My Solo Ride Home From BC

[buzzez]

I unexpectedly had to run up to Canada to take care of some personal matters.
I was away from home for 18 days. On one of the days while I was in BC I managed to sneak out for a short morning ride. I had plotted out a route that would bring me close to the USA border. This bridge happened to be on the route.



It started out as a really pretty road.



I found this cool walking bridge at a trail head. So I stopped and took a few pics.



I don't know how these guys had access maybe the other end. but it turned out to be a really active logging road. I happened to be already off the road taking pics of the walking bridge when this guy came barreling down the road.

He went whizzing by at about 50-60 miles an hour. Earlier, I had encountered a logging truck as I was riding. He didn't slow down or even move over much. Afterward, I made certain I hugged the shoulder as I made my way along. At this point I had enough and headed back to look for a better, less used road.



This series of pics was taken Southwest of Penticton, BC.



They had the Iron Man competition the last weekend of my stay. On a whim I entered the competition. I came in 10th place...Can you believe it? Piece of cake, really.

These competitors are nuts. They swim for something like 2 miles then ride a bike for 110 miles then run 20 miles. I had to listen to the announcer all night long calling each and every person that crossed the finish line "Joe So and So! You're an Iron man!"



Okanagan Lake lake scene.

So much for my stay in Penticton BC. Up next, I'll be heading home via spending a couple days on the CDR...

[buzzez]

So, early Monday morning my journey home began. I started off a little too early though. It seems the U S of A doesn't open till 9:AM. I was only 15 minute too early, so after a short break I was back on home soil.




Crystal Falls: I found this just off the highway outside of Colville WA.



I took a short cut here. I finally was able to enjoy some gravel riding after about 5 hours of riding 2 lane state roads.



NF-2600441... I found a winner!



I got a little too enthusiastic and took this corner a little too fast. I low sided and spun a 180.



My Jesse bag took the blow once again. Normally, when I biff like that it just pop's off. This time it bent the bracket before it let lose. Fortunately I had my handy fence pliers with me. I used them beat the bracket back to it's semi original form.



I was rolling down the road in no time flat thanks to my Boy Scout like preparedness and McGyver type ingenuity.




This is a scene outside of St Ignatius MT. I was finally able to find some more gravel to ride after another 3-4 hours of riding highway 200 in the rain.




I almost stopped here to camp for the night. It was too early in the day to stop though. So I pushed onward.



I call this, 'Bike On Awesome Gravel Road'



I hated coming across these scenes as I made my way through the country side. The devastation is enormous. I ended my first day with this road stopping for the night outside of Seely, MT. Next, I'll be riding the CDR.

[knary]

[Visian]

there is no better riding than BC.

i can't believe your jesse mount bent without releasing the bag, that's a monster piece of steel. i also can't believe you carry a fence tool, but now that i see it, it makes sense.

and... next time you find a nice campspot like that, could you please save a waypoint? i am trying to keep a list for the CampSite.

great report and fantastic photos... thanks!

ian

[SHERIDESABEEMER]

excellent report, top notch picture taking!!

[franze]

Nice post. Thanks

[buzzez]

there is no better riding than BC.

i can't believe your jesse mount bent without releasing the bag, that's a monster piece of steel. i also can't believe you carry a fence tool, but now that i see it, it makes sense.

and... next time you find a nice campspot like that, could you please save a waypoint? i am trying to keep a list for the CampSite.

great report and fantastic photos... thanks!

ian

Well, the Jesse bracket thing was kinda my fault. I got tired of them popping lose when I'd ride on rough roads so I tightened the mounts real tight. That pretty much defeated the 'let lose when I fall' feature.

I actually brought the fence pliers because the last time I went camping I didn't have anything to drive my tent stakes. The pliers are perfect for both driving and then pulling them. This time I got a 2 fer.

That campsite was somewhere around here: N47 10.204 W113 38.577


Thanks everyone!


That night I ended up camping at a state park campground. I didn't get there till after dark so I had to set up camp in the dark. It was cold and rain was threatening. As I was trying to set up I was being smothered with pecker gnats. Those pesky little pests were flying up my nose and in my ears...It was awful! Then after a while of being driven crazy by those little bastards, I tried my little red led light. They quit bothering me after i took that action.

I'll add more in a little bit...

[buzzez]

With day 2 started, I immediately jumped on to CD route just outside of Seely, MT.

I could have taken a whole bunch of awesome pix on this ride but I was on a time crunch, So I really didn't stop much throughout the entire ride.




The deer here are really well fed.



I really wish I could have ridden all the way to Mexico on this route. I know I will someday...



Looking back.



I seldom saw a soul on this trip. Only when I stopped in a town did I see anyone. It was pure nirvana.



If I slid off the road at a lot of these sections, I suspect no-one would ever find me.



