The 26th Annual Rose City Oregon 500 was be held on Saturday, May 8, 1999. This event is a 500 mile tour rally for motorcycles and is not a race. I had decided that I would travel to Portland to attend and to assist the RCMC group putting on the 500 mile tour and rally. Why you ask, well it was just to get in some riding and to see all my "riding buds" again. I had a two day ride to Vancouver, two days of meetings in Vancouver, BC, a one days ride to Portland, (a midnight to mid morning Saturday to assist) and then roughly a day and a half to again make it over the continental divide back to Edmonton so I could be back at work on Monday morning, May 9^th. The trip from Portland to Edmonton is 1676 km or 1048 miles (Tripmaker says it is 16 hours and 48 minutes and three days). I thought I had lots of time in 1 days, even for very cold spring weather. I knew the road and had done this trip in one day, twice before on my bike.

I left Edmonton on the afternoon of Monday April 26, 1999, and arrived in Vancouver, BC on Tuesday April 27^th. This is a bit early in the season to be riding through the numerous mountain ranges between Edmonton and Vancouver including going over the continental divide besides. The weather, while nice for April is still subject to the very cold temperatures, piercing winds and sudden storms emerging from no where especially in Rocky Mountains. Also the weather was funny (very unsettled indeed) as it can not yet decide if is spring or if it was still winter. The air has not yet even begun to feel warm, even though the sun was summer bright. "It looks warm out" but at 100 km/hr the wind chill is often at freezing levels - so chilly on a bike to say the least. It was cold even when you are dressed for it. But would I have driven my car instead, not a chance! There was no snow in the forecast. Besides I pride my self as a rider.

I had two days at a conference and I left Vancouver, BC at about 9:00 AM Good Friday morning April 30, 1999 and got to Portland about 4:00 PM, so I made good time. I got wet by Bellingham and it seemed that I was meant to get wet every few miles especially as I went through Everett, Seattle and Tacoma. It would then clear up then poured again going through Olympia. Again it cleared and it poured rained again as I went through Centralia. You guessed it again as I went through Portland to west of Beaverton. I guess I was meant to get wet going through each major centre.

The folks I visited (Pres. - Char - and road captain - John- of the RCMC) let go to bed. I got up at 11 pm and we were at the Armoury at midnight Saturday the morning of May 1, 1999. Set up was finished by 3:00 AM. Bikers started arriving about 3:30 AM and the first one was out at 4:00 AM. The last one was out at 8:00 AM. We all went to breakfast and then back to the Armouries. I left that same Saturday morning, May 1, 1999 about 10:15 AM heading fro Edmonton. The rain had stopped (most of the first bikes went out in heavy rain). It looked relatively nice for the ride as I headed east up the Columbia River gorge on I 84.

The total trip was 3475 km's total ( XX miles) from when I left home. This was in 5 days riding. I had lots of weather from Portland, home to Edmonton, such as cold, snow, hail, wind and not much sun and warmth, but a good trip. 19.5 hours total. I rode to Cranbrook B.C. the first day (Saturday, still May 1, 1999) 850 km's (531 miles) and home today 575 km's (about 365 miles), which I figure is an average of about 45 mph. I went to bed in Cranbrook at 9:00 PM and did not get up till 10:00 AM, so I must have been tired. Getting up late did however get me home to Edmonton a bit later than I wanted but I did get most of the heat of the day (what there was of it). It was 4 degrees Celsius when I arrived in Cranbrook and it was 1 degree Celsius when I left that morning. It was 4 degrees Celsius in Fernie, BC when I went through. The high for the day was in Calgary at 5 degrees Celsius with heavy rain and with strong 70 to 80 km westerly winds coming through the Kicking Horse Pass from Banff in the west.

I called my brother, Bob in Vancouver, BC when I got home to tell him all was well and that I was home. I mentioned to him that at one point south of Calgary and well out of the mountains, I reached to turn on my hand grip warmers because it was so cold, only to find out they were already on. SCARY.

Anyhow, the whole trip was well worth it.