CanAm 2005, Tribute to Akira

Akira August 9, 2005 - May 5th, 2010.

Hello to all that I have met over the past couple of years,

Some of you I've know for a while and some I have met only recently.

From August 29, 2005 to Oct. 10, 2005 I took a motorcycle across Canada and the US. It was an excellent trip and I only wish I could have done it sooner. I got my motorcycle license in May 2005 because I was inspired to do this when I rented scooters in Greece in May 2004.

I bought a motorcycle on August 9, 2005 and shipped it to Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. I quit my job on August 19 and flew to Halifax to pick up my bike. From that point on I proceeded to see Canada and the US. Please make space in your inboxs as I will be sending pictures over the next two weeks or so. I apologize for the size of the files, but I think most people's email can handle up to 10 mb at a time now.

In January 2006 I will be moving to Australia for a possible 1 or 2 years.  This will be something new and the first time I have moved away from Calgary. We'll see how it goes...

Here's to the people I've met and I hope you enjoy the pictures.

cheers,

Brad Cougle

Newfoundland!

I am surving! It's been a great 4 days in Carbonear, Newfoundland. I haven't been riding the bike too much as I have been busy having beers.

On Friday I was "screeched in". Quite a show, eating hard tac, bologne, screech and cod kissing.

Saturday night I crashed Jane and Ian's wedding. I still haven't recovered from that one.

We just got back from the cabin at Rocky Pond today and I am packing up for my trek across the province tomorrow.

The hospitality in Newfoundland is like no other place in Canada. I will be able to confirm this at the end of the trip, but it will definitely be hard to beat. Bill and Lil have been the best! Next time I'm here I will have to have my guitar skills up to everyone else's.

Cheers,

Brad

Quick one as I am abou to drive for 1 hour in the rain! I will be staying in Pleasant Bay tonight on the Cabot Trail in NS. I will be going to Acadia Uni tomorrow to hang out with Colin and then Halifax on Sunday.  

Newfoundland was excellent. I highly recommend Gross Morn and Rose Blanche, especially for riding.

Who said the Cabot trail was in good shape...lots of twists, but tonnes of bump!!!

Hope everyone is well.

Cheers,
Brad "my hands are cramped" Cougle

Here's some pictures of Nova Scotia.

On to PEI. Look for the confederation bridge in the last couple of shots.

Another quick one,

Still alive and having a good time. I am now in NB seeing family. Probably go kayaking this afternoon.

PEI was okay. The bridge was great, 14 km long and the ferry over was great too. Sunny!

Just had a buddy out hear check out the bike and everything is perfect.  Probably pick up a rear tire in the states, but other than that nothing needed.

Almost lost my sun glass as I left them on the back bag. Drove for about 10 km before I realized it and luckily they were still there.

Oh, Halifax was pretty good too and Wolfville was awsome. Acadia uni kicks ass.

Cheers,

Brad "the road warrior" Cougle

Check Terry and his home made chopper!

My Cousin Matt and I.

Tried Kayaking.

My cousins Nice Cabin and the bike.

Ok, I am in Montreal now for the second day and it is really cool. Lots of excotic entertainment clubs, but I wouldn't know anything about that!Rightnow I am hanging out with a german and an auzzie and two Swiss guys I met in Quebec city will be joining us tonight for a night on the town, on a Monday.  NB with my cousins was great. I drove to Quebec city on Friday and it was really nice, Old Quebec. I didn't see new Quebec. I saw an amazing coverband on Friday at Chez ... something or other?

I'm off to climb Mt. Montreal.

Cheers,

Brad "on my way" Cougle

I will be in Ottawa on Wednesday.

NB to Quebec city
French cows

French bird

French street

French Brad

French bar

French government

French gate

Quebec city to Montreal

French Church

French House

French Corn

French Beauty and the Beast

French views

French parking

French buildings

French meat

So, it appears everyone is concerned about the weather. Yesterday it was 30 deg C in Ottawa. Too bad that's not happening in Calgary. I hope I make it back. If it snows I will stay where ever I end up for the winter (I'm hoping for Long Beach, CA).

Montreal was really great. We added two Swedes, a German, an Irish and a Israeli to the mix as the Aussie and Swiss were also in Montreal. I organized a group of about 12 of us Tuesday night where we made it to a couple of clubs. Unfortunately this old guy only made it until 2:30 am, so
I missed the last 30 minutes and was gone in the morning before I could get any of the details.

