https://new.spotwalla.com/trip/2287-e4d7131-9817/view

Day 2 of our ride and two of us have crossed into Canada. Day 1 was an uneventful 600 mile Interstate ride to get us into Montana. In contrast Day 2 was 560 miles with only 10 Interstate miles.

Outstanding weather, roads and scenery for the ride across Montana from Billings to Glacier National Park. We must have ridden by the Dutton Ranch at some point along the way but no signage or visuals on Rip, Beth or any other Dutton (OK maybe not that close to Paradise Valley)

Before crossing into Canada we said our goodbyes to Will who was not able to complete the journey to Alaska but will be riding to some points East before returning home.

Rick and I entered Canada and continued onto Calgary completing the day’s ride in a steady rain.

Delayed due to COVID travel restrictions traveling through Canada this bucket list ride is on!

The final day of riding began with a temperature of 29 degrees with strong winds, however temperatures rapidly climbed into the 50s.

Nice ride through the Northern New Mexico and Southern Colorado Rockies on what was likely the final ride through some of these areas for this riding season.

The Southern route turned out to be a good choice based on this weather photo from one of the Northern passes.

Arrived home late yesterday to end this incredible journey which covered just over 11,000 miles (310 gallons of gas) while passing through 35 states.  Lost track of the number of memories and stories from this ride during the first few days.

Thanks to everyone who took the time to view these posts and a special thanks to all of you that made comments.

 

 

Completed the ride across the Mojave but not before checking the temperature on the World’s tallest Thermometer.  Not sure it really works as it was early in the day and in the 60s.

Down the street in the same town of Baker California was yet another “Alien” encounter, this one an Alien Jerky Store.

 

Besides the usual Alien items found at these places they do have a vast variety of Jerky types and flavors.

It is actually fairly good.

The ride across Arizona included a ride down the “Main Street of America” better known as Route 66.  Unfortunately only small sections of this road still exist in the West where the Interstate replaced the long distances between the towns that still exist.

However there are many retro places to discover along the way like the Wigwam Motel in Holbrook Arizona.

There was a chain of these Motels built in the 30s – 40s and a few of them still exist in the US.

Ended the day’s ride soon after crossing into New Mexico.

 

After enjoying some of the San Francisco attractions (Cable Car ride, Alcatraz, Lombard Hill and Irish Coffee at the Buena Vista) with Kelley we did another ride through the Wine Country before spending time with family.

Robert Mondavi’s place

Attended a Niece’s Wedding with a bunch of bald guys and beautiful ladies.

Kelley caught her flight back to Colorado and I began the ride home.  Early snow expected in the Sierras later in the day Sunday therefore headed South for the Mohave Desert with a stop for the night in Barstow.  Plan to ride portions of Route 66 East before heading North into Colorado.

 

Continued the ride West today through the Napa Valley with tempatures in the high 90s.

Made a stop in Sonoma to visit what should probably be a historical landmark.

This 89 year old tavern frequented by locals seems out of place at its location in the town square.  Botique hotels, wine tasting venues, art gallerys and fufu gift shops are more typical of the square’s businesses.

Had a great uncle that worked as a brewmaster in San Francisco and retired to Sonoma in the 40s.  He grew grapes and always had 2 – 3 barrels of wine aging down in his basement before wineries were “fashionable” in the valley.

Completed the ride into San Francisco and found a place in the Marina District complete with great bike parking.

Plan to spend the next couple of days here in the city.

Spent the night in Hawthorne, Nevada which was once the home of a large ordnance plant.  The town has an outdoor museum with many of the different types of the shell casings manufactured locally.   In the city park are sculptures of what are known as “Whirligigs” created using discarded shell casings.

Continued the ride across Nevada’s high desert for a couple of hours before crossing the Eastern ridge of the Sierras and dropping into the Lake Tahoe area.

Definitely a great change in scenery!

Rode around a portion of the lake before riding into Reno for the annual Street Vibrations motorcycle event going on this weekend

Hundreds of motorcycles already at the event and many more on the highways in the area.

Checked out many of the Vendor displays and then continued the ride into California.

 

The ride today started out in light rain from the Southwest corner of Utah.  Rain subsided early and was able to get a couple of Utah photos before heading into Nevada.

Canyon leading up to Cedar Breaks National Monument from Cedar City, Utah

 

Reached the beginning of the Extraterrestrial Highway a couple of hours into today’s ride

Either a lot of tourists have already been this route or the Aliens attempted to camouflage the highway sign with stickers and magnets?

The next sign made me think hard!

The challenge was the last gas station on my route was at least 50 miles back – good thing I topped off there but was dealing with a strong headwind.

Came across the Alien Research Center along the route

 

The ideal road?

Faced with the difficult decision of either taking this opportunity to see what the bike will do or conserve fuel and make it to the next gas station

The only business open along the entire stretch of highway is the LITTLE A’LE’INN

Oasis along the way offering food, drink and souvenirs.  The gas station next door closed down years ago.

Bike made it to gas in Tonopah although must have been close to being on fumes,

 

 

Spent 3 days at home catching up on things and preparing the bike (gave it a much needed cleaning, replaced the rear tire and brake pads) for the next leg of the journey.

Road west today crossing the Rockies during the peak of the fall colors in Colorado.

Tomorrow’s route includes Nevada State Highway 375, a lightly traveled road known as the Extraterrestrial Highway which stretches for 98 miles from US-93 in the southeast to US-6 in the northwest

Have never traveled this route in the past however I did find this information:

“In April 1996 Nevada State Highway 375 was officially named the Extraterrestrial Highway for the many UFO sightings along this lonely stretch of road. The highway is close to the mysterious Area 51, a super-secret Air Force test facility, and in the 1980’s and 1990’s there have been many sightings of unidentified objects near the base. Even today visitors and locals alike often see strange lights in the night-sky while driving down the highway”

If there are no further posts in the next couple of days I may have not used my best judgement in this route selection.