Day 8. Campbell River BC to Whistler BC

So much has been going through my head today - the trip, what would go in the Blog this evening and this is my last day as a fifty something!  Tomorrow, I hit 60!  I hated turning 40.  I made a mess of marriage #1, I retired from the service that I'd loved and served for twenty four years and lost my little sister to cancer.  A pretty crappy birthday present.  Turning 50 was way more pleasant and I really felt, ok, bring it on, I'm ready for this.  Tomorrow it's 60 and quite honestly fan, I'm not too sure how I feel about it.  So, before I get too maudlin and distracted from the job at hand, lets return to what has happened since my last 'scribbles'.  Well, following our evening of pub grub and beer next door to the hotel, we returned to the room as I explained in yesterdays Blog.  While I was busying my self writing, Wendy suddenly bursts out,"big ship, ooh, big ship".  I looked out of the window and there in the channel heading toward the town of Campbell River was what looked to us like a mid size cruise ship.  No idea of the line etc etc, didn't really get a good look.  Wendy launched across the room at me, thrusting her camera into my hands to get a photo of the occasion.  I must say, it was a mite unexpected and added a little something to the evening.  For once I managed to get my 'editing' carried out reasonably early, so decided on getting to bed at a sensible hour as we wanted to be on the road by about 9ish in the morning.

The room though small was quite comfortable, as was the bed.  Though Wendy did complain that the bed linen 'smelled' a bit.  I never noticed a thing.  For all that, neither of us had a really good nights sleep.  It had been quite hot in the room, but as our neighbour smoked incessantly out on the balcony, we chose the lesser of the two evils and kept the patio door shut.  Best be too hot, rather than try too sleep in a bloody ash tray!  Once again we were still too full from dinner the night before to bother with breakfast.  Once again we 'passed' on a meal we had paid for!  Instead we busied ourselves collecting together our belongings and repacking.  It is a pretty polished performance now and takes little time to accomplish.  Everything thrown into bags, we carried them out to the bikes and stowed everything on board again.  By about 8:40am, we were ready for the road and pulling out of the hotel car park, ready to retrace our steps south to Nanaimo and the ferry to the mainland.

It was a beautiful day with near perfect temperatures, especially as we were decked head to toe in heavy bike gear.  When we set off, it was a pleasant 18'C with the promise to get warmer.  We made our way through the southern edge of town and quickly rejoined Highway #19.  Although it was midweek and nearly 9am, the traffic was quite light. We were soon up to highway speed and headed south.  To our left would be the ocean, not that we could see a lot of it.  We could have ridden down a coast road, but we elected for the faster highway as we had a ferry to meet.  Out to our right were the snow capped mountains running down the back of the Island.  Over on that part of the Island, there were dark ominous clouds, with the threat of heavy rain.  On the coast were we were riding, we had lovely blue skies with occasional big 'fluffy' clouds bobbing about the skies.  On the run down to Nanaimo, we had occasional glimpses of the water and over in the distance, the snow capped mountains on mainland BC.  Again we hadn't booked on a ferry, but were going to try and make the 10:40am sailing out of 'Departure Bay'.  As we left the main Highway #19, we followed signs to the ferry terminal and the traffic got heavier.  As Wendy said, why are ferry terminals always so far from the highway.  I guess it's a function of where the water is??  Anyway, on we rode, the terminal less than 10km from the highway - that's about 6 miles in 'old money'.....  We swung out from the last set of traffic lights and a sharp left turn in to the terminal.  A hundred meters or so and we were at the kiosk.  I handed over my credit card, received out ticket, told to get into lane #9 and off we went.  Loading had almost been completed when we arrived at the end of lane #9 and we sat there beside a solitary car.  It wasn't long before we were beckoned forward to board the vessel.  Up the ramp we rode and were then directed into the remaining space at the rear of deck #4, a mezzanine deck.  We had only just stopped when another bike and a scooter joined us.  That was it, the deck was completely full and the loading ramp was lifted clear.

The crossing from Departure Bay at Nanaimo, to Horseshoe Bay north of Vancouver was about 1hr 35mins.  The sea was perfectly calm, the sun was out and lovely and warm all in all, a pretty perfect crossing in prospect.  We quickly got out of helmets and heavy jackets, all of which were abandoned on the bikes.  We grabbed the important things, 'sunnies' and my ball cap and set off in search of refreshment.  It being 10:40am ish, we were both a mite 'peckish'.  I know I know, if we'd bothered to have breakfast blah blah blah........  Well we didn't and now we needed a coffee and a bite of something.  We made our way up two flights of stairs and quickly found a very well appointed cafeteria.  The ship had only entered service in 2010, so she was light and airy and still felt new.  We grabbed a couple of coffee's and a 'sticky bun' and got a seat near massive sloping windows that formed the rear of the dining area.  From here we had a great view back through the frothy wake toward Nanaimo.  After our coffee, we went for a wander with the intent of buying a BC Ferries sticker for my panniers.  Instead, Wendy got a 'hello' magazine and we headed out into the sunshine to relax for the remainder of the trip.  

The crossing seemed to go so quickly and in what seemed like no time at all, we were pulling into the ferry terminal at Horseshoe Bay.  Back at the bikes, it was time to get back into jackets and helmets in readiness for getting off the ship.  Although there are 4 car decks, unloading seems to happen very quickly.  In no time at all, the cars in front of me were moving and I was on my way.  Wendy in the lane next to me was stuck for a little while, but soon followed on.  The main highway to Whistler was not far from the terminal, but road works made the process seem a little complicated.  Wendy and I had become separated, so I tried to giver her turn by turn directions on the bike to bike radio.  I'm pretty sure my help wasn't required, as the road signs were pretty clear.  We were soon on one of the most beautiful pieces of highway I have ridden/driven on in a long long while - the 'Sea to Sky Highway'.  Once away from the ferry terminal, the road clung to the edge of the cliffs running right beside the water.  It was hard to keep looking forward all the time, as the scenery to the left was wonderful.  The road twisted and turned, climbed and dived all along the coast for about 15-20km.  Only a couple of times were the bends severe enough to reduce the speed limit, otherwise it was a steady 80kph.  In no time at all it seemed, we were now climbing into the mountains.  The road sign said Whistler 60km, which was no distance at all.  Once again, the road was magnificent, but the cynic in me told me much of this would have been carried out to help the traffic for the 2010 winter Olympics!  What ever the reason, the road was a joy to ride.  Wendy got into her stride and we were tearing up the mountain.  The road was 2 lanes up and 1 lane down the grade, so we were rushing past just about everything, diving in and out of lovely sweeping bends.  As much fun as this was, my butt was getting 'square' again, so I was quite happy to see signs for Whistler come into sight.

For the stop in Whistler, Wendy had booked us into the Four Seasons hotel.  It looks like as it is my birthday tomorrow, I get a reprieve from Best Westerns......  All joking apart, the Four Seasons is a wonderful hotel.  Once again we pulled up under the awning of a 'posh' hotel, to be met by doormen asking if we were checking in.  I guess bikers are not regular visitors to these establishments.  In fairness, each time that has happened, the guys on the door have been very impressed and keen to know where we have ridden from etc.  The young guy who met us under the awning, told us that under normal circumstances, parking is valet only - however................  He kindly pointed us to a small paved area the other side of the awning, where we could leave the bikes.  He also said the area was covered by security 24/7 and they would be quite safe there.  We reassured 'Sydders' and 'Gertie' that they would be ok, then headed into the lobby to check in.

