Flopp
08-11-2007, 05:40 PM
Well, been back for a while. Thought I would post some pics of my travels. Next trip I will set up the camera on the bars for stills and videos. Far too many awesome sights were in places where it was just not safe to stop for a shot.
On the way out - looking back at Canada across our "undefended" border from Minnesota.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v335/Koocoo/F800ST/RallyTrip005.jpg
Duluth and the far end of Lake Superior
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v335/Koocoo/F800ST/RallyTrip010.jpg
Wisconsin has some great roads to ride, not a lot of vertical, but great curves. Just watch out for the bits of gravel kicked into the curve line by the cars and trailers.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v335/Koocoo/F800ST/RallyTrip015.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v335/Koocoo/F800ST/RallyTrip021.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v335/Koocoo/F800ST/RallyTrip024.jpg
Early view from my camp site at the MOA rally. Unfortunately, I lost my camera soon afterward. Luckily it was returned on the last day. Phew!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v335/Koocoo/F800ST/RallyTrip017.jpg
Great plates. Obviously his wife rides the red one
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v335/Koocoo/F800ST/RallyTrip020.jpg
The only crop I saw across 3 states. Grows pretty big here in Iowa.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v335/Koocoo/F800ST/RallyTrip027.jpg
upper Old Man River
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v335/Koocoo/F800ST/RallyTrip033.jpg
3 hour point into a very short day. Before my next trip I will buy a one-piece rain suit. "waterproof" riding gear is not.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v335/Koocoo/F800ST/RallyTrip036.jpg
Ah! My parent's cottage. Made the rain ride worthwhile.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v335/Koocoo/F800ST/RallyTrip037.jpg
Sad part is, there is a speed boat on the lake now and it has chased the loons away. It is too quiet at night without them. The lake is 1 mile long and 1/2 a mile wide. It takes a few minutes up and down by 10hp punter boat, why would you need to bring a 200hp speed boat. Sigh.
Paid a little extra to stay at this hotel but as my balcony was on the right hand corner just above the rapids it was well worth it.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v335/Koocoo/F800ST/RallyTrip043.jpg
On the ferry to Prince Edward County. Please excuse the tilt, it wasn't a rough crossing, just sloppy handiwork. The county is basically an island in Lake Ontario. There are a couple of small causeways across but the ferry is nicer. The county is a nice farming area with a respectable wine growing area. Next time I plan to do a week or so staying in the B&Bs scattered around and following their winery and cafe tour.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v335/Koocoo/F800ST/RallyTrip054.jpg
Great name for a shop
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v335/Koocoo/F800ST/RallyTrip057.jpg
Ivy Lea bridge over the Thousand Islands in the St. Lawrence River between New York state and Ontario.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v335/Koocoo/F800ST/RallyTrip059.jpg
The waterfront in Kingston, Ontario. The tower you see, and the other two in the background, are three of 4 in the area. There is a large limestone fort, Fort Henry, dug into a big hill in the area. These towers, Martello Towers, are unique. There are no others in the world. They were designed by Martello an Italian at the beginning of the 19th century and built here. Why? To keep those pesky upstarts from the south from trying to take Canada before it even had a chance to become a country. It worked. After the Brits burnt the White House and their victory at Lundy's Lane, the Americans saw what was being built at Kingston. They decided that with the fort blocking all access from the ocean to the Great Lakes, they had best be friends with the quiet folk up North and just get along.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v335/Koocoo/F800ST/RallyTrip060.jpg
The North shore of Lake Superior. Much of travel in this area is best described as rocks, and trees, and rocks and trees
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v335/Koocoo/F800ST/RallyTrip065.jpg
and lakes
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v335/Koocoo/F800ST/RallyTrip072.jpg
and waterfalls
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v335/Koocoo/F800ST/RallyTrip004.jpg
and beaches
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v335/Koocoo/F800ST/RallyTrip068.jpg
Watch out for the wildlife. Your ducks having nothing on ours.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v335/Koocoo/F800ST/RallyTrip069.jpg
I wish I had been able to get pictures of the deer, moose and bear that crossed my path along the way but they didn't want to pose for the camera.
One word of caution. If you plan to travel that area make sure you have enough gas to bypass Marathon, Ontario. Premium was $1.49 a litre ($6.00 a gallon) Ouch. And the coffee in the restaurant was $2 and bacon and eggs $8. Pack a lunch a keep on going.
