July 2005

USA Montana
CANADA
Alberta,
British Columbia
USA Washington

Coma, Trophy, salty air & Mr. Frodo.

Even with the cold temperatures I keep on riding north.
First it should go thru the state Montana and then to Canada.
In south Montana I have to realize that right now I am the only one which 'thinks' like that about the further travels.
After a little break, Fusae (my motorcycle) sounds like a sawing machine and Moses gives me from a save distance (the front fender) a stupid smile.
Baaah!
Fusae doesn’t want to move - not an inch. - waaaah what a awful sound!
I hitch to the next town. Town is more or less already a too big description for this few houses, 3 little shops, gas station with attached workshop, one tavern, one bar and a church - that’s more or less everything what makes Clyde Park. There is no campground and no hotel, but a lot of super nice people.

Dale (pic. center) the gas station and garage owner gives me some space in the back of his workshop to work on Fusae - how nice, real cool garage space!!
Scott (pic. left) the excellent mechanic gives me a hand where ever it is needed and let me know that he is impressed about my technical understanding.
Randy (pic. right) the neighbour offers me accommodation.
So I start to take Fusae apart in to 100 pieces, and see what's wrong.
Oh oh oh - no good!
After a talk with Scott we order parts from Royal Enfield USA and really it is support. A new cylinder head, piston and little parts. With the enormous help of Scott I can take off at the 5th day.

Yippiyeah - back on the road. It is incredible how quick I felt at 'home' with all this nice people!
At the weekend befor July 4th I visit the Glacier National Park and enjoy the beautiful scenery and windy roads. The traffic is crazy and I am happy when I finaly make it over the boarder.


Hello Canada!

In the southern part of the state Alberta I learn about the flatland Indians and dinosaurs.

Great museums explain a lot of history.
To camp - that’s tough - millions of little mosquitoes.
They are terrible and annoying, but with tons of repellent and nice sights finally I learn to ignore them.

The Hoodoos I see, are just cool - I love them!
This are sandstone pinnacles with a stone 'hat' on top.
Super cool , same as once more my timing.

This weekend there is one of the biggest west Canadian motorcycle meetings.
Of course - I stay!
Good live music, super sweet people and awesome atmosphere.
The whole scene is surrounded by nice scenery - the Canadian badlands.

For fun I sign Fusae (my motorcycle) at the show & shine competition show in.
7 categories.
But which one is for us?
I think we fit in the category metric tourer.
Some screws are metric and we are touring!!
Some hours later I cant believe it - we make the 1st price in our category!

The crowd is fascinated - they love my story of traveling & my bike.

I don’t get it - I’m right in the scene.

Local newspaper interview and a motorcycle newspaper report... All the time there are people talking to me and shake my hand, I don’t know how many???

I love it and I am very happy for my Fusae - there is no more reason to be jealous.
All the time when I talked about Shanti (my 1967 Royal Enfield in Austria) she got jalous.
Fusae has a trophy!

I check out Calgary quiet quickly and visit the Stampede.

That’s a festival under the 'howdy' motto.

All about horses & cowboys. Rodeos, chuck wagon races, several show, parades, expeditions, cowboys & show starlets.

Time to move on to the National Parks Banff, Yoho & Jasper.

With a nice Israeli and Bob from Las Vegas I share a campground spot.

We find eazy a better way to spend the savings for :o))

A view days later I reach the state British Columbia where I get a 'never-ending' rain shower as welcome.
6 hours riding in poring rain - that’s enough - and a good accommodation is needed afterwards.

Within the next days I visit whistler and Vancouver.
I can smell the salt in the air and love the city straight away.
Clean, green, easy, interesting and much more that’s Vancouver to me.

Before I like it too much I take the ferry to Vancouver island.

Unbelievable what happened on this ride - an other Royal Enfield.
Paroma & Raj are traveling for 2 weeks to see some friends.

At the pacific rim at Vancouver island I set a personal milestone - 10.000 KM!

A view days later and with a lot of nice experiences I visit the capitol Victoria.

