Rudi & Jesse, On The Way Back From Deadhorse/Prudho Bay: One Of the Great Moments Of A Great Trip

People ask, “What was the best moment?”, or, “What was the scariest moment?”, etc., and the honest answer for Rudi is, “We had to live in all the moments, good, bad, scary, funny, etc.” Jesse may feel differently, but as level-headed as he is, there were only the predictable ups and downs of a multi-week trip with the old man, the motorcycle, and mother nature. Whew!

Meeting Celeste & Angel in Alaska Eclipsed the Arctic Part of the Adventure as a Highlight

Macho types we are not. Meeting our life partners was easily the best part of the trip for us. Not only did they smell good, they were genuinely happy to see us too! By then we had showered, of course, several times to be exact, and “Dalton Highway Dust” was a thing of the past.

But Rudi digresses again.

The 49th and 50th days of the trip were in the 100+degree heat and high humidity of the Southeast United States. Rudi left Cameron, Missouri, at 6:30 a.m. under overcast skies and threatening storms …  a welcome weather change. Bertha leaped forward at 75-80 mph on the lightly traveled Highway 36 heading east to Hannibal, Missouri, of Mark Twain fame. Rudi skirted a strong thunderstorm for almost three hours, getting hit with occasional rain and wind gusts, but taking advantage of the cooler temperatures to make time. It was to be his final 600+ mile ride of the trip.

The goal at 9 a.m. had changed from Paducah, Kentucky, to Nashville, Tennessee, since Rudi now had 200 miles in his pocket courtesy of the early cool start to the day. This meant he could spend the night with Chuck & Sheila, great friends of long standing, and then have a short 270 mile jaunt into Atlanta and home the following day.

Sheila & Chuck Playing Host to Rudi in Nashville: Nice Hat, Sheila!

Chuck is now on a four day motorcycle trip in California with HIS father and he told me about the great food smells he encountered in small towns north of San Francisco. It’s true. Motorcycle riders get to experience both profound temperature changes and olfactory (scent) changes as they ride. It’s quite sensual at times, overwhelming even. The sense of smell is a great memory trigger … the smell of high mountain creeks in Canada hurls Rudi back into his childhood, while the smell of the oil rigs in North Dakota helped him remember his father’s saying, as they crossed West Texas in an un-air conditioned station wagon over 50 years ago, “That’s the smell of money”.

Up north, the smell of evergreens dominated, until you hit the unmistakable odor of the dead caribou or deer in the ditch a few yards ahead, or the pulp mill around the corner.  The smell of horse manure in eastern Montana morphed into crisp-mown hay, then sharper wheat under the combine blade (causing sneezing in the helmet), and finally into the pungent smell of “money” or oil, around the drilling rigs. Near the Arctic Ocean, you could smell salt and feel the cooler air, same as when you rode by a glacier or raging mountain stream.

Temperature changes show up near every creek you cross or piece of shade on the highway. When skirting the thunderstorm this morning, Rudi’s left side was wet and chilly in the wind, while his right side was warm and comfortable. The wind tossed him around to help equalize the experience, but there was no mistaking mother nature’s intent to impress. That’s why Rudi loves to ride, folks. It is a sensual experience, with that dollop of danger that can’t be found in an automobile.

The final 100 miles approached and Rudi did not want to have his final memories of this great trip be that of  hot, aggressive driving on Interstate 75 north of Atlanta,a miserable road in the best of times. So off he went on a flier into his beloved North Georgia mountains for the familiar narrow twists and turns into Ellijay and Dawsonville.

This video ends the travel portion of the trip. There will be other posts, but for those curious to see if Rudi made it back alive, this is it! It won’t show up on your RSS feed through your email, so go to the main site to view it at:    http://rudisadventures.wordpress.com   to see it.

Thanks for traveling with Rudi and Jesse. Godspeed you and yours on your own life journey.

Home Again With My Lovely Daughters, Kat & Bee

Adios, and thanks for sharing the journey: Bob, Jesse, and Rudi.

Please join Rudi & Jesse to help the environment by reading the message below, and taking action on it.

This trip, and this blog, are raising money for our favorite environmental non-profit, Georgia River Network. GRN advocates for, and protects, all rivers in Georgia. We produce videos for them to help raise awareness and money for their projects. If you are enjoying our trip blog, please join us in giving whatever tax deductible amount you can by going to our fund raising site at:

https://www.firstgiving.com/bobselwyn

The site is safe and secure and the folks at Georgia River Network make sure your donation has an impact.

Thank you.

Rudi G  & Jesse

Scottie's Grizzly Bear at Waterton Park, As Promised.

