Vic Van Moon Landing

Well, we're at it again!

Coming to you from the frozen North (OK, Southern tip of BC) and the Pacific Northwest US, we are re-launching the slightly modified crew from the Vic Van to San Fran run last fall.

The trip this year is going to be from BC/Washington through hwy 20 and on to the going to the sun road, then down to Yellowstone and Salt Lake city, and stopping by the craters of the moon national monument before making our way back home.  Launch date is Sept 4th from Marysville, Washington and the return date to same is September 11th.

We hope to cover about 5600kms over the busy 8 days but this will depend on our desire to either slack off or ignite solid fuel boosters.

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The pilots are so far, squamishvfr, v-fore, digitallyhip, eboro, and myself bcmcrider.

As this is not a VFRD sanctioned event, we are flying by the seat of our pants accommodations wise with probably an even split of motel/hotel and lunar lander (aka tents).

If you are interested in joining us for a leg or two (or more) or have suggestions about what not to miss or great places to stay, post up or drop us a line.

In the words stolen from the Peg house, 'Never don't stop'

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BC



With all due respect, sir, I believe this is gonna be our finest hour.  - V-fore

Work is making this impossible for me this year, unfortunately. Have a nice and safe trip guys!
C

If it get much more twisty dan last year, I don't know, what I will do?!


Next time Christian. 😜

:laughing6-hehe:
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[image: View Post]Polarbear, on 15 August 2012 - 01:48 PM, said:

Work is making this impossible for me this year, unfortunately. Have a nice and safe trip guys!
C

You will be missed! Work sucks :ohmy:

Thanks Ian, that's nice to hear. I know you would have appreciated some entertainment and something to talk about at night around that campfire...  Every year in September will be a tough time for me to get away as I'm tied down to the regular school year calendar --unless exceptions. But in any case, take lots of pics, I'll keep an eye out for the trip report.
Enjoy boys!!
c

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Polarbear

Consolation prize purchase?







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[image: View Post]Polarbear, on 15 August 2012 - 02:39 PM, said:

Thanks Ian, that's nice to hear. I know you would have appreciated some entertainment and something to talk about at night around that campfire...  Every year in September will be a tough time for me to get away as I'm tied down to the regular school year calendar --unless exceptions. But in any case, take lots of pics, I'll keep an eye out for the trip report.
Enjoy boys!!
c

I think you meant thanks Gary as I hadn't had a chance to even hack you yet.

In any case, I concur that you will be missed.

It was probably that crappy red wine we tasted/spit out. :sad:

[image: View Post]Dutchy, on 15 August 2012 - 03:56 PM, said:

Polarbear

Consolation prize purchase?







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Now, THAT'S the spirit!! Pun intended...
I just might have to treat myself and drown my sorrow...

I think (purely for Christians sake of course) we should make a stronger effort to do a smaller shorter weekend ride early season next year that he could make. I was hoping for a hootenanny this year to no avail. I understand the constraints of the family man.
Miss you buddy.

[image: View Post]Squamishvfr, on 16 August 2012 - 01:22 AM, said:

I think (purely for Christians sake of course) we should make a stronger effort to do a smaller shorter weekend ride early season next year that he could make. I was hoping for a hootenanny this year to no avail. I understand the constraints of the family man.
Miss you buddy.
Hey Mike and others,
Funny you should mention this. I did the Duffy Lake Loop last weekend (almost dropped you a line to meet for coffee when I stopped in Squamish for breakfast but I thought you must have been busy) and I was tentatively thinking about doing it again this Sunday. Again, I'm working on the kitchen pass--if the mother-in-law can babysit, then maybe--so I'll need to confirm this by tomorrow I think. In any case, if I go, is anyone else interested in joining me? I would most likely leave my house by 7am.
C

Ian,

Do you have an approximate time line of where you hope to be on certain days / map of your route ?. As I could not make it to SUMSUM this year due to leg injury and being to dopped up to ride. My plan is to leave Edmonton on Aug 31 (fri) and make my way to Bend Or to visit my sister/family and then be back home by Sept 9th ( Mon ). I really have no set places to visit thus far.
I was going to post up a thread and then turn on SPOT for tracking and it would be great to meet up with you guys at somepoint. To bad Polar can not make the trip.

Gerry

[image: View Post]Gerrys02800, on 16 August 2012 - 01:43 PM, said:

Ian,

Do you have an approximate time line of where you hope to be on certain days / map of your route ?. As I could not make it to SUMSUM this year due to leg injury and being to dopped up to ride. My plan is to leave Edmonton on Aug 31 (fri) and make my way to Bend Or to visit my sister/family and then be back home by Sept 9th ( Mon ). I really have no set places to visit thus far.
I was going to post up a thread and then turn on SPOT for tracking and it would be great to meet up with you guys at somepoint. To bad Polar can not make the trip.

Gerry

PM sent

[image: View Post]digitallyhip, on 15 August 2012 - 03:17 PM, said:

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Well stated.  (That took me way too long to figure out)  Now click-able.

