Woke before the alarm this morning, packed and on the road by 4:10 am. Weatherman said the rain would stop by midnight and start clearing off......wrong. Still drizzling and 40 degrees. Didn't think I would need my electric gear either.....wrong. After riding for an hour, pulled into the first open gas stop, grabbed a coffee and put on the electric jacket and electric glove liners. Other than trying them out in the garage in Houston, this is the first time to use them.
Drats, the gloves don't warm up. The jacket gets toasty, with four setting, low, medium, high and HOT. Stopped at a rest area near a ski area and thawed my hands over a hand dryer in the men's restroom. Finally dropped to a lower elevation and the sun was coming out. Things should start warming up. By Great Falls, everybody was going to work, stopped for gas and breakfast with wifi and Mickey D's.
From Rt 87 got on Rt 89 north to Canada. suddenly Rt 89 dumps me on the interstate. Luckily there was construction and the speed was 65 mph. Okay I can ride my normal 55 and not be in danger if I watch what is coming up behind me. Another surprise was how few vehicles were out this morning. So I stayed with it. Many times it was only Da'mit and one other vehicle in sight.
The Canadian crossing at Sweetgrass went smooth., two lines open, half a dozen cars in each line.
Once in Canada, stopped at both a motorcycle dealer and a snowmobile dealer to see if they had electric gloves as I knew I would be needing them further north. None, nada, zilch. Maybe the Ural dealer north of Calgary has them. He is my final dealer top visit until Anchorage.
Miles, a Uralist who lives in Calgary, has graciously offer a spare room for the night and a garage to wrench in, if needed. Am looking forward to meeting Miles as he and his wife Tracey have ridden a Ural down through Central and South America, took a boat to Africa and rode north.
Checked my messages at a gas stop, Miles says the invite is open, so am heading over to their house for the night.
Miles with the Ural they rode to South America.
The book of their adventure with a Ural.
Thank you Tracey and Miles for opening your home to a stranger.
So the lower 48 are behind me, we are in Canada. The long miles we racked up today put us back on schedule after losing a day due to the storms in Montana.
Exhausted, I fall into a soft warm bed and zzzzzzzzzz.......
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