.50/50 RULE or Just APPRECIATE IT!

By Robert Rehkopf

The Motorcycle Tourer’s Forum (MTF) http://www.mctourer.com is a web based sponsor of many Flower Sniffin’ Rides (casual riding for 3 or 4 days), Long Distance Rides, and Rough Road Riding (RRR) which some call Dual Sport Riding.  I registered (which is free by the way) for the MTF Destination Hyder Alaska Flower Sniffin’ 2015 ride knowing it would give me an opportunity to see several of the Canadian National Parks, the Canadian Rockies, and re-visit some of my favorite places in Canada like Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper again. Start location for the Flower Sniffin’ Ride was Great Falls, Montana http://www.mctourer.com/rides/2015/Hyder/index.html.

There was also the Team Strange Whispering Giants Tour which I had already started earlier in the riding season http://teamstrange.com/2015/whispering_giants/index.htm, and the ride to Hyder, Alaska would offer additional opportunities to see more of these magnificent sculptures which are dedicated to the American Indian by artist Peter Toth. See map below, X symbol are the Whispering Giants I have already gathered.

Example of Dedication Plaque.

Whispering Giant example.

AND the opportunity to also visit and re-visit some of my favorite places in America like Deception Pass, see the Grand Coulee Dams’ laser light show, Yellowstone, eat at Café Diablo http://cafediablo.net in Torrey, UT, Zion NP, North Rim of the Grand Canyon NP, and to finally to see the bats leave Carlsbad Caverns NP.

Putting these three goals into one trip, plus a little extra looked like this (actual tracks):

I started the trip on May 14 and arrived home June 8, beginning odometer 9183, and ending odometer 19179, a 10,000 mile trip or close to half-way around the world. I had 3 non-riding sightseeing/visiting  days included

The trip didn’t go as expected; I was concerned about heading ‘north’ so early in the riding season because of weather! As it turned out, the ‘north’ ie Canada was perfect riding for me temps in 40s & 50s and beautiful sunshine for most of the trip, BUT the getting to Canada was a whole different story!

Remember the huge and fierce storms that flooded Texas and Oklahoma, well they went through South and North Dakota also (see my track map for I-94 going through North Dakota). I was in Stevens Point, WI, which is near the geographical center of the State, and watched the severe weather leave Texas and move into the Dakota’s. Knowing that behind the severe rain, hail, and wind it was supposed to snow at my planned stop in Dickinson, ND the next morning. Making a decision to forgo several Whispering Giants bonuses in the Upper Peninsula area, I decided to ride directly to Great Falls, MT our MTF gathering hotel and Destination Hyder start location. My ride would take me thru Bismarck, ND, and there I would make a decision about the weather, either to continue riding or hold up, and face the potential of snow the next morning. When I arrived at Bismarck, checked the NEXRAD RADAR on my GPSMAP 478 I saw that the main weather cell nearly extended the width (north to south) of the entire State, but it had a narrower ‘tail’. I decided to head for the ‘tail’, and although this worked, by the time I got to the ‘tail’ it was about 160-180 miles wide! After riding through the ‘tail’, and riding deep into Montana (a 900 mile day) I thought the worst was behind me, I was through ND. Indeed, my fellow riders behind me said they stopped in Bismarck because of sleet on their windscreen.

I awoke the next day; it was still drizzly rain, still wet roads, and still 200 miles to Great Falls. Although I had missed the snowy weather in the Dakota’s I wasn’t in the clear yet. The winds keep up the whole 200 miles to Great Falls, and my dashboard ‘snowflake’ symbol started flashing. Temperatures according to my onboard gauge started dropping the higher I got in elevation. The temps dropped to 33 degrees going over the Judith Mountains, but the roadways or bridges never froze! After arriving in Great Falls a day early I had the opportunity to welcome the other riders as they arrived. I believe there were about 40 of us all together that were participating in the Flower Sniffin’ ride, and about a dozen or so were doing Iron Butt Association (IBA) certified rides of 1000 to 4000 miles, but they would end their rides in Hyder, AK. I know what you’re thinking and the answer is: YES, we all talked about the weather!