Sounds like a good trip. I'll be busy at school corrupting young minds. Have fun. Gary, make sure to bring your "hello kitty" wear. ;)

[image: View Post]superfunkomatic, on 17 August 2012 - 04:38 PM, said:

Sounds like a good trip. I'll be busy at school corrupting young minds. Have fun. Gary, make sure to bring your "hello kitty" wear. ;)

Pretty sure that's Gary's standard attire, he just changes out of it when he's around us.... sometimes.

Gary?

[image: View Post]superfunkomatic, on 17 August 2012 - 04:38 PM, said:

Sounds like a good trip. I'll be busy at school corrupting young minds. Have fun. Gary, make sure to bring your "hello kitty" wear. ;)
Until my bike gets painted this is what she is sporting The Hello Kitty Devil... I might put the Pirate Hello Kitty (with the eye patch & skull/crossbones) on also

[image: 2012 08 18 09.24.34]2012 08 18 09.24.34 My Windscreen
Unless I can figure out a way to secure my Tiara to my Helmet :smile:

OMG
It's going to be like that again is it?
This should be fun.
Ian did the big black guy ever call you?

As far as doing the loop this Sunday I can't as we are taking the kids to playland.  Call my cel anytime you come through as I could do a quick coffee.

I never really know when I'm free and sometimes I just dynamite a hole in my calandar.

soooo, how many seconds left now??  How bout NOW??
.
.
.
.
.
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and NOW??   :ph34r:      :tongue:     



safe riding guys.

As far as the day we leave digi, you are coming accross on the ferry so you tell me when I can meet you say at the starbucks in Horseshoe Bay and then we will hook up with Ted at his place I guess then head down Oak St?  Not sure what is best.  My phone tells me Canada Way and over the Alex Fraser.

  If possible I wouldn't be opposed to going earlier and paying a visit to the Cabella's near Gary's house.  I'm told the prices aren't super good but I'm hoping the selection is better than I'm used to.  No tears if that's not possible.

Sorry for the delay. Let's meet at the Starbucks in Caulfeild Mall. Leaving earlier is fine with me and I am happy to go shopping. I am pretty sure the border delay will be significant. When would you like to meet up? My ferries get me to the mainland approximately on the hour in the morning, and then on the half hour in the afternoon. I can't get there between 1-3:30.

Loaded. Way loaded. And ready(ish) to go. [image: Posted Image]

Have a good trip!!!!

Yeah, safe trip guys!! And try not to get any performance awards!!
C

PS I'm off to get myself a bottle of scotch to drown my sorrow...

See if you can secure a bottle of Edradour or Springbank, both are not peaty but have a lot going on in your mouth....

I checked and saw that they have them both at our liquor stores for about $90, or about $65-70 Euros. I just migjt get one of them tomorrow after work. Thanks for the suggestion.
C

Well, all back safe and sound.  Pics to come soon.  That was definitely the long way round.

BC

OK, time for the trip report.

Things all got started in Canada when we headed for V-Fore's pad near the start of the Northern Cascades Highway 20.

Day 1

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Thanks again for providing the tent for us to set up in.  Note to self (don't forget earplugs for sleeping).  

On the way there, I stopped to pick up an insulated inflatable sleeping pad from REI in Seattle and have never had such a warm comfortable sleep when cool night camping.  Also discovered my GPS mount was toast so after much shopping around, I found an identical replacement in Radio Shack as old stock for only $5 brand new.  Interesting to discover many miles down the road that it was actually defective.  Thanks a lot.

We coerced V-fore to get out the bottle of Stroh's which he still had from the year before, admitting that he hated the stuff.  We (almost) all "enjoyed" a shooter before turning in for the night.

Day 2
The first stop when on the road was the obligatory Diablo Dam.
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We ended Day 2 at Sandpoint Idaho after a full day of riding, pulling in after dark.
Our VFRD membership netted us a nice discount on our room at the Best Western.  Fantastic suite for $159 with 4 double beds and a cot, we were all comfortable and warm.


Day 3
Breakfast at the Sandpoint Best Western was excellent and the views were nothing to sneeze at with covered patio dining.
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A more unruly bunch of rebels you've never seen.  Left to right are BCmcrider, Digitallyhip, V-fore, Squamishvfr, and Eboro.
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Arriving at the going to the sun road in Glacier National Park, V-fore shows us what he's made of by priming for the trip with a leftover from the night before.
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Squamish decided that he wasn't quite that brave and stuck with the Charles Bronson impersonation sans hair.
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On the road, things narrowed as they gained altitude.  What a fantastic view, if only one could fly.  V-fore took this to heart.  Where did we leave that lunar rover?
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Quite the view from here.  Note the cars on the road near the lower middle.
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Camping that night was set up in the dark.

Day 3
In the morning we could see where we had been camping.  Interesting setup with a covered gazebo affair in the center of about 5 campsites, all fanning out from it.
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We finished the day in Yellowstone park.  After setting up camp and riding to West Yellowstone for dinner, we arrived back with many supplies except an axe for the two boxes of firewood we'd purchased earlier.  No axe, no kindling, no problem when you have a can of chain lube.

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More to come.