May 30

Woke up to frost on the bike but more so my tent fly was soaked, have to dry it out later in the day. The lake looked inviting at 6:30 AM but not that inviting.

Headed down the road early. It's the nicest time to ride early in the morning, hardly anyone on the road, the light is perfect, a bit cold but nothing extra clothes can't cure. Found the most layed back place to have breakfast, in the middle of ranch country.

Even the horse are layed back.

The scenery again in beautiful, it's one thing on the bike you don't get to look as much but I find myself pulling over alot, good thing my co-pilot isn't with me that would have drove her nuts. Stopped in Williams lake for a huge car show, everything from 1914 to brand new vipers. Very hot in town, my first sun burn.

As I head out of town I was again reminded how proud I am to be Canadian.
Headed down to Cache Creek and turned left across the #97 to Kamloops and the #5a a fantastic road to ride, full of curves, hills and scenery

Today has been the first day of rain. I geared up once but didn't get wet much, actually I was very lucky, I kept looking at these black looming clouded and drove over asphalt that was wet but never got down poured myself, it's as if the clouded parted as I came, ha,ha.

Continued down the 5a once I left Merrit.
Oh and as a note to others, the #5 is not the #5a, realized that 1/2 hour down the Coquihalla. The 5a from Merrit to Princeton was prettier than the other. The corners became tighter and the scenery became more majestic, truly a bikers highway.


Pulled into Princeton around 6pm and exhausted. My whole body is buzzing. Grabbed a hotel for $50 and showered up (and remembered about my went tenting gear). Not sure what tomorrows going to bring, will find out at the end of the day.

May 29

The ride into Dawson Creek was bright sunshine and grain towers. I had to laugh though, as soon as you crossed into BC again the highway narrowed a bit and started to have curve. Decided to detour into Tumbler Ridge, real nice road in full of valleys and green space. Unfortunately the town is a sad reality of the declining mining industry. Once back on track and down the 97 I saw some of the nicest roads and views I've seen yet. It's a beautiful highway and would recomend the trip if you ever get the chance. Lots of wild life, a mother black bear and her cub (didn't turn back to photo that one) and then a very large male which I felt safe enough taking a photo as the foreign tourist who stopped in front of me felt brave enough to cross the road (would eat him first giving me time to get away). Prince George hasn`t seemed to change much, a few more box stores but basically still a bit of a dust bowl. Headed south and camped just North of Quesnel.

Isn't it though?

May 29

Slept like a log last night. It's amazing how tiring riding can be considering you're only sitting the whole time. Watched a movie on my son's Blue Ray with, surround sound, 8 speakers I think. Took a ride around for a couple of hours, in what I think was a perfect square.

Not much to see around town, lots of box stores and industrial equipment. Stopped at the local Suzuki shop. They didn't seem to have any parts for my 79' and the fact that it wasn't a quad made it again not seem to fit in. Had to laugh, the Suzuki and Yamaha shops were small and old but the Harley shop, it looked like another box store. Went out the the "rig", very impressive and now I'm even more nervous about where he works.



It's about 110 ft high and he spends most of his time on the platform halfway up connecting pipe. It's one heck of a tough job and I give him a world of respect for doing it.

On the way home it was a beautiful sight.
Tomorrow I was planning on heading back down the Rockies to Banff but due to temperatures of 6 Celsius as a high and snow in the forecast I'm heading north, up and around to Prince George via Dawson Creek on the #43 and #97. Should be fun.

May 28

Well, I made it. Tired today, it's been a lot of riding in 3 days and sleeping in the tent was good but asleep late and up early with the birds. The ride up was not the best scenery but not the worst I'm sure. The park was full of mountains, lakes and wildlife.

The #40, known as the scenic route to Alaska was long. It was 3-4 hours of rolling hills, or actually there were mountains but the way the road went up and over they seemed more like large hills.
It was funny, time after time you would crest a hill only to see the road cresting another one way off in the distance and nothing too exciting inbetween.
The road had it's moments that's for sure, the colour of the aspens was inspiring but it just went on and on never seeming to end. Saw my first oil well, all be it small but an oil well it was.
The ride itself was the coldest I've been. Good thing my co-pilot is not with me I don't think she would have appreciated this part of the adventure. Pulled over after an hour and put on my winter gloves, thermals and my pant liners, much better after that. Everytime I stopped and saw someone they always asked "must be pretty cold on that today". I'd just smile and say "no, it's not too bad when you're all geared up"...honestly though half the time I couldn't hear what they were saying as I had my ear plugs in but I probably guessed right. Grande Prairie's everything I've heard. Can't get lost as it's mapped out like a grid and it's full of subdivision after subdivision. Sure appreciate the comfy bed my son has laid out for me. He lives in a very nice home,
I had to laugh when I thought of what I was living in at his age. I'm glad Einstiens theory of evolution is hard at work.