With memories of critters and cooler weather dancing in his sweaty helmet, Rudi set out on day 48 of his ride trying to remember how to keep his cool in the near-record heat wave he rode into yesterday in South Dakota. The locals at breakfast were complaining about both the heat and humidity. Rudi worked up a sweat just loading Bertha up for the day. The weather channel warned about heat indexes above 100 degrees along his planned route down I-29 South through Sioux City, Sioux Falls, Omaha, toward Kansas City.

Jesse and Rudi On The Dalton Highway: See the blue tube around Rudi's shoulder? That is attached to a 70 ounce water bottle in a backpack that provides drinking water as he rides, keeping him hydrated.

How does a motorcyclists keep cool in 100+ degree weather, exposed to the sun and drying wind all day long? It starts with a protective suit with adequate ventilation such as this one on Rudi. It’s hot standing still, but the loose cuffs funnel cooling air up through the suit where it is vented from both armpit zippers and a back zipper. In extreme heat, you fill up your front pockets with ice from the gas station which cools you as it melts. There is an unfortunate side effect from this as we shall see later.

Protective Riding Jacket With Ice Cubes Added

A water-soaked neckerchief designed to hold LOTS of water is tied around Rudi’s neck and cools him as the water evaporates. A bottle of cold water thrown on the old noggin just before putting on the helmet tops off the preparation. But the real key is to stay adequately hydrated during the ride to ward off both mental and physical fatigue: “If you ain’t peein’ every 90-minutes, you ain’t drinkin’ enuf”, says Rudi!

Neckerchief and CamelBack: 50-70 Ounces Consumed Every 90-120 Minutes In Hot Weather Is About Right

Needless to say, this watering down ritual gets lots of laughs from store clerks and customers around the gas pump. Kids love to watch Rudi shiver as the ice water runs down his neck.

So why not just strip down to a T-shirt and doo rag, you ask, like all those Harley riders we see? Personal choice is the only answer, along with helmet laws in most states. But the stripped down style is popular out west where helmet laws are non-existent and Harley’s are the most popular bikes on the road. Rudi has crashed often enough and hard enough to know the consequences, and he doesn’t heal as quickly as he once did either. Just a personal choice and no criticism leveled at my friends who ride Harley’s.

Bertha runs great throughout the heat ordeal, just slightly hotter than her usual self, and Rudi throttles back as the heat of the afternoon settles in to save both Bertha some stress and his knobby tires some wear. They have 1,300 miles to go yet and running 5 mph slower is just fine on a long, hot day.

Homebound Blue Meets Outbound Orange At Sioux Falls Near Top Of Map: Diverge Again Just North Of Kansas City

Bertha crosses her out-going track on I-29 near Sioux Falls, South Dakota and is in familiar country again, after nearly 13,000 miles of the journey. The day is a hot as promised and the duo turns east above Kansas City to avoid I-70 toward St. Louis. They choose Highway 36 for a less-traveled road and a more scenic one.

Remember that ice melting in your jacket pockets trick of Rudi’s. The “Law of Unintended Consequences” gets invoked due to the length of the ride today.

The Dreaded "Monkey Butt Syndrome" (No Animals Were Injured In The Writing Of This Blog ... Except Rudi).

Melting ice doesn’t all turn into cooling vapor. Some remains water and it runs down into your lap and motorcycle seat where it does what pee in a baby’s diaper does … got Desitin?

On the 48th Day, The Only Ill Effect Of Riding Shows Its Ugly Head

Rudi's Mood Reflected Here

Tomorrow is day 49, seven weeks on the road! Saddle sores or not, Rudi still has over 800 miles to go and it’s not getting any cooler as he heads farther south. Home is beckoning.

Adios.

Please join Rudi & Jesse to help the environment by reading the message below, and taking action on it.

This trip, and this blog, are raising money for our favorite environmental non-profit, Georgia River Network. GRN advocates for, and protects, all rivers in Georgia. We produce videos for them to help raise awareness and money for their projects. If you are enjoying our trip blog, please join us in giving whatever tax deductible amount you can by going to our fund raising site at:

https://www.firstgiving.com/bobselwyn

The site is safe and secure and the folks at Georgia River Network make sure your donation has an impact.

Thank you.

Rudi G  & Jesse

Sir Winston Churchill: Wartime Prime Minister & Winner Of The Noble Prize For Literature

So what does Sir Winston Churchill have to do with Rudi? Listen up!

In addition to being the brilliant leader of Great Britain during the Second World War, Sir Winston also was known for the occasional consumption of large quantities of fine whiskey. On one such occasion, a grand dame type came up to the great man and said, “You are a disgusting drunk!”, to which Sir Winston replied, “Yes Madam, I am drunk. And you are ugly. But tomorrow morning when I wake up, I will be sober … and you will still be ugly!”

