd. loop you can play supermoto superster as there is barely a straight stretch in a half an hour.


After a sidetrip to white rock I rerode my tracks on the Nicomen cr fsr. and it's views of the fraser canyon, and on to home.




just over 3100k of stunning vacant backroads, a terrific 3.5 day trip.
And now there's enuf miles for the doohicky to get done! Test rides complete,
for now.

 

[joker650]

Looks like a Great ride Wayne.

 

[cheeseburger]

Yeah, it looks like beautiful, deserted country. I'd like to explore that area at some point.

Also: that's a lot of distance to put on your bike in 3.5 days! How much saddle time did you log per day? I'm surprised you had time to snap those pictures.

 

[04klr]

I'm notoriously quick with a camera and as to hours in the saddle, of the two nights camping one camp was barely set by dark (didn't leave the loops til noon), and the other camp was set by headlamp well after dark. That loop has stunning scenery and is way way low on the traffic scale. Most backroads in the states are paved and vacant they have paved roads in the craziest places I'm riding along thinkiong, why is this paved, awesome. thx.