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[Jock]

In entering into Canada we rejoined the Alaskan Highway for some more great adventures.  This time a different view of the area, plenty more wildlife and some of the same challenges going up.  This time it was even more interesting.  One of our pack became troubled and decided not to take advantage of a fuel stop.  Instead he continued down the road thinking he could make the short distance to the hotel and meet is there.  While we fueled up we broke up the pack and everyone rode separately for the most part.  It was to be a short 30 mile run and I was last in the pack.  Mean while our troubled pack member was through to be miles ahead of us.  As I was traveling down the road in a distance to my right I saw a yellow and black jacket jumping up and down.  It was our upset pack member and he had run out of gas in the middle OF NO WHERE!  I was lucky to see him given how far off he was.  Meantime the other pack members where at the hotel and wondering what happened.  This was a luck event for him because I normally do not see at that level and it was late.

[Jock]

On the final night of the Alaskan Highway journey we ended up were we begin in Dawson’s Creek.  Another $28 later all was good in the world and I just knew I could solve my substance addiction if I stayed later!

[Jock]

We started out from Dawson’s Creek on a short ride to Edmonton, BC at least we thought it would be one.  We arrived in Edmonton around 5pm with no hotel reservations.  There were several events in town and 45 minutes later we located a hotel.  Little did we know how difficult it would be to find it.  Long story short…remember our upset pack member…after several sets of bad locations we arrived at our hotel at 10:15pm.  At this point there was a lot happening…bad riding decisions, tried riders, tempers high and restaurants closing.  I made a beeline down to the liquor store for some more $28 beer since it was closing in 15 minutes.  We called a local pizza joint and that was the meal for the night.  After what was going to be a short day we decided to sleep in and get some rest.

[Jock]

After some nice rest we headed south towards the USA/Canadian boarder taking our time and knowing we WOULD stop early day.  We ended up in Lethbridge, BC and stayed near the railroad bridge.  We enjoyed a local pub and some funny guest.

[Jock]

That morning it was time to make it back to the USA and we began our journey towards the boarder.  We make one more stop to relieve ourselves of any Canadian currency along with one other matter.  Then to the USA boarder…

Remember our upset pack member?  Will it would be here that he made his best attempt to get me back.  We wanted to stop and take some pictures of a local town in Montana that had the same name as his hometown.  We stated that would be fine and he could catch up with us.  We told him to enter the boarder first and we would travel slow giving him time.

He went to the boarder guard first and we were several cars behind him with me being the last of the pack.  As he entered he pulled over for a while and we thought he was going to head down the road.  Everyone else made it through without event and then I arrived.

I shut off the engine and the conversation went something like this as the other members waited for me in a parking lot.  I handed the boarder guard my passport and he looks at it typing in information.

Guard:  “So what do you do for a living?” 
Jock:  “I …” 
Guard:  “Where were you born?” 
Jock: “…” 
Guard:  “How long were you in Canada?” 
Jock: “…” 
Guard:  “Is your given name …” 
Jock” Yes”
Guard:  “I am afraid we have a problem” 
Jock:  “What would that be?”
Guard:  “We are going to have to detain you.”
Jock:  “For what?”
Guard:  “We have a warrant for your arrest!”
Jock:  “That can’t be!”

In the meantime Jock thinks and recalls his son’s name is the same as his…could it be for him!!!  Holy CHIT!

Guard: “Is your birthday…”
Jock:  “Yes but that still can not be”

It is now that Jock thinks there is something up!

Guard:  He smiles…”Hey the guy in the front told me to hassle you and say you were arrested”

After I pull over to the parking lot the other riders stated that the guard was asking how I was and how to pronounce the last name.

[Jock]

Mean while we stopped for lunch and thought our now prankster would arrive since we were in the town he was visiting.  At our stop I looked at my chain as I had been during the trip to make adjustments and look for wear.  It was here that we determined it was time for a new chain.

I reviewed the options and low and behold there was a H-D/Kawasaki Dealer in Butte, Montana.  I quickly traveled I-15 which by the way was great between Great Falls and Butte to the dealer.  It was Monday and time was getting short.  The dealer did have a chain but no sprockets and no one to put it on.  The Service Department closed at 3pm on Monday.

After talking to the dealer about his arrangement, they could only sell ATVs and dirt bikes from Kawasaki.  They informed me of a dealer in Bozeman so I was going to try to make it there.  The chain was in BAD shape and other pack members should clear not knowing what would happen.  Mean while our upset pack member was still no where to be found.

We arrived in Bozeman and the bike made it would event however I knew I was lucky and could not run any more on this chain.  It would be here that I would make our already upset pack member even more upset after a discussion upon politics.  Bottom Line – My position is either you are part of the problem or part of the solution…Some one is neutral and they do not participate in the election they forgive any entitlement to discuss their options.  This person was not going to vote and this upset me.

[Jock]

It was time to head back to the Sturgis area and enjoy some of the area that was more crowed when we left.  Mt. Rushmore

[Jock]

Crazy Horse





What it will look like when it is finished...

[Jock]

Wall Drug

[Jock]

Bad Lands



And so much more…Deadwood, Black Hills and it goes on and on…

[Jock]

We would end up in Pierre South Dakota and enjoy an excellent steak at Mad Mary’s Steakhouse and a Beach Bum beer!

[Jock]

From here it would be a mad dash back to Knoxville, TN where I hooked up with my riding partners.  It would be here that we would part ways and head back to the reality of our world.  One of the riders impressed me having never ridden more than 90 miles in a day and never a night over trip much less than this one.  She rode on the back of the Kawasaki Concourse in style and never complained.  Every one thought she was going to be on a plane back home but that was not the case.  Three of our riders were home but my now less than upset pack member and I had more to go…him less than 100 miles…me over 475 more miles.

[Jock]

Time to go and go I did.  The bike I rode a Kawasaki KLR 650 Dual Purpose Bike had been put to the test.  A single cylinder with a top speed of 85-90 miles per hour had been ridden very hard and long at full speed ahead.   At 6pm on Friday traveling 88mph down I-26 through Ashville, NC while traveling with my MP3 player very loud I hear a faint POP!  At this point the throttle was gone and I knew the replacement chain had popped!  Being the in left hand lane with cars to the right and behind me I knew I had to do something quick or I was in real trouble.  After pulling in the clutch, slamming on brakes, making a quick right after four cars I made it to the side of the interstate.  The chain had popped and jammed in the front sprocket.  At first glance it appeared to crack the engine case and the rear sprocket barely missed having the chain wrap around it.

A tow truck and $120 later I was back in Ashville, NC at 7:15pm at MR Motorcycle Dealership.  They placed the bike in the shop and stated we could look at it in the morning.

[Jock]

That evening I reviewed some options in my head with one of them being having the bike taken to my friend that I rode with on this ride.  His is a tech and owns one of these bikes and has his shop in Knoxville, TN.  After a discussion with his father I decided that this was the path to take and they meet me in Ashville on Saturday morning. 

In the meantime I needed a ride home given it would take some parts being ordered for the bike.  My spouse made the trip from Savannah to Ashville and we returned home that day.

[Jock]

The ride was an amazing event and there is some much detail that I can not begin to express it here.  All I can say is you must experience and live it for yourself.  All the pictures and comments in the world can not express how you feel and experience it.

For many the fact that I rode it on a KLR 650 is amazing itself but I am here to tell you it was a perfect set up and great for that terrain.  In all it was over 9,500 miles and we had a blast!

Of course you know that there are plenty of photos and I will attempt to post some of them in the gallery in the coming weeks.

As one of the cruise lines puts it…”Just get out there” and I highly recommend it!