Ride Report: Day 3: Quesnel, BC to Smithers, BC

There was a thundershower the previous evening, but the pavement was dry by the time I woke up. Intense rain several days before had caused massive and destructive flooding in southeastern BC and many parts of Alberta. My original plan was to ride up central BC, cross over the Rockies to Jasper, then follow the eastern slope of the mountains down to Banff and Lake Louise before crossing the border back into the U.S. into northern Idaho or Montana. The flooding wiped out sections of the Trans Canada Highway 1 and caused massive destruction in Calgary and surrounding areas. Because of this I changed my itinerary to backtrack my way back home the way I came.

After breakfast downstairs, I headed north on BC 97 (the Cariboo Highway) to Prince George where I stopped for gas and food, then I headed west on BC 16 (the Yellowhead Highway) to Smithers. Along the way I stopped in Vanderhoof, the geographic center of British Columbia, and had lunch at Twins Cafe. I got chatted up by a local truck driver. It was a somewhat one-sided conversation, unfortunately, because his hearing loss was so severe I had to shout for him to hear my answers to his frequent questions. He was pleasant, however, as was everyone else I met while in British Columbia.

I had sun all the way until I got to Burns Lake where thunder and hail assaulted me for a half hour. The rain was intense. I had to brake for a black bear crossing the highway just as the rain started. I’m sure someone would have considered his random presence to have been an omen for the bad weather. Despite numerous warnings signs of their crossing, I never saw any moose.

By the time I got to the Hudson Bay Lodge in Smithers, I was tired and felt as if I’d been riding for a week already. Three long days on the bike will do that. I stayed there based on the recommendation of a friend, and I highly recommend it to others. The accommodations are a good value and the food is outstanding. Ellie, Angela, and the other gals that work in the Fireside Lounge provide friendly service and the menu is incredible. I especially recommend the short ribs ravioli.

Ride Report: Day 4: Still in Smithers

The weather the next day was terrible, raining constantly, and because I was so tired I hunkered down and stayed put an extra day. I used the opportunity to do laundry, sleep, and read.

Ride Report: Day 5: Smithers, BC to Stewart, BC and Hyder, AK

I checked out of the Hudson Bay Lodge, loaded up the bike and headed northwest. The goal was to reach Hyder, Alaska. My GPS said I would arrive at 10:24 AM, which was great. I could stop, have lunch, sight-see a little bit, then head back to Smithers for the night. As I rode, 10:24 am came and went, yet I still had 100 km to go. I thought my Zumo 220 was out of its mind. When I finally reached Stewart, BC and crossed the border into Hyder, I noticed the clock on my bike said it was 11:24 am. Then it dawned on me that my GPS tells me the arrival time based on the time zone of my destination. Hyder is in the Alaska time zone while Stewart was in the Pacific time zone.

Just before I got to Stewart, I stopped in front of the glacier for a few photos, then crossed a narrow one-lane bridge that was erected after the original bridge got washed out by a flood more than a year prior.

In Hyder, I rode up the forest service road 88 to the Fish Creek wildlife viewing area. You can walk on elevated wooden walkways and see bears fishing in the creek below it. All I saw was the creek; no bears were present. Back in Hyder I stopped at the general store to buy a souvenir for my wife. The owner, a big guy with a head and beard full of white hair, asked me where I was from. When I told him I was from Sandy, Oregon, he smiled and said he was from Beaverton, Oregon, about 40 miles to the west of Sandy.

We chatted for a bit, then I headed over to the Glacier Inn for some lunch. This is a very charismatic place, where you can get “Hyderized” -- drink a local form of moonshine. I never drink and ride, so I left with a full belly but no booze in me. Getting back into Canada and the tiny border crossing, a young gal named Cyr (pronounced ‘seer’) asked me several questions, then let me through. There is no questioning when going from Stewart into Hyder.

On my way back to Smithers I saw a cinnamon bear peaking above the brush on the side of the road. I made it back to Smithers under light rain and checked back into the Hudson Bay Lodge for the third night in a row.

