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Travelling, Friends, and Trips
Started by Sam I Am at 07-03-2010 7:18 PM. Topic has 22 replies.
  
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 07-03-2010, 7:18 PM
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Sam I Am
 
Joined on 04-12-2009
Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
Posts 202
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So Friday morning at 6:45am my buddy and I left Kitchener. Hit the Chi Cheemaun and made it to Wawa in time to catch the LCBO before it closed at 9pm. That's about 850km over about 14 hours. Got a wicked sunburn on the ferry despite having a bottle of sunscreen in my tankbag. Go figure.
The 'Ural Delay Factor' seems to work for a GL too. In Espanola I came out of Canadian Tire to find a lady taking pictures of my bike. She had one years ago and now she's got a Silverwing scooter and a Goldwing but she was totally jazzed to see an old Silverwing again. She didn't even look at my friends' '99 Shadow. Then today just outside of Nippigon at a truck stop where we were stripping off our rain gear after a particularly exciting encounter with the gods of shitstorms I was waylayed by an Arkansas couple in their 70's who really wanted to talk about how they missed their old Silverwing. Really interesting guy, told me he'd gone through 15 Harleys and 3 Goldwings over the decades on 3 continents and all he wanted to talk about was my bike. Then his wife told me that I'd better get my feet dry. That made my day. And what did they have to say about the Shadow? "Oh, that's a nice colour..."
Today was a shorter run due to the truly inclement weather so we only made it to Thunder Bay. I bought some highway pegs that I'm going to try and mount on the Hondaline engine bars tonight. My kness were in total agony after the first day. Wawa to Thunder Bay was about 490 km over about 6.5 hours. There's more crows than seagulls here. Kind of creepy.
If this weather doesn't shit on us we should make it to Winnipeg tomorrow.
Onward and westward,
1982 GL500 Silverfish - It's alive!
1972 Bonneville - overdue for an overhaul
1971 Tiger - parts bike/future project
"An object at rest cannot be stopped!" -The Evil Midnight Bomber What Bombs At Midnight
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07-03-2010, 7:42 PM
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Blindstitch
Joined on 03-14-2009
Greenfield Wisconsin
Posts 9,863
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Sounds like a good trip. Ride safe.
1979 CX500 Supertanker
ATGATT makes riding a bike like a sled easier.
Quick Reference
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07-04-2010, 11:09 AM
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Gene McCall
Joined on 03-02-2006
Murfreesboro
Posts 1,147
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![Cool [H]](http://choppercharles.com/cs/emoticons/emotion-11.gif)
Re: Goin' out west...
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Sam I Am, you are striking memories for me. Don Seedsman, from Melbourne, Au. and I went through much of the country you are describing but going the other way! We made a 15,000 mile plus trip across the US, up through Alaska and back across Canada in 08. You live in a great country, so get out west and enjoy! BTW ride safe.<br>Gene<br><br>PS: On our return we came by the Amish rally in Pa. in August, why don't you make a BIG Loop down and join us this year. You may know we have always had some great riders from Canada at the rally.<br>
My pictures are
Here
I didn't get this old by being timid, just not being stupid!
2000 ST1100 Hack
1983 GL650
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07-06-2010, 1:14 AM
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Sam I Am
Joined on 04-12-2009
Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
Posts 202
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Hey thanks for the invite but I'm afraid I'm already going to have a hard time getting everything done in the 2 weeks I booked off. as it is. I got word that my mother is really sick in Montana and this will probably be the only chance I'll get to see her. This was something I found out just as I was leaving. So now my trip to Vancouver is going to include a run to the Australian consulate to try and acquire an emergency passport so I can cross the border and see her in Billings. I've been putting off the paperwork for years and now I get to pay the price. While I have mixed emotions about this trip now I still can't help getting lost in the stunning beauty of the country I'm driving through. Even though the last 3 days have been stunningly abysmal weather-wise I'm still enjoying every minute of it. Almost. I can't honestly say I enjoyed the shit-rain that obscured my enjoyment of the twisties between Marathon and Thunder Bay and Kenora (No Jacket Required), and the liquid sunshine that obscured my experience of the crossing of most of Manitoba and Saskatchewan but that was more than compensated for by the sudden expanse of Lake Superior burned into my retinas after cresting a hill, the young deer that suddenly slammed to a confused stop about 30' from the highway right in front of me about 1/2 hour after crossing into Manitoba (maybe my new deer horn just paid for itself), the wolf who ran across the road in front of me in Saskatchewan so closely that I could see the confident bemused expression on his mug as he looked at me in passing (maybe my new deer horn only works on deer, maybe I need a wolf whistle) and the motel owner here in Lookout, Saskatchewan who offered us the use of his truck to run into town for beer and chicken fingers.