May 27

Well made it to Jasper by 6pm Alberta time. Had to laugh at the welcome to the Province of Alberta, provincial cruisers. There were three at the border line pulling people over left right and centre. My luck I was following a rig or it might have been me too. Then they ding you $10 at the park gate and low and behold there's more RCMP on the other side, even pulled someone over a stones throw out of the gate....dirty ducks. The ride in was nice, not the bike road #24 was but the scenary of the mountains is always nice and there was the oddest little grave yard on the side of the highway in the middle of knowwhere.

Had the honor of seeing mount Terry Fox for the first time. I don't think there's anything I can say to do justice on how that made me feel....
Jasper's nice, a real tourist spot. Good time of year to come through, not too busy. Stayed in one of the many provincial sites, expensive, a bit loud and I think I was underpowered.
Had to laugh, I found my camp light not working so I'm in town grabbing a couple of things thinking if I should spend the bucks and buy a crappy light from the grocer or wait it out......it didn't get pitch dark until after midnight. There's quit the train in town, the "Rocky Mountaineer", must be about twenty passenger cars with 3 viewing cars at the end. Well from here it's on ward to Grande Prairie. I've heard the #40 is scenic, shouldn't be too bad, it's over cast but doesn't look like rain.

May 25,2010

My first bike trip of the year. Heading to Lone Butte to see my sister, Grande Praire to see my son and with any luck Canmore to see my brother, and the rest is up to the wind the weather and my fancy. I tell you it's always so nice to pass by all the ferry line ups and everyone that paid the extra $ for the reserved tickets.
Not so nice to be pulling out my rain gear right from the start, but no time like the present to test it out. Had to laugh, didn't have time to test out the bike with all the gear. I forgot to adjust the rear shock for all the added weight. It always seems like I am doing maintenance to the bike on the ferry ride, time well spent as far as I'm concerned. Three other bikes on the boat, one going to Whistler for a few day, another going to Alaska and the third guy, with all the Hells Angel logo's I didn't ask. It's a nice thing about being on the bike, you're always meeting people. Stopped at my favorite restaurant in Hope, good food and the largest selection of pies I have ever seen. Gased up and was off up the Fraser. I tell you it doesn't matter how many times I do this stretch of Highway it's always a good ride. Nice curves, beautiful scenery and for the most part not alot of traffic.The weather was perfect, a bit of cloud but comfortably warm and dry. Just made a few short stops on the way up to stretch the muscles and refuel.
The bikes getting top gas milage which is nice, all my tinkerin' is paying off (see honey it's not such a waste of time after all, ha,ha). The country side is so dry, with rolling hills and right now the sage is in full bloom, the aroma as you ride is incaptulating. I rolled along highway 24 and into my sisters place just after 5pm. After a fiest of pizza, salad and homemade muffins, we toured the property and talked and laughed until I couldn't stay awake another minute. The weather is supposed to be decent for tomorrow. I have about 700km to cover so I'm keeping my fingers crossed, as well the highway from Lone Butte to Grande Praire is supposed to be breathtaking and everything always looks better through a clear visor than not.

May 26, 2010

Sitting in the public library in Valemont B.C. Had a great visit with my sister, she even packed me a lunch!! there's nothing like family.Got going ann hit the #24 at 8am and the ride was fantastic. That highway is beautiful. The scenery is wonderful and the road is full of hills and curves a real joy to ride
Turned left at Little Fort and up the Yellow Head highway to have my first glance at the mighty Thompson River. I've criscrossd that river so many times this morning I lost count. That section of the #5 goess from vast areas that are slow and long to multiples of sharp curves the valleys of skyward reaching mountain tops glistening with snow. I actually wound up eating my lovely lunch alongside the Thompson, a great spot (thanks sis).
From here's it on to the #16 and into Jasper. Probably get caught up in the beauty of the Rockies and spend the night there.

May 25 2010

Well it's my first trip of the year. Have been looking forward to this since we came back from Mexico. It seems that's the thing about traveling, you finish one and are already planning for the next. The unfortunate thing about this trip is I'm flying solo. Due to a new job my co-pilot wasn't able to come along. I've realized as life goes along that no matter how beautiful the road looks it is far better in the company of someone you love. She will be missed dearly. So the bike is packed and ready to go. A bit of a colour change from last year and a number of new parts. She's looking great and running even better. I'm making a couple of family stops along the way but other than that there's no real plan so it's just go where the roads are curved and the suns a shinin'.