Sunday, July 8, 2012

Route 99

After a reasonably good wholegrain cereal for me and a continental breakfast (for Roland) at the hotel we saddled the scooters and left shortly before 9am.
Duffey Lake Road is one of the most scenic routes in BC, and it is best relished in the early morning hours. As we were traveling counter clockwise, traffic was basically non existent in our direction.
A panoramic view with Seton Lake in the back. The haze is still lingering but it is a bit clearer than yesterday.
Empty roads - That's the way we like it!
While we were climbing uphills, the temperatures dropped. I desperately needed to get my fleece shirt on.
 Duffey Lake Reflections
Here we are, two scooterists surrounded by breathtaking scenery. Who said you can't do long distance on a 250cc bike? The overall performance of both scoots was outstanding. Despite the elevation there was no lack of performance. We flew through the twisties and could easily keep up with other motorists, or even let them eat our dust.

Roland and the Burgman did well on their first major road trip. And (good for me) he wants more. Yay, I have a permanent riding buddy now!!!
Home again after five hours of saddle time in temperatures between 13C and 29C (55.4F to 84.2F), totaling 600km on mostly twisty scenic roads.
Fun facts:
1. A scooter doesn't stand on wheels alone.
2. Vegetarian meals can be found in the oddest places.
3. A 600km loop on scooters equals 11 hours of saddle time.
4. 41C is too hot to ride (or do anything outdoors).
5. My hubby is an awesome riding buddy (and not a tiny bit mad at me for the damage on his precious Bella)
6. A Vespa gets 84 MPG. Eight-Four! 'Nuff said!
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31 comments:

  1. Love the picture with you and Roland on the bikes. He always looks so natural leaning on them. ;)

    Sounds like a great trip with wonderful views and clear roads.

    What's the story behind finding vegan food in the oddest places?

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    1. Thanks, Lori, I also find him quite nifty looking on the scoot. We had a wonderful time.

      I have been at eateries before where you couldn't get one thing vegan/vegetarian. Hence, I was pleasantly surprised at the effort that the Firehouse Grill in Dewdney made, as well as the Greek Restaurant in Lillooet.

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  2. Absolutely gorgeous scenery! Especially that creek running alongside the road. I love that!

    Who said you can't tour on a 250cc? Not me! I have no doubt that one can tour on a 50cc scoot. It's being done all the time!

    Glad you had a beautiful ride day. Enjoyed the beautiful shots of the mountains in the distance. Breathtaking!

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    1. Thanks Deb. You wouldn't believe how many riders I met who couldn't believe that I would ride a lil' scoot through the backcountry.
      I got lots of thumbs up from oncoming riders crediting 'my big effort', I guess.

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    2. I guess it's "all relative" in one's thinking. For a bicyclist, touring across country on a 50cc is a huge advantage. For the others, they can't conceive of it.

      I got my eyes opened over on TotalRuckus.com under the "Epic Rides and Journeys" threads where longer rides on smaller machines is not that big of a deal.

      Coming from bicycling, I never thought it was either!

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    3. Well, there is still that medieval thinking 'bigger is better' on most motorists minds.

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  3. Great adventure Sonja! 41C sounds a wee bit too hot. You may want to think about an Olympia Airglide jacket & pants.

    I always find the reaction to scooters sharing the road & doing great trips a little strange. People who have no scooter experience and think they are just teeny tiny commute vehicles have no idea the range of cc's they come in and that they are for the most part motorcycles with style.

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    1. I had a mesh jacket on but at one point they don't help anymore...

      You know that as a scooterist you are not taken seriously. I was doing 100km (legally), and still got overtaken by some stupid cagers.

      'motorcycles with style' - I second that.

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  4. Great pictures once again! Seriously jealous of your economy but I'm afraid I'm in love with my Connie and my Vee!

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    1. We were totally surprised at the result because I was pushing the scooter quite a bit. Both bikes did consume less than an economy car.

      Now, my Harley is a heavy drinker...

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  5. Superb picture sonja. You sure live in a very pretty area. Looks like great riding around there as well. Kind of reminds me of NZ.

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    1. Thanks! Indeed some places are similar to NZ but minus the wildlife.