Now whether it was because they know it's my birthday tomorrow or not, I don't know, but we were offered a 'no brainer' of an upgrade for the room.  Actually from room to a suite, for a silly amount per night.  Needless to say we took the upgrade and headed to the room.  The guy at the front dest had also said if we don't like it, he would change it for us.................!!  Needless to say, I took several photo's for posterities sake, all of which can be viewed amongst the photo's attached to the Blog.  After settling in, we went for a 'mooch' and get the lay of the land.  A sit by the pool with a 'smoothie' and a little 'snack', after which Wendy felt the need to sample the shop.......  Back to the room and a quick shower and shave, then time to head to the bar and some dinner.  Tomorrow we'll do the full dining room bit.  This evening it was 'scruff order' in the bar, but what amazing food!  If this is a sample of the standard of food here, tomorrow evening will be an absolute delight.

Well fan, it's nearly 11pm and I am fast running out of my 'fifties'.  Will I feel any differently tomorrow, probably not, but still don't want to get there.  As it is, I shall start my 60's gracefully, by throwing my bike round some wonderful mountain roads and behaving like a kid - bring it on!!  That's it then fan, time to get this little diatribe aired and then for bed.  Just a couple of days left now, so please hang in there, I'll try and make it worth your while.  Nite nite.

Day 7. Tofino BC to Campbell River BC

The days are galloping past now, can't quite believe this is Day 7 I am writing about.  We woke this morning to another overcast day, but once again, the temperature was pleasant and it wasn't raining.  The aim was to get packed and on the road pretty early, as it was Wendy told me the time was about 8:20am and we were still in bed - must be the sea air.  We were both still 'stuffed' from dinner the previous evening, so we passed on breakfast.  Not the most economical thing to do as we would only end up buying something for lunch later - you would think we would have learned that lesson by now wouldn't you!  So up we got and busied ourselves throwing our worldly possessions such as they are, into the waterproof bags ready to load onto the bikes.  It still amazes me when I look at the pile of bags every morning and how much goes on the bikes.  We both have four bags, granted mine are bigger.  Never the less, everyday we strap, hang or put inside panniers, what roughly approximates another person!!!!!!!!  I made a couple of trips to 'Gertie' and on the first return trip to the room, I found Wendy 'gassing' to the couple in the room next to us.  We had sat next to them at dinner the night before and had been on a 'nodding' acquaintance since.  Of course it would take us leaving to finally exchange a few words and once again, 'Sydders' was the gel factor!  We had heard the 'accent' during dinner and knew they were fellow Brits.  They were over here on a 3 week touring holiday of Western Canada.  While they headed off to Tofino and some sea fishing, we popped on helmets and gloves, fired up the bikes and prepared to head out onto the Pacific Rim Highway.

The first 25km runs down the Ocean side of the thin peninsular, until a sharp left turn headed us toward some pretty testing 'twisties' on Route#4.  I knew Wendy was a little apprehensive about this first section, as there was at least 40km of real switchback roads.  If I was on my own or with a more experienced rider, this section would have been a real 'hoot' to ride.  Technically challenging, you have to be on your game the whole time.  A mistake here will send you over a pretty steep drop or into a rock face beside the road.  Overcook a bend and you will find yourself staring into any oncoming traffic.  Wendy admitted that stretches of this part of the road had frightened her on the way over.  At least this time, it was dry and we had covered the road before.  There was other traffic on the road which helped keep the speed down and when I had a clear road in front of me, I moderated my pace allowing Wendy to catch up.  All in all, I thought she rode very well.  After about 40km, the twists and turns moderate quite significantly and the run into Port Albini was on generous winding mountain roads as opposed to switch backs.  For the serious riders out there, make a note!  Must get to ride the Pacific Rim Highway!  At times like the Dragon in NC, but much much longer!  Anyway, into Port Alberni we rode with me looking for the first available coffee/bathroom and leg stretch stop.  After 2 hours in the saddle my butt was 'square', I needed to get of the bike for a while!

The remainder of the run up to Campbell River was uneventful.  At the end of Highway #4, we made a 90' left turn and joined Highway #19 heading north.  This is all 4 lane highway with a posted speed limit of 110kph.  I set up a pace of about 115/120kph and we raced northward.  I was soon suffering from a square butt again and having to change my riding position to gain some relief.  I have found one position in particular, which is really relaxing and takes the weight off my butt.  I take my feet off the 'pegs' and dangle my legs.  This horrifies Wendy as she sees my feet almost on the road surface while I'm riding along.  Truth be known, they are not 'almost' on the road surface, in many cases, they do drag along the road.  I then lean forward onto the tank, supporting my weight on the fuel tank.  I can and have covered miles in this position.  When I finally sit upright again, I feel quite refreshed.  Right up to the moment my butt goes numb again, then I repeat the process as required.  So it was with legs dragging and sprawled across 'Gerties' fuel tank, that we arrived on the outskirts of Campbell River.

We had considered riding all the way up to Port Hardy at the northern tip of Vancouver Island, but really didn't see the point.  It is about another 240km north of Campbell River, all for what?  To say we had been there, then had to spend another day to get back this far.  The extended run would also have added a further 2 days to the trip, time we didn't have.  So, we elected to make Campbell River our most northerly stop.  When we go on trips that require several 'affordable' hotel stops, we book Best Western where possible.  Wendy had found a Best Western in Campbell River, right on the Ocean front.  Well to be precise, there is a busy main road between the hotel and the Ocean.  However, I'd venture to suggest that we are as close to the water here as we were at Tin-Wis.  Once checked in, we rode the bikes to the back of the hotel and found our room.  Fortunately we can park the bikes right outside the room, which is very handy for loading again in the morning.  The bikes are also out of view from curious eyes, who may want to take a closer look at 'Sydders' without our approval!

The hotel certainly isn't a modern building and the rooms show their age.  However, the room is spotlessly clean and has a lovely little balcony with an ocean view.  As soon as we had unloaded the bikes, it was a race to the shower - I came second!!  Suitably showered and refreshed, we grabbed camera's and took a short walk along the shore.  The 'beach' is covered with large cobbles and where there is sand, it is a very coarse dark grey.  The other distinctive feature along the shore line, are the countless number of logs.  These have been bleached almost white by the sun and thrown up onto the shore.  With the boulders, they provide a different texture and a strange beauty all of its own.  After a stroll up and down the shore, taking several photo's, we felt the need for refreshment!  As luck would have it, the hotel stands next door to a pub!  Who would have believed it fan??  We felt duty bound to pop in and sample the beer and relax for a while.  Like a true pub, they also did good old 'pub grub'.  Wendy went for a burger, while I tried the fish & chips.  Again like most pubs, it sounded way better than it actually was, but what the hell, it wasn't bad for the price.  Fed and watered, we returned to out little room perched above the Ocean, Wendy to absorb all the local news and info from books in the room.  Me to get the afternoons photo's downloaded and todays Blog finished at a reasonable time for a change.