So yeah, we made it to Lookout after some more severe humidity. Will be heading to Calgary by way of Drumheller tomorrow. Then Vancouver after that.
But now I sleep while my gear drys out.
Can't seem to transfer pics from my buddys' computer, have to do it when I get home.
Cheers.
1982 GL500 Silverfish - It's alive!
1972 Bonneville - overdue for an overhaul
1971 Tiger - parts bike/future project
"An object at rest cannot be stopped!" -The Evil Midnight Bomber What Bombs At Midnight
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07-08-2010, 3:39 AM
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Sam I Am
Joined on 04-12-2009
Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
Posts 202
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Made it to West Vancouver tonight by 10:30pm. Absolutely wiped. Mountains were very cool. More later. Sleep now.
1982 GL500 Silverfish - It's alive!
1972 Bonneville - overdue for an overhaul
1971 Tiger - parts bike/future project
"An object at rest cannot be stopped!" -The Evil Midnight Bomber What Bombs At Midnight
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07-08-2010, 5:51 PM
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gopher
Joined on 11-06-2008
Sk.Ca. Age 56
Posts 608
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That's a long ride in a short period of time Sam.  Stay alert and ride safe!
1981 GL500I
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07-13-2010, 10:37 PM
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Sam I Am
Joined on 04-12-2009
Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
Posts 202
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The storm giants chased us to Moosejaw tonight. The Trans-Canada was open although all westbound traffic is being diverted along a stretch of the eastbound lanes around a bloody great hole in the highway. Rain suit is suffering structural issues resulting in refrigerated nether regions. Bought waterproof chemical gloves in Lethbridge that successfully channeled ice cold water into my elbows.
Yay.
Winterpeg tomorrow.
I'm sure Saskatchewan is very nice. I just haven't seen any more than about 15 degrees of the highway at a time yet...
1982 GL500 Silverfish - It's alive!
1972 Bonneville - overdue for an overhaul
1971 Tiger - parts bike/future project
"An object at rest cannot be stopped!" -The Evil Midnight Bomber What Bombs At Midnight
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07-13-2010, 11:30 PM
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spanish bandit
Joined on 02-12-2009
southern spain
Posts 5,010
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onward and upwards sam,ride safe.
thanks for the ongoing reports
when i feel the need,i do it,llego,ve 60,s
-----------------------------
2008.1982 honda gli silverwing [uk model ]
2010.1981 honda gli silverwing [uk model ]
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07-14-2010, 8:06 AM
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gopher
Joined on 11-06-2008
Sk.Ca. Age 56
Posts 608
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The WeatherOffice.gc.ca site says-
WINNIPEG - Wed. - Showers or thunderstorms with risk of a severe thunderstorm. Wind
becoming west 20 km/h early this afternoon. High 23. UV index 3 or
moderate.
-Thursday - Cloudy. 40 percent chance of
showers in the morning. Clearing late in the afternoon. Wind west 30
km/h becoming light late in the evening. High 23.Low 13
- Friday - A mix of sun and cloud with 30 percent chance of showers. Low 16. High 29.
THUNDER BAY - Thurday - A mix of sun and cloud. 30 percent chance of showers late in the
afternoon and in the evening. Wind becoming west 20 km/h late in the
morning. High 24. Low 13
- Friday -Sunny. Low 16. High 28.
