Netnorske
05-31-2010, 07:09 PM
Well I'm sure most of you know Tricia and I had planned a trip up to Armstrong, BC Memorial Weekend to visit and ride with Mike and Lorna Donahue....aka lomax. Ballast was hoping to go too but you know about his problems as well....
We had planned to meet Rickyboy, Hammer and Elvis just across the border and share some miles on our way north. Well...with the crappy weather we were facing for the weekend.....we decided to GO ANYWAYS.... http://s2.images.proboards.com/shocked.gif ::)! We decided we weren't going to let a little rain spoil our plans to get away for a few days.
Saturday we awoke to a pretty serious rain, but donned our rain gear and headed north. Just across the border, we did meet Rickyboy and Hammer for a coffee....although they were smart enough to drive their cars over. Elvis called and took a rain check, understandably so as he had farther to come. After a short visit, Tricia and I trudged onward.
We made gas stops in Hope and Merritt before shooting east on 97C toward Westbank, a suburb of Kelowna. In Merritt, I called Mike and could almost hear the disbelief in his voice when I told him where we were http://s2.images.proboards.com/tongue.gif. Nonetheless....it was drier near Kelowna so he and Lorna rode down to meet us in Westbank. We took a leisurely route back to their place in Armstrong (about and hour north of Kelowna), then settled in for a good home-cooked meal and a few (too many) cocktails before calling it a day!
Sunday we awoke to a pretty decent day, with broken clouds and a good deal of sunshine.... http://s2.images.proboards.com/cool.gif! We fired up the steeds and took some great back roads west towards Kamloops, then back east toward Salmon Arm and Sicamous, where we stopped for a great lunch just as a little shower fell. After lunch, we headed back south toward Armstrong and out from under that brief shower. All in all....it was great day of riding....and the nap we all took upon our return was just about as good!
On a side note....the place we had lunch in Sicamous is where we plan to meet up with Mike and Lorna for breakfast on our way to Kalispell later this summer (Kamloops to Banff leg)!! It is a gorgeous area for sure!
It was on the ride Saturday while following him when I really took notice of how great Mike's bike looks! His sig pic does not do it justice. His is as clean and chrome a Nomad as I have seen anywhere...just an outstanding looking motorcycle, well cared for with great sounding V&H Baggers! It is a 2001 and only has 20K on it.... http://s2.images.proboards.com/shocked.gif!!!!
Monday (today)....we got an early start toward home and rode about an hour to Kelowna before we stopped for breakfast and fuel. Here we put our rain gear back on until we reached Hope, where the leathers went back on for the remainder of the ride! I will say this....I am very happy with the rain gear we have. It is top-of-the-line two-piece Carhartt stuff (about $300 a set)....but is breathable and completely impervious to rain. We rode in it all day long on Saturday and arrived dry as a bone.
As for finally meeting Mike and Lorna....it was a real pleasure to spend some time in their home and their company....what a great couple! They were very gracious in their hospitality and we can't wait to return the favor. It is so very cool to get to meet and hang out with the people from this forum.....it really brings it full circle and strengthens the bonds and friendships we make here.
Do yourself a favor and make every effort to attend one or more of the Regional Rallies planned for this summer. Give yourself a chance to meet the good folks of KawaNOW...they are a great bunch! Ride safe and thanks again to Mike and Lorna for all of their wonderful hospitality! And one last thing.....don't let a little rain get in the way of a good ride....you don't know what you might miss... ;)!
Just after crossing the border at meeting place with Rick and Dave...
http://i374.photobucket.com/albums/oo187/netnorske/KrisandTrish.jpg
Lomax (Mike) and Netnorske (Kris)
http://i374.photobucket.com/albums/oo187/netnorske/mikekris.jpg
Mike and Lorna
http://i374.photobucket.com/albums/oo187/netnorske/mikelorna.jpg
Kris and Tricia
http://i374.photobucket.com/albums/oo187/netnorske/triciakris.jpg
All four of us......
http://i374.photobucket.com/albums/oo187/netnorske/100_0300.jpg
We had planned to meet Rickyboy, Hammer and Elvis just across the border and share some miles on our way north. Well...with the crappy weather we were facing for the weekend.....we decided to GO ANYWAYS.... http://s2.images.proboards.com/shocked.gif ::)! We decided we weren't going to let a little rain spoil our plans to get away for a few days.