So there we go fan, Day 7 almost finished and we haven't even got to my birthday yet.....  Tomorrow morning, we will retrace our steps south, for the ferry back to the mainland.  I'll be truly sorry to leave Vancouver Island, it has been a magical few days.  There is something quite different about the pace of life on an island.  Whether, as I described before, it is the tiny Isle of Wight that I know so well, or the much bigger Vancouver Island.  There is a certain something, something intangible, but something special about life on an Island.  Something that I find very appealing.  That's it for today then fan, thanks for sharing the journey with us, nite nite, see you again tomorrow for another 'Letter from Canada'.

Day 6. Rest day in Tofino

Hello again fan, another day and another entry in the Blog.  Today we enjoyed another days rest, before getting back on the bikes in the morning.  Then there will be another two days of riding, which will take us to the far side of Vancouver Island, another ferry and finally to the home of the last Winter Olympics, Whistler BC.  The hotel at Tin-Wis has proven to be such a totally restful place.  It was quite an effort to drag myself away and go into town today, to see what Tofino had to offer.  First things first, breakfast!  The dining room at the hotel has magnificent views of the grounds and the ocean, as three of the sides are covered in glass.  So whether enjoying a breakfast or dinner, either is a lovely experience due to the views from anywhere in the dining room.  Breakfast was the usual buffet style fare and we both enjoyed a good meal before heading off for the morning.  Back in the room, we put on some 'outdoor' cloths, without getting into full riding gear.  Tofino is about 10 minutes away and we planned to walk round the small town.  Riding gear would have been too cumbersome and too hot.  Wendy had planned a rough itinerary, so we headed into town, parked up the bikes and wandered off.

Tofinao is a pretty little town, built at the end of a thin finger of land, extending out from the Pacific Rim Park.  There are only about six main streets to the town, which incidentally claims to be the furthest West town in Canada!  First port of call was a local gallery and a look at some local art.  West Coast aboriginal art is quite distinctive and features a lot of brightly coloured wood carving.  Beautiful as it is, it is also quite expensive, so my only acquisition was an aboriginal decal the size of a beer map.  The depiction is of a Raven and it now has pride of place on one of 'Gerties' panniers!  Other than that, Wendy spotted a beautiful hand knitted sweater which was tried on, then put back to, 'think about it'...............  Heard that one before guys?  So had I, so I said just get it.  'No, I'll think about it', says she!  Out of the gallery, we headed down to the dock, to see what was going on there.  I was captivated by the sight of a couple of float planes and stood about watching the comings and goings of various boats.  In the mean while, the sweater got the better of Wendy.  'I think I'll go back and get that sweater', she says.  No surprise there then, just surprised she took so long to go back.  In fairness, I got quite a cool long sleeved T shirt out of it as well.  I eventually dragged myself away from the float planes after watching and listening too the Beaver take off from the calm waters in the inlet around Tofino.

From the dock, we headed back into town in search of coffee.  Wendy had read the local newspaper in the hotel room and had a couple of places she wanted to visit.  We didn't find the coffee shop of her choice, but we did stumble on a cute little place selling juice drinks and fresh baked goods - muffins.  We sat out in the courtyard enjoying the berry and yogurt smoothies, while munching on huge muffins.  Only after we had finished did we actually find a couple of other coffee shops on the main street, just yards from where we had enjoyed the smoothies..........  Next on the list of 'must do's', was a local glass artist.  Although he was in town, getting to his studio would have been a bit of a trek, so we returned to the bikes, deciding to ride there.  While getting ready to ride away, an old guy with scraggy white beard drew up, and parked his truck right alongside us.  He stopped and we both expected a little trouble, thinking we would have a bit of a 'run in' with this guy.  As it was, he came round the truck, big smile on his face and said, 'it's ok, I'm friendly'.  Turns out he had seen 'Sydders' as he drove through town and wanted a closeup.  He too was a biker - see my earlier comments -  and wanted to know more about the Spyder.  We chatted about bikes in general.  About the British bikes he had owned over the years, BSA's, Triumphs and the Harleys he now owned.  Before we headed of, he made a passionate plea for us to ride with care over the mountains out of Tofino.  It appears that too many folks have come too grief on this road.  I'm sure his words will be ringing in our ears as we make our way back to Port Alberni on the Pacific Rim Highway.

After we left our friend, we rode the short distance to the glass workshop.  It is located in a small residential area on the edge of the small town and the workshop itself was housed in an old garage.  Never the less, the work was truly different.  Too say the signature piece was masks, is too underestimate theses works of art.  Different they certainly are, fun they definitely are and we bought one to bring home.  We chatted with the artist for a while before leaving for our final stop in town - the brewery!!!  The Tofino brewery is a new venture in town, though correctly, it sits in a small industrial unit just outside of town.  They only brew two styles of beer at the moment and such was the popularity of the local brew, they had actually run out of one of them.  We met and chatted with the young guy who is the brew master.  I had too ask where this young guy had learned his craft.  Would you believe England!  Of course you would.  Actually, it was in the North of England, Sunderland to be exact.  He told us that during his first six months of study in Sunderland he hadn't understood a thing that had been said to him.  Then he gave a perfect rendition of a 'Geordie' accent, complete with a 'whey eye man'.  We sampled the beer and purchased a 'growler' - 64fl oz and a brewery T shirt - well you have to don't you!  Purchase complete, we headed out to the bikes to load up as another BMW GS rider came into the carpark.  We learned that 'Bruce' was spending a little time up here in Tofino with his son, before heading out on some major motorcycle trips, he called it the Cross.  Coast to coast Canada, then from the tip of Alaska to the tip of Chile.  It appears that this guy has sold his house and plans to live on his bike for how ever long it takes.  You meet some amazing folks on the back of a bike!

Back to the hotel room then and finish off yesterdays Blog, down load a few photos and break into the 'Growler'.......  Before we knew it, it was time for a shower before heading over to the dining room for a spot of dinner.  Once again, a lovely meal, though this time we were a little more traditional - fish and chips.  Though on this coast, they substitute cod with halibut, but the end result was still very tasty.  So, the end of day 2 here at Tin-Wis.  Tomorrow we will load up the bikes and head back over the mountains, for a night on the East coast of Vancouver Island, our last night in fact.  Wednesday will see us on the homeward leg of the trip.  We have really enjoyed this part of the Island, stunningly beautiful and so so laid back.

Thats it then, time to get this down the ole electric string and posted for your delectation.  I hope those who have read my scribbles, get as much enjoyment reading it as I do writing them.  Nite nite fan, see you again soon.

Day 5. Victoria BC - Tofino BC, 'Tin-Wis" (Calm Waters) Resort

The break at the Empress had been a real tonic after the long ride from Stony Plain, ridden in three quite long days.  It had been really easy to let yourself be taken over by the opulence and splendour of this lovely hotel, with equally lovely setting.  Although Victoria is the Capital City of BC, with only about 3500 people, it felt like a big town.  Now it was time to repack bags and get on our way again.  We were still so ‘stuffed’ after the wonderful dinner the evening before, that we had to leave the complimentary breakfast.  Wendy jokingly suggested we ask for ‘doggy bags’……….  Instead, we gathered our belongings; filled the pannier bags and the two roll bags I lash onto the back of the GS.  Our last indulgence, was too call for a porter to bring a luggage trolley and take our collection of bags down to the underground garage.  We had been lucky enough to find a parking slot right in front of the entrance to the garage, along side a lovely British racing green Bentley!  The bikes were in good company…….

