Southwest of Portland is the Yamhill Valley where there are vineyards and wineries that specialise in producing Pinot Noir wines. There are also some nice Rieslings and Chardonnays produced in the region. The town of McMinnville is one of the main centres. We think it is a gem of a little town and will go back if we are ever down this way again. Driving through the countryside on a wine tasting exploration, we were overcome by the similarity between the views there and the countryside in Tuscany, Italy. One could superimpose one upon the other; however, seeing castles on the hilltops and nibbling on gelato in every village was not possible, so it wasn’t a perfect match. In McMinnville is the Hotel Oregon. It is an old hotel that has been restored, but done so ... read more

The forecast for Walla Walla on Tuesday was 99 deg-F. The good news was that it didn’t peak until mid-afternoon. We found another local eatery for breakfast that was great (Clarett’s). It was full of characters and the stories we could overhear would have made a good essay. Most people here seem pretty comfortable in their skin. Normally we end up talking to locals who have been living in Walla Walla for a long time and know about the area. Mind you, we tend to talk to older folk so maybe that awareness of the place shouldn’t be a surprise. Les and I felt quite at home in this city. The first part of the day was on straight, smooth freeways through dry farmland. It was all incredibly boring. However, once we reached The City of ... read more

Here we go on a long awaited trip to Portland, Oregon. Saturday, we had a leisurely jaunt from Cochrane to Kimberley through familiar country. The sky was blue all the way. We had breakfast in one of our favourite places, the Juniper in Banff and then held off eating too much until we had a great meal in a German restaurant in Kimberley. We were disappointed that the General Manager that we knew at the Juniper (James) was not there any more. We old folk don't take change very well, but I suppose James found something better to do and so off he went. I hope our paths cross again in the future. Our plan is to be up early on Sunday and make our way through the Palouse to Moscow, in Idaho, not the other ... read more

Odometer: 43215 km The day started with a promise of reaching Calgary today, but also the promise of some rain on the way. I left Regina by 7am and had breakfast in Moose Jaw. The weather at this point was perfect for riding, but the sky in the west was threatening so I put on my rain gear in anticipation. I wasn’t disappointed. I hoped I could ride through the wet, but the lightning started and when a strike on a hill across the valley beside me resulted in an instant crash of thunder, I sought refuge in a little restaurant at Chaplin. Some of the community was in for their morning break and I invited myself to join a farmer that was sitting on his own. He wasn’t critical of my dripping clothes. I never ... read more

Odometer: 42546 km The day started overcast and warm with a promise of being clear and hot. My plan was to look at the main sights of Winnipeg downtown, have a visit with Les’s cousin, Bob, and then spend the afternoon on the road. That is about how it unfolded. In conversations last winter, Bob said he would love to have me visit, show me some of the sights about town, and take me out for a meal. Unfortunately for me, in the meantime, he decided to sell his house. The sale occurred two weeks ago and the movers were coming today to start his move. He was apologetic and I understood. Still, we did get together for an hour or so and had a nice visit. Bob is in his eighties and is still sharp. ... read more