More than words can say….

 

I believe I may be rapidly becoming the most experienced long-distance wet-weather traveller known to man. It just doesn’t seem to want to let up.

Riding from Vancouver to Squamish, a distance of about 70 kms, normally takes about an hour – or so I am told. In the pouring rain, low clouds and heavy fog, it took almost twice that.

*Sigh*

Slow riding to Squamish.

The route is Highway 99. Known as the Sea to Sky Highway, it is renowned amongst auto and motorcycle travelers alike as being a ‘must drive’ highway.

Well, I can say that I have ridden it on a motorcycle. And that I have seen some of it’s beauty. Sensed a portion of it’s power and splendour.

Enough to know that I will return to this land of the motorcyclists’ Xanadu to experience her in all of her radiant beauty. For now, I will make do with what she has deigned to reveal to me.

I stopped at a small restaurant in Pemberton, had a coffee and convinced myself that there was no real reason NOT to keep going. So off I went again. I barely even saw any of Whistler – the clouds were that low and thick. I really wanted to ride the gondola up to Blackcomb, but it truly would have been a waste of time and money. That is, if it was even in operation. The weather was not tourist friendly, so it would not have surprised me to see it closed.

There really was no point in stopping yet. It was early in the afternoon, and the weather would have kept me inside of a motel room. So on I went.

Pemberton. Around the top of Lillooet lake. Past Joffre lakes PP. And along Duffey Lake on a section of Hwy 99 known as the Duffey Lake road.

And wouldn’t you know it. As I am riding on what is widely considered one of British Columbia’s best motorcycle roads, the skies began to clear. The fog to lift, and the clouds to recede to more lofty heights.

I was tired from all of the hyper-focus necessary during the ride to this point. But I was on the Duffey Lake road. And I could see all of it. The asphalt was even drying.

I smiled as a mischievous 6 year-old boy might when a particularly dastardly plan is forming.

Then I opened her up and rode the Duffey.

I did not get very far along her length before I noticed a sign for a user-maintained campground known as Cottonwood Recreation site. Feeling much better about the day, and somewhat revitalized, I decided to pull in and stake out a spot to pitch my tent and get back to vagabonding it. A beautiful little campground right along the banks of a furiously rushing river, I picked a spot right on the rivers edge and set-up my camp.

I then hopped back on my bike, now having time to ride the length of the Duffey Lake road all the way into Lillooet for snacks and fuel.

Wow! What a road. Everything I have been told about her is true.

It is 24 kilometers from Cottonwood Campground to Lillooet. All 24 of them are amazing. Steep grades; wicked twisties; crazy-tight switchbacks – this stretch of the Duffey has it all. And riding her in reverse, back to the campground, is an entirely different, and every bit as challenging ride.

I made it back to camp just as full dark was setting in. Only one other site in the entire campground was occupied – and as good fortune would have it the campers had a 3/4 ton Dodge pickup absolutely loaded to the hilt with nice, dry firewood. A quick introduction and an offer to buy some wood saw me in front of a roaring campfire of my own in no time – and as I am learning is the norm out here – the campers refused to accept any money from me.

Doing it right.

Beautiful campground for the night.A river runs through it.

This morning I awoke to the sound of the river. And rain. So I tucked deeper into my sleeping bag and hit the ‘snooze’ button in my brain.

I arose a couple of hours later to some light cloud cover – and no rain. Packing up my site – and being sure I left absolutely no trace of having been there – took about an hour. I bid farewell to my fellow campers and hit the road. And it was dry.

Of course, that meant that I had to ride the full length of the Duffey again. By the time I headed on from Lillooet I had travelled the length of the Duffey Lake road 3 times. From Cottonwood to Lillooet 5 times. It is not enough, I assure you.

I stopped in Lillooet on my final pass through and gave dad a call. Father’s Day and all.

I had an amazing day of riding today. From Lillooet to Hope on the Trans Canada – through the Fraser canyon, the tunnels – all of it. What an incredible road to ride. Once in Hope, I stopped at the same McDonalds that I stopped at on my way to Vancouver – exactly 7 days ago – for a coffee. And then turned around and travelled the same route in reverse that I had just travelled.

A couple of spots along the way to check out are Hells Gate – a spot where the mighty Fraser river narrows to some 33 metres and crashes through like a demon; and the Alexandra Bridge – a holdover from the mid-1800’s along the original Cariboo Wagon Road.

I rode the TransCanada all the way back to highway 8, at Spences Bridge, and then turned south to Merritt.

I have to say, little highway 8 is no slouch in the contest of great motorcycle roads either. I was fortunate to have another rider on the road in front of me – he on a nimble Triumph Tiger Cross-Country – so even though I had never set rubber on her asphalt before today, using the Triumph as my beacon I was able to blast down her length at almost breakneck speeds. A few of the corners almost took me by surprise – what we sometimes refer to as ‘puckering’ – but she gave quarter and asked nothing of me more than respect.

Yet one more road for me to ride again one day.

If it has not become obvious yet – I can no longer hold true to my earlier statements about highway 3A being the best motorcycle road in Canada. There are just too many absolutely amazing roads to ride out here. On any given day weather alone could be the extra point that garners any one road the ‘win’ over another. The Duffey, highway 99, highway 3A, highway 8, the Crowsnest, the TransCanada through the Fraser Valley, The Kaslo - New Denver – Nelson loop – they are all incredible. I want to ride them all again, and I can assure you that I will. For now, I will carry on in my travels – riding my epic motorcycle adventure for all she is worth.

Which is more than words can say.

Two days worth of pictures – from Vancouver to Pemberton to Duffey Lake to Lillooet to Hope to Merritt – can be seen here.

Hold on tight – it’s going to get even better!