We had a great breakfast, but before we even ate we were asked by the waitress to quiet down. We laughed and thought it was a great start to the trip. One problem is that there are two teachers and a superintendent so invariably there's going to be talk about teaching, etc. But Grant and I tried to help keep it to a minimum. We all decided however that for the duration of the trip, Bill would be titled "the administrator", a sobriquet appropriate to his lofty rank as superintendent!
On the way out we met two girls that were bicycling across the US. They started in Boston and were heading to Seattle. We were very impressed and decided we were way too old and out of shape to even consider something like that. It's motorbikes for us!
Speaking of bikes, here's what everyone was riding.
| Me: | 2008 Suzuki DL650 V-Strom, with soft saddle bags and a Givi topcase |
| Grant: | 2005 Suzuki DL650 V-Strom, with Givi hard bags and topcase |
| Tim: | 1981 Kawasaki 750 LTD, with handmade saddle bags and soft topbag |
| Kevin: | 2006 Yamaha 650 V-Star, with Yamaha side bags and soft topbag |
| Bill: | 2003 Honda ST1300, with Honda side and top cases |
On The Road
Leaving Newport, we headed north on 2 towards Sandpoint. Reaching there, due to Tim’s small gas tank, we stopped for gas. Likewise Tim emptied his own tank. This was to be a common theme throughout the trip: fill up with gas, go to the bathroom. Of course every stop is also an opportunity for a photo op. So out come the cameras.
The day was absolutely beautiful! We rode through Troy, Libby, etc. on our way to Kalispel and then Glacier. At one of the stops prior to Glacier, Tim got some gas and I waited with him.
Tom Clark
I'm a Senior Software Engineer at Intellitect, living in Spokane, Washington. I also do a little development work on the side. And I love riding motorcycles all over the country with my friends.
