Anyway, last night's Northwoods beauty (pics below) on the banks of the Fraser was without connectivity.
Yesterday I was determined to find a tire, preferably in Smithers where I'd found room at the inn. Got online, found a Honda shop... but they really only do ATVs. The Yamaha shop was closed. The Harley shop is, well, it's a Harley shop.
I sat with a cup of coffee and a strudel at Tim Horton's, considering my plight as any civilized adult would do... over coffee and a pastry.
At the next table were three guys, they all appeared to be retired and in town for socialization.
Eventually they noticed the bald guy with the gray beard and wearing a motorcycle suit. As so often happens, they asked questions and I answered. Where I'd been. What I'd seen. One of those guys was Theo Huisman.
Theo observed my rear tire was fairly smooth. I explained. "I've got one in my shop," he said. "What size?" "I don't know. I bought it to fit my bike but I haven't needed it."
He assumed it would fit (I assumed it would not) and went back to discussing the sights of BC, Yukon and Alaska.
Eventually we left, me following Theo out of town to what I first imagined had to be a movie set... lovely home with exposed timbers, glass all around, decks overlooking the mountains, the Bulkley River below, and the cattle. Theo and his wife l live there. In the garage were Theo's Harley and his BMW R1200GS. We went to his capacious shop -- big enough to tend to his logging equipment before he sold out.
There on a shelf was a brand new Heidenau K60, size 110/70/17.
He threw it in the back of his truck and led me to Sam, who builds custom motorcycles, and we left it for him to mount it on my wheel.
Rather than stand around for an hour, Theo gave me a tour of his hometown, Smithers. He showed me the park with the broken 727 fuselage -- the park where they filmed part of The Gray with Liam Neeson.
By 11a.m. I'd seen Theo's beautiful home and was headed down valley toward Prince George. Great visit, Theo. Your hometown is like something out of a movie, even without the movie. That's Theo's guest house... built it last winter because he was bored.
Today, I traversed Mt Robson National Park and rode back into Jasper. I was heading south, back down the Icefield Parkway on a SUNNY day.
The bike was humming, new rubber was comforting, sun was smiling at me, mountains at every point of the compass, the smell of spruce and fir and young alder and spring flowers. This is why we ride.
South of Calgary, the weather.turned downright cold and it started raining again. I found a motel.
At dinner, I struck up a conversation with another motorcyclist. In addition to riding (he and pals are riding the Continental Divide Trail -- tough, tough, tough) Shawn is the mechanical systems guy for Earthship, builder of those otherworldly-looking houses you've seen in the desert just across the Rio Grande from Taos, NM.
He and his co-workers have ridden to Alberta to build an Earthship at Lethbtidge. Fascinating dinner convo.
You meet the nicest, most interesting people when you ride.
No comments:
Post a Comment