I call this: 'Taking it in'.




And the road goes on and on...Oh yeah!



Pure solitude...I still had another 7 hours of riding to do on this day. Unfortunately my Camera battery died so I have no documentation. Later the road got too technical and a sign said non motorized vehicles only at Rimini Rd N46 27.047 W112 17.067 so I jumped on the highway for a bit and picked up the CD again south of Butte MT.



I stopped in Woodin, MT. N45 45.052 W112 44.926 for a fantastic diner and a huge piece of pie. The waitress was kind enough to let me charge my camera battery while I ate. I pulled off the trail at sunset with just enough daylight left to find a spot in the woods to set up camp.

Tomorrow, I hit the Bannack trail...

[Zipperhead]

Sorry about the gravel road in BC. Most of our logging roads are private roads, owned by the companies that are logging in the area. And no, logging trucks don't slow down on these roads, either because they can't or because they don't want to. Time is money.

There are lots of good back roads in BC, but you need some local knowledge to finds the ones that aren't active logging roads. Come on back some time and let us show you some better ones.

[buzzez]

Sorry about the gravel road in BC. Most of our logging roads are private roads, owned by the companies that are logging in the area. And no, logging trucks don't slow down on these roads, either because they can't or because they don't want to. Time is money.

There are lots of good back roads in BC, but you need some local knowledge to finds the ones that aren't active logging roads. Come on back some time and let us show you some better ones.

You're on! I have someone of particular interest to me in Penticton now so I suspect I'll be commuting back and forth pretty often.

I really wish I had more free time to explore the area. I was hoping I could get away and ride up Mt. Revelstoke but I just had too much going on while I was there.

[cayuse60]

Great report and pictures. Your solo travels give me an itch to ride.

[buzzez]

Thanks, cayuse60




Day 3 started off on the Polaris Rd

http://buzzez.smugmug.com/photos/362164518_PwNjC-L.jpg


Then I picked up Bannack trail. The Bannack trail was blazed originally back in 1860




It went on for miles and miles.



Bannack scene. It took me close to 4 hours to travel these 2 roads. During that time I saw not even one person, no-one It was just me and my bike traveling a vast somewhat barren but beautiful landscape.



Had a great lunch here at the 'Calf-A' It's an old converted schoolhouse in Dell MT. N44 43.535 W112 41.999 The place was packed with locals and travelers. I spoke with several of the patrons and the waitress about my travel route. The waitress seemed embarrassed that she had lived there for her entire life but never been on the road I took. As I think about it now, it all kinda loses it's appeal if you would have to navigate the Bannack road in a car... I mean where's the fun in that?



This is the Lima section near the Lima reservoir.



Looking back. See, this is a little trick of mine. I stop once then take a pic looking forward then I take one looking back. It makes it appear I stopped more than I did. I can be very clever sometimes.




Lima Rd baby! I actually had already rode a large section of this road. Only I road into the town of Modina, MT back when. I felt it was worth doing again. It was a lot rougher than I remember.



I shot me a couple moose just outside of Yellowstone. I considered walking up to the big one and slapping in on the ass just to see it's reaction, but my less reckless part of my brain convinced me that I should just leave them alone.



Snow mobile road paved with cinders. This wasn't easy to ride on. I had to stand on the pegs for most of the time that I was on it.



The sign say's Entering Wyoming. I earlier missed an opportunity to get a good shot of the Western side of the Grand Tetons. I passed it thinking I'd have a better angle later. I never got another chance. I regret not getting it.



Ashtonn Flagg Ranch Rd...I would not have liked to have to follow someone on this supper dusty road.




I made it to the Tetons just as the sun set. Ending day 3 and the CDR for the most part.

Unfortunately, tomorrow I head home...

[burnszilla]

Awesome shots! More!

[buzzez]

Early morning shot of some big rocks and a lake...





I bid farewell to the Tetons and embarked on an Iron Butt like ride home. I was planning on stopping in mid Kansas after 1000 miles but en-route I decided to press on and ride straight home totaling about 1300 miles in 24 hours.




Highway135/Sand Draw. One of my few stops as I focused on getting back to St Louis.




I stopped by the shop to say hi as I rolled into town. This is what Jeff looked like to me after my 1349 miles in 24 hours ride home. Man was I toasty, but now I can say I did an Iron Butt ride. Frankly, I don't see the appeal. I seriously doubt I'll ever ride in an Iron Butt.

Thanks for coming along...

[sjbmw]

Wow. Excellent stuff, absolutely terrific.

Thanks.

Being from the east, it's hard to fathom traveling that far without a piece of tarmac, and a LEO appearance or 2.


My son did his Freshman year of high school in Kelowna BC as a foreign exchange student, and it's as beautiful as it gets there....



PS: I have heard that a angry moose will kill you sooner than a bear.....