The End Of The Ride

We delivered the bikes to Vancouver airport this morning - so no more
riding :-( Just a day and a half to do some tourist bits in Vancouver
before flying home on Saturday.

The picture is of the bikes strapped down on a pallet ready to be
loaded onto a plane bound for Gatwick. The bikes actually leave a few
days after us.

Nearin' Vancouver

Last 2 hours of the ride as we head through Seattle toward the Canadian border. We stop for a coffee then back on the freeway and... disaster.
My bike throws up a warning triangle and flashes the rear tyre pressure. Its dropping. Its unbelievable!!! Another puncture in the rear tyre. I must be jinxed.
Steven follows and check out the tyre and thinks he can see a problem. We exist the freeway to the nearest fuel station. There is a nail in the tyre. We inflate and head for the BMW dealer.
Another $270 and new tyre for me and we once again head for Vancouver as the weather close in and it starts to rain.

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More pictures

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North of San Francisco

Up California and into Oregon. We stop at a small cafe, climb steep roads along this coast and travel through Redwood forests.

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West Coast from San Fran

we have done the West Coast section of our trip north of San Fran without posting to the blog. The coverage for mobile phones was patchy at best and O2 doesn't seem to have agreements with those that do provide service. So, I have a few pictures of some of the sights we have seen. I will post a couple at a time with notes if needed.
In the mean time here are some photos on the coast as we near SF.


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San Francisco

Is great. Steven and I had a walk around town, took in some sights and met up with some friends who live here now (hi again Simon and Sarah). Simon took us up to a local hi point Mt Diablo. Didn't see the devil but the views were spectacular. Thanks again Simon.


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More soon...

We've had no wifi and sometimes even no mobile phone coverage to blog
from! Today is.... errrr.... Tuesday so lots to blog about. Stay tuned!

Saturday

We set off at 8am. Its cold this morning at only 14 deg C. (Just when we were starting to get used to the heat). Steven has even re-inserted his jacket liner and is wearing a long sleeve shirt and his double skinned socks for extra warmth!
I am sure it will heat up as the day progresses.
As we drive past the smaller towns all te kids are out on there sports fields. Mom Dad and all cheering on.

Will make SF today. We stopped at a Starbucks and Steven has booked a hotel in center of town for two nights - much better rates by internet than just turning up.

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Grrrrrr - More problems with Steven's Bike

The clutch is working fine, but now there seems to be a problem with the front tyre. When pulling away from traffic lights or accelerating hard in 1st 2nd and sometimes 3rd the front tyre looses contact with the road preferring to travel some inches above the road surface! Maybe its a fault with the bike design because mine has started to show similar symptoms!!!!!
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Friday; the start of Hwy 1 to Vancouver

LA is overcast warm with a fresh breeze off the Pacific. A local we chatted to called it the 'June Gloom' when the hot air from the desert meets the moisture laden Pacific air and hazes. Have a look at the photos.
We have had a great ride up the coast using the coast road (or when that is not available Interstate101). There are plenty of long and tight curves and a fair bit of traffic to enjoy the bikes. The views are great.
We have taken a motel in Lompoc, doing the washing and will head out for a meal and a beer a bit later - looking forward to tomorrows ride and those long bends. Should make San Francisco.


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Friday; the end of Route 66

Up for an early start to miss the desert heat. As we travel west the desert starts to break up and the ground starts to turn green.
We pass through the mountain ranges and head down R66 towards LA. The traffic gets heavier and heavier, we pass down Sunset Bvd and then Santa Monica Bvd. Its overcast here and temperatures are about 25 deg C but it feels hot in the bike gear as we slow to a crawl.
The last 10 miles have taken an hour and we approach the end on Route66.

The official end of the road is a crossroads over Hwy1. There is no marker, no sign, nothing to show the end of this great road.
The ultimate anti climax.

So we move to the end of Colorado Ave where we see the Pier and the Pacific Ocean.


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Thursday Night

Haulled up in Barstow, CA for the night. Barstow is your typical
desert town. God only knows why someone would want to live in the
desert. The locals say "it's a different kinda heat". But in my book
it's still hot!. We should make LA and the end of Route 66 tomorrow.
Gonna try and start early to aviod the savage desert heat of the day.

Back on R66

The scenery on 66 was good today. As well as the long desert strips we had mountain passes (great on the bikes) and a hill top mining town with donkeys, gunslingers and Swedish Harley riders(!) roaming the streets. Note to other bikers; donkey poo is slippery.
Also went passed 'Roys' a famous and 'very old' (1959) iconic sign from R66.

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Thursday - No Way Through?

One of the problems following "Historic 66" is that parts of the old
road are no longer maintained or used. So... following our SatNav
blindly we ended up here (see photo). Washed away by a flood some
years ago, the the road just ends with a 10ft drop to the dried up
river bed. Time to go OFF ROAD!

Thursday - Leaving Vegas

Up a bit late and nursing a hangover we leave Vegas and head for the Hoover Dam.
Yes the roads quickly turn to long tarmac strips crossing the desert. Nothing new there then.
The weather has also decide to pick the temperature up to a more seasonal level today. Just when I have a hangover the temperature tops 42 deg C (that's 107 deg F) and I am wearing full bike gear.
A couple of hours on from the dam and we rejoin R66.


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