The Life of Brad: August 2022 - Sask Lakes, Argentina Visitors, West Coast, Blue Demon, Cidery

A fun filled month of motorbike travel and guests, some sailing, friends, cabins, organic farms, islands, ferries, cideries, hockey, memories and other stuff that makes my life worth living, lol.

First road trip on Blue Demon. Out to Paliser Park for the August long weekend with Tom, Erin, Mary and Matt and the grandparents Dave and Sheryl. A great spot off the river dammed up and turned into lake Diefenbaker which only about half of Saskatchewan knows about, haha. Saskatoon berries, Rums, Crib and Boat rides were some of the highlights. And I tried my first electric bike. And my first puncture repair on the side of the highway!

After 10 years these orange
tire plugs still work!

Boom! 15 min and good to go

Warm cider at the end of a big
day is still delicious

Ferrying in under the cover of night

Tom happy with his left hand drive Toyota

Sapphire is just not all there
Sleeping on a rock?

Tiny little cabin with air conditioning,
3 bathrooms, 4 bedrooms. I do my best...

Clearwater Lake. My old childhood summer vacation spot that my grandparents had in the 70's, 80' and 90's. Similar to the above cabin minus the air conditioning and only 1 bedroom and no indoor plumbing! I hadn't been here in 25 years or so.

Some mods over the years. Almost didn't find it

Old Drive In still going. Top Gun
made enough to cover summer.

Clear Water Lake about 1000 m diametre. I did not find my missing GI Joes in the sand that day.

Took a left on my way home to spend time with my older cousins Phyllis and Lawrence who are such wonderful people and very important in my life.

Damn messy riding the
prairie summer. Grasshoppers!

Wide open roads

Local Medicine Hat art

Nice little pub on the southeast
end of town. Rusty's

A visit from one of my first friends in Argentina who held on to my motorbike when I was in Canada. Julian and Romina stopped in on their way down from Alaska in route to New York on his loaded up Yamaha Super Tenere. Awesome to see you and thanks for inspiring open fire pit grilling for me in Canada.

Out sailing with captain Julian.

Nice bike Julian

Weird hail out of nowhere.

Tourists from Argentina taking in "high end" hockey, lol. I'm number 4 in Dark Blue.

Post game invite "we gave it a 110%" in spanish of course, but more like "do you have your teeth?"

Annual garage sale

This guy bought a lot

Adit golf day out

Thanks Andrew and Dale

The end of the month I took my annual trip out to the West Coast to visit some beautiful places and some great friends. Plus I packed to be prepared for possibly leaving my Motorbike on Vancouver Island to be ready for my trip to Mexico in October. Four great stops.

Stop 1) Fernando's in Golden. My buddy Mike's dad who I have know for 20 years including Mike's stag in Vegas and staying with him before on the 2015 Westcoast trip. Always good to spend time with Freddy. Thank you.

A major packing plan - 3 hours

Ready to roll

This cloud hung around after the rain

Boozy cherries

So 6 is too much? Freddy?

Stop 2) Patrick, Zoe and Huxley and Whanka in Gibsons. Patrick a riding friend from my big ride to Argentina welcomed me again to their new spot overlooking the ferry terminal from an amazing deck. A few really nice days with their young family was a perfect start to the West coast.

Rode old Highway 1 and Highway 99 to Horseshoe Bay.

Rainy start, and chilly

Just West of Kamloops on old Hwy 1

On to hwy 99

Lillooet

Whistler

Amazing rock face near Squamish

Aww, the coast again

Horseshoe Bay

Gibsons!

One of Patrick's glass working
stations

Potential house next summer

Bonniebrook Beach

Banditry Cider

Stop 3) John and Jessica and the Alpacas on Salt Spring Island and their organic farm "Bright Farms". Such a wonderful and relaxing handful of days with my two favourite organic farmers. So many blackberries, ground cherries and other tasty fruit and veg. But first 3 ferries, Earl's Cove, Powell River and Crofton to get to my destination.

Early rise to ensure I didn't miss the second
ferry at Powell River.

Aww man, floater plane with a great spot

A Trattoria on the Sunshine Coast?

Earl's Cove

45 min free ferry to continue on to Powell

With time to spare in Powell River I decided to shoot up the 20 min to Lund and the end of the Highway. Always good to test out the end of the road.

Serious bridge construction

And off to Comox

Salt Spring Island

Peace

View from the open air tent, no fly needed

You Turkeys

One of the restos they supply

Stop 4) Brian and Dallas, plus Corey and Greg and a good spot to leave a motorbike. Always a good time hanging out with Brian and Dallas that are up for everything. From an Eagles Tribute Band, Cidery, Salmon Fishing to Labour Day Classic there was never a dull moment.

The dogs wouldn't allow it!

Leaving Salt Spring to the Main... Island. Motorbikes are treated well on the Westcoast.