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  6. That's gorgeous scenery and I would say a scooter is a great way to see it! It may have taken you longer but I bet you saw a lot more than you would have if you'd gone flying through there on a bike.

    Good on you both for making the trip and I'm glad you both loved it ... it can only get better :)

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    1. Brenda, I have to admit that I don't mind going slower. Besides it being safer (especially when riding in a group or with a riding buddy), you get to see much more. And hubby likes that lower cc's keep me in check ;-)

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  7. Great pics Sonja. Love the pic of Roland in the mirror with the lake. Turned out very cool, unlike the warm temperatures.

    It sounds like you learned a lot on the trip. Bummer that the scooter wouldn't stand alone but it happens.

    Glad you have a built in riding buddy. Hubbys make the bestest riding buddies.

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    1. Thanks, Brandy. It was quite the learning experience but mostly fun.
      And I am glad that I have a riding buddy in the house If he were only a bit more mechanically inclined, it would be heaven ;-)

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  8. Hmmm, I've been known to find some places to go with only 100cc's. My goodness, 250cc seems a monster :^)

    Delighted you have a riding buddy in the house.

    And, yes, I find it odd how many cars just can't believe scooters can go as fast as we can. If it wasn't so dangerous it would be funny watching them gun it to get by me only to have to wait at the next stop light as I pull up next to them. Sometimes I wave.
    ~k

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    1. I thought you would although not sure how 100cc would do at higher altitude. The 250cc were running a little rough but didn't lack performance.

      I am guilty of 'playing' with cars on occasion. Some guys really seem to be threatended in their manhood if overtaken by a scooter ;-)

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  9. I was wondering what the damage to Bella was as I thought there was no reference to anything in the post. Then I saw Trobairitz's comment.

    I veered off towards Kamloops at Cache Creek as I wanted to avoid Seattle. I was thinking of taking the same route towards the coast as there have been some beautiful photos of that route but wanted to avoid Vancouver.

    As far as scooters touring, a newspaper columnist from Fairbanks travelled around the world on a Vespa and wrote about the journey. This was back in the mid-60's.

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    1. The reference is to be found in a previous posting. You did right avoiding traffic in Vancouver, it isn't fun, although you could have stayed at my place if you had planned to come by...

      That Fairbanks guy must have been cool. There is just never enough people around that understand the concept of 'slower is better'.

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  10. Awesome scenery Sonja. Definitely on my list of places to visit on a bike tour. Put it on the bucket list! 84mpg is very impressive I am happy normally with about half that :-)

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    1. Thank you for stopping by. It is indeed a lovely stretch of road. Just like your area.

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  11. Your pictures made me smile. The shot of you and Roland is very nice, but I also love that reflections pic. What a pretty part of the country you live in. Our worlds are so different, but each quite beautiful in its own way.

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    1. We fell in love with this part of the country long ago, and we are still amazed by its beauty.

      But there is yet so much to do and so much to see. I could travel on and on to visit other beautiful places.

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  12. Who says a 250 can't tour. I travelled around all of the Great Lakes on a 250. North of Superior there's a lot to be said for a bike that can go forever on a thimble full of gasoline. Loved your photos. Looking forward to meeting you both soon.

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    1. Even maxi scooter riders were skeptical if the Vespa could do it. Ride safely, and see you soon!

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  13. Wow Sonja! Your recent blog posts are amazing (not that the others aren't any less amazing). You and Roland are so lucky that you are having such great rides. Thanks so much for sharing the experience and those gorgeous photos.

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    1. Thanks, David. Well, you got a glimpse of what the west coast has to offer (that is if the weather plays along). And the GTS 250 did so well, that I am considering taken the Vespa more often for trips around the block.

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  14. Yes, 250cc is plenty. I love my WR250R. Great report and great pictures, Sonja. Now I'll go check previous posts to find out what you did to Bella.

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    1. Thanks for visiting, Cesar. I was pleasantly surprised that I had so much fun on such a little bike.

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  15. Hi there! You've got a lovely write up here of your journey. My partner and I are taking my GTS250ie up to Lilooet from Vancouver Island next week, and were planning on taking the 99 all the way up. I've driven the Duffy before, but during the winter in a car with winter tires, so I was a bit worried about the scoot's abilities up there. I'll have to document our trip and share too. :)

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