September 2018
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| August 2018 Tour |
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| Hwy 99 start |
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| Whistler concert at Olympic Park |
Been absent from Blog for awhile as I've been doing other media, but I have some time to write something for my blog. Had some downtime in June and July so couldn't ride until August. Started out in Whistler. Clare started her summer holidays on the 4th so we got to do a long ride around the "Big Bend" of the Fraser River, with a stop in Barkerville, BC. I should have gone here many years ago but, as it's a "Ghost town" now at the end of a paved road it doesn't matter when we visit because it's still the same! My surname figured prominently on many of the businesses there and we were enlightened about the Chinese history of the town.
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| Jack of Clubs Lake, Wells, BC |
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| Barkerville, BC |
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| Our name was on a few stores |
Was really neat to revisit all the towns along Hwy. 97, and think about how they evolved. Spent a few years as a boy here fishing with my Dad. I was impressed with the positive growth in Williams Lake and Prince George. Our Dad had a restaurant in W.L. named the Silver Spur (I remember him consulting on the building of it with a man named Fips Broda, RIP 2017, architect, 1st ascent climber, Tyrol Mtn. Cluber) (http://www.tyrolskiclub.com/?p=2252) . I had to stop a take a snap , but it had burnt down a couple of years before and in it's place was an window shop. A young, local tech guy drove up to the office and we talked. As we were leaving he comes out with some receipt chits from December, 1961 and says, "All that's left is a bunch of papers like this in the basement here!" Coffee- 10 cents, Soup- 25 cents. Haha!
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| Site of the Silver Spur, Williams Lake |
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| Prince George, a modern city |
We stopped off in McBride for lunch along the way. Was less smoky up there at the time but two weeks later there were manyn fires started. Kilometres of less traveled roads for sure. Met some trainmen in the cafe who traveled on the train you see.
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| McBride station |
We rode to Blue River and stayed the night at one of Wiegle's rooms for the night. Looked around the lodge and it's really become a large compound and very nice for those lucky heli-skiers. Meanwhile we ate dinner as I watched yet another fire starting further up the mountain.
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| Fire on the mountain |
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| Wiegle's |
As we were close to Jasper, we decided to give them a visit. Best room we could find was more than usual, but hey, it's Jasper. Lots of nice beauty everywhere and populated by folks from all over. The town itself has become much too busy for our liking and it will be awhile before we get back there. Ironically it was the folks who paid more than $500 a night to "see the Rockies", that I felt badly for as one could not see further than across the valley. It was the beginning of an ominous ride down the Columbia Icefield highway.
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| Smoky Mt. Robson |
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| Pine Bungalows |
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| Jasper Park Lodge |
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| Astronomer from Province of Alberta |
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| Don't want to go near herd of Elk |
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| Bridge over the Falls |
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| Athabasca Falls |
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| Athabasca River |
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| 50° F and cyclist was hyper thermic |
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| Bow Lake |
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| Trying out the rain suit |
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| Revolution Breakdown |
We were going to go to the Kootenays but as bad luck would have it, the bagger broke a drive belt on a Sunday afternoon 10 km east of Golden! What to do? Phoned a flatbed from Golden and they came and trucked me to a cycle dealer there (not open till Tuesday). Next door to the motel we were staying at was a small U-Haul place with a bike trailer (they never used) and new pickup truck. I got them to give me a 24 hour deal and I towed Betsy to Kamloops, went to the dealer (Harley parts dealers are open Sundays), brought a belt and towed the bike to a great bike wrench by the name of Rob Draper (250 312 1212) of Midnight Motorcycle in North Kamloops. Under the deal I had I had to drive the truck back sans trailer, to Golden. Well we had a nice time in Revelstoke that night at the Regent and early next morning drove to Golden, where we picked up Clare's Road King and rode back double, to pickup my bike in Kamloops. These things happen if you spend a few miles on the road and you have to think creatively or leave a thousand pound loaded beast on the highway. I want to thank my biking buddy Ed Styffe for mentioning Rob D. to me, otherwise it would have cost way more than just time and money! So we came back to North Vancouver for a couple of extra days to wash clothes and the bikes and change a rear tire on Clare's bike which was rather worn! Then headed back to Vernon to stay and ride with my brother, Barry.