Rudi likes these little anecdotes, as do most people who think of things to say like this only after the opportunity has passed them by. One such opportunity presented itself to Rudi in the form of a demanding motel guest in Watertown, South Dakota, who wanted Rudi to move Bertha over by “6 more inches”.

Bertha And The Offending 6 Inches Too Far To The Left

When you are parking a large motorcycle, the smart rider is thinking of the exit strategy since bikes don’t have a reverse gear and are hard to push up hill. A slight downhill incline is desirable such as you see here. The bike is not centered in the parking space since it is on a sidestand and leans to the left.

The Offending Distance Is Measured Out

The charming lady in the minivan on the left (not shown here as per Rudi’s team of high-powered attorneys) loudly proclaimed that Bertha needed to be moved “6 more inches” to the right. Never mind that my old girl left about two feet between herself and the ugly van. Rudy measured out the distance while thinking of the grand retort, as the lady continued to loudly bemoan the incursion into what she claimed was her space.

Rudi's Ruler Measures His Mood As Well

Upon moving Bertha, Rudi proclaimed to his dour oppressor, “Ma’am, if someone had given you 6 more inches earlier in your life, you might not now be such an unhappy harpy now!”, as he walked off with a Clint Eastwood smile.

Sir Winston would have approved.

Adios.

Please join Rudi & Jesse to help the environment by reading the message below, and taking action on it.

This trip, and this blog, are raising money for our favorite environmental non-profit, Georgia River Network. GRN advocates for, and protects, all rivers in Georgia. We produce videos for them to help raise awareness and money for their projects. If you are enjoying our trip blog, please join us in giving whatever tax deductible amount you can by going to our fund raising site at:

https://www.firstgiving.com/bobselwyn

The site is safe and secure and the folks at Georgia River Network make sure your donation has an impact.

Thank you.

Rudi G  & Jesse

Rudi Discovers The Center Of North America, Geographically Speaking

Actually it was Celeste who clued Rudi in to this spot as she saw the monument from her train car on the way out to Glacier. It is located in Rugby, North Dakota, about 65 miles east of Minot on Highway 2. It seemed fitting for Bertha to visit the center of the continent as she has carried Rudi to the farthest spots you can drive to on continuous roads north, south, and west. But wait, there’s more !

There is a little book titled “Lies Across America” that details the many biased, inaccurate, and downright lying historical markers dotting our landscape. The winners write the histories, remember? A massacre of innocents becomes a “glorious victory”, while the general on the stallion was actually a drunken looter on a mare, and the “early explorer” brought small pox infected blankets as gifts to the locals. So the moving of a geographic marker for commercial reasons is right on target.

North Dakota Rod On His Harley: Best Quote, "It's Great To Be Me!"

North Dakota Rod bounded out of the local cafe to offer to take my picture in front of the monument. He’s from a small town a few miles away and knew the best camera angles, and had one of the most engaging personalities of anyone we met on the trip. He could even out talk Rudi!

This is the CENTER of the North American continent, right? Then why is the cafe located in the same parking lot taking THIS as its name?

The "Center" Monument & The "Cornerstone" Cafe.

Missing A Marketing Opportunity? "Centerstone" Perhaps?

Rudi reluctantly rode off without solving this compelling mystery since he had to get to Grand Forks, North Dakota, where he would turn from east to south and plunge down the continent for the next two and a half days on I-29.

Photo Of The ACTUAL MAP Used By Rudi: Looking About As Wrinkled As Rudi, Too!

Rudi will end up at a cheap Days Inn in Watertown, South Dakota, tonight, where an encounter with a disagreeable fellow traveler would invoke Churchill-type vibes from Rudi and give him an opportunity to express “the grand insult” thrown over his shoulder at the end of the encounter. Stay tuned.

Sir Winston Churchill: A "Rudi Moment" Is Coming Up.

Adios.

Please join Rudi & Jesse to help the environment by reading the message below, and taking action on it.

This trip, and this blog, are raising money for our favorite environmental non-profit, Georgia River Network. GRN advocates for, and protects, all rivers in Georgia. We produce videos for them to help raise awareness and money for their projects. If you are enjoying our trip blog, please join us in giving whatever tax deductible amount you can by going to our fund raising site at:

https://www.firstgiving.com/bobselwyn

The site is safe and secure and the folks at Georgia River Network make sure your donation has an impact.

Thank you.

Rudi G  & Jesse

Huntington's North Face, Alaska, by Angel STBS Davis

FLASH! RUDI MAKES IT HOME SAFE AND SOUND, BUT WORN DOWN TO A NUB! DETAILS TO FOLLOW AS HE REGAINS CONSCIOUSNESS AND COHERENCE (Bob note: Coherence is relative, we mean what passes for it in Rudi’s world).

