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2002 Trip - International Tour We began our annual road trip by heading out to explore our “back yard” of Canada, geared towards the Calgary Stampede on our first International excursion. We left the driveway on July 4th for an eight day scenic adventure. Our first stop was in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho for Fourth of July Fireworks. What a show! These were the best fireworks we had ever seen. Even more breath taking was the road trip into Alberta, which included West Glacier National Park. Here is a border crossing tip: Don’t get out of line and head back to the “Welcome to Canada” sign to take a picture because you will set off the sirens. Seems the Canadians are kind of sensitive about bikers committing suspicious activity. The Calgary Stampede was our next stop. The event is a combination of rodeo, a wild west show, a carnival, Octoberfest, and a non stop party rolled into one experience. We loved watching the Chuck Wagon races, exploring the events, and meeting people. We had a great time. Banff, Lake Louise, and the Great Divide, were our next adventure. We were amazed at all the animals we saw, which included moose, elk, eagles, ravens herons, and mountain goats. We met people traveling from all over the world, which included New Zealand, Japan, South Africa, Norway, Great Britain, and Germany. We also took French lessons by road signs, and learned to speak more like a Canadian by using words such as, “eh, yah, and you betcha!” The rest of the journey North was consistently beautiful. The size of the mountains and the scenery were unbelievable. What was even more incredible was the weather. In five years of road trips and with covering over 30,000 miles, this was the first time that we did not have to put on rain gear. The weather was perfect the whole trip. A few of the mountain passes were cold, but as long as they were dry we were happy. The Trans-Canada highway was smooth for the most part and took us right into beautiful British Columbia for the last leg of our road trip. We took the Ferry over to Victoria and along the way saw a pod of killer whales. On the island we spent a day discovering the historic waterfront, the local Harley Davidson shop, and much to our surprise, the Butterfly Gardens. The Canadian border crossing into the United States had a beautiful gateway monument to brotherhood, reminding us that the two borders should always be open as a tribute to freedom. On our way through Seattle on Interstate 5 to Portland we could tell we were back in the U.S., and it felt good to be home. Now, 2,150 miles later we have a whole appreciation for our Canadian neighbors, and all the beauty that is right next door. Yah, you betcha! We send to you what we feel when we ride on the open road: freedom, strength, connection, and a love for life. Thank you to all our friends and family, for all your prayers, well wishes, and advice that you have given over the years in support of our annual road trip. We would like to hear from you as well. Here are the photos:
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