Loaded once again, we pulled on helmets and gloves, fired up the bikes, checked in on the bike too bike radios and slowly rode out of the garage.  Out in the open, I could finally turn on the GPS and let it search for the satellites.  As it was a Sunday morning, the roads of downtown Victoria were pretty quiet.  This made an otherwise hazardous left turn quite a simple matter.  Clear of the garage, we headed up Douglas Street/ Route#1.  Along the way we had to make a stop for gas and a top up for the trip to Tofino.  Although the trip was only about 200 miles, you can never take it for granted that you will find fuel when you need it – I’d learned that one earlier!  Once we had topped up, we headed North on Route #1.  I had thought as it were a Sunday, the traffic would light – wrong, it was packed.  We were in constant traffic from Victoria, all the way north to Nanaimo, where we turned West onto Highway #4 and the mountains. 

Before we reached Nanaimo, we had climbed to quite a height above the water.  As we rounded a left curve in the dual highway, I noticed a sign for a ‘View Point’ and decided to pull over for a photo opportunity.  We pulled the bikes over to the right in between a few parked cars and immediately drew attention.  A couple from Calgary came over and started chatting to Wendy about the Spyder, while two guys with their wives on a three week vacation from the Netherlands came over too look at the GS and chat bikes.  It’s amazing how many people come over and chat about bikes, whether they still have then, have fond memories of their riding days or are inspired to go and get another.  Either way, it is always fun just to talk ‘bike’.  After I had taken a few photo’s of the view down into the scattered Islands below, it was back on with helmets and gloves and head North again.

The road to Nanaimo had been packed with traffic, so we were hardly able to relax and enjoy the ride.  That and the seemingly endless string of traffic lights, made the run feel more like a trip into town.  North of Nanaimo, we joined Route #19, then onto Route #4 West to Port Alberni and Tofino.  The run up to Port Alberni took us into foothills and some interesting ‘twisties’.  Nothing testing and we were held up for a while behind ‘boxes’ sticking religiously to the 80kph speed limit!  Up to now everyone seemed to treat the speed limits as ‘advisory’ only.  Not so with the couple of ‘boxes’ we now found ourselves stuck behind.  They sat just under 80 ‘clicks’ on the windy hilly road.  I eventually saw a gap, tapped down a gear and ‘Gertie’ and I shot forward, past the ‘box’.  Wendy was no slouch and was soon following me as we made our way along more ‘twisties’.  The countryside was getting more interesting as we climbed higher and we soon found ourselves riding past huge redwood cedars.  A sign at the side of the road read, ‘Cathedral Grove’ and the pull over was packed so no chance to stop.  Shame really, I have heard that trees are truly magnificent specimens – another day perhaps.

A little later, we rode into Port Alberni and looked for a suitable fuel and food stop.  From the vantage point at a set of traffic lights, Wendy spotted the ‘Golden Arches’ about ½ mile ahead, so we elected to dine at ‘Mickies’ once again.  We had noticed that McD’s in general, seem to be going through quite an overhaul of their properties.  At home in Stony Plain, they are currently limited to drive through only and so it was at Port Alberni.  We parked up the bikes at the foot of the deserted car park and joined the cars going through the ‘drive through’, doing our own, ‘walk through’!  We reached the speaker where those disembodied voices ask for your order - nothing!  A guy in a truck behind us leaned out of his window and suggested that the system was weight activated and although I am a mite heavy, still not sufficient to trigger the device.  The guy kindly eased forward, hit the sensor and the disembodied voice asked for our order.  After taking it, the voice said, “please drive to the first window”.  We walked forward to pay, then walked to the next window to collect the food.  It being McD’s, I use the term loosely…………….  Anyway, we thought it was funny, but you probably had to be there to get the full humour of the situation.

Out of ‘Mickies’, we popped over the road – more fuel for ‘Sydders’ and a bathroom break for W and me.  Fuelled and fed, we were soon on the road again for the last leg to Tofino. Well to be more accurate, the Best Western Tin-Wiz resort just a few kilometres outside of Totino, travelling on the famous Pacific Rim Highway.  As we left Port Alberni, the road became narrower and it was clear from the surrounding geography, that it would also be quite interesting – in a biker sort of way!  As we climbed, so we got into low cloud and more of a drizzle that actual hard rain.  That combined with pretty testing roads, made for quite a scary ride for Wendy.  We quickly learned that a bend marked 60kph could easily be taken at 80 on our bikes.  However, a bend that read 40 or especially 30kph meant exactly that!  I had to back off from time to time, allowing Wendy to get back in touch.  Being a more experienced rider and the additional manoeuvrability of two wheels meant that if I got too immersed in the fun, I would quickly lose sight of my riding companion.  In fairness, Wendy was riding sensibly and riding to the conditions that were quite testing.  I on the other hand, was behaving like a hooligan!  After what seemed like an eternity in the twisty rain soaked mountains, we suddenly appeared at sharp right hand turn where the road levelled out for our final 25km to our destination.

The sign for the hotel was quickly upon us and we made a left turn into a long tree and hedged lined driveway.  From the rear, the hotel doesn’t look too inviting.  The accommodation wings that I could see, were reminiscent of cheap two story motels.  However, I know the level of research Wendy does in booking our stops, so was sure all would be well.  We parked the bikes in front of reception and went inside to register.  Having done so, we moved the bikes again to be adjacent to out room.  We were in a second floor room, all of which have balconies and ocean view.  We were no sooner inside, and Wendy was discarding bike gear and boots to get out onto the balcony.  All of the miles since Victoria and the tense miles since Port Alberni over the wet and twisty mountain roads, were suddenly being washed away by the soothing sound of surf on sand.  There really is nothing quite like the sound of the ocean.

Unpacking took minutes and we were soon in more relaxing gear and I was being dragged out for a compulsory walk along the beach.  In fairness, it was nice to stretch legs after hours of being sat on a bike.  The cove in which the hotel sits is quite small, but has a beautiful sandy beach.  Although this is mid/late June, in this part of Canada this is still only regarded as spring!  So, although the temperature was in the‘mid teens’, it was not as warm as some folks would expect it to be.  The walk was pleasant none the less.  On the way back, Wendy showed she was in touch with current trends and tried her hand at 'planking'!!  I'll let you be the judge of the level of her success - bless.  We returned to the room deciding on an early dinner.  Unlike any Best Western we have ever stayed at before, this one had a proper restaurant, not the more common breakfast ‘nook’.  We had taken a quick look at the menu and were quite dismissive of the range.  All the same, we were hungry enough to dine at about 5:30pm.  When we were given the menu, our waitress showed us one side, thennnnnn, the other!  We almost went ‘ahhhhh’ together when we saw the full menu.  Dinner was a lovely, relaxing, enjoyable affair with a standard of food well beyond our expectation.  All washed down with a lovely bottle of Canadian wine.  Back in the room, Wendy was soon under the covers, leaving me to play with the days photos in preparation for the Blog.

What a day!  From the grand opulence of the Empress and the Capital City, too a very laid-back beach front hotel.  From the bustling city streets teeming with people, to ambling along a sandy beach with only a handful of people in sight.  From elegant dining rooms, to simplicity with a stunning view out onto the Ocean.  What a day!  Well that is it for now fan, time to get this into the Blog and another day of adventures tomorrow.  Nite nite, see you again later.

