Modern Vespa

Yes, if #61 made it yours is safe too! I have my spot running in the truck so we could track them. We all fly out of LAX and SFO nice and early on Saturday. Eric, Suellen, Mark, and I meet up with Dave in Vancouver for the final leg into Prince George.

Ecola State Park

The Goondocks!

Busted for speeding.

It ain't fair I tell you. I have been slogging my way north. Today I had 46 degrees and rain, sun and 68, lightening and heavy rain and wind and that all cycled on about every 2 hour basis. Now all the those other guys are jetting in to PG and get to ride in clear and 80 degrees. I just walked to dinner and the heavens opened up with more rain and lightening. It ain't fair.

And....I talked to the Area Manager of Roads on his BMW bike on a road trip and by chance met at a totally separate location the retired Area Manager of Roads on his Swchinn on a road trip and both cautioned about the bears in the Hyder area. That is way it is called the Bear River going into Sewart. Last week a bear knocked a bicycle rider near Jasper off his ride and bit into his backpack. Fortunately that is where his can of bear repellent was and the bear got a mouth full.

PS: Oz any lucky chance you will be in NOLA to take our pictures?

Astoria

Decided to stop for the night in Shelby, MT since there are no hotels until 2 more hours north once we cross into Canada. So that will happen tomorrow morning.

Yano's getting closer. Making her way up. Woot to everyone.

Just pulled into Hope, BC. I am spending the night here before my assault to Prince George on Saturday...

Having lunch at apub in Calgary while the Honda dealer mounts the K66 on my spare rim so we can swap it out with the City Grip when we get to Hyder or Smithers. Current plan is Jasper tonight and Smithers Sat.

OAD and crew are planning on spending the night in Lethbridge,ABtonight

Pulling for all the Vintage and 2T riders! I like all the others...but I'm not so normal myself!

This may sound over-the-top, even for this forum, but...I'm completely riveted by this thread & the whole MV/CB experience. The Cannonball hasn't even started yet & I can't seem to go more than a few hours without wanting to check back here & at the http://followride.com/ site to see what's been updated. So many people here at MV are both incredibly interesting & incredibly nice and it's just plain awesome to watch everyone pull together for an event like the Cannonball.

There are plenty of reasons why the CB would be the perfect thing for me to do someday but unfortunately there are also plenty of reasons why I'll probably never be able to go. Maybe that's part of the reason why I'm fascinated by it so much - I get to live vicariously through all of you that do get to go. I'll try to resist posting something every 5 minutes for the next 2 weeks but I feel like a 10 year old with ADD locked in a sugar factory every time I see something new here. Keep the pictures (& videos?) coming Cannonballers & know that my thoughts, wishes & prayers are with you for a safe & fun ride. Speech over (for now).

Yeah it hasn't even started yet and this thread is almost 4 pages. Wait till it starts. You will be hitting refresh every 5 minutes.

On Followride, my 41 will be moving tomorrow from Jacksonville to Chicago to Vancouver and end the day at midnight in Prince George, should all follow the itinerary.

I am really looking forward to seeing everyone and getting this thing started.

Fraser river in Hope BC

Got my bag packed and boarding passes printed and will be at LAX at 4:30 am tomorrow for our 6:30 flight. Pretty damned excited to get this thing going.

We made the drive from Bellingham WA to Kamloops BC today. I had to stop at the "Vespa" dealer (I say in quotations because they only had 1 vespa on the showroom floor.. lol) and pick up some spare spark plugs because we apparently forgot to bring the ones we had at home.
Dad and I were both fairly surprised with the size of Kamloops. It just kind of pops up out of nowhere.
We wanted to make it to Prince George today, but that's just not going to happen. We've had too many days in a row of arriving late at night. So, tonight we will go to bed early, and get a nice early start!
If I can clear my dropbox folder, I'll move some of the pictures from my phone to my computer and post them here after dinner or something.

Words can't express how lucky I feel to be doing this! I am already having a great time, and it's nice to be spending it with my Dad. *warm fuzzies*

We're staying at the Sandman in Prince George tomorrow night. Arriving at the airport around 5pm. We may all be up for a late dinner.

OAD and crew are indeed in lethbridge ab. Expect to make Prince George at 6:00 PM tomorrow. Please advise - we could be interested in late dinner too!

And the beat goes on. And the beat goes on. With any luck, scooter fixes tomorrow and work hurdles to overcome I will be in NOLA to witness the carnage at the end. First cannonballer I see gets a drink on me.

TN sooner, are you one of the cannonballers or you the support crew driving the truck, If so I sure wish I could be with you guys. Not in this life time. maybe the next. Who all is with the OAD crew. Are some flying up and meeting ya.

Envy and jealousy aren't the things I'm feeling, it's something else more fundamental.
Something closer to simply missing out I guess.
Just have a safe ride eh as we don'y want any mishaps like we did in 2012.

Bill xxx

The group is TN_Sooner driving support, Old as Dirt, Motovista and Frank Tabor riding in his truck. LM15 and I are flying to Prince George today to meet up with them. The two flyers, with no room for more passengers, will ride our scooters to Hyder, then NOLA, then home to Florida.

That sums it up nicely. I offered OAD support truck and he figured out how we could help some other riders too, sharing costs. We also have some of Lostboater's gear on board and will support him coming south too.

Calgary customs is well aware of the Cannonball! Ha! When I said my final destination today was Prince George - "Are you with the Cannonball?"

Just remember:
It's not a race.

Well said, goes for me too.

My husband and I are eating lunch in Prince George then will stop at the market next door for cannonball trail food before heading on to Smithers. Since we still need to swap the rear tire I wasn't a it more time after taking the scoot off the trailer. Passed a scooter shop on our way into town. Chinese scoots but hey it was a scooter shop.

Saw moose and bear on the roadside coming in from Jasper today. I also need to double check the route since the road I think is Day 2 checkpoint 1 is closed with a "washed out sign."

Yep, same road:

You sure you didn't see these two guys?

I made excellent time today. 395 awesome miles! I got on the road at 6am local time. The stretch of road between Hope and Cache Creek was priceless. I past by a snoring Bagel at 10am. Made it to PG just 15 minutes after the support truck even though I started the day 4 hours behind it.

Wouldn't they be hanging around Frostbite Falls MN?

For those that didn't know Bagel did an iron butt on the first leg of his ride north. What a way to break in a cannonball.

Hence the snoring...

I am on the plane in Minneapolis about to depart for Vancouver. Then one more leg to Prince George. Almost didn't make it out of Jacksonville word no crew for the flight. Luckily I went to the counter and they found a better option. I might just make it.

No doubt.

Dad and I arrived in PG around 5pm. Have settled into the hotel and are awaiting the arrival of everyone else staying here as well.

I on an AA flush headed to Vancouver to me up with Bill L #41 for our late night flight into Prince George. Enjoying 30 mins of free airplane WiFi.

Mike
LM15

When we crossed the border this morning they knew all about it as well. We are in Prince George now.

OAD and crew are in Prince George. Here are Motovista and Frank Tabor enjoying a post ride refreshment.