Heading North

From the end of the TAT trail in Oregon we need to get to Vancouver, that’s 583 miles on a highway on Enduro Bikes, with Enduro tyres! Its hard, its hot and its long, the traffic around Seattle is something else (#carpark)

We are not allowed to filter in traffic (Split Lanes) in this state, never understand this, after what seems like hours just sat  there we decide to use the slip road to “leave”, then change our mind and rejoin at every junction…if nothing else it keeps us moving!

Just before the USA border with Canada we stop and just make sure all our paperwork is in order, we ride the last mile, Gary is called first, I sit back, they are asking him lots of questions and he is producing documents in quick succession, to be honest we have focused totally on the USA customs document 3299, we are asked for Passports, V5s, our reason for visiting, no mention of the 3299The customs official is a friendly young girl, she is clever, she calls out “Dave” I look up…first test passed! I walk up to her and Gary. miming a “sorry” back to the people at the front of the ever increasing queue of traffic behind us, they nod and half smile!

Our customs lady now wants to see evidence of insurance which we produce………..she takes a paper note of our registration numbers and thats it we are free to go………sweet! Hmmm was that too easy or did we get lucky!

Well hello Canada

Straight away this part of Canada looks different from the USA, not better as such but different, we can’t quite put our fingers on it but kind of more British. 

We search for the recommended campsite, its almost dark now but we eventually find it, only to find out its been full since 8am that morning. 

Another is suggested, we race to it and with warnings of Mosquitoes we select a pitch and head straight to the nearby Pub before closing.

As it turns out they are still serving food so we end up have an excellent meal and a few craft beers…..good times.We awake and as soon as we leave the tents the Mosquitos are waiting, biting any bit of exposed skin and even through our clothes, we cover ourselves in spray from head to foot, its sticky and does not seem to make any difference!!! …..the worst ones are those buzzing in your ear!! Grrrrrrrr:-)

MosquitoLand

A very kind local couple takes pity on our situation and offer us a room at their beautiful house (you know who you are) and we relocate away from MosquitoLand until we depart for South Korea…We can relax here, do some essential maintenance, chill out by the fire on an evening….. and Gary even tries  his hand at landscape gardening…They even loan us their pick up truck and Motorcycle…

Thank you Guys so much…..we are expecting you both in the UK in 2019/20, just say when and we will be at Heathrow waiting for you:-)

International Motorsports, Langley

We ride into Langley and to International Motorsports, we have been exchanging emails for months, now the day has come!I had been looking for a Husqvarna Dealer who could help us prepare our bikes before we head into Russia, time to give Irene some TLC and get her engine checked:-)

The dealership is much larger than expected, they sell Husqvarna’s of course but are a major outlet for Triumph (No 2 in North America) and Moto Guzzi, the showroom is full of desirable stuff.We introduce ourselves and finally meet with Mike Rensby, what a star he turns out to be, I had given Mike a long list of asks (Service, Tyres, Replacement Keys, Sprockets, Crates for transportation) and it’s all sorted without any problem.

Over the next week we spend a lot of time with Mike and International Motorsports staff……..and really, we can’t recommend them enough. If your on a similar RTW trip to us or just local, pop in and see these guys……great knowledgable people and really excellent service. 

Fort Langley

We also spend a lot of time in Fort Langley….a really nice town full of Coffee Shops, Pubs, Diners and Restaurants….really busy chilled out town, nice place to hang out.

Brave Heart

We have a great evening in the Pub in Port Langley with a Canadian gent originally from Scotland…..good fun with a razor sharp wit (and has an uncanny resemblance to Mel Gibson)

we discover he had a good win at the Casino and after a night of drinking he insists on paying our bill, I mean really insists… We thank him and wobble back to the campsite, and did not even notice the Mosquitoes that night….funny that! 

Handover Day

The next day we return to the International Motorsports dealership, we have some pictures taken and hand the bikes over for servicing and crating, this is the last time we will ride them until South Korea in a few weeks!……so are without the Bikes now……..but this gives us time to get other things sorted, emails fly as we get export and customs issues sorted…..….we can now book our flights to Korea, its expensive but there is little choice. I also book flights for Sacremento as I will be leaving my old mate for a few days to visit family……

Piece of cake

Gary offers to take me to the Airport for my 6am flight south to Sacremento and has checked the route, “piece of cake” he tells us all the night before …and he is very convincing……

We have some issues with directions in this big City but make it 45 minutes later than planned.

The pressure is on now, I check in, making progress until i am asked the address I am staying at…darn It I left that behind…. “just make sure you have the address before US customs” I am told, this is going to be tricky, but at least I have time on the flight before i get to the USA to think of a plan.

I get to security, and after the usual strip down, I am through by 5.25, now for the gate…I round the corner and YIKES!!!, ruddy USA customers is here in Vancouver… I queue, more questions, more  finger print scans and I am off, no mention of that address!

I arrive as the gate is about to close and make it to my seat with minutes to spare……that was something else…..

…….the lesson here is don’t enter big cities without SAT NAV…but do we learn…no 🙂

Gary has been working hard whilst I have been away, working with Mike and International Motorsports to get everything ready for the freight company.

Its not all bad, he is loaned a bike and gets up to Whistler for the day…

Locher Evers

We exported the bikes with Jo-Anne at freight company Locher Evers.

Our route to Russia being via South Korea, Jo-Anne arranges the Vancouver to Seoul leg, Seoul based Wendy Choi making arrangements into South Korea and then out of Donghae on the DBS ferry and Yuri Mellnikov finally compleating the jigsaw puzzel, sorting things out at the Vladivostok end………hope you followed that! I will put together a Visa/Border page with their details when i have time…

Loch Evers are excellent to deal with, very professional, always responding to email quiries and even dealing directly with International Motorsports whilst we were offline travelling.

Freight charges are expensive, $1700 CAD but when it all works smoothly you have no regrets. 

And we are off….

We visit Mike at International Motorsports and finally pay our bill….Mike kindly gives us a lift to the bus terminal and we are off.We catch the 509 bus from Langley…then the Skytrain into the Waterfront….….and finally the Canada line to the Airport, 50+ Kilometers for $10, on time, and easy…..come on Bristol!!! #MetrobusI have never seen a Sea Plane land or take off before but I dont have long at the waterfront as planes are in and out every few minutes…...the planes seem to dive at the last moment…and it must get quite “exciting” on board as the Pilot gives a good handful of reverse thrust on touch down.

El Presidento!

Our first stage is a flight to Seattle, Gary waves like a departing president..…..so funny! 

Canada had been planned as a means to exit North America with our bikes into Korea and Russia. We are both really impressed and agree its a country we will return to and explore properly one day! 

Good advice

We meet April whilst we are waiting to board our flight to South Korea, lots of good advice about Korean culture, food and getting around….……”you have emergency, you call me” she says before we go our seperate ways…people are great everywhere!