Visions of Alaska dance in Rudi’s head as he takes leave of his lovely wife and mother-in-law on Friday, August 6th, for the 2,700 mile jaunt home to Atlanta. It is the 46th day of his journey.

Celeste & Scottie at the Prince of Wales Hotel in Waterton Park, Canada

This is the last leave-taking event of the seven week trip, for which all are grateful. Throat lumps and nervous moments on the bike are not the way to stay safe, says Rudi. The beautiful mountains of Glacier turn immediately into the rugged high plains of Montana as the first few hundred miles roll under Bertha’s might. It’s not long before the cold weather clothes come off and the riding jacket is unzipped, letting in a few of the hundreds of tiny grasshoppers that keep hitting Rudi and Bertha in their eastern passage.

Orange Is I-90 Heading West; Blue Is Rt. 2 Heading Back East

The duo has elected to stay north on highway 2 across Montana and North Dakota. Why see the same scenery on I-90 that they saw coming up? Besides, the Canadian riders use this route and like it. Rudi wonders why there are wind socks on the side of the highway heading into Cut Bank, Montana. The answer hits him like a kick in the side of the head as Bertha lurches to the left and the double yellow line! Close call.

Flat With Ranches Turning First Into Wheat Fields, Then Into Oil Fields

The road turns northeast and the wind effect moves aft, and Bertha gets close to 60 miles per gallon on the first tank of gas. Rudi is flying high and feelin’ good, you betcha’! He decides to see how far he can go on a tank of gas, and since he has an extra gallon on back for emergencies he thinks it will be pretty far indeed!

Why Is This Truck So Close To Bertha?

Remember that wind sock back near Cut Bank? It isn’t the only one on the route, and for a very good reason. The road changes direction and so does the wind. Rudi gets less than 40 miles per gallon and runs out two miles short of the next gas station, and right on the one spot in 100 miles that has a very narrow shoulder.

Out Of Gas Again! That Pesky Wind Did It

That's $5.00/Gallon Yukon, Canada, Gas Bertha's Drinking: NOT A Cheap Date!

Humility is a heavy load for Rudi to carry, but he carries it often enough to stay in pretty good shape. A cross country bicycle rider rode past as Rudi was emptying the last of the fuel into his trusty steed, and smirked, “Need anything?” as he peddled past a fuming Rudi. “Eat Grasshoppers!”, our hero thought, but, for once, kept his mouth shut.

Do You Think There Are Any Hops In Those Grain Elevators?

It feels like you are visiting Europe as you slide across these plains. The names of the towns: Kremlin (“The American Version”), Havre, Zurich, Glasgow as well as the home grown Sweet Grass, Box Elder and Wolf Point. In tiny Saco, Montana, you can see the replica of Chet Huntley’s one-room schoolhouse right on the main drag (Chet Huntley was a prominent network news anchor in the 1960′s).

The girls are on the train heading back east and only a few hours behind Rudi. The train tracks are not more than 100 yards away from the highway for most of the day. Will we meet in the middle of the North Dakota plains? Oil wells appear in eastern Montana and western North Dakota, lots of oil wells. Not since Bob was a kid growing up in Texas in the 1940′s has he seen so many gas flares and lighted drilling rigs dotting the landscape in all directions. This will have consequences for Rudi today. Bad consequences.

Never Ending Fields Of Grain Mean Grain Elevators Compete With Oil Rigs For Vertical Prizes

The highway follows the Milk River for hundreds of miles. This is actually the ancient riverbed of the Missouri River that past Ice Ages forced south into its present course. Great sheets of ice, thousands of feet thick ground their way through here several times leaving behind rich glacial till and huge rocks, called “errata”, for future farmers to deal with. Rudi likes geology: It rocks! Gotcha’!

The oil boom up here means there are no motel rooms available. There are plenty of casinos and strip joints with full parking lots too. The campgrounds cater to RV’s and are flat, treeless and hot. Rudi rides on through the growing dark to Minot, North Dakota, and a motel that opened literally hours earlier. He has to dirt bike his way to the door, weaving between heavy equipment and reeking Porta-Potties to get to the front door … where he notices the driveway is open on the other side of the motel!

The TV doesn’t work, they have no ice for grog, and the toilet and tub were recently used by a gang of orcs, but the manager cheerfully informs Rudi, that a full rate will be required since they are the only hotel in town with empty beds! This is a Comfort Inn, for those who travle our highways. Beware.

