The good, the bad and the ugly

[immigrant]

"You're not actually going on this trip, ARE YOU?!?" was my wife's reaction when i started packing my panniers. Our boy was born a month ago and my mother in law came to visit and help out. I never pass up a good opportunity and thought it would be the perfect time for me to go on a little trip whilst my wife has someone to help out with the kids (3 year old and 1month old). I had lots of holidays and I had a general route in mind but had no idea exactly where i would spend every night. That "carefree" attitude got me in to a whole lot of trouble, but more about that later.
Where i live in Canada it takes at least 600km to get "somewhere" - "somewhere" means the "mountains" so myself and two friends left for Dawson Creek, BC at 5 in the morning. its roughly a 900km trip. They both have family and friends in Dawson and thought they will ride with me, visit family and return whilst i continue on my travels. The road to Dawson is pretty much flat, with long stretches of straight road, so we put down our heads and maintain a good speed. Me on my s10, the other on a Vstrom and the other on a very, very, very load Vstar. Did I mention that bike was LOUD? And it has a very small fuel tank so we stop in every town. This guy loves to ride a bike and put on 35000km last year ::001::

On or way to Dawson Creek we have to ride a section known as "the highway of death" It is the highway going to Fort McMurray - the oilsands capitol of the world. Everywhere you look it is jacked up pick-up trucks going 150km/h to get to work on time, and semi trucks loaded with steel and pipes to keep up with the demand of the oil rigs. We have to pay attention not to get crushed or run over but we make it out of the "death zone" unharmed

We get to Grand Prairie at 17h00 and decide to stay with Vstrom riders brother for the night cause we both need to find a gel seat cover of sorts cause our asses are not happy. I forgot my Airhawk pad at home but it would have set us back to much if i turned around to get it, so we just kept going. The next day we waste a whole morning on looking for pads with no luck. VStar rider is laughing cause he sits on a couch

After a short ride we pull in to Dawson Creek that afternoon







We stay in Dawson Creek for a day and i continue on to Prince George, BC, a 404km ride, leaving at 12h30 because I woke up thirsty and with a big headache.



Just outside of Chetwynd i finally start seeng mountains





I filled up in Chetwynd but because of the mountain pass i used a lot of fuel and i limp in to Prince George, BC. at around 17h00.

 

[immigrant]

So i am sitting in Tim Horton's having a coffee looking at the rain falling outside. I am trying to find a place to stay, but EVERYTHING in the whole of Prince George and surrounds are booked because of a big trade show in town. The guy sitting at the table next to me starts talking to me about all his bike trips he has done over the years, and gives me lots of "pointers and tips" on where to go and what to do. We chat for a whilst, and he must have overheard my phone conversations with the hotels, because he offers me a place to stay. I am a little surprised at his kindness and thought "well let me buy him another coffee to "assess" him a little more". We continue to chat and after a whilst I ask him "so what kind of bike did you use on your numerous trips". He was dumfounded - he could not answer me!?!?!?! He did not know what bike he rode on to Alaska????? That was a little weird!!! I figure i will pass on his generosity and continue to McBride, BC another 200km down the road. Lucky for me the sun only sets at 22h00 so i get out of there before "motorbike dude" gives me a ride on his beefbus and wear my skin as a dress.





I pull in to McBride as the last rays of sun disappears behind the mountains and almost hit a moose standing in the middle of town. I get the last hotel room........

 

[immigrant]

I wake up in McBride to a sunny, clear sky. I am happy cause the weather was a little miserable the last few days. I go out to pack my bags and notice it is a balmy 7C outside. At least it is not raining. I inspect my bike and notice my tires are showing serious wear, but no worries I have a new set waiting for me in golden, BC, a 480km ride.
My view whilst having breakfast in McBride




On my way to Jasper, AB i stop to phone the dealer that will put on my new tires. He says they are there but i must remember that they are close Sunday and Monday. it is now Saturday 10am. That means i will have to burn 3 days on 480km. I am not sure what to do, cause i will have to ride through a mountainous congested National Park to get to him in time to change the tires that Saturday. He is a super nice guy and says "don't worry - take your time to get here and phone me if we are closed. i will come open the shop and do it. Cool, i can enjoy the scenery







the town of Jasper. I wonder if the locals still appreciate the view?!?







Close to Banff National Park.




I arrive in Golden, Bc at 16h00, and get a new set of Anakee 3 fitted. I am very impressed with these tires. i wanted the Mitas but the dealer could not get any. Whatever i say, at least i have new tirees to continue.


I phone around for a place to stay. pretty impressive support beam



when i arrived here it was raining, and the German owner of the lodge says i can pull my bike in under the roof at the entrance to the main dining room. I thinK he thought it was a BMW......

 

[Siseneg]

Awesome ride!! Man that brings back memories. I have a lot of pictures from the same places.

Hope you continue to thoroughly enjoy this time out and watch out for the bears

Safe travels!!

 

[BaldKnob]

Nice ride report with some really good pics. Enjoy the new tires and the rest of the ride!

 

[greg the pole]

nice write up.
I spent 6 months working in fort mac. I commuted from Calgary to site. Luckily I was flown in to town, and then had to find my way to site.
Even then the road between fort mac and Syncurde (1 hr drive or so..can't remember exactly) was very dangerous. The attitued of the guys is pretty shitty, and regard for safety once off site is non existent.

