The OUTER LIMITS!



pavement ends.



Chapter one

In every one's life there is a road, and on that road there are curves and forks, twists and turns.  Much as some would like, it's rarely straight.  (Boring)

When we come to that fork, you can choose the known, the well travelled... or you can choose the unknown, the road less travelled. 

I think back over my own life, how my Dad took the road less travelled many times.  I learned that from him, at a young age, and my daughters have learned it from me.


Here's a bit of history that even my family may find interesting.

Both parents were born into a severely depressed Hungary in 1923.  The Austro-Hungarian empire of the Hapsburgs was thoroughly kaputski after the disaster of the first World War. 

Then came the depression, and bad as it was in North America, imagine what it must have been like over there.  Had there not been a WWI, had there not been a depression, there may not have been a place for an Adolph Hitler. 

Think about it...



hell's canyon wilderness, no friggin kidding!



So my parents really had no childhood, my Dad was on his own by age 12.  His father dead.  Then, at 16 that very same Hitler plunges an uneasy Europe and subsequently, the World... into WWII.

Hungary couldn't have been a swell place during those years, Aunt Bozsi remember hundreds of B 24 Liberator bombers flying over the country, even today, construction crews find unexploded live bombs all over the cities.  In 2008, ten square blocks in downtown Budapest were evacuated for a 4000 lb bomb (made in the USA) while digging the new subway line, yet there was worse to come... much worse.

After the war was over, the occupation had begun.  History has it's own way of stating the facts, but the facts are, that Joseph Stalin's Europe was not a pleasant place.  I won't delve into the intricacies of the debate as to who was worse, that I leave to you.

Travel as you and I know it, simply didn't exist in the occupied countries like Hungary or Poland or East Germany... suspicion ruled the lands and the Iron curtain had descended.

My Father worked steam locomotives, and as such he was all over both Eastern Europe and sometimes the West.

In 1947, while on a Hungarian train in France, he  defected.  He left behind a wife and young daughter.  A year later for reasons I'm not aware, maybe homesickness, love, certainly not money, he re-entered HU via the rail system.



can you spell, s t e e p!  worse later.



In short order, the authorities came to the house and arrested him.  His following address became a prison for political dissidents.

The next 6 years were spent in hard labor at various coal mines working underground to feed the Soviet economy.  After the death of 'Uncle Joe', a general amnesty was granted to political detainees and Dad came home.

I was born shortly thereafter... on the same date as he in fact.

At a year and a half, the country of my birth was going through a revolution that quickly became quite violent.  Molotov cocktails thrown from apartment windows at T 34 tanks.  My Aunt Bozsi tells me of seeing Russian tank brigades by the score passing through the roads and forests surrounding Jaszkiser on their way West to Budapest.

My Father, well aware that as a political prisoner his name was on the Siberian express at the least and a bullet at the most.  I don't know which would have been more humane.  Like 250,000 other Hungarians, they packed up and in the dead of night over several nights, made their way towards Austria and Freedom.



notice mtns in the background... I'm going beyond them



The road less travelled so to speak.

Remember what I said, it's rarely straight...

After a couple of years in a refugee camp provided by the International Red Cross, in the south of England, Canada and many other Commonwealth countries opened their doors and we arrived in Edmonton on a TCA propeller driven aircraft.

TCA for those that don't know, was then known as Trans Canada Airlines, the forerunner of Air Canada.



bird's eye view

  Which brings me back to my story. 

I've spent much of my life travelling the less beaten path.  Although I have stayed at the odd resort (on a Yamaha trip in 1988, we stayed at the Royal Bahamian resort in Nassau, Bahama's.  Casino Royale was filmed partly at this resort)

Most of my travels have been at no star layovers.  Hold it a moment, that's not entirely true, I have slept under a trillion stars many times!

Brings to mind an old joke, goes like this: 

Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson were taking some time off to rest after a gruelling case.  They packed their tent and sleeping bags and headed to the Scottish highlands.  After setting up camp, exhausted, the two companion adventurers dropped into a fitful slumber.

In the wee hours of the night the good Doctor Watson is awakened by Holmes...

"My dear Watson, look up and tell me what you observe?"

"Well Holmes (never one to pass up a chance to put his mind to work) I see Cassiopeia, the North Star, a smattering of cirrus clouds at 20,000 feet, and a beautiful night sky albeit a chilly one.  And you Holmes, what do you deduce from all this?"



kayaker enjoying the day



Holmes ponders for just a moment before answering his learned colleague...

"My deduction Watson...  somebody has stolen our bloody tent!"

But... I digress...

Yesterday, I was on a just such a road less travelled.  I've been very busy during my latest foray to Phoenix.  Seems that gearing the place up, shopping, getting bikes smog tested etc, takes up a lot of time. 

Needless to say, with the gearing problems and little time, I have had no off road adventure moments... until now.  The forecast the past few days has been cooler temperatures.  Riding desert country in 100 degree heat is not my idea of a great time, so with cooler temps and heading North, I was eager.

As it turned out, my planned route didn't happen, I was seduced with the prospect of exploring Crown King, apparently a must do destination for serious off road riders.  Once on the Lake Pleasant parkway, I was quickly out of town with a full tank of fuel aboard. 



understatement of the year



I followed LPP to the Carefree hiway, route 74... and set my sights west to the park entrance.  Lake Pleasant is a Dammed man made lake offering city dwellers an opportunity to hit the campground, water, trails in 20 short minutes.

With my steady 55mph gait the new gearing provided, I didn't hold up traffic greatly.  After a few miles of twisty paved road, you arrive at a T.  To the right is one of many park entrance gates, while left leads off to the Castle Hot springs, Cow Creek and eventually Crown King roads.

Only a few miles in off pavement, I stopped as a road crew were positioning their grader. 

"Where you off to?"  One orange clad workman asks.

"Crown King."  I reply.  The two guys look at each other and the 2nd dude says to me in a straight face,

"On that purty bike?"

The other guy tells me I'd be better off leaving the bike with them and taking that... pointing at a D-9 Caterpillar parked in the ditch.

My deduction had nothing to do with tents, only tense. 

What was I getting myself into this time... hell what could happen?! 

The bike was working well, I had some food and water, and it was a nice day...

                                                                                                                                    cont.

note: to enlarge pics, just click on.