Rudi gets a phone call as he eats his envelop of tuna (no eateries within a mile of this place and Rudi won’t ride after a grog). It’s Celeste and she’s standing on the station platform in guess where? Minot, North Dakota, not five miles away. An ironic ending to the first day on the road. Celeste and Scottie will sleep in their berths through the night to Minneapolis where they will then fly to Atlanta tomorrow. Rudi still has over 2,000 miles to go, and the weather is setting records along his route … heat records.

Do You Know Where This Is? Rudi Does.

Tomorrow Rudi is going to get “centered”. If anyone needs it, he does.

Adios

Please join Rudi & Jesse to help the environment by reading the message below, and taking action on it.

This trip, and this blog, are raising money for our favorite environmental non-profit, Georgia River Network. GRN advocates for, and protects, all rivers in Georgia. We produce videos for them to help raise awareness and money for their projects. If you are enjoying our trip blog, please join us in giving whatever tax deductible amount you can by going to our fund raising site at:

https://www.firstgiving.com/bobselwyn

The site is safe and secure and the folks at Georgia River Network make sure your donation has an impact.

Thank you.

Rudi G  & Jesse

Celeste & Scottie at Waterton Lake, Alberta, Canada, Before Getting "High"

Rudi’s wife, Celeste, and his favorite mother-in-law, Scottie, wanted to see the beauty of Canada’s side of Glacier National Park, Waterton International Peace Park, so the group set out early on Thursday to do just that. Rumor has it more animals can be seen there due to lighter traffic on the roads.

Male Mule Deer Doing What Guys Tend To Do .. PG Version

Bingo! Great photo ops of mule deer on Waterton Lake shoreline before getting too deep into the park.

Prince of Wales Hotel, Built in 1927, Where the Hired Hands Wear Kilts, and Rudi Thinks It's Time to Get High

Celeste mentioned to Rudi that she wanted to take her mother to “high tea”, so Rudi’s brain processed this with the 1960′s memory chip and got the wrong idea. Even though Rudi never inhaled, he was aware of the meaning of both “tea” and “high”, so he shoved down his objections and offered up his selfless side for the ladies’ benefit.

Kilted Caroline Caters Crumpets for "High Tea": Rudi Is Confused

The kilted French-Canadian lass shown here brought the selection of teas: You DRINK the damn stuff! Earl Grey, Fresh Mint, Earthen Green, etc. These are not the names Rudi remembers from four decades ago. Not only that, the tiered tray is piled high with dainties that the youth of his day never dreamed of.  Your pinky must be expended to drink and eat Rudi is told.

"Faking It" Was Never A Rudi Strength: Perhaps One Of His Few Good Qualities

Truth be told, it was a wonderful time with great people, great views, and great food and drink. To prove it, Caroline agreed to take this picture … for a 25% tip!

This Could Be Habit-Forming: Brits Eat Your Hearts Out!

On the way out of the park, a large grizzly bear decided to promenade before Scottie’s camera at less than 100 yards distance. She has the pictures to prove it and if she sends me one, I’ll share it with everyone.

Tomorrow it’s goodbye again as the girls get on the train at 9 a.m. and Rudi hits the 2,500 mile highway to Atlanta to see his lovely daughters for the first time in nearly seven weeks.

Adios

Please join Rudi & Jesse to help the environment by reading the message below, and taking action on it.

This trip, and this blog, are raising money for our favorite environmental non-profit, Georgia River Network. GRN advocates for, and protects, all rivers in Georgia. We produce videos for them to help raise awareness and money for their projects. If you are enjoying our trip blog, please join us in giving whatever tax deductible amount you can by going to our fund raising site at:

https://www.firstgiving.com/bobselwyn

The site is safe and secure and the folks at Georgia River Network make sure your donation has an impact.

Thank you.

Rudi G  & Jesse

Angel's Baby Moose Gets Interested

The brakeless Bertha made it through Missoula morning traffic to the BMW dealer to await her new stoppers, which had failed to arrive on schedule. Rudi took the time to stroll the city and the river walks, getting a shave and a hair cut for more than 6 bits and a double ice cream cone for breakfast. Good thing.

Devli's Doings Afflict Bertha: $666.00 is the Price of Redemption

Rudi took a cab to redeem his steed for the evil amount of $666.00. True story. But Bertha now stops and the ABS system is working again, after 12,000 miles of malfunction, so after paying for the motel room for another night (“we don’t offer no late checkouts”), the duo hit the road at 3:15 for the 230 mile ride to East Glacier Park and Celeste and Scottie.

On the Road Again at Glacier National Park

So we go to Waterton Peace Park today, the Canadian side of Glacier, in Alberta Province. More to follow.

