PacWestGS
25-MPH NEXT 1OO MILES
My work screwed up in my favor, and I got four days off without taking leave.
I got home Thursday evening and asked my wife if she was working, she said yes.
I said, I'll miss you but I'm going to do the trip I've been talking about ever since getting the GS.
Friday 05:30; departed Tacoma, WA West on hwy 16, to hwy 101, to Port Angeles, WA. Got on the M.V. Coho Ferry and crossed to Victoria B.C. (third time there). Got off ferry and headed north out of town as fast as I could, North on hwy 1, to Nanaimo. Got off hwy 1 and started north on hwy's 19 and 19A along the east coast of Vancouver Island, Stopped for gas, pictures, and not much else. I had to be in Port Hardy before the next morning and did not know what lay a head of Nanaimo, It was some of the most beautiful scenery I had ever seen. It started raining about the last 75 to 100 Kilometers but I was dry. Pulled in to town around 18:45 (450-miles). Dinner and cold ones at the "Sportsman Pub", I was going to camp, but after being wet for 50-some-miles and the prospect of being wet all night, I got a room.
Saturday 05:00; departed the motel for the ferry dock, I was booked/confirmed but the bike was a 'Stand-By' no booking room, but single MC's never refused, just had to be there early.
07:30; The Queen of the North, B.C. Ferry departed Port Hardy enroute to Prince Rupert along the Inside Passage. It was raining and misty most of the day, but there were breaks in the weather and some of the most spectacular natural views of the world. (If ever there were a place for tree-huggers to find a tree to hug it is along this area. I'm sure 'MAN' has had a very small foot-print here, although there was some logging operations here and there). Arrived Prince Rupert on time at 22:30 and it was wet but not raining. Found the camp ground (Park Street) and set up quickly under a shelter (Bike too). It started raining about the time I finished so I crawled in and zipped up. It was loud heavy rain all night.
Sunday 04:40; couldn't sleep (roll around) any longer so I got up and tore down. I had a long day ahead. Rode in town and found a 'Cop Shop' open, donuts and coffee mum mum.
Cruised around and got to see what I could in the twilight of dawn, it was wet but not raining.
Just as the sun (light) was coming up I headed out of Prince Rupert East on hwy 16, five-minutes later the deluge began. I stopped where it was safe under some trees and closed everything electronic ('cept the Quest/GPS) in a waterproof bag and got out my wet weather gloves, Oh boy, here we go. This was more of the best country in the world; big mountains, big rivers, big glaciers, big everything. Everything was green, I guess the rain helps things work out that way. (Hell, who's complaining I ride in the rain all the time back home; just not for hours and hours and hours). I was making great time, cruising at 70-75-mph between gas stations (about 100-miles apart) I passed maybe 15-20 cars/trucks and was passed opposite direction by 20-25 cars/trucks (that's 50-vehicles in 400-miles on a Sunday, yes, there were more in the towns I passed through but they weren't on the road. I was going to get to Prince George early and started thinking hours before hand that it was no longer a destination, but a turn. The rain let up every once in a while, but not long enough to take pictures, (I'll just have to do this again, damn). It was raining again when I got to Prince George around 14:30 and cars were splashing me with big puddles in the road (450-miles). Turned right onto hwy 97 South (Trans Canada Highway) and cranked up the power. I was at lunatic stage now and was passing everything and anything that came up in front of me. Visibility was good and 99% of Canada's vehicles have 'Day Light Running Lamps', big help.
As I headed south and downward in elevation the landscape changed from lush green forests to plains and rolling hills, reminiscent of south central Texas or Coastal California. It was beautiful!
Then all of a sudden north of Williams Lake, it stopped raining and started getting warm again. I stopped for gas and food, took a long look at the map and GPS data, and thought of pushing home. I knew that was dumb at the time, but it sounded good. Lets see, 500 more miles, no, but where to stop, everything (well really nothing) was wet but I couldnÔÇÖt just stop here the day was still long. I am so ÔÇ£SOÔÇØ happy I pushed on down the road. I am riding through this HUGE canyon ÔÇÿGrand CanyonÔÇÖ size canyon between Clinton and Lytton, big sweepers, short twisties, no traffic, and a gorgeous sunset reflecting off the canyon walls. Trains climbing up the east side and trains descending down the west side, it was great.
I got to Lytton and shortly there after I started to kill thousands of bugs, I hadnÔÇÖt killed or even seen a deer yet and thought IÔÇÖd keep it that way, IÔÇÖd been in the (Rocky ÔÇÿBillÔÇÖ Mayer Saddle) for 14-hours now and a beer was calling my name. I found a camp ground just north of Boston Bar and packed it in for the night (800-plus miles). Cold Labatts Blue tasted so good.
Monday 08:30; I awoke, feeling refreshed and ready for the day. Packed up and got on the road. There really isnÔÇÖt much more to express so IÔÇÖll give the ÔÇÿReaders DigestÔÇÖ version; Hwy 1 to hwy 9 west, to hwy 11 south to hwy 1 / 3 west to 11 again south to Sumas border crossing.
British Columbia is a FANTASTIC place to spend one's life, I canÔÇÖt wait to go back.
There are 47 of 138 pictures along the way, hope you enjoy and find yourself there some day.
http://SFDOC.smugmug.com/gallery/758654/1/33523761
P.S. I got stopped by a Washington State Patrolman for within 40-minutes of being on the US side. Just goes to show, but he was really great and gave me a warning to slow down. You couldnÔÇÖt wipe the grin off my face even if he had written me the ticket.