SAULT ST. MARIE - Friday - Cloudy with 30 percent chance of showers. Low 16. High 23.
- Sat - Cloudy. Low 14. High 24.
KITCHENER-WATERLOO - Sat. - A mix of sun and cloud. Low 17. High 28.
- Sunday - Cloudy with 60 percent chance of showers. Low 15. High 27.
Looks warm enough, maybe a bit wet in places though. - the hot shower and the tall rum will be
especially enjoyable when you get home! I wish I were tagging along on the rugged stretch from Nipigon to Marathon. Watch out for those dopey moose on the north shore of Superior.
1981 GL500I
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07-15-2010, 12:10 AM
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Sam I Am
Joined on 04-12-2009
Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
Posts 202
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Saw the sun for a combined total of about 10 minutes in Saskatchewan today. Seems to be a reasonably pleasant place when it isn't raining. Crossed into Manitoba to sunny dispositions and cold beer. Tomorrow we attack Ontario. I am resigned to living like an amphibian until I get home (which has been in the throes of an uninterrupted heat wave whilst I've been gone - yay! no grass to cut!)
The angry moose signs seem to be posted about every ten feet in northern Ontario so I'll have to trust that they'll run afoul of a sign before they run afoul of me...
On the plus side, the Silverfish has been running like a champ. Besides a moderate thirst for oil, that is. Another teardown in my future I'm afraid. Does anyone else experience this thirst on long, hot, high speed runs?
1982 GL500 Silverfish - It's alive!
1972 Bonneville - overdue for an overhaul
1971 Tiger - parts bike/future project
"An object at rest cannot be stopped!" -The Evil Midnight Bomber What Bombs At Midnight
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07-18-2010, 8:17 AM
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Sam I Am
Joined on 04-12-2009
Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
Posts 202
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So the run from Winnipeg to Thunder Bay was awesome but for the last half hour of rain and high cross winds.
Had a 2 hour detour around a bad accident just outside of Ignace that closed the highway for over 5 hours. The detour was a hoot; bought gas at the one-pump-town (one gas pump, one hose) of Wabigoon from a barefoot granny, ran up to Sioux Lookout and across to Silver Dollar on a road that was pretty awesome (twisty and hilly with a permanently posted 'Road Flooded' section), and then back down to Ignace to gas up again for the run into Thunder Bay. A couple of guys on a HD decker and metric cruiser on their way back to Ottawa tagged along on the detour but didn't seem to enjoy the twisty floody part quite as much as we did.
The run from T Bay to the Soo was beautiful; we got there by 5 and decided to stay instead of push on. It was our last night out so we decided to treat ourselves to a decent meal, some drinks and maybe hit a bar after. The decent meal and a couple of beers had their way with us however and we crashed by about 10:30.
Saturday morning we got an early start and made it in plenty of time for the 1:30 ferry at South Baymouth on Manitoulin. So did about 500 other people. We bought standby tickets and were exquisitely happy to be the absolute last two vehicles wedged in before they closed the hull.
Traffic was very dense (in more ways than one) so I dredged my memory from when I used to do service calls in the area and got us back to my place in Kitchener by 7pm.
Good to be back. Wife seems happy to see me. My dogs are like velcro. Passport is in the mail. Now I have to figure out flight and border stuff to get down to Montana to see my mother. I haven't flown commercial since 1978 so this should be fun.
I'm transferring pics to my computer now so I should have some to show off soon.
1982 GL500 Silverfish - It's alive!
1972 Bonneville - overdue for an overhaul
1971 Tiger - parts bike/future project
"An object at rest cannot be stopped!" -The Evil Midnight Bomber What Bombs At Midnight
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07-19-2010, 12:03 PM
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Sam I Am
Joined on 04-12-2009
Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
Posts 202
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Just sitting here at work eating my lunch and realised that I just rode about 9400km on a 28 year old bike that I just rebuilt.
Yikes.
No wonder I was getting the puzzled looks...