Now I'm really itching to leave on the 13th...

btw.. I was going to ask, what part of the world did you immigrate from?
I'm fresh off the boat myself ::014:: (26 yrs here and counting ::015:

G

 

[10 ER AY]

::017::

 

[immigrant]

Born and raised in South Africa!!

 

[klunsford]

Great ride report! Great scenery to ride in.

 

[greg the pole]

Born and raised in South Africa!!

I see.
I work with a fellow that came from there a few years ago. Scary place-now.

 

[immigrant]

I see.
I work with a fellow that came from there a few years ago. Scary place-now.

Scary is an understatement!!

 

[immigrant]

After parking the bike under the dining room entrance roof go to book in. The rather big, very very friendly german lady jumps up, gives me a hug and a kiss on the cheek. I wonder if we met somewhere before?? But she is just friendly. I take a shower and hear Metallica's Thunderstruck blaring from the parking lot. I look out the window and there is this dude doing an oil change on his mini-van right in the middle of the parking lot, playing air guitar to the music. WTF? This continues for about 20 minutes till the amp and subwoofers draws his battery dead. now he is knocking on all the doors looking for jumper cables. WTF? Nobody helps him and his mother (the big german lady) helps him to push it out the way :imaposer:
the next morning I pack my bike and the german guy comes and stands with me. he takes a long look at the bike and says in a very thick german accent "but zis iz not the beema!?!?!?" I respond "no, its a yamaha". He walks away in disgust, probably thinking he betrayed Mein Fuhrer by letting a jap bike sleep under a roof. This is the start to a very bizarre day
I eat a very tastey breakfast and make my way towards Revelstoke, BC.






The road to Revelstoke starts out as a double lane highway, with lots of twisties,and i am going at a pretty good pace. At some places the road narrows to a single lane where it goes through a series of tunnels. There is a lot of snow melting next to the road, and a lot of the water seems to seep through the tunnels. I enter the first tunnel and the front wheel wants to slide out from under me. I assume the water in the tunnels must be very near to freezing as it does not see any sun, and I must have hit some black ice. How the heck i kept the beast upright is beyond me, but I make it through the first tunnel. I pull over and wonder what the other tunnels are going to throw at me. I wait for a break in the traffic and go through the next tunnel, thinking if i go down at least the car behind me will not drive right over me. I clear all the tunnels with no further problems and enter Revelstoke



I fill up and stand outside the gas station drinking a coffee. This guy comes up to me and begs for money. It is the first time in seven years in Canada that somebody begs me for money. I tell him his welfare cheque is more than most working people make in other parts of the world so i will not give him money. He tells me to go smurf myself.

I carry on down the road to catch the ferry from Galena Bay to Shelter Bay......

 

[immigrant]

Whilst i wait for the ferry it starts to rain hard, but only for 5 minutes and it stops. The ferry arrives and the loading guy shows me to come ahead. I must add i have never been on a ferry in my life. The ferry deck is solid steel plates and because it rained it is now slippery solid steel plates. I drive on and just about lose it, but again keep it upright. the ferry guy shakes his head and says if he had a dollar for every time that happens to a biker he would have been rich.

Note the smooth steel deck







View from the ferry down Upper Arrow Lake. This lake is not big according to Canadian standards, and it still looks like the ocean



There is a guy on his Harley next to me. He refuses to make eye contact or even acknowledge that i am there. His wife/girlfriend starts chatting with me and I can see it pisses him off but he still ignores me. The ferry doc on the other side of the lake and me and Harley guy get off first. A couple of miles further I turn left towards Trout Lake and Harley guy carries on to what i assume is Nakusp. But more about him later.... I am about to enter HEAVEN

 

[TeneRI]

Re: Re: The good, the bad and the ugly

Born and raised in South Africa!!

Great report, beautiful pictures from a fellow South African immigrant.

Sent from my HTC Sensation 4G using Tapatalk 2

 

[immigrant]

Re: Re: The good, the bad and the ugly

Great report, beautiful pictures from a fellow South African immigrant.

Sent from my HTC Sensation 4G using Tapatalk 2

::012:: ::008::

 

[Don in Lodi]

::017::

 

[eemsreno]

Great Ride Report ::012::

 

[BaldKnob]

For sure, be very careful with the throttle on those steel ferry decks. Another potential hazard... the boat tossing about in rough water so turn your bars left and it will be less likely to roll forward. Don't use the centerstand and leave the machine unattended. YMMV.

 

[Dirt_Dad]

Really enjoying the ride report. ::012::

Your Harley guy encounter is too funny. Those riders of the Milwaukee Rolling Roadblocks are usually pretty good people, but it's not all that uncommon to find some that amuse the hell out of you. :

 

[tpak]

Really enjoying the ride report. ::012::

Your Harley guy encounter is too funny. Those riders of the Milwaukee Rolling Roadblocks are usually pretty good people, but it's not all that uncommon to find some that amuse the hell out of you. :

I think we are going to encounter Harley Guy again ...

Great report and pics! ::012:: ::017::