The last day of each motorcycle tour is painful.  I’m not sure if it’s the length…or the lack of scenery…or the massive desire to get home to see my loved ones and sleep in my own bed.  Whatever the case, it makes for a long day. Making matters worse, I often overestimate my ability to make good time on the bike, resulting in several tours where I roll back into town well after the sun had set.  On Ryan & Silver’s Excellent Adventure 2007 I woke up in Invermere and didn’t get back to North Battleford until midnight.

Today was different.  I was up at 7 and managed to get ready, packed, and on the highway at 8am.  I was on a serious mission.  Waiting for me at home was my girlfriend Heather, my little dog Penny, my own warm bed, and a good night’s sleep.  The trouble with being on the road is that you never really get a sound sleep…something always keeps me from resting completely.

I made excellent time and was able to reach Edmonton for a 1pm lunch at a Subway on the Clover Bar Road.  There were some spotty rainclouds here and there but I didn’t get wet.  My energy level was high and I didn’t really stop at all for pictures or resting.  I wanted to get home.

I usually loathe the trip from Edmonton to North Battleford…it goes on forever and by the time you reach Lloydminster you start to think you’re almost home…but then realize that you still have another hour and a bit to go.

I didn’t bother stopping in Lloydminster at all, although my eyes did wander in the ditches on the outskirts of the city in case I saw my air cleaner case than came off on the first day of the Fellowship of the Road.  That seemed so long ago even though it happened only two months previous.

After a quick stop in Maidstone for fuel I was on my way for the final stretch. Unfortunately, there was a pretty serious looking storm that I’d have to ride though.  It seems the Tall Towers episode would be ending with a bang.  I actually found the rain refreshing, and was able to reach my home at about 4:30.

My favourite part of getting home is taking off my gear one last time and having a nice, long shower to get all the crud off me.  After my shower I went to Heather’s place to surprise her (I told her I was still in Lloyd)…but she wasn’t home.  Instead, waiting for me in the window was the little face of a mini schnauzer named Penny Lane that I had become quite fond of.

My reunion with Penny was fun, she ran around and then licked my face about a hunnerd times.  I took her home and an hour later Heather came by to welcome me back.  As much as I love my tours, coming home to see Heather and Penny is something I loved even more.

The next day I was back at work.  Dead tired. I need to start planning tours with an extra buffer day in between.  The few days after a tour are always downer days…a bit of a tour hangover…but this time I didn’t have time for downer days.  I had shit to do…I was moving, and in a few short weeks the third episode of the Lord of the Roads trilogy would commence!

In the meantime, the Tall Towers episode had come to a nice completion.  Mission accomplished.  The Kootenays…Going to the Sun…the Rockies…Silver and I just conquered the greatest mountains that the West has to offer.