1982 GL500 Silverfish - It's alive!
1972 Bonneville - overdue for an overhaul
1971 Tiger - parts bike/future project
"An object at rest cannot be stopped!" -The Evil Midnight Bomber What Bombs At Midnight
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07-19-2010, 5:08 PM
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gopher
Joined on 11-06-2008
Sk.Ca. Age 56
Posts 608
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Congrats Sam - that was an epic ride! Sorry about the Sk. weather. Pics of the blast would be nice when you find the time. Dave gopher
1981 GL500I
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07-19-2010, 9:18 PM
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nippongreen
Joined on 03-16-2006
Ottawa, Canada
Posts 587
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Nice one Sam,
Ditto on the pics when you get chance :-)
Al The Best.......Keith..........
79 CX 500D / 82 GL 500i / 79 CX 500 parts bikes x 2
01 ST1100
Chris's Bikes
84 Honda Shadow VT500/78 Honda 185 Twinstar
(ride safe).......SKYPE....(nippongreen)..
My D.O.B. 21/04/59
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07-20-2010, 12:49 AM
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doralh
Joined on 03-25-2010
Trochu Alberta Canada
Posts 16
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What a great ride!! I'm hoping to do a cross Canada ride when I get my newly acquired GL650 SilverWing up to speed. Hopefully next summer. Too bad that you had the coldest and wettest summer in living memory for your trip. It's usually so dry at this time of year that the frogs forget how to swim. Looking forward to seeing some pics.
1983 GL650i SilverWing
There are old bikers and careless bikers,
but no old careless bikers.
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07-20-2010, 12:20 PM
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GLsouris
Joined on 06-22-2009
Souris Manitoba Canada
Posts 163
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Sounds like a good ride. My wife and I were thinking of taking the bikes from Manitoba to BC, but weather and health reasons changed our minds. Maybe next year we will try. You said your bike was using oil, was it because of a problem with the bike or oil breakdown. Years ago my old GS 1000 would go for 2000 km then use a quart of oil in a couple of hundred ks. I switched to Quaker state and it never used another drop. My 650 was using oil this spring, but after changing the head gaskets and lapping the valves it has been good.
GL Souris
82 500 Silverwing
83 650 Interstate
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07-20-2010, 1:58 PM
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Abes_CW
Joined on 04-17-2007
saskatoon
Posts 3,036
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Great Story Sam. Taking the #1 across SK is the most boring drive in the world IMO, next time swing up the 16, Saskatoon, LLoyd, Edmonton Jasper Kamloops. It's about 200 km farther from here to Vancouver than going down to the #1, but about the same time as the roads are much less touristized, and fewer semis.
1983 GL650i
Had 4 CX/GL's at one point this year, down to one, next spring is another adventure!
age 38 (29 plus tax)
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07-20-2010, 5:58 PM
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doralh
Joined on 03-25-2010
Trochu Alberta Canada
Posts 16
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I don't find Highway 1 across Sask to be that boring and there are some interesting side trips if you have the time, and plan ahead. Like the underground tunnels under Moose Jaw for example. Going west I would switch to Highway 3 west of Medicine Hat. You get to the Rockies sooner that way and don't have to contend with so much traffic. I would also choose September to travel if I could. Nearly all the tourist traffic is gone by then, it's usually dry and the temperatures aren't so extreme. It's mostly two lane through B.C. but there are lots of passing lanes now so you shouldn't be held up much by slow traffic. If the object is to get to Vancouver as fast as possible you should just fly. A couple of speeding tickets in Alberta will run you the price of a plane ticket. Actually there are a lot of different ways to get across the Prairies if you don't mind staying off the main highways. It all depends on why you're making the trip.I actually liked taking #2 west out of Winnipeg and then # 13m most of the way across Sask and hooking up to the TransCanada again at Swift Current. That's not the fastest way to go but it's more interesting than Highway 1. At least it is for me.
1983 GL650i SilverWing
There are old bikers and careless bikers,
but no old careless bikers.
