In this month there were a few random moments you will find in the Other Stuff section at the end of the post, BUT the highlight was truly my annual ride out to the West Coast of Canada enjoying Kootney Lake in Creston, Checking out Nanaimo, Organic Farming in Saltspring Island, Glass Blowing in Gibsons, and Witnessing the Devastation from Forest Fires in the Shuswaps.
Day 1-2, Creston (500km) Rode south through Diamond Valley to Highway 3 and on to Creston. Amazing scenery and a great day.
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| Let's go Stryker |
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| Highway 22 south |
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| Highway 3 |
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| Frank's slide that took out the town in 1903 |
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| The Sparwood dump truck |
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| "Duel" 2023 version |
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| In to Creston |
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| And up in to the sticks to visit Stu and Vero |
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| On Kootney lake with almost no one else |
Stunning, when you are not getting a flying spider web in your face (to be honest that doesn't happen much but incredible they string them across the lake, so it seems).
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| "Next Creek" Beach |
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| A few amazing cabins/mansions |
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| And then this lego looking one... |
Day 3, Nanaimo (800km). Huge day on Highway 3, up to Hope then Highway 1 in to the Tsawwassen ferry to Nanaimo. Cold start at 7:30am to catch the 4pm ferry. A great ride going from 7C to 30+C and back to 24C then a little spitting rain to end.
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| Rain gear helps cut the wind |
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| Bring on the sun |
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| The road is open people, let's go |
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| Gorgeous morning |
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| 7 C, ouch |
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| Christina Lake, cold, mountain water fed. |
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| hardcore bikers |
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| Castlegar valley |
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| warming up |
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| Abbotsford |
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| And the economic Abbotsford Airport |
US/Canada unmanned border. We need to build a wall!
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Massive day, finished with
Vietnamese food, yum. |
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| Always love this last piece of road to the ferry |
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| Made it! |
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Thanks Dorota, Aleksandra and
Thomas for hosting me after a monster day |
Day 4-6, Saltspring Island (50km). A quick shot down the Transcanada highway to the Croften ferry to spend some nights camping on John and Jess's Organic Farm.
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Clearly in farming country when
you see an egg vending machine! |
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| Man, this place needs attention |
Ferry over to Saltspring. Met a cool couple Andreas and Rachel who hang out in Mexico in the winter too. Owners of I Love Ice Cream in Cumberland.
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| Spot the Seal! |
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| Thanks guys |
Day 7-8, Gibsons (60km and a few ferries). Years past I would ride up to Courtney and take the ferry to Power River and another connecting one at Earl's Cove but for that you need to get up around 7am if on Saltspring and on the West Coast Islands this time of year it is dewy and cold to start that early. Decided to take Nanaimo to Horse Shoe Bay then drive out, find the u-turn and come back in order to take the next ferry to Gibsons skipping the huge car line as they have a lot of problems with ferries lately.
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| Oh to have a boat here... |
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Entry to other Nanaimo ferries, not the same
as from Tsawwassen |
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| Vancouver in the distance |
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| Good to have a motorbike, right to the front |
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Wild trailer set up attached to
rear axle of kid's KTM.
