Our contributor, Joe Barker, found a break in Canada's miserable weather and took his Triumph Bonneville down to USA for some west coast riding.
On a recent extended stay in Canada I was quickly reminded of how we take fine weather riding for granted here in Washington. We get a few wet weeks in winter and a few scorchers over summer, but nothing so severe that it prevents us from riding all year round. In parts of Canada and northern USA it’s a different story. The winters are severe, and most bikes are stored for six months or more except for a few diehard, or arguably, insane riders.
From my temporary home in Victoria on Vancouver Island, I looked out through an ice covered window as my new Triumph Bonneville disappeared from view under a blanket of snow. After months of miserable cold winter weather I was desperate for warmer temperatures and a long ride. I found myself constantly monitoring the weather forecasts for a glimpse of the spring which hadn’t arrived. My wish was eventually granted when the charts predicted at least four or five rain free days for the west coast. I quickly loaded up the
Triumph and caught the next ferry across to Port Angeles in the USA. After exploring the Washington peninsular and the Olympic Mountains I took the old Highway 101 down through Washington and the Oregon coast. The scenery is breathtaking if you hit fine weather, but when it’s raining the views disappear in a shroud of mist. I’d intended continuing down into California but when the Memorial Day holiday crowds started flooding into the coastal towns I decided to ride inland and visit friends in Bend, Oregon. As I left the coast, the temperature climbed and by the time I reached the small town of Three Sisters, it was up around 34 degrees Celsius. It’s a strange phenomenon to be basking in the sun, yet surrounded by magnificent snow-capped mountains.
It was fantastic catching up with friends and soaking up the sun, but after two days of exploring the region I decided not to stretch my luck with the weather. I looked at the map, checked over the Triumph then headed north, weaving my way up through the back roads and over the high desert plateaus of Oregon (the remote dry landscape reminding me of home). I continued north towards the Cascade Mountains in Washington and rode the loop. I was blown away by the high mountains and the twisty roads elevating me and the Triumph on a roller coaster ride through breathtaking scenery. It rained solid for an hour and a half and I was numb with cold as the bike crested the snow covered summit at the Pacific trail pass. The drifting clouds moved eerily over the mountain peaks, changing the views like a slide projector. Even with the bleak weather and discomfort, the ride was worth every moment and one of the most memorable of my life. By the time I dropped elevation and reached the quaint, western themed town of Winthrop, it was dusk and the local Deer were on the move. It was time to park the Triumph for the night and get some rest. Those deer can jump like a Kangaroo but are three times the size.
Rising to a warm sunny morning I rode on through the town of Oroville, then crossed over the border into BC Canada. The weather stayed fine as the Triumph ate up the kilometers west, through the Okanogan Valley, Hope and onwards towards the Tsawwassen ferry terminal. As I joined the throng of vehicles departing the ferry in the dark, the air was cold and the rain started to fall. I smiled to myself, I knew I was back at my temporary home on the Rock, Victoria BC. What a fantastic trip, the bike never missed a beat; I visited some spectacular scenery, met some great people and stopped in some quirky places. I just love the back roads and small towns of USA . One thing that amazed me was the number of people who asked me about the Triumph. I received many comments like, “that’s a nice looking bike! How old is it? How long did it take to rebuild? I had one of those when I was younger!”
I wish I had a dollar for every time someone looked over the bike. I recon Triumph should have sponsored me for exposing the bike to the small towns of America. Most folks didn’t seem to realize that Triumph was back in business. The naked Bonneville isn’t the best for those who like to travel long distances on the concrete slab interstate highways, but for the travel style I like it worked perfectly. If it wasn’t for all the government red tape I’d have shipped her back to Aus in a heartbeat. Regretfully, that couldn’t happen so I sold her. Ahh well, I’ll just have to stick with the 1150 GS until I can afford a Bonneville.
