Thank you Barry. A compliment coming from the legendary Black Lab makes it feel like even more of an accomplishment. I owe you, this site and ADV for my inspiration, and much information, and will try to post of an RR.
I will tell you that it was quite an adventure. I almost turned back about 200 miles from the end, but the dam V would have nothing to do with turning around. All the roads were different, and had their own challenges, but the Taiga Road was the most difficult.
Being alone that far out (I saw two Hydro Qubec trucks in 850 miles) was intense, amazing, scary, fun, excillarting, and just awesome.
Every moment of every day was living on the edge. The constant feeling of the tires fighting for trackion is addicting. Patching up the bike after "events" was a challange but you know...........you pick yourself up, check for injuries, apologise to the bike cause it's always your fault, and do what you have to do to get it picked up (dig a trench under the wheels, push the bike in so there is less lean angle, and then when its on its feet, put rocks in front of the back tire so I could walk it out of the soft sand) and then go about fixing the broken parts. I will say........the Strom is a amazing machine. It goes, and goes, and goes.
I do feel like I accomplished something. It does not matter much in the grand scheme of things, or probably to anyone else really, but to me and at this moment in my life, it was important.
More to come. <MC>
QUOTE=Black Lab;727643]M.C., you are absolutely stellar!!! I know what it takes to do this, and you BY FAR out did my trip!!! Your first photo, and your last photo bring back fond memories for me; just one hell of a long strip of gravel through "no-man's-land". (Although the Cree did adapt to it very well, until the white man messed it up.). Your other photos....well heck, I do that stuff all the time! :wink1:
I hope that you can post more photos for other riders to view. Keep in mind, that MANY riders will not have the opportunity to do what you have done, (and many won't attempt it either!). Posting the photos lets us live the trip with you.
Thanks for the first post in what I hope will become many!
B.L.[/QUOTE]