Leaving Great Falls heading to the border crossing there was one more surprise waiting for us, 5 miles of bad road! Construction had removed the entire roadway and there wasn’t an all-weather surface to ride on. Another group of our riders had the ‘follow me’ truck get stuck and had to be pulled out using a bulldozer. Their MOT (Maintenance Of Traffic) plan certainly wasn’t in place. Regardless, once in Canada there was no more serious roadway construction or bad weather. I remembered many years ago riding to a Harley event in Milwaukee, I was told there are two seasons in the northern tier of States, winter and construction, this is true!

The entire ride in Canada was viewing spectacular scenery of every kind, mountains, wildlife, etc. All I can say is go there.

See Photos Below:

 

Returning to America was nice; although I very much enjoyed the Canadians it was good to be home, and I still had some great things to do and places to see yet to come, ie so many roads, so little time.  First off Deception Pass, Washington and Oregon gather some Whispering Giants bonuses, along with an oil change. Having checked those off the list I headed north to see the laser light show on the Grand Coulee Dam. Arriving at the Dam I discovered that due to the drought the show was shown on the Dam surface NOT the white water of their spillways, as normal. Disappointed, I headed south towards Yellowstone and the Grand Lodge. I would recommend staying there, it is beautiful, and it has many comfortable chairs and couches, in addition to the porch viewing of Old Faithful.

Due to construction I had to take the long way out of the Yellowstone, but it was as always beautiful. From Yellowstone to Café Diablo and Capital Reef Inn, in Torrey, UT, to Zion NP, what can be said about UT12 except a must ride road, and Café Diablo a must eat place. Trust me on this. See photos below:

Utah 12. Try it you’ll love it! Please read the sign and note the guardrail or the lack of it!

 

Entrée at Café Diablo. Tasty Fresh Salmon!

Desert at Café Diablo. Note cookie on top of the homemade ice cream in the eatable cup!

 

Toaking the back road from Hurricane, UT to miss the Zion NP traffic is a wise decision and has its own special beauty. I had never been to the Grand Canyon North Rim, but I liked it much better than the South Rim Park. Eat at Jacobs Lake if you get a chance, but don’t ask for poached eggs for breakfast, too high takes 20 minutes to boil water!

I arrived at Whites City, NM, the closest motel to the Park and was in time for the evening bat flight, I thought it was fun and would do it again. The next morning I spent about 8 hours underground at Carlsbad Caverns Cave doing several tours and taking in this amazing place.  They have some great tours especially the Lower Chamber but I wasn’t able to take it because I needed ‘better’ shoes because of the knotted rope repel.

See Photo below:

Carlsbad Caverns Cave

 

Leaving Carlsbad and heading home I stopped in Plano, TX for a visit, and then the home stretch picking up my last Whispering Giant in Little Rock, AR.

 

My Thoughts on this trip and basically any ‘long’ trip, became very clear during this ride.

50/50 Rule: Most everybody who rides has probably heard some variation of the 50/50 Rule. Basically, if the weather is below 50 degree or there is greater than a 50% chance of rain the ride is cancelled. In looking back at my ride and thinking about riding in the ‘world’ I think those who apply the 50/50 rule are missing out on what is obviously some great riding, but a little of life too! There is an old sailor saying, great ships are protected in harbors, but great ships aren’t built to stay in harbors, or something like that. I’m certainly not a great ship, but I certainly don’t agree with the 50/50 rule either.

Appreciate it: As I was communicating during my trip with some riders telling them about my daily activities one of them caught me in what he considered complaining about the weather, and he was right. He said you have to have a little rain to appreciate the beautiful sunshine. He was so spot on I redirected my thoughts to how lucky I am, and quit bitching and have a good time. So I will pass that thought on: appreciate it, all of it, whatever ‘it’ is.

 

Ride Safe,

Robert

 

Ps. Don’t let the Grizzly’s eat you either.