EDIT: GPS said 1652 miles
I got home Thursday evening and asked my wife if she was working, she said yes.
I said, I'll miss you but I'm going to do the trip I've been talking about ever since getting the GS.
Friday 05:30; departed Tacoma, WA West on hwy 16, to hwy 101, to Port Angeles, WA. Got on the M.V. Coho Ferry and crossed to Victoria B.C. (third time there). Got off ferry and headed north out of town as fast as I could, North on hwy 1, to Nanaimo. Got off hwy 1 and started north on hwy's 19 and 19A along the east coast of Vancouver Island, Stopped for gas, pictures, and not much else. I had to be in Port Hardy before the next morning and did not know what lay a head of Nanaimo, It was some of the most beautiful scenery I had ever seen. It started raining about the last 75 to 100 Kilometers but I was dry. Pulled in to town around 18:45 (450-miles). Dinner and cold ones at the "Sportsman Pub", I was going to camp, but after being wet for 50-some-miles and the prospect of being wet all night, I got a room.
Saturday 05:00; departed the motel for the ferry dock, I was booked/confirmed but the bike was a 'Stand-By' no booking room, but single MC's never refused, just had to be there early.
07:30; The Queen of the North, B.C. Ferry departed Port Hardy enroute to Prince Rupert along the Inside Passage. It was raining and misty most of the day, but there were breaks in the weather and some of the most spectacular natural views of the world. (If ever there were a place for tree-huggers to find a tree to hug it is along this area. I'm sure 'MAN' has had a very small foot-print here, although there was some logging operations here and there). Arrived Prince Rupert on time at 22:30 and it was wet but not raining. Found the camp ground (Park Street) and set up quickly under a shelter (Bike too). It started raining about the time I finished so I crawled in and zipped up. It was loud heavy rain all night.
Sunday 04:40; couldn't sleep (roll around) any longer so I got up and tore down. I had a long day ahead. Rode in town and found a 'Cop Shop' open, donuts and coffee mum mum.
Cruised around and got to see what I could in the twilight of dawn, it was wet but not raining.
Just as the sun (light) was coming up I headed out of Prince Rupert East on hwy 16, five-minutes later the deluge began. I stopped where it was safe under some trees and closed everything electronic ('cept the Quest/GPS) in a waterproof bag and got out my wet weather gloves, Oh boy, here we go. This was more of the best country in the world; big mountains, big rivers, big glaciers, big everything. Everything was green, I guess the rain helps things work out that way. (Hell, who's complaining I ride in the rain all the time back home; just not for hours and hours and hours). I was making great time, cruising at 70-75-mph between gas stations (about 100-miles apart) I passed maybe 15-20 cars/trucks and was passed opposite direction by 20-25 cars/trucks (that's 50-vehicles in 400-miles on a Sunday, yes, there were more in the towns I passed through but they weren't on the road. I was going to get to Prince George early and started thinking hours before hand that it was no longer a destination, but a turn. The rain let up every once in a while, but not long enough to take pictures, (I'll just have to do this again, damn). It was raining again when I got to Prince George around 14:30 and cars were splashing me with big puddles in the road (450-miles). Turned right onto hwy 97 South (Trans Canada Highway) and cranked up the power. I was at lunatic stage now and was passing everything and anything that came up in front of me. Visibility was good and 99% of Canada's vehicles have 'Day Light Running Lamps', big help.
As I headed south and downward in elevation the landscape changed from lush green forests to plains and rolling hills, reminiscent of south central Texas or Coastal California. It was beautiful!
Then all of a sudden north of Williams Lake, it stopped raining and started getting warm again. I stopped for gas and food, took a long look at the map and GPS data, and thought of pushing home. I knew that was dumb at the time, but it sounded good. Lets see, 500 more miles, no, but where to stop, everything (well really nothing) was wet but I couldnÔÇÖt just stop here the day was still long. I am so ÔÇ£SOÔÇØ happy I pushed on down the road. I am riding through this HUGE canyon ÔÇÿGrand CanyonÔÇÖ size canyon between Clinton and Lytton, big sweepers, short twisties, no traffic, and a gorgeous sunset reflecting off the canyon walls. Trains climbing up the east side and trains descending down the west side, it was great.
I got to Lytton and shortly there after I started to kill thousands of bugs, I hadnÔÇÖt killed or even seen a deer yet and thought IÔÇÖd keep it that way, IÔÇÖd been in the (Rocky ÔÇÿBillÔÇÖ Mayer Saddle) for 14-hours now and a beer was calling my name. I found a camp ground just north of Boston Bar and packed it in for the night (800-plus miles). Cold Labatts Blue tasted so good.
Monday 08:30; I awoke, feeling refreshed and ready for the day. Packed up and got on the road. There really isnÔÇÖt much more to express so IÔÇÖll give the ÔÇÿReaders DigestÔÇÖ version; Hwy 1 to hwy 9 west, to hwy 11 south to hwy 1 / 3 west to 11 again south to Sumas border crossing.
British Columbia is a FANTASTIC place to spend one's life, I canÔÇÖt wait to go back.
There are 47 of 138 pictures along the way, hope you enjoy and find yourself there some day.
http://SFDOC.smugmug.com/gallery/758654/1/33523761
P.S. I got stopped by a Washington State Patrolman for within 40-minutes of being on the US side. Just goes to show, but he was really great and gave me a warning to slow down. You couldnÔÇÖt wipe the grin off my face even if he had written me the ticket.
EDIT: GPS said 1652 miles