Over all it was a great trip. Next year the BMWMOA rally is in Gillette, WY so I will be riding to Jasper, Alberta then down the Rockies to Utah and Colorado in my roundabout route to get there.
On the way out - looking back at Canada across our "undefended" border from Minnesota.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v335/Koocoo/F800ST/RallyTrip005.jpg
Duluth and the far end of Lake Superior
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v335/Koocoo/F800ST/RallyTrip010.jpg
Wisconsin has some great roads to ride, not a lot of vertical, but great curves. Just watch out for the bits of gravel kicked into the curve line by the cars and trailers.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v335/Koocoo/F800ST/RallyTrip015.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v335/Koocoo/F800ST/RallyTrip021.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v335/Koocoo/F800ST/RallyTrip024.jpg
Early view from my camp site at the MOA rally. Unfortunately, I lost my camera soon afterward. Luckily it was returned on the last day. Phew!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v335/Koocoo/F800ST/RallyTrip017.jpg
Great plates. Obviously his wife rides the red one
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v335/Koocoo/F800ST/RallyTrip020.jpg
The only crop I saw across 3 states. Grows pretty big here in Iowa.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v335/Koocoo/F800ST/RallyTrip027.jpg
upper Old Man River
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v335/Koocoo/F800ST/RallyTrip033.jpg
3 hour point into a very short day. Before my next trip I will buy a one-piece rain suit. "waterproof" riding gear is not.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v335/Koocoo/F800ST/RallyTrip036.jpg
Ah! My parent's cottage. Made the rain ride worthwhile.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v335/Koocoo/F800ST/RallyTrip037.jpg
Sad part is, there is a speed boat on the lake now and it has chased the loons away. It is too quiet at night without them. The lake is 1 mile long and 1/2 a mile wide. It takes a few minutes up and down by 10hp punter boat, why would you need to bring a 200hp speed boat. Sigh.
Paid a little extra to stay at this hotel but as my balcony was on the right hand corner just above the rapids it was well worth it.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v335/Koocoo/F800ST/RallyTrip043.jpg
On the ferry to Prince Edward County. Please excuse the tilt, it wasn't a rough crossing, just sloppy handiwork. The county is basically an island in Lake Ontario. There are a couple of small causeways across but the ferry is nicer. The county is a nice farming area with a respectable wine growing area. Next time I plan to do a week or so staying in the B&Bs scattered around and following their winery and cafe tour.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v335/Koocoo/F800ST/RallyTrip054.jpg
Great name for a shop
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v335/Koocoo/F800ST/RallyTrip057.jpg
Ivy Lea bridge over the Thousand Islands in the St. Lawrence River between New York state and Ontario.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v335/Koocoo/F800ST/RallyTrip059.jpg
The waterfront in Kingston, Ontario. The tower you see, and the other two in the background, are three of 4 in the area. There is a large limestone fort, Fort Henry, dug into a big hill in the area. These towers, Martello Towers, are unique. There are no others in the world. They were designed by Martello an Italian at the beginning of the 19th century and built here. Why? To keep those pesky upstarts from the south from trying to take Canada before it even had a chance to become a country. It worked. After the Brits burnt the White House and their victory at Lundy's Lane, the Americans saw what was being built at Kingston. They decided that with the fort blocking all access from the ocean to the Great Lakes, they had best be friends with the quiet folk up North and just get along.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v335/Koocoo/F800ST/RallyTrip060.jpg
The North shore of Lake Superior. Much of travel in this area is best described as rocks, and trees, and rocks and trees
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v335/Koocoo/F800ST/RallyTrip065.jpg
and lakes
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v335/Koocoo/F800ST/RallyTrip072.jpg
and waterfalls
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v335/Koocoo/F800ST/RallyTrip004.jpg
and beaches
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v335/Koocoo/F800ST/RallyTrip068.jpg
Watch out for the wildlife. Your ducks having nothing on ours.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v335/Koocoo/F800ST/RallyTrip069.jpg
I wish I had been able to get pictures of the deer, moose and bear that crossed my path along the way but they didn't want to pose for the camera.
One word of caution. If you plan to travel that area make sure you have enough gas to bypass Marathon, Ontario. Premium was $1.49 a litre ($6.00 a gallon) Ouch. And the coffee in the restaurant was $2 and bacon and eggs $8. Pack a lunch a keep on going.
Over all it was a great trip. Next year the BMWMOA rally is in Gillette, WY so I will be riding to Jasper, Alberta then down the Rockies to Utah and Colorado in my roundabout route to get there.