Ate Schwartz's Montreal smoked yesterday and made it to Mont Tremblant. Great ride. about 10 km of it was outstanding with suggested 25 to 55 km curves with nice pavement. Oh yeah it took about an hour to get out of Montreal. Great bridges though.

Today I will see parliment and have dinner with my Aunt and Julie Hynes.

Looks like Saturday I will be heading to wonderful Sudbury and making the blast home to Sask and AB.

Ciao,

Brad "the bilingual, who can't spell" Cougle
Mont. Tremblant

Little Ferry across to the 417 in to Ottawa

My cousin Haley and I

Parliament

Eternal flame (I even figured out which tab was Alberta!)

Senate

War Memorial and unknown soldier

My Aunt's home

My aunt Kathy and uncle Ron and Karmer

Last night in Ottawa hanging out with Julie and friends.

Helping Americans understand metric (no sign for canadians coming in to the US?)

Mexico??? New York that is!

Can you see Toronto across lake Ontario (40 km in the distance or more)

Kevin and I after a good night.

American falls

Canadian falls

Well, Well, Well,

I am in wonderful London ON. Went south from Ottawa and checked out Niagara Falls. Cool, kind of like a little Canadian Vegas. Won $40 at the Casino.  Kevin Robinson joined me for the evening and we had a good time.

It is raining now and yesterday so I stopped here for a couple of days in a great hostel. It's not part of the HI network, but it's great. Free internet, satellited TV (big screen), towels, shampoo, breakfast all for $25. Comfortable beds too. Apparently I missed the BBQ party on Saturday,
shitty.

I have changed my direction now and will be going straight across the US to Yellowstone Park and Mount Rushmore. Probably my only chance to see the two places so I'm doing it. Looks like it will take about 7 days from Wednesday to make it to Calgary. Oct. 5 as I had planned initially.

Hope everyone is doing well!

Cheers,

Brad "one short trip at a time" Cougle

Western University

Beautiful Blue/Brown? Lake Erie

and yes Beautiful Butterflies.

Michigan as in Flint the town made famous by Michael Moore.

Heavy rain that night. I managed to get off the road before it got out of control. I got to stay in not so wonderful Benton Harbor (next to more wonderful St. Joseph's which I found the next day). Hotels are so cheap in the states $45 to $50 cdn.

Wisconsin, I went through the tip of Indiana and the side of Illinois (drove through Chicago) and on to Madison WI. Only pictures of WI as I was mostly on the interstates.

Madison is beautiful, the capital of WI and home to a 45,000 student university. Scooters and Sailing and lots of bars!

Hello peoples,

Super straight shot to Sioux Falls, SD the next day. 600 km ride that day. 

Upon inspection of my tire at the end of the day it was done. Metal showing through the tread, so I had to stay one more night until Monday morning when the bike shops were open and I could get a new one installed. I spent a total of 5 days in SD due to weather. One day in Pierre, not recommended and a day in Rapid city and one day in Sturgis (home of the largest bike rally in the US, Aug 10 or so). Snow all over the ground, but I still managed to see Mount Rushmore.

Stayed one night in Buffalo, WY and went to the saloon where all the outlaws of the Wild west got pissed and gambled. The walls and ceiling still had the original bullets holes in them.

The next day I drove 700 km. This journey included Yellowstone National Park and Old Faithful. Beautiful park with Buffalo, Deer, Elk and more. I ended up in Bozeman, MT for the night. Drove through the rain the next day to Shelby, MT and drank the rest of my American money away. It was
difficult as the beers were only $1.00 and I had $60! Needless to say the next final day of my journey was very hung over.

I made it home Sunday night and mostly slept until Monday night.

The trip was great and very necessary for me. I highly recommend Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, and Quebec (especially Montreal) and Wisconsin in the US. Of course the rest was great, but these were the highlights.

I will be sending a few pictures in the following days, so I hope you enjoy them.

Hope to see everyone around the town before I leave again.

Bye for now,
Brad

A fellow VFRer.

I didn't realize "BUMP" equals = "road turns to gravel, sweeping declined corner that ends with a TEE and a road closure". It was a little interesting at 70 mph.

"The Lolly Green Giant" in Blue Earth, MI.

South Dakota

Western Town

Corn Palace

To Pierre the capital.

And Mt. Rushmore

Snow, Curves and Animals

Yellowstone National Park and Old Faithful.

Montana. Capital Helena.