Ride Report: Day 6: Smithers, BC to Williams Lake, BC

On my way back south toward home, I spaced out my daily rides a little better. This time I rode a bit past Quesnel and stayed in the Ramada Inn in Williams Lake instead. It was adequate; I prefer Best Westerns and most Super 8. I did some light maintenance on my gear to clean it up, showered and took a nap, then had dinner. The ride to Williams Lake was sunny and pleasant except for a head wind that really buffeted my helmet around (HJC RPHA-Max; see my review elsewhere on this blog).

Stampede Days is an annual event in Williams Lake and the morning I left it seemed everyone I saw was wearing a cowboy hat, including the waitress during breakfast.

Ride Report: Day 7: Williams Lake, BC to Osoyoos, BC

I would be arriving in Osoyoos on a Saturday so the night before I thought it would be a good idea to check the Super 8 online and make a reservation. It’s a good idea I did so as I found out the hotel was booked solid. I noticed there was a Best Western in Osoyoos so I got on their web site and reserved a room.

When I got into town I had a hard time finding the place, so I had to search for the Best Western using my GPS. It routed me there and with a lot of heat outside, I was glad to check into my air conditioned room.

Osoyoos is kind of like the Palm Springs of British Columbia -- in fact, I think that is it’s nickname -- and because of recent thunderstorms, it was muggy as well as warm. After getting showered and settled in, I cleaned and lubed the chain on my bike and added some oil, then went to the attached restaurant for a wonderful taco salad and locally brewed pale ale. Four RCMP officers, three women and a man, were sitting at a table a few feet away. The guy in the group had a front hairline in the shape of a comma, and one of the gals looked like a 40 year old Boof from the movie, Teen Wolf (with Michael J. Fox).

Ride Report: Day 8: Osoyoos, BC to Sandy, OR

It was going to be a warm day so I had my gear converted to warm weather mode from the outset. After breakfast I crossed back into the United States without delay, then headed south on highway 97. This time I changed my GPS’ mode to ‘fastest route’ and it took me on SR17, a road I’d never travelled before.

A bit south of Tonasket I could see intense thunderstorms ahead and to my right. I had hoped to dodge it, as I was witnessing large lightning flashes every 15-30 seconds. Unfortunately I ended up riding right through the maelstrom. The rain came down so hard and thick it looked like snow. The rain drops were so fat and hit me so hard that they actually hurt when they struck the arms of my jacket (Aerostich Darien sans liner). After riding through it for five minutes, I emerged on the other side muggy but under sunshine. I dried out soon after.

I had a lot of wind, but despite a few light sprinkles, I made it to Soap Lake without getting dumped on again. I gassed up and after paying, the owner came out and looked at my bike and chatted with me for several minutes. I suited back up and headed down the road.

When I passed through Ephrata I experienced a similar deluge with lightning that hit me near Tonasket. Fortunately it was short lived as well. Then it got hot.

I made it onto Interstate 90 for a fast run into a sweltering Yakima, then I got back onto highway 97 southbound. The heat was oppressive but I motored on until I got to Goldendale where I stopped for gas, food, and a bio break.

I crossed the Columbia River back into Oregon via highway 197, travelled south to Tygh Valley, then followed a forest service road past Wamic and Rock Creek Reservoir where I joined highway 35 at White River. The air was pleasantly cooler at this point, and it was just a matter of time before I was on highway 26 over Government Camp and down into Sandy and home. By the time I reached my house I had travelled 450 miles, a new personal one-day riding record.

Ride to Hyder, Alaska

I just got back from a ride to Hyder, Alaska via central Washington and British Columbia. I'll post a detailed ride report, but I'll summarize here.

1. I've never met a Canadian I didn't like, and this trip proved them to be very friendly people.

2. I didn't see a single piece of litter or graffiti in B.C. anywhere.

3. I saw three different bears, one of which was brick red -- the rare Cinnamon Bear! -- but saw no moose.

4. My Garmin Zumo 220 GPS randomly resets itself; I'm unsure why.

5. The dual towns of Stewart, BC and Hyder, AK provide amazing scenery and are very much worth the trip.

6. I'm tired; that was a long trip.