Leaving Ontario.......into the West

Another cool morning to start out in light drizzle. Wrong turn when leaving the gas station and I found myself headed to the USA on hwy.# 71 heading to International Falls, Minnesota? A quick about turn had us on hwy# 11-17 heading towards the first stop of the day to check out Kakabeka Falls. A local fella took our picture. His wife was touring some relatives around and he was along for the ride. (He said that Thunder Bay has the largest Finnish population outside Finland itself.) Their guests were from that country of course.

               

We met a Harley rider from Wembley, AB who had an escort car containing his wife and daughter. He told us he was on his way home from a bike rally and family get together here in Ontario. We left him to chat up another  Harley rider who arrived in the parking lot as we were packing up.

A lot of trees and rock to lull you into boredom on hwy# 11 on the way to Fort Frances. The road was in good shape with the odd construction zone to break up the ride. Half way through I took a ride into Atikokan to check it out and we both agreed that "we wouldn't want to live here"

The approach into Fort Frances over the causeway and bridges over Rainy Lake is very impressive. The transmission line structures that cross the lake at this narrows are some of the tallest I have seen anywhere on my travels in North America, tight. Traffic and guard-rails prevented a quick pullover to get some shots!

Pizza night before settling in. Three couples from Alberta, one on a Harley and two others riding Victory motorcycles pulled in to stay at the Super 8 as well. I must take more photographs! Showers during the  evening. Again it was good to miss being on the road at that time. It makes settling in so much easier!

July 8th found us making our way into Manitoba. The first time since 1983 for Gayle! We took the opportunity to stop at Rushing River park for a photo op as we stayed here on our first ever cross Canada trip(by car) in 1973.

 

             

     

We took the opportunity be partake of a "biker stop" at Rolly's Ye Olde Chip Truck for a burger and fries (closer to Kenora than the Manitoba border I believe) for whatever reason we see Harley riders taking breaks but most other bike travellers we simply wave to them on the highway.  :) 

 

There were two Harley's here as we rolled in, with Manitoba plates, so we knew we were getting closer.

                                                               

Gayle found the wind out in the open on the TCH near Stienbach tiring,but I have been riding in much worse in the past! We were not leaned oner at 45 degrees yet. I took the opportunity as we rode into Winnipeg to pick up some 5W40 100% synthetic oil for the bike. (Only required for top up at this point) They had a bike identical to our own at Wildwood BMW in their show room. Took time to browse while we had the chance to be in this dealership in Winnipeg.

Checked in to where to stay while getting into an air conditioned Starbucks for a cool one. (28 degrees) Took a ride around after deciding to stay in the city and dropped into a book store to browse  the magazines before calling it a day. Thunder clouds piling up as we arrived back at the motel. A couple on a Harley Road Glide on their way to Kenora, from Phoenix, Arizona, parked next to us in the "Motorcycle Parking Only" area. Got to like the special treatment!

July 9th  After breakfast we chatted with Josh and Kathy as they readied their Harley to ride east to Kenora and into some rain. Gayle got some "travelling light"suggestions from Kathy while Josh and I shared "rain riding" as part of being on the road. This couple have been leaving the heat of Phoenix behind each year now for awhile. They said that we were the first pair of long distance bikers they have met that are not simply weekly riders or locals; in all the places they have travelled!

Rain was letting up this morning as we readied for today's planned ride to Yorkton, SK. The day turned out better than what was forcast but the wind was with us all day. We better get used to it as big sky flat country will be ours for days now. Today we turned northwest on the Yellowhead highway which will continue all the way through Saskatchewan, Alberta to Masset, B.C. Once we arrive in Saskatoon I will be able to say that I have been on all but 101km (which are on the Queen Charlotte Islands) of the entire 2690km length.

We didn't find as many reasons to stop on this section but there will always be something to catch your eye:)

Who remembers the Sixties??

We made a visit to the CAA office in Yorkton to pickup some more maps (yes I still like to have the paper even though the Garmin Navigator IV GPS is on board) Took a long walk to supper and gassed up to be ready to ride in the morning.

July 10th High cloud cover and just a few sprinkles as we loaded our steed for the windy ride to what is said to be Canada's fastest growing city... Saskatoon. The clouds dissipated early on to allow the temperature to rise to 30 degrees as we arrived in the early afternoon. We again did not see many places to pull off for a break, but did take the opportunity to drop into Foam Lake where one of us checked out the town's Quilt Shop.

A pre-lunch snack at the Co-Op store in Mozart was the second stop to allow a rest from the buffeting winds of transport trucks. Sat in the shade on the porch and watched the grass wave to us in the breeze. Most small villages have enough tree cover to break most of the wind for awhile!