I find some little speakers for the DC player which revolution the camping style - real music!

It's not much more luggage - I can fold them together to a little package.

I do in the area some great forest hikes, climb a summit where I have a great view to the city and the US.
Some days later I take a ferry over there. When I do the immigration paperwork, I am super lucky and it makes me happy - an other 90 days visa to visit the states.
With that stamp in my passport I can travel without rushing.
At the Olympia national park it is easy to spend some days.

Do you know the move 'the lord of rings'? some parts should be filmed here.

I have the feeling that some of this beautiful mossy trees want to talk to me and move if you don’t pay attention.

I feel like Mr. Frodo who made a deal with the trees....

(this part of a tree got shiny only from touching)

In the city of Olympia, Fusae gets an other prof. check that I can keep going south save.
At the weekend of the 31st of July 2005 I celebrate at the Mt. St. Helens National Park - what I have to celebrate.......?
The expiring of my return flight ticket - now it is really an open end trip.... I take a deep breath and tjuhui !!!

FREE & INDEPENDENT !!!!!

August 2005

USA
Washington, Oregon,
north. California, Nevada

Cold Coast, Vulkano,
giant trees, 'San Fran'
& 15.ooo KM

As you mabe read in the July 2005 blog I reached the Mt. St. Helen Nationalpark.

This Vulkano erupted 25 years ago and didn't left only a still bubbling, steaming and funny shaped crater, as well a desaster.

The reforesting takes ages and about the family tradegies not even to image.

Very inforamative and interesting information centers give me an idea what was /is going on and almost a view in to the vulcano.

In Oregon I try it to find a pleasant coast - but nothing realy beachy.

The whole pacific coast down till southern california is in summer covered in a thick, heavy, grey, cold fog.

A famous writer said once; the coldest winther I spent was a summer in San Francisco ...... or something like that.

This is one of the nicest day's at the beach.

One of the vew things which makes me lough in this temperatures are this tsunami-alarm and emergency signs.

The big (through under water earthquake started) waves are here all called tsunami.

When I think back to my Indian trip in Dec 2004/Jan 2005 I wish nobody a tsunami experience...

....and then this stuped idea of having an emergency exit...

..America, America, in this land is really everything possible.

I ride only further south to reach the sanddunes, watch all sorts of vehicles and riders having fun at this enourmous playground.

I deside that this is enough cold - it is summer and I want to have nice temperatures . . . . the solution is . . . . exactely . . . . .inland.

Beautiful little roads, great rivers, nice weather, fat green forests and then . . . . aaaaah.....please not . . . . . . I know this sawingmachine sound form south montana.

I let fusae roll down the hill, reach the tiny town called Kellogg.
I stop on a little side road and let Fusae cool down.

I need a drink, get out of my motorcyclejacket and check the map!

I have a look arround - wow, a 2 house 'city'.

At the 1st house I ask for a spot to camp and mabe a tourque rench....?!

Glenda & Ron are sweet and offer me streight away a roon and all they can.

Even some days later they bring me to the next (200KM) dealer.

He is close to Eugene - a university city in Oregon.

I need a lot more stuff.

The dealer agrees and started to order.
Right now we do not know why the same thing happend again - with all the maintenance & care my motorcycle gets?
This time the whole repair does the dealer, they get payed for it and should do it propper.

After a talk with the family which takes care of one of the town churches I can camp behind the building.

They also let me use their bathrooom and we have a good time.

At the time there is a coming & going, some popsicle ice cream arround and some dice for 'oh shit' game rolling!

I go for some walks (mostly to the library to check my mails) or get a ride from this nice family where ever I need to go.

One day, as I bother the guys at the workshop we discover a little whole in the veld at the exhaust emissionkontrole.
Finally, after 2 weeks of camping behind the church, trying & checking to get a good job at fusae done I can continue my travels.
My motorcycle sounds since this repair just crap!

On the beautiful way to crater lake I have to do 2 emergency repais.

I improvice even with an old drinking straw....finally I can enjoy this awesome surroundings.