Adios

Please join Rudi & Jesse to help the environment by reading the message below, and taking action on it.

This trip, and this blog, are raising money for our favorite environmental non-profit, Georgia River Network. GRN advocates for, and protects, all rivers in Georgia. We produce videos for them to help raise awareness and money for their projects. If you are enjoying our trip blog, please join us in giving whatever tax deductible amount you can by going to our fund raising site at:

https://www.firstgiving.com/bobselwyn

The site is safe and secure and the folks at Georgia River Network make sure your donation has an impact.

Thank you.

Rudi G  & Jesse

This Is An Accurate Relfection Of Rudi's First Day On The Road Home To Atlanta

Yeah, it’s a moose, but not quite the way you want to see one. But that’s what Rudi saw on his first travel day back home to Atlanta. Well, not to Atlanta just yet, rather a northerly detour of 200 miles to Glacier National Park and a visit with his wife, Celeste, and her mother, Scottie, who arrived there last night on the train for a five day visit.

Typical "Going to the Sun Road" view in Glacier National Park: What The Girls Are Seeing

What Rudi Is Seeing Instead: That's Brake Fluid On The Ground Under Bertha, And That Ain't A Good Thang, Podner!

About 200 miles into his first day’s ride, Rudi pulled into a favorite eatery in Hungry Horse, a small town about 15 miles from Glacier Park. He noticed something felt funny when he grabbed a handful of front brake, but it had been feeling funny since leaving the Cassier Highway in British Columbia about 1,500 miles ago. Thinking it was just a little air in the line, Rudi ordered an elk burger and went back to Bertha to get his maps.

The Flexible Brake Hose Spews Forth Caustic Fluid When The Lever Is Pulled: Rudi Needs A Double Grog Now!

Without beating a dead horse (loyal readers will get this reference) a leaking front break spells the end of a ride, usually on a tow truck. The front brake on a motorcycle provides about 70% or more of the stopping power, say when a deer or teen driver darts in front of you. Rudi discovers that he can get one weak stop before the fluid in the reservoir needs replenishment.

Necessities For Fools Who Ride With Lousy Front Brakes: Rudi Defines The Category

Rudi can fix many things that go wrong on Bertha, but a busted brake line isn’t one of them. A quick call to the “Only BMW Dealer In Montana” as the ads scream, brings a “never heard of this happening before and we don’t have the parts to fix it” response. Rudi gives the service manager a short lesson in pungent Anglo Saxon invective and is now told that, if he can get the bike back the 200 miles to Missoula, the part can be ready to put on Bertha the day after tomorrow. It now starts to rain in Hungry Horse. No brake and now rain, and with the sun going down the deer on the Swan Valley Highway will be getting active.

No, Rudi Is Not "Putting Bertha Down" In Anger: This Is Two Days Ago Back At Jesse's House, And Is Being Used Here To Illustrate Rudi's Mechanical Skills, Such As Changing A Tire. But Rudi's Skills & Tool Kit Are Limited.

Nothing for it but to text Celeste on the train and tell here that her heart will be broken yet again as Rudi will be a “no show” at the train station. She and Scottie will have to have fun without Rudi who hopes to make it back up to Glacier by Wednesday evening. Rudi made the trip back to Missoula OK, with just a few sketchy moments (one when a herd of Rocky Mountain sheep got in the road in front of him), and he never touched the front brake at all!

There And Back Again: Courtesy of SPOT: Here is my present location in Missoula down at the bottom. It's not in real time so Big Bertha can't be seen, but check out the next SPOT screen grab.

SPOT was on the window sill of my room, and this is shown within five feet of a direct hit. Rudi doesn't like SPOT.

Home Sweet Home: Cheap, Clean, Food and Drink Near At Hand, Plus "Motorcycle Friendly"

Brakeless Big Bertha Basking Beautifully, But What's In That Box?

A hose and shop rags are left out for motorcyclists: Rudi knows this is a theft prevention device as he has left countless greasy towels either behind in the room or cleverly placed in his tool kit to be fooled by this bit of marketing blather!

So our hero awaits the arrival of parts, supposedly by late afternoon, and will take Bertha over to the BMW dealer ( BMW stand for “Break My Wallet”) at 9 a.m. tomorrow. Stay tuned.

Adios

Go to this URL for SPOT tracking of the trip. Use “hybrid” view for best results.

http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0Lx7QV7a0N28Ha91sjbtBAlROzr7N11yF

Please join Rudi & Jesse to help the environment by reading the message below, and taking action on it.