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07-22-2010, 1:06 PM
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Sam I Am
Joined on 04-12-2009
Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
Posts 202
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I'm going to assume that my work computer ain't gonna play nice with the forum software for me so maybe some kind soul will make these links active.
Got just a few pics set up so far. I haven't retrieved any of my pics off my cheap camera yet, which is why these pics jump from Wawa to Drumheller. I wasn't risking the Olympus to the seriously inclement weathers of Manitoba or Saskatchewan. Besides, the winds of Saskatchewan tried to repeatedly steal my left side cover until I threw a bungee across it. Should have bought a waterproof camera...
<img src="http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s69/silverpullet/Wagons%20West%20-%20July%202010/Olympus%20pics/P1010008.jpg" border="0" />
Leaving Wawa, ON. Never park in back of a giant goose...
<img src="http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s69/silverpullet/Wagons%20West%20-%20July%202010/Olympus%20pics/P1010043.jpg" border="0" />
But no batwing doors to get thrown out of... Wayne, AB
<img src="http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s69/silverpullet/Wagons%20West%20-%20July%202010/Olympus%20pics/P1010038.jpg" border="0" />
Some Hoodoo action, outside of Drumheller, AB
<img src="http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s69/silverpullet/Wagons%20West%20-%20July%202010/Olympus%20pics/P1010052.jpg" border="0" />
Dirty old Fish, outside of Wayne, AB
<img src="http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s69/silverpullet/Wagons%20West%20-%20July%202010/Olympus%20pics/P1010056.jpg" border="0" />
Then these bloody great things started popping up everywhere...
And then we were in BC...
1982 GL500 Silverfish - It's alive!
1972 Bonneville - overdue for an overhaul
1971 Tiger - parts bike/future project
"An object at rest cannot be stopped!" -The Evil Midnight Bomber What Bombs At Midnight
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07-22-2010, 1:15 PM
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Sam I Am
Joined on 04-12-2009
Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
Posts 202
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As I thought. Maybe I should wait until the new forum is friendly with me...
Plus I have to get some more pics together.
And I fly to Montana tomorrow to see my mum. Fingers crossed that I've got all my paperwork in order; I haven't flown commercial since 1978.
1982 GL500 Silverfish - It's alive!
1972 Bonneville - overdue for an overhaul
1971 Tiger - parts bike/future project
"An object at rest cannot be stopped!" -The Evil Midnight Bomber What Bombs At Midnight
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07-22-2010, 3:00 PM
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wridley
Joined on 06-28-2007
Didsbury, AB, Canada
Posts 246
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 Sam I Am wrote: | I'm going to assume that my work computer ain't gonna play nice with the forum software for me so maybe some kind soul will make these liks active.
Got just a few pics set up so far. I haven't retrieved any of my pics off my cheap camera yet, which is why these pics jump from Wawa to Drumheller. I wasn't risking the Olympus to the seriously inclement weathers of Manitoba or Saskatchewan. Besides, the winds of Saskatchewan tried to repeatedly steal my left side cover until I threw a bungee across it. Should have bought a waterproof camera...
Leaving Wawa, ON. Never park in back of a giant goose...
But no batwing doors to get thrown out of... Wayne, AB
Some Hoodoo action, outside of Drumheller, AB
Dirty old Fish, outside of Wayne, AB
Then these bloody great things started popping up everywhere...
And then we were in BC... |
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Willy
1983 CX650E !! Newest addition
1982 CX500C
1982 CM450A
1981 GL500I (wife)
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07-22-2010, 8:26 PM
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Sam I Am
Joined on 04-12-2009
Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
Posts 202
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Ah, thank ye kindly sir!
1982 GL500 Silverfish - It's alive!
1972 Bonneville - overdue for an overhaul
1971 Tiger - parts bike/future project
"An object at rest cannot be stopped!" -The Evil Midnight Bomber What Bombs At Midnight
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Honda CX500 & G... » CX500 GL500 Tra... » Travelling, Fri... » Goin' out west...
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