Saturday we awoke to a pretty serious rain, but donned our rain gear and headed north. Just across the border, we did meet Rickyboy and Hammer for a coffee....although they were smart enough to drive their cars over. Elvis called and took a rain check, understandably so as he had farther to come. After a short visit, Tricia and I trudged onward.
We made gas stops in Hope and Merritt before shooting east on 97C toward Westbank, a suburb of Kelowna. In Merritt, I called Mike and could almost hear the disbelief in his voice when I told him where we were http://s2.images.proboards.com/tongue.gif. Nonetheless....it was drier near Kelowna so he and Lorna rode down to meet us in Westbank. We took a leisurely route back to their place in Armstrong (about and hour north of Kelowna), then settled in for a good home-cooked meal and a few (too many) cocktails before calling it a day!
Sunday we awoke to a pretty decent day, with broken clouds and a good deal of sunshine.... http://s2.images.proboards.com/cool.gif! We fired up the steeds and took some great back roads west towards Kamloops, then back east toward Salmon Arm and Sicamous, where we stopped for a great lunch just as a little shower fell. After lunch, we headed back south toward Armstrong and out from under that brief shower. All in all....it was great day of riding....and the nap we all took upon our return was just about as good!
On a side note....the place we had lunch in Sicamous is where we plan to meet up with Mike and Lorna for breakfast on our way to Kalispell later this summer (Kamloops to Banff leg)!! It is a gorgeous area for sure!
It was on the ride Saturday while following him when I really took notice of how great Mike's bike looks! His sig pic does not do it justice. His is as clean and chrome a Nomad as I have seen anywhere...just an outstanding looking motorcycle, well cared for with great sounding V&H Baggers! It is a 2001 and only has 20K on it.... http://s2.images.proboards.com/shocked.gif!!!!
Monday (today)....we got an early start toward home and rode about an hour to Kelowna before we stopped for breakfast and fuel. Here we put our rain gear back on until we reached Hope, where the leathers went back on for the remainder of the ride! I will say this....I am very happy with the rain gear we have. It is top-of-the-line two-piece Carhartt stuff (about $300 a set)....but is breathable and completely impervious to rain. We rode in it all day long on Saturday and arrived dry as a bone.
As for finally meeting Mike and Lorna....it was a real pleasure to spend some time in their home and their company....what a great couple! They were very gracious in their hospitality and we can't wait to return the favor. It is so very cool to get to meet and hang out with the people from this forum.....it really brings it full circle and strengthens the bonds and friendships we make here.
Do yourself a favor and make every effort to attend one or more of the Regional Rallies planned for this summer. Give yourself a chance to meet the good folks of KawaNOW...they are a great bunch! Ride safe and thanks again to Mike and Lorna for all of their wonderful hospitality! And one last thing.....don't let a little rain get in the way of a good ride....you don't know what you might miss... ;)!
Just after crossing the border at meeting place with Rick and Dave...
http://i374.photobucket.com/albums/oo187/netnorske/KrisandTrish.jpg
Lomax (Mike) and Netnorske (Kris)
http://i374.photobucket.com/albums/oo187/netnorske/mikekris.jpg
Mike and Lorna
http://i374.photobucket.com/albums/oo187/netnorske/mikelorna.jpg
Kris and Tricia
http://i374.photobucket.com/albums/oo187/netnorske/triciakris.jpg
All four of us......
http://i374.photobucket.com/albums/oo187/netnorske/100_0300.jpg