The blue of crater lake is just stunning and the possebileties of hikes are endless -
I love it!

Some days later fusae (my motorcycle), Moese (the tedybear at the front fender) and myself are riding as good as it goes through the redwoods.

Some trees are over 100 m high.

It feels like we shrank, but that didn't happen.

There beautiful trees are just enormous.

Immage how many toothpegs you can get out of one....??

Even here I try to take the 'backroads' and reach some days later the famous Napa Valley.

This is a very nice wine region.

Winery after winery and the hills are filled with this timeconsuming 'plants'.

Stretch limousines, luxerious Villas, art & everything which counts for good live.

An other short ride away is San Franciso.

At the golde gate bridge fewing spot I meet a Harley Davidson club.
It cracks me up - they are form Lyon /France - not far (one day drive) from where I live in Austria.

This is a group of 10 women and man, the holidayers dont have that much time, so I have the view later for myself.
The Marin Park is close by, where I find a nice hostel.

Actually I have been searching for a camping, but as I discover this hostel....
iIt's the same price as caming and I havent slept in a real room for over 5 weeks ?!

The peace and freedom out here is fantastic and just over the bridge there is this great, colourful, interesting, global, crooky street & tram city.

I enjoy it to crouse throu china town, find the corner where the hippy movement started and view to alcatraz where the bad boys are.

With the finest sushi in my 'tommy' I ride some days later for a wisite to Sacramento.
My friend works very hard in a difficlut enviorment and for 'relaxing' she has a special 'hobby'!
I get invited and am more than happy to follow. The next morning we get up early and drive at 5.15 am to the city.
There is a room already preheated on 42 'C
My friend is an instructor for 'hot yoga' and so we stretch, bend and ballance for the next 1 1/2 hours. So much fun!!

Totaly relaxed I ride to Lake Tahoe. This scenic road takes me arround the lake and I meet some fiends which I met up in Olympia - it's nice to see some familiar faces.
Late evenings I make it to the next Royal Enfield dealer in Reno.

Streight away he knew what's wrong with my bullet (my type of Royal Enfiled) and 'fixes it emediatly.
These guys here do know what they dare doing.
Hip hip hurray - my fusae sound way better and does not run to lean any more!
I'm proud to be able to tell - 15.000KM are done.

I did not thought that it goes that quick ;o)

At friday I do get some more parts here and the last prof. Royal Enfield dealer here in Reno, but thats a different story - it is already September.

September 2005

USA
Nevada, California,
Utha, Arizona

September news !

At the first day of the month I am in Reno.
At the Royal Enfield dealer I buy some more little parts and get some things done and changed.
Tait ( the star from the main dealer in Minnesota) flies for this weekend in.

There are lots of Enfields & Enfielder which are enjoying this meeting here a the local dealer.

With sunshine and in the best mood I ride in to the weekend.

My motorcycle Fusae sounds good and brings me save to Mono Lake.

A little turn off takes me to the ghost town Bodie.
Form 1880 on it didn’t grew only to a size of a real city – in its best days Bodie could count 10.000 residents.

Gold rush was the magic, but for the most of them is was a hard, rough and tough live.
The extreme temperatures & hard work, saloons and the ‘light’ ladies made one or the other ones live difficult.

Today there are only some houses left, but there exactly in the same way as they got bought in the 60’s from the state to preserve history.

The next day I move on. It’s a thought day for Fusae.

Via Tioga pass we (Motorcycle, Moses and myself) reach the beautiful Yosemite National Park in California.
Stunning views or even huge Rock formations, great hikes and much more is to do about here.
This weekend it is crowded, so many visitors that the rangers told me already that there is only a campsite if I have a reservation . . . . . of course, me and a camping reservation!?

I try my luck to find a spot.
But it is more than that. Shane ‘inspects’ my bike while I talked to the rangers and so I ask him if he wants to have this bike on his camp spot?!
DEAL!!