This trip, and this blog, are raising money for our favorite environmental non-profit, Georgia River Network. GRN advocates for, and protects, all rivers in Georgia. We produce videos for them to help raise awareness and money for their projects. If you are enjoying our trip blog, please join us in giving whatever tax deductible amount you can by going to our fund raising site at:

https://www.firstgiving.com/bobselwyn

The site is safe and secure and the folks at Georgia River Network make sure your donation has an impact.

Thank you.

Rudi G  & Jesse

Rudi & Jesse Moments After Their Return to Missoula: Rudi Looking A Bit Worse For The Experience

Our heroes returned with a four and a half day saga across Alaska and Canada marked by long days, isolated roads, primitive campsites, new friends, and more long days. They rode over 2,500 miles on tough, remote roads averaging more than 525 miles a day, camping every night but one. They are nuts! Seems Jesse wanted to get back home and hearth and who can blame him?

New Friends In The Yukon: Malte, Rudi, Jesse, & Frank

Jesse & Montreal Frank at Burwash Landing, Yukon

Frank here was on his 50th day of a trip from Montreal to Prudho Bay and was in no hurry to get home. He rides a BMW F800GS, Jesse’s dream bike for this trip. Our heroes rode a total of 8,200 miles from Florence, Montana, to Deadhorse/Prudho Bay, then all around Alaska, and finally back down through Canada returning to Florence (near Missoula).

Munich Malte on the Cassier Highway

Malte from Munich, Germany, was headed to Vancouver from Anchorage to meet his girlfriend for a ride to Los Angeles. He bought his  V-Strom from a rental place in Alaska and will sell it to a Suzuki dealer in L.A. Malte has made many extended trips including Australia and Africa. He joined Rudi and Jesse for two days of riding through the Yukon, the Cassier Highway, and left them north of Prince George for his own trail. He was a mellow companion and always a welcome one.

KLR Coming Unchained on Cassier highway

The mighty KLR650 began having a problem on the isolated Cassier Highway that runs due south from near Watkins Lake, Yukon, for 450 miles to Kitwanga, a beautiful piece of road and now mostly paved. The drive chain on the KLR was reaching the end of its life and Jesse had to constantly adjust it to keep it running. Removing a link would have helped, but that is an expensive tool and a heavy one, so it was not in the tool kit.

Sunset on Mount Robson, Jewel of the Canadian Rockies

How Could You Stop Riding Given This Beauty?

Day four found the boys entering the Jasper/Banff National Parks corridor heading southeast toward Missoula. They  needed a campsite, but the sun was setting on the 150 miles or so of spectacular peaks and glaciers, so a stop was out of the question. With no campsites available they were forced to seek shelter in Lake Louise at a price-gouging motel (they wouldn’t say the room rate out loud, only write it down and point to it!). Best shower of the trip, however, and the sights of the Rockies were worth the price.

The Primitive Camp at Lake Louise

The final day of the trip finished up with a sunrise run through Banff, then over the mountains to Radium Hot Springs and on to Kalispell in Montana, where Jesse’s chain fell off the bike! With Big Bertha following with flashers flashing periodically the boys limped the final 100 miles home with several stops to put the chain back on the sprockets. Not a glorious ending, but a welcome one for the tired, rump-sprung duo.

Jesse On Road to Recovery Following Trip

Rudi has now spent three days recovering from all the fun, while Jesse doesn’t seem to be fazed in the slightest. Here he is seen climbing with some buddies yesterday in a scenic canyon close to home. Rudi took the picture while lying in the shade with an umbrella drink in his hand.

Big Bertha Awaiting Her Belly Rub! Believe it or not, this is an accepted method of working on this bike, on either side. Rudi can even pick the old girl up all by himself, given enough grog and a female audience!

Big Bertha, Rudi’s R1150GS, received lots of attention during the layover with a new rear tire leading the way. She also has fresh engine oil and filter, and fresh transmission and final drive oil.

Bertha Receiving Her Rightful Due: Not Fresh Oats, But the Mechanical Equivelent

Rudi leaves today for the first leg of the return journey to Atlanta. Fire up those SPOT trackers, folks, but be prepared for a northern leg at the start.

Go to this URL for SPOT tracking of the trip. Use “hybrid” view for best results.

http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0Lx7QV7a0N28Ha91sjbtBAlROzr7N11yF

Celeste and her mother, Scottie, are on Amtrack to Glacier Park and will arrive there tonight, Rudi is heading that way too for four days of fun with the girls. Rudi’s no fool after all! Does Fate agree with Rudi? Stay tuned.

Adios

Please join Rudi & Jesse to help the environment by reading the message below, and taking action on it.