Day 4. Day off in Victoria

Well better late than never I guess!  By the time we ventured back to the room last night, it was way too late to begin the Blog for the day, especially as we had to get under way again in the morning.  So, I elected to save my 'words of wisdom' for today and give you a double dose of 'Letters from Canada'.

So, I can hear you asking, why the hell is he starting the Blog, with a photo of two pair of boots?  I am easily pleased fan and the little story behind a gleaming pair of riding boots tickled me. I hope you find it equally amusing.  For our short stay in Victoria, Wendy had booked us into a lovely hotel, right on the waterfront - the Fairmont Empress.  As our stay coincided with the fathers day weekend, the boat was pushed out a little farther than normal and she had booked a special room package.  This included booking in on a separate floor and a separate small lounge for complimentary pre dinner aperitifs and breakfast.  Also included was a complimentary shoe cleaning service...............  We had arrived at this beautiful hotel in a bit of a state, having ridden most of the day in rain and miserable conditions.  As well as our bike suits being a mite grubby, our boots were filthy, so we decided to give the service a try.  We simply had to put the boots on the wooded tray provided and leave them outside the room door.  We were both a little apprehensive about the service.  Wendy that the boots wouldn't be cleaned.  Me that we would never see them again......  Well this was no Super 8, so we should be ok!  Wendy was first out of bed and opened the door to check.  The excited giggle told me we were ok and I just had to have a photo of the result.  They didn't make us ride any better, but they sure looked good!

As today was a rest day off the bikes, we planned to do a little walking - after breakfast!  The complimentary buffet style breakfast proved to be very satisfying - once you had been up two or three times!!!  Suitably 'stuffed', we headed back to the room for jackets etc, and venture out for some fresh air.  The Trans Canada Highway #1 ran close by the hotel and finished not too far away.  We had been to the end/start of Route #1 in the US - Florida, Key West, and last year to the end/start of the Alaska Highway in Dawson Creek BC, so we expected some sort of marker and off we set.  After about 20/30 minutes of walking through residential areas clearly from the Victorian era, we emerged at the end of Route #1 - nothing!  It just finished........  We crossed the road and made out way through a small park area to a sea shore path.  While Wendy found a 'perch' on some rustic fencing, I took the opportunity to take a few photo's of this rugged but beautiful coast line.  After a short rest, we headed along the footpath, vaguely back in the direction of town.  Along the way, I spotted a model sail plain being expertly flown in the stiff onshore wind.  Rounding a corner in the footpath, we discovered that the 'pilot' was stood just off the footpath, while his aircraft was soaring  over quite a wide area.  We stood and watched for a while, admiring his flying skills.  What really amused us, was when he decide to formate with a couple of Herring Gulls, hovering in the wind.  After a little while the birds became nervous of their new companion and flew off, only to be chased by the sail plane.  The birds turned left and right, climbed and dove, but the sail plane matched their moves.  After a little while, the pilot broke off the fun, we laughed with him at the birds antics, then headed back into town.

We got back to the hotel and had a little while to recover from the walking.  Next on the agenda was as couple of hours in the hotel Spa.  Both of us like a massage on these trips.  After you have spent a few hours in the saddle, your shoulders get very tense.  A soothing massage would be perfect.  It being fathers day weekend, the Spa was offering special packages to 'Dads'.  I had an hour long 'tension relief' massage, followed by a forty-five minute pedicure!  Massages I have had plenty of, but never a pedicure.  I joked with the girl at the reception desk asking what colour nail polish I could have?  This was all to cover the unease of indulging in something which I regarded as so feminine - well, so it felt to me.  Before the treatments, we both spent fifteen/twenty minutes in a mineral both which was lovely and relaxing all on it's own.  The massage was wonderful and a couple of times I caught myself letting out a little 'snore'............  Massage done, it was off to the pedicure.  The girl who provided the treatment was a tiny lady form Chile.  During the short walk to the treatment room and the usual preamble, I mentioned that we had ridden from Edmonton.  That was it!  I soon discovered that she too loved bikes and the next forty minutes shot by as we talked about all things bike!  Suitably relaxed and now with nice soft feet, I met up again with Wendy.  We exchanged tales about our experiences and headed back to the room once again.  Dinner wasn't until 7:30pm, so we had a little time to relax and get ready.

On the way back from the spa, we dropped into the pre dinner appetizers - complimentary you remember -  for a 'wee' bite of something before dinner.  BIG ERROR!!  As these were supposed to be 'horses doovers', it was all little nibbles, but so so good.  I told myself I had a couple of hours before dinner, so another little plate with small pieces of salmon and a few jumbo shrimp wouldn't make a difference - would they!  Dinner was to be taken in the eloquently called 'Empress Dining Room', which sounds a lot more ostentatious than it actually was.  The room was wonderful, period Victorian, very very Grand.  Over the last few years the hotel has received a couple of 'face lifts, to the tune of in excess of $45 mil.  So although the surroundings were very grand, the service impeccable and the food wonderful, the ambiance allowed you to feel just at home in slacks and shirt as dressed for dinner.  We had a splendid meal which I finished of with cheese and biscuits, quite special cheese and biscuits.  As we were seated, the hostess asked if this was a special occasion.  We said that the whole trip was about my birthday and left it at that!  When my cheeses and biscuits arrived, there was a little surprise to go with them.  After about two hours, we nearly had to be helped from our chairs!  When our waiter Kevan asked if there was anymore he could get us, I jokingly asked for a wheel chair to get me back to the room.  With a grin he replied that they could probably manage that if I needed it.  I believe they could too, but decided not to put them too the test!  Extremely full, we headed back to the sanctuary of the room and burst out of clothing......  What a day, polished boots out side of the door, sea gulls chased by a model aircraft, a wonderful spa session and an amazing meal.  How much can you cram into one day?

Well that was it fan, did I say this was a day of rest?  Tomorrow we are back on the road, heading north on Vancouver Island and another two day stop over, this time staying on the beach.  Thanks for following our adventures, see you again tomorrow, nite nite.

Day 3. Kelowna BC to Victoria, Vancouver Island BC

Wow, what a long day!  Although the miles were not quite a long as the previous day, we covered a lot of ground which included a ferry crossing to Vancouver Island BC.  Back to this morning then and starting the day at the Best Western Kelowna.  It had been a very comfortable night and as has become the norm on these trips, Wendy was well asleep by the time I had finished with the Blog and turned in myself.  I become something of a martyr to my fan as far as the Blog is concerned and won't go to bed until I have jotted down my thoughts from the day.  With another day in the saddle looming, I was soon up and taking a quick glance through the curtains to check the weather.  What I revealed was a wet start to the day.  Well this is BC, so nothing new there then.  We Brits always poke fun at our weather in the UK and the seemingly endless rain.  It seems very similar in BC, but the obvious benefit as with the UK, is the lush rich colour of the countryside.  We quickly threw some cloths on and headed for a bite of breakfast.  This being a Best Western, there was small buffet, the highlight being make your own waffles, mmmmmm!  Suitably stuffed, we headed back to the room to change and pack.  All our belongings now back inside waterproof saddlebags and 'stuff bags', we headed down to load the bikes for the off.