His friends Lisa & Denny also dont mind heaving me at their spot and we have a good time.
Shane and I stay some more days at the National Park before,….
Oh - I almost forgot to tell you about the bear.
Its not a story.
Those one of you which ever slept under the stars, know what it’s like – you hear every noise.
It happened around 3 or 4 am.
I wake up, Shane as well and when I lift up my head to have a look in the direction of the noise…. Wow a black bear, how cool.
He is checking the campground to fins some food.
I hope at this point ‘he’ is vegetarian and not interested in us – he is huge!

Back to you curiosity about my ‘camping companion’!
Shane is from New Zealand and travels as well, but he does it in a different style (left New Zealand with 80 Dollars in his pocket)
After this great week we set an appointment for later – to travel together.

I keep on moving towards Las Vegas.

On the way I have a look at the biggest tree in the world.

He grows in the pretty Sequoia National Park and should be around 2500 years old.

Soon I reach Death Valley.

- what a place.
From rocks on a race track to spots 85,5 meter under the sea level.

Everything to find in this lunar landscape.
The heat during the day is enormous and I have this weird feeling that Fusae doesn’t like it.
So I get up the next morning at 5 am to escape the heat.
What do I get back? – this awful sawing machine sound!

The 3rd time where she breaks down.
It sounds that it is the same problem again.
Were this 100 miles from the dealer in Oregon to that one in Reno too much – remember, there she ran to lean!?

With a towing pick up (this time paid by Royal Enfield USA) we get to Las Vegas.
At my friends place I can stay.

Shelley & Bob give me a warm welcome, a nice room and everything I need while Fusae gets her place at Findlay’s Motorcycles.

On Wednesday it is clear – once more the whole repair.

The main dealer wont take it back as a lemon, but pay the repair……
‘Shit’!
If there would be only me which is traveling,
I maybe wound wait for the repair, but there is this ‘WE’ and the plan is to go to Mexico.
I check the situation to buy a car.
In my budget there is no calculation for a new one, so I check the used scenery. With the bus it takes me 3 hours to get from one side of the city to the other one.
The Motorcycle shop where they fix my bike are nice people and lend me for a day a Triumph which looks even good at the strip.

The strip is that part of Las Vegas which every one knows – a huge toy box for adults.
Casinos in Pyramid and palace shapes.

From Roller coaster to Venice…. everything you can image is there.

On Monday 19.09.1005 I’m lucky.

Jimmy is my new transportation.
This 6cylinder GMC is hopefully as good as he looks.
Tuesday’s I get the number plate and insurance (once more all on my name - officially this is not possible). And I am ready to take off.
First I drive ½ way to San Francisco to meet Shane and shift luggage.
For the next week I’ll be gone to the National Parks east of Vegas.
Who knows when I’m ever back.

First I visit Zion National Park.

Great hiking possibilities and views all around.

In Bryce Canyon, I am impressed by the needle rocks and at Capitol Reef National Park the colors & formations of rocks are just breath taking.

The next National Park I visit on this roundtrip is the Arches.

Sandstone formations in different shapes give this National Park his name. Stones which balance other once are as impressive like all this spectacular sights.
On the way to the little and not that well known Antelope Canyon I drive through the famous Monument Valley.
One late afternoon I reach Page and take a rest.

This canyon should be best at lunch time – so I check it out the next day!

Live it is even better than on the photos…..

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I have a look at Grand Canyon National Park and Hoover Dam before I return to Las Vegas.

My friends give me once more a warm welcome and talk to me to stay.
First I thought about maybe 2 days, but Jimmy (my car) doesn’t sound good at all.
At the garage they say it will take a week – a week ??!! - to fix it?!

OK, I am welcome to stay at my fiends place and as an exchange we find out that they love the austrian way of cooking.
I do the shopping at the organic store around the block and prepare every evening a meal for my friends – I’m allowed to ell it the whole world - I’m happy to have friends like them – thank you Shelley & Bob!

This way are the days flying by like nothing, so the September month and the USA part of this trip.
The next days I’ll drive to Mexico and there we’ll see – who is who?!

Then there it is a WE,

….We are traveling ….. Shane the New Zealander and I!

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