Part I - Vancouver Island Motorcycle Adventure

The Prep Week – The Calm Before the Ride

Planning a long motorcycle trip is a mix of excitement and a tiny amount of stress. You’ve got all these grand ideas about the journey, but reality likes to throw curveballs, and boy, did I get a few!

Mapping it Out:

The initial plan was ambitious — I had to be in Victoria by Friday at 4 pm, and I wasn’t going to miss that deadline. The route took shape around two major highlights: Glacier National Park’s "Road to the Sun" and a ride on Olympic Highway 101 (Washington). As always, the plan evolved as I dove into campsite availability (or lack thereof) and weather reports.

Campsite Chaos:

Finding good places to camp turned out to be a nightmare due to availability. It felt like every time I thought I had a plan, one part of the route would not work anymore. So I caved to practicality and locked in KOA campsites in the U.S. for reliability, even though it felt like a compromise at first. I guess, I should have planned this back in April and sat on the websites hitting F12 to refresh the page and then book when the system was ready.

Packing the Gear (and the Doubt):

Packing up the bike is always a bit of a dance. Too much, and you regret it. Too little, and you wish you had that extra pair of socks (although there is always Mastercard). This time, I thought I nailed it — until I started second-guessing everything the night before and slipping extra things in. Classic. But Sunday came, and off I went, leaving behind a house full of finished chores (my quid pro quo for taking a break).