The bikes duly loaded, we put on helmets and gloves, plugged into our bike to bike radios, a quick check that Wendy was ready and we were riding out of our night stop.  Then I noted that we couldn't make the left turn I wanted and had to head back toward Kelowna - bugger!  We headed in the wrong direction for only about 1/2 mile, until I saw a left turn into a residential area.  We swept across the road, neatly turned round and now heading in the right direction, set off - again!  The night before, Wendy had said we should clear the town, then look for a gas stop, before heading off.  Slightly 'thumb up bum and mind in reverse', I sailed past the first gas station I saw.  Wendy piped up on the radio, "I  thought we were stopping  for fuel?"  Indignation took over and I reminded her she had said we would stop outside of town - all very righteous!  That would come back to bite me squarely in the arse!!  Not far down the road and now well out of town, we were heading back into the mountains and a distinct lack of buildings.  It quickly became pretty obvious, that there was not going to be any fuel stop for quite some time.  Certainly well beyond Sydders endurance that was for sure!  Ahead of us was a solitary turn off, which I took.  At the bottom of the ramp, I used the GPS to find the nearest source of fuel - just 3.5km away.  Well 3.5km it might have been, but there was nothing to say you needed to be a Mountain Goat to get there.........  The main Route 97C that were were following, was set high above the nearby lake and it was down this steep hillside we now had to descend to get to fuel.  Although the road took us through a small subdivision/estate, every hundred yards we were faced with a descending hairpin bend.  Eventually we made the edge of the lake and the main highway.  A further 1km and we were at the Petro Can and the welcome sight of gas...  Refuelled, we made our way back to the 97C, though thankfully, not having to retrace our steps.

Once back on the highway, it quickly started climbing.  The road is an amazing piece of engineering, four lanes of great road clinging to the side of the mountain, pointing up - or down depending on your direction of travel - at crazy angles and going on seemingly for ever.  Huge trucks laden down, lumbered slowly up the inclines, while we shot by with ease.  After climbing for what seemed like ages, the road made a right turn and proceeded to climb again.  At this point we were able to look over our right shoulders, looking way down the side of the mountain and the thin ribbon of asphalt we had just ridden up.  It now became apparent to us both, that although the trusty Weather Channel had said the temp would up at about 21'C today in Kelowna, it failed to mention that several thousand feet up a mountain, it would be BLOODY COLD!  It actually dropped to about 8'C and we were both feeling the cold.  On we rode, occasionally dropping down for a little while, but almost inevitably climbing again.  The cloud and the snow line started to get much closer and at that time, the mountain saw pity on us and we started a decent.  With the decent the temperature rose and in no time we had gained 10'C!  We continued our decent and round one of the many long corners, the town of Merritt BC lay way below us in the valley floor.  We briefly touched the outer edge of town before heading South - oh yes and climbing once again!

Up we climbed and down came the temperatures again!  We even got some rain and more low cloud thrown into the mix.  Bet you wish you were a biker don't you fan??  One certainty about riding up a mountain, eventually, you have to come down again.  Some of these 'downs' were pretty jaw dropping!  I have ridden and driven down some long and steep hills, but the one we finally came down today, was a bit of a monster.  It is common to see emergency runaway lanes to the side of big hills for trucks suffering brake failure, but I have never seen one with 4 runoffs!  What really focused our attention, was a car wreck about half way down this ten mile long hill.  As we descended under control, ahead of us we saw lots of blue and red flashing lights and a guy waving a 'SLOW' sign way above his head.  As we approached the scene, we saw a small red car on it's roof in the ditch to the side of the road.  It was also facing the wrong way.  Once we had stopped, Wendy said the occupants were still inside the car and the emergency crews were beside them with stretchers.  A salutary lesson that if you don't treat these mountain roads with respect, they will bite!

After what seemed like forever riding in the mountains, we finally rode into the town of Hope.  It being about midday and once again Sydders needed refuelling, we filled both bikes ready for the final leg into Vancouver and then headed to the delights of Micky D's for lunch.  We seem to hit every midday stop just when the whole town decides it is time for lunch and so it was at Micky's, the place was heaving.  The town itself was singularly uninspiring, however, the mountains surrounding the town and the low cloud, created quite an imposing sight.  As we were finishing our lunch, we watched the comings and goings in the car park and watched as a shiny new BMW GS (not a GSA like Gertie) came into the car park with 2 up - did the man know nothing!  As the only parking spot available was next to our bikes, he parked his gleaming bike next to our road filthy warriors.  As the pillion passenger alighted, I noticed that instead of bike boots, she was wearing heels!  New jeans with a new pair of leather chaps and a Joe Rocket with lots of 'bling' on the shoulders marked this lady as anything but a serious GS passenger.  There is something a little high and mighty, nay, smug, about piloting a GSA built for serious riding, when someone parks his gleaming 'lesser' machine next to mine.  Anyway, gloating over, time to get our asses back in the saddle, we had a ferry to catch.

We headed out of Hope, rejoined the highway which was heading toward Vancouver.  As we settled back into the journey again, we passed the last entry ramp from Hope and a lone biker joined the highway.  He managed to slot in between Wendy and I and for a while, we became a threesome.  I would slow behind traffic, but all my new companion would do, was move out into the overtaking lane to block traffic for me.  We went through this routine about three times, before Wendy had had enough.  I looked back in my mirrors and 'Sydders' was roaring along in the outside lane, overtaking my 'companion' and slotting in neatly behind me.  By now we were travelling a bit quicker than the other chap and we soon lost him back in the traffic.  We were approaching towns now with names that we had only previously read on maps and I had heard from colleagues at work, Chilliwack, Abbotsford, Langley.  As we rode on, the traffic became much heavier, a clear sign we were approaching the greater Vancouver area with a population of about 4.5 million people.  It felt like most had decided to take the afternoon of and join us on the road!  We picked up signs for the ferries and made our way to the docks.  Save one small navigation error, we went straight to the ferry dock.  We approached the ferry terminal at about 2:50pm and I steered to one of 3 booths for the Victoria ferry.  At the booth I indicated I needed 2 tickets and girl said, "if we hurry, we could get you on this one".........  This one was leaving at 3pm!  I managed to stuff my wallet into my jacket, but held our ticket and my credit card in my clutch hand and now tried to ride the bike using a finger to work the clutch.  We sailed down the lines of cars, following a couple of cars ahead of us driving straight onto the ferry.  We carried on, and somehow ended up being last onto the ferry.  So much so, that as we were getting out of helmets and off the biles, the doors were being closed and we moved away from the jetty.  Now that was close!

The crossing time to Vancouver Island is about 1 hour 40 minutes.  I wasn't sure why it should take so long as no sooner had we departed the ferry terminal, than you could see Vancouver Island.  I likened it to the crossings I used to make to the Isle of Wight to see my folks years ago.  After about 40 minutes we approached the Island, but we were no where near the ferry terminal.  The main Island has many smaller Islands close to its shore and the ferry had to make it's way through theses to gain the main ferry terminal.  So although we had departed at 3pm, we didn't dock until 4:40pm.  Even the docking was similar to the Isle of Wight ferry.  The ferry has to make a 180' degree turn in the channel and reverse into the dock.  At this point we were down on the lower of 3 car decks, getting the bikes ready once again.  Along one of the legs during the day, I had reprogrammed the GPS, as the route data seemed to be corrupted.  Now I prayed that the new route I had loaded on the roadside, would behave.  We had about 20 or so miles to go to Victoria and the hotel.  I was going to be absolutely dependant on the GPS.  It behaved faultlessly and eventually took us all the way into the town centre, to the harbour and the front entrance of the Fairmont Empress Hotel.  We pulled up to the front entrance and were immediately met by a doorman.  He was very helpful, but declined to valet park the bikes for us.

