I was ready to get on the road after a great night and the morning interview. The weather was gloriously dry and warming as I departed PG heading up the Fraser River toward the Robson Valley. At a lunch break I checked the bike over and discovered a wood screw firmly embedded in my rear tire. This marks my first flat of the trip but fortunately it wasn't leaking air. I continued on 80 miles to the valley town of McBride where I patched it and used the air pump at the gas station to reinflate the rear. GOOD TO GO! Back on the road again, it began to rain. I smiled and stayed mostly dry as the sky darkened and clouds obscured the tall peaks around me. I made soup under an overpass drawing stares from passing truckers and a few RCMP officers. I didn't linger long. By the time I reached the town of Valemount, it was nearly dark and the rain heavier than ever. Overladen raindrops fell in buckets. Once again, everything was wet. I stopped at a gas station for a cup of coffee then rolled around before pulling in behind the visitor center. I 4ft overhang on an adjacent log structure was all I needed to stay dry overnight and avoid having to put up my tent. I slept alright but was up at 5AM and back on the hunt for coffee. The A&W in town had a "classic breakfast" of 2 eggs, 2 toast and 2 bacon for about $6. To my surprise, it wasn't half bad for fast food! I spent a good two hours in there sipping my coffee and updating my hand-written journal. It has been easy to get behind on my journal entries when I'm knocking out serious miles and stopping after dark. By 8AM, the sun had began to burn off the fog cover and I geared up to hit the road. The clouds hung to the mountains and trees creating a beautiful scene for my morning trip. The weather would continue to be pleasant throughout the remainder of my day as I continued down toward Kamloops. Riding down into the Thompson River Valley, it was fascinating to watch the ecology change. The fir trees and cedar slowly gave way to an arid landscape more similar to Montana or California than B.C. Irrigated farm fields of covered vegetables, hay fields and pasture land marked a distinct change from the "north" that was becoming so familiar. The terrain would continue to change into grassland and sagebrush as I rode lower toward Kamloops. My mood soared with the warmer weather and I look forward to observing the change it has on me back in the lower 48.
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Mike SaundersIn May 2014 I quit my job to ride a Honda Ruckus over 69'000 mi and counting. Wild camping most nights and cooking most of my own meals, I keep the costs low and the landscape changing. Archives
April 2018
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