Firstly, let me apologize if you are receiving this blog and do not want to, or are receiving it twice, or at the wrong email address. The blog site I used previously, TravelBlog closed down last year, it was a subsidudary of Expedia and apparently not a money maker so it was turfed. When TB closed they recommended Off Exploring as a good substitute, but the jury is still out on that.

It seems to have accessed my address book, maybe I gave it permission at some point? Either way, as I become more comfortable using it, I will learn more. If you are receiving it and do not want daily updates please let me know and I will remove you from the list.

We awoke to Sunshine, and a ever so mild hangover. I always say, the morning after, that I shouldn't have had my last drink, that is a talent everyone needs, knowing not to order your last drink, but who knows which one is last?

I believe whilst coming back to the mo'tel from the bar I had mentioned to Bill that I was willing to negotiate a slightly earlier departure time, of 0800 (The New Crack of Bill) but as Friday was my first day of holidays maybe the 0800 thing could start Saturday.

As I was loading my bike at 0850 Bill mentioned it was 'a wee bit later than 0800'. I had to remind him of our deal. We left Red Deer at 0900ish after fueling and headed off into excellent riding conditions.

Passing through Calgary on the Deerfoot around 1030 was very easy, I briefly toyed with the idea of the Ring Road, but traffic was light and before you knew it we were through. Crossing the bridge by Glenmore Trail I was reminded the last time I was through there on a motorcycle in 2015 it was raining, 4 degrees and 75 km/h headwind. Today was much better!

As I drive the Calgary <> Edmonton corridor frequently throughout the year I never feel like I am on holidays until I get to Nanton. Today as we started to pass through the smattering of small towns south of Calgary it was beautiful riding conditions. Passing through Ft. McLeod I saw the old brick building The American Hotel all boarded up. I recall staying there in 1993 on a motorcycle trip to Padre Island, TX where I met an Englishman named Simon and his wife, also on a bike.

We stopped in Houston to put his wife on a plane back to the UK, then we rode together all the way to Edmonton, where he stayed with me for a few days before continuing on the Vancouver. We wrote for a few years (pre internet days) but ultimately lost touch, too bad.

We stopped in Lethbridge for fuel and lunch, at the A&W. Bill had a cheeseburger and Root Beer, but I am determined to eat healthier on this trip, something that is very hard to do. I had a chicken salad and ice water so I think I did pretty good.

Leaving Lethbridge towards Coutts/Sweetgrass the roads were desolate and traffic was becoming scarcer and scarcer. Driving through Coutts the roads were empty....until we got to the actual border where we found all of the missing traffic! I had never crossed here before with more than 2 or 3 cars ahead of me. There were at least 40 cars ahead of us, and after we stopped in was at least 15 minutes before we moved again. Frustrating!

We were beside another biker, an older gentleman headed to Sturgis, so at least Bill had company his own age! I took my helmet off, kickstand down and dozed until I would here the other guy's Harley spark to life so we could move 10 feet. Frustrating! All told it took about 2.5+ hours to cross the border. At one point I though we could be sneaky and circumvent a sizable portion of the line up, but Bill couldn't bring himself to cheat the system, instead we sat in the hot sun and moved 10' every 15 minutes.

Eventually the line began to move at a normal pace, there must have been a bus or a gaggle of bikers up front at first. Of an armed taken down/shoot out......at the Coutts Crossing. That'd make headlines for weeks. Didn't happen!

My border crossing sgtrategy is to say as little as possible. Answer all questions answered promptly and curtly. Maintain eye contact, use Sir or Officer as appropriate, but never offer more information than that of which is asked of me. I never have anything illegal on me, or warrants or anything like that, but I still like to keep it to a minimum. I employ this technique in all law enforcement interactions. Bill, however, uses the "I'm a super friendly Canadian, got 15 minutes to talk?" strategy. I thought we could use this to our advantage and I suggested he ask ther CBP Officer what the hold up was. He said he'd need to feel out the guard to see if they were going to be conducive to that line of questioning. Ultimately, although the lady was nice, Bill elected not to push his luck, although I he did have an expired NEXUS card, but no cavity search ensued. I also, had not signed my passport, having recently received a new 10 year one, it was not an issue, she was just mentioning it.

We stopped again just past bthe border to put jackets back on, headphones in, helmets on, etc. I had never actually taken off my jacket, just unzipped it, and I found that my shirt was soaking wet with sweat. Ewww Gross! Didn't smell though, I am blessed with the non stinky characteristics of a true Dechant!

From there it was just 30 minutes to Shelby, one of my favourite US towns. We pulled onto Main Street and turned up the hill to the O'Haire mo'tel. This mo'tel is exactly 700 kms from my driveway and usually represents a single days ride, this time it was 2 days, but we won't dwell on that. I have stayed at the O'Haire almost yearly for 30 years, only missing occassionaly when I didn't have a trip; 3 times out of 30, or when I didn't go through Montana either coming or going.

Lodging handled we went in search of food and beverages heading down to the Montana Supper Club, only to find it closed, permanently. It really comes as no surprise, every time we have been there in the past it was just us, eating off of an ever shrinking and limited menu, on the Main Street of a sleepy little town. We ended up at Griddles where Bill had breakfast, and I had my second salad of the day! Thoroughly sated we decided to skip the nightcap and retire for the evening. It might have been 8:00 PM! Whew, Shelby didn't know what it was in for when Bill & Lou sweep into town!

I looked at my laptop, knowing I had to start my blog then realized the 2.5 hours in the sun at the border took alot out of me. Read my iPad for awhile and drifted off to sleep.

Day Two

Red Deer, AB to Shelby, MA

550 kms