The hotel is classic Fairmont Chateaux style and Wendy had paid extra to have a service upgrade - worth every penny. We had a separate check in desk on a different floor.  A separate lounge area where they served complimentary pre dinner appetizers and an honour bar, a lovely way to relax after such a long day.  After a bite to eat we had a wander round the waterfront, before returning to the hotel.  The view of the hotel from the waterfront was quite spectacular, as is the view of the Parliament Buildings, also adjacent to the harbour.  I took several of each, which should be in the slide show I have attached to the Blog.  We finally returned to our room and a chance for me to get busy with todays Blog.  I'll close now, but will leave you with a photo of the hotel and a short poem we found left by the chamber maid after tidying the room this evening.  Nite nite fan, hope you enjoyed todays offering, see you tomorrow:

 
Alas, the night falls on the castle by the sea,
May your dreams be as sweet as our Afternoon Tea.
As you close your eyes and begin to count sheep,
You will soon drift away in a deep peaceful sleep.
Let the night embrace you with it's warm sweet caress,
And your dreams will come true at the fairmont Empress.

Day 2. Field BC to Kelowna BC

top 

Hello again fan, the end of what seemed like a long day in the saddle.  We are fed and watered, now settling down to a little relaxation time.  So time for me to commit the days thoughts to the Blog for your entertainment and hopefully, your enjoyment.

The picture on todays post, shows the place we stayed for the night, very 'rustic' looking and quite charming.  From our room, we stepped out to a covered porch and immediate left into the bar, restaurant.  As you can see from the photo I have attached, the bikes were conveniently parked right outside the room door.

When we woke, we took a quick look outside and were a little disappointed in what we saw.  The valley was shrouded in very low clouds, which obscured the snow capped mountains either side of the valley.  Although it looked lovely, it didn't bode well for the day in the saddle.  Mind you, if you worry about getting wet, riding a motorcycle is not perhaps for you!  The sleepy little town had been very active during the night - well so I am told!  We had seen two or three Canadian pacific freight trains pass through Field during the evening.  I didn't hear anything after hitting the pillow, not so Wendy it would seem.  It appeared that several trains passed through during the night and as the tracks were only a couple of hundred yards from the hotel, Wendy heard most of them.  I slept the sleep of the just, and never heard a thing.  When we checked the weather from the room window, we could also see the rail tracks and there were at least six mighty long freight trains, waiting to start their climb over 'Kicking Horse Pass' and on into Alberta.

Still full from the blow out dinner the night before, we elected to pass on breakfast and get ready for the road.  The low clouds had brought a steady drizzle and the temperature was down at about 10'C.  We were carrying several clothing options for the journey and knowing BC's reputation for rain, we ensured we covered that angle as best we could.  Both of our riding suits are constructed with Gortex, so we were pretty confident that we could keep dry.  Now it was a matter of making sure we also stayed warm.  The bikes loaded, bike to bike radio's reinstalled, luggage secured, we were nearly ready for the off.  While we finished dressing and getting helmets on, we fired up the bikes and I set up the GPS for the trip to Kelowna.

Finally fully 'booted and spurred', we got on the bikes and headed out of Field.  We made our way through the small village, turned to cross the railway tracks, now finally empty of all the freight trains and up to the Trans Canada Highway.  A quick check up and down the highway, wind on the throttle, slip out the clutch and we were off down the road again.  Ahead of us, the 'Kicking Horse' valley opened up with the wide flat bottom of a typical galciated valley.  The river had a beauty all of it's own.  Typical of the shallow mountain rivers, it was quite wide, maybe a hundred feet or so.  The whole river bed, is made up of cobbles, some the size of bowling balls, mostly the size of a Grapefruit.  I guess these would have been left at the bottom of Galciers long since gone.  The river was running quite fast being fed by the melting snows and meltwater from the Glaciers.  The water was the colour of a creamy aquamarine, small 'white horses' bobbed along as the river sped it's way down hill.   The various twists and turns of the river, frequently brought it very close to the edge of the road, before diving off into the scrub once again.  It was very difficult navigating down the twisty mountain road, while trying to watch the beautiful sight of the river out to my right.

We rode along some glorious pieces of road, biker heaven!  The road twisting this way and that, sweeping diving bends but generous enough to allow us to keep a good speed going.  The road headed steadily skyward, then just as suddenly, round a corner and we were plunging down again.  This was what the trip was all about for me, riding in the wonderful Canadian Rockies.  Breathtaking scenery and roads that just put a huge smile on your face.  Yes we ran into some heavy traffic and yes there were road works, but when we did break free we were having a ball.  I was flicking 'Gertie' left and right through bend after bend and behind me, Wendy was putting 'Sydders' through his paces, and not too far behind me at that.

The weather never really improved all day.  Although we never faced any heavy down pours, there was fairly consistent rain showers.  The clouds clung to the valley sides making it feel very damp, without actually raining.  Although the low cloud created quite an atmosphere of it's own, it did shield the beauty of the Rockies from us.  When we did get the occasional breaks in the cloud, we caught tantalizing glimpses of the majestic snow capped mountains on either side of us.  At the end of the 'Kicking Horse' valley, we came to a junction of three valleys.  The road we were following careered round to the right and we entered a valley so narrow, I wondered where the road could possibly go.  The valley was so steep, the road had been built with several avalanche 'sheds' to protect the road.  The first came as bit of a surprise.  We were flicking in and out of corners, then round the next corner we were faced with the gaping mouth of a small tunnel.  It lay there like some huge animal, consuming all the traffic that entered it's gaping mouth.  We shot into the first one and I was immediately aware of the lights on 'Sydders' getting very close indeed, then backing off quite quickly.  From daylight we had been plunged into darkness, which took a little while to recover from.  These 'sheds' were only a hundred yards or so long, although some were doubled up.

The Spyder has a considerably smaller fuel tank than the 'Beemer' and Wendy was starting to get a little anxious about what she had left in the tank.  The road sign we had passed a little while before, read about 150km to Revelstoke, the next stop for gas.  It took a lot of the fun out of this leg of the journey, as Wendy was constantly looking at how much fuel she had and would she actually make it to Revelstoke.  It turns out that we had both formed an identical emergency plan in case Sydders ran dry, which involved me riding ahead, getting fuel and bringing some back.  In the end, Wendy 'breezed' into town with ample fuel.  I had refuelled Sydders the last time, and probably managed to put more in the tank that Wendy usually did.  Refuelled and suitably relieved, we sought out a local 'Tims' for a spot of lunch.  Tim Hortons has something of a cult following for Canadian coffee drinkers.  Although I don't rate the coffee, it is possible to get coffee, sub and doughnut for two, for less than $8!!  Bargain!  With the bike refuelled and the inner man/woman filled, we set of on the last leg to Kelowna.