This trip, and this blog, are raising money for our favorite environmental non-profit, Georgia River Network. GRN advocates for, and protects, all rivers in Georgia. We produce videos for them to help raise awareness and money for their projects. If you are enjoying our trip blog, please join us in giving whatever tax deductible amount you can by going to our fund raising site at:

https://www.firstgiving.com/bobselwyn

The site is safe and secure and the folks at Georgia River Network make sure your donation has an impact.

Thank you.

Rudi G  & Jesse

Tufted Puffin at Seward Sea Life Center

This is a family post with some neat pictures and information about Sea Life on Prince William Sound. Only one shot of a motorcycle here, and it has a hottie as the main feature, so bikers, be forewarned, says Rudi.

Seward Belle Sydney Meets Big Bertha: Love Affair Begins?

Rudi As Far West As You Can Drive In North America: Multiple Qualifiers To Follow

We have also leaped over a day or two of our visits to Whittier, Anchor Point to tag the western-most point reachable by contiguous road in North America (this goes with the southern-most point in Key West, and the northern-most point at Deadhorse/Prudho Bay), and Homer to eat freshly caught halibut on the spit while watching the eagles soar nearby. Moose sightings will also be visited later … Jesse and Angle have some great close ups of a mom and two calves.

Rudi-Eye View Of Whittier Tunnel: You Share It With A Train

Lack of wifi is one problem, but the girls took Rudi’s grog away after his comments on Talkeetna and Rudi said”No Grog, No Blog!”

Rudi Agrees To Resume Blog With New Grog: Girls Groan

But blog withdrawal set in, and Rudi was resupplied at a grog shop in Soldotna on the Kenai Peninsula where rude drivers are the rule, says Rudi, whose middle digits got a workout on the bike as he negotiated the town. Then off to Seward for a visit with an old friend of the family … young, but long-time friend, Sydney!

Sydney conducts guided tours at the Sea Life Center, where research and rehabilitation of wildlife is also carried out. Sydney’s boyfriend, Seth, is an ornithologist at the center, and they gave Rudi and friends a private, behind-the-scenes of the joint.

Stellar Sea Lion Performs for Sydney and Celeste

This Seal lion just lost over 500 pounds and will lose another 300 or so soon. Not Weight Watchers, it’s just the end of the mating season and this is normal! Go guys, if you want to win that woman, just blubber up some more, says Rudi.

Wild Plumage Signals Sex For This Duck: But It's Fading, Old Boy

Seth says the males get pretty just for the ladies, but after the deed is done, it’s time to switch back to the camo mode to preserve your life. The girls remain in camo all the time since they have nesting duties. Some species mate for life too.

Harbor Seals Live Past Thirty In The Wild, And Here Too

These seals are here due to illness or they are orphans. Some get rehabbed, but many can’t be returned to the wild. One young spotted seal was brought in by a native hunter who, while skinning out its Mom, discovered she was pregnant. He performed a C section and brought the baby to the center where it will be raised and then sent to a zoo in the Lower 48.

Our Gang On Deck On Prince William Sound

Rhinocerous Auklet In Seth's Hand

The sea bird exhibit is a highlight of a visit and Seth took us on stage with the players … like this little guy who uses that Rhino horn on his beak to push and shove in power displays with his buddies. The birds have nests in the cliffs in the center and raise their young in full view of the public.

Killer Whales Find Sea Lions A Taste Treat

Sea Lion numbers are declining due to an increase in predation from Orcas, and a loss of fish due to changing water conditions. We saw some Stellars fishing for salmon in Valdez, though, and they are efficient killers and enormous eaters.

We ended our day with a seven-variety fish dinner on the harbor. All in all, a great day!

Right Before Rudi Stiffed The Waiter On The Tip, And The Group Was Thrown Out

Update: Skip several days ahead and it’s the 25th. Today we split up, with the ladies heading to Anchorage and the guys to Canada. Sad, but a great 16 days on the road together. Blog will revert to sporadic as we return through wilderness and tent camping. Follow us on SPOT as we go down the ALCAN and Cassier highways to Missoula over the next few days.

Here is the URL. Use “satellite view” for best terrain features.

http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0Lx7QV7a0N28Ha91sjbtBAlROzr7N11yF

Here's Looking At You, Kid

Adios, from somewhere down the road to the Lower 48.

Rudi

Please join Rudi & Jesse to help the environment by reading the message below, and taking action on it.

This trip, and this blog, are raising money for our favorite environmental non-profit, Georgia River Network. GRN advocates for, and protects, all rivers in Georgia. We produce videos for them to help raise awareness and money for their projects. If you are enjoying our trip blog, please join us in giving whatever tax deductible amount you can by going to our fund raising site at:

https://www.firstgiving.com/bobselwyn

The site is safe and secure and the folks at Georgia River Network make sure your donation has an impact.

Thank you.

Rudi G  & Jesse