The steep sided valleys in the mountains were behind us now and we were riding along wider flat bottomed valleys of the 'Lake Country'.  The mountains were still out to the left and right of us, but no were near as dramatic looking, or as high.  The lack of snow and profusion of trees growing on top of the rock was testament to that.  At Sicamouse, we turned South, leaving the Trans Canada Highway, as it made it's way to Kamloops and eventually Vancouver.  Sicamouse sits at the head of Mara Lake and the road we now followed, ran closely down the side of the lake.  Again, it was difficult concentrating on the road, with the beauty of the lake so close to my right.  Unless I wanted to join the boaters, I thought it best to concentrate fully on the road ahead.  Especially as it was a lovely biker road, easy flowing bends flicking one way, then the other. The surface of the lake was mirror calm, and this provided me with a lovely photo when we stopped for a short break and photo opportunity.

After the lake, we passed through Vernon and onto the last fifty or so km to Kelowna.  By the time we reached the edge of the city, we were both pretty well spent.  Although we were now in Kelowna, the GPS was still indicating another 17km to the hotel where we would stay the night.  It felt like we would never arrive, then all of a sudden, there was the hotel, about 200 hundred yards back from the highway.  We rode into parking places right outside the front entrance and went inside to book in.  After getting into our room, we showered and changed and headed out for an early dinner.  The hotel sits in an area of shops, in amongst which is a very nice Thai restaurant - just the job!

So, fed and watered, that is our day done.  I just need to take a quick peek at what I have written, get Wendy's approval, then I will 'publish' for my fan.  For anyone who reads my daily 'scribble', please leave a comment.  It's nice to know someone is out there following us.  That's it then, nite nite fan, please come back again tomorrow for more of my 'Letters from Canada'.

West Coast Birthday Bonanza - Day 1, Stony Plain AB to Field BC

Well it's been so long since I put anything in this Blog, there was a certain amount of head scratching being done to even get the thing open, let alone be 'creative'.  Might even have to wait until later to get some of todays photo's added.  Last year before the Alaska trip, I was so much more organised, well that and home a lot more.  Now I work away, arriving home last night trying to wind down, unpack, have dinner, repack, load the bike - of course it was relaxing........  Somehow everything got sorted out and by about 10am this morning, we were on the bikes heading out of the ole homestead for the highway and this years 'extravaganza'.

Last year on route to Alaska, we sampled some of what British Columbia (BC) had to offer and promised, like 'Arnie', "we'd be back".  Well as I am shortly to become officially 'old', Wendy planned a bike trip over my birthday, taking us through BC to Vancouver Island for a few days.  Then return home over the Rockies again via Whistler.  The whole trip should take about 10 days and will be about 2100 miles long.  Today saw us make the first leg of the journey from Stony Plain AB, to Field BC.  Much of the route was over known ground, but we are now on uncharted territory, so from here on in, it should be quite exciting.

The bikes all loaded, we headed off on the first leg of the journey to Rocky Mountain House, AB.  As I said before, we have ridden this leg before on the way to Banff, so no real surprises on the way.  There was a pretty steady NNW wind blowing and it had been difficult knowing quite what to wear under the bike suits.  In the end we got it pretty much right.  The suits are windproof, so the wind was no real bother.  The day started very similar to an autumn day in the UK, about 12'C, and heavy grey skies.  There was no rain, but judging by the skies it was only a matter of time.

From Stony, we headed steadily south over a rolling prairie landscape.  When the road allowed it, there was a pretty uninterrupted panoramic view of the prairie for as far as the eye could see.  Mile after mile of gently rolling countryside seemed to go on forever.  Herds of cattle and horses were about all we saw.  The roads are almost 'bullet straight', going as far as the eye could see.  I think the early road engineers must have had Roman ancestry!  The only kink in the road, were the occasional bend put in as a 'correction'.  We started to see some wildlife on the edges of the road and by the time we came into Rocky Mountain House, we had seen several Deer nervously grazing on the verges.

We arrived on the outskirts of the small town and had too make a left turn int town for lunch and a fuel top up for 'Sydders'.  Poor chap only has a small tank, so needs to make 'pit stops' way more frequently that 'Gertie'.  At this point 'Elaine' (the Brit female voice on my GPS) started to get very pissed off with me!  I had the temerity to change course and she kept reminding me that is was, 'off route' and she was, 'recalculating'.  Well, too hell with her I thought, who the hell is piloting this thing anyway.  It being lunchtime, we headed into 'Tims' for coffee, sandwich and a doughnut.  Fully fed and watered, we now saw to 'Sydders' needs, then we were off again.

Still on the roads we knew, we were heading toward the Icefields Parkway and Lake Louise.  Approaching Rocky Mountain House, the scenery began to change as we rode toward the foothills of the might Canadian Rocky Mountains.  The vast wide open prairie, was now giving way to more undulating ground.  The wide open spaces were shrinking, as more and more trees took over the landscape.  After the recent rain, there was a faint smell of pine in the air.  The never ending fields, were now limited to meadows.  Then as we crested yet another rise, way out to our right, the first glimpse the majestic Rocky Mountains, the back bone of North America heading further north to Alaska.  After Rocky Mountain House, we saw more and more of the mountains and we started to climb into the still snow covered peaks.

As we climbed, so the temperature inevitably dropped and we were down to about 10'C!  Also looming ahead were low clouds, dropping the bases into the valleys.  There were the occasional patches of blue sky, but in the direction we were travelling, only rain.  Ahh well, that's something you live with if you ride bikes, just make sure you have the right gear and don't get cold.  As we were riding toward the gates of the Banff National Park, in a particularly heavy downpour, I noticed some shapes on the wide verge about half a mile ahead.  It was difficult to make out a lot of detail as my visor was rain covered, but I was sure they were moving.  As we got closer, I saw two vehicles pulled over on the side of the road adjacent to where my 'shapes' were.  In a Park, that generally means animals and in this instance it meant a family of Black Bears, a mother and three cubs!  I slowed as we approached them, but was loathed to stop.  Mum and the cubs looked quite happy grazing on the side of the road, but I didn't want to push our luck.  We rode by slowly taking in this lovely picture, then headed on to Lake Louise.

In Lake Louise, we filled up both bikes and set off on the short trip to Field and our night stop.  There was lots of road works on the road out of Lake Louise, but the journey to the little town of Field was a short one.  This unassuming little BC town, sits the other side of a mountain pass, over which the Canadian Pacific railroad company drove a railway line.  In its hay day, passenger trains twisted and turned their way over the mountain.  Those days have long gone for passenger trains, but huge freight trains still make the journey over the pass, coming from or going to the West coast and Vancouver.  Field is a pretty little town with a strong Italian heritage from those early railway days.  What made it a special stop for us was the Kicking Horse Lodge and the Truffle Pigs Bistro!

Who ever would have thought that such a gastronomic delight could be found in such a small town with nothing of real note to bring you here.  The food was outstanding!  We started with West Coast Mussels, followed by the chefs version of Beef and Pork Bourgignon which was amazing.  All washed down with a very pleasant Canadian 'red' from the local Okanagan area.  Now all I have to worry about, is how I squeeze myself back into riding gear again in the morning..............

Tomorrow, we are headed for Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley and perhaps some wine tasting.  According to Wendy, it is all, 'squiggilly, wiggily' roads............  I think that means good bike road - I'll let you know tomorrow.  Nite nite fan, hope you enjoyed this Letter From Canada.  Tune in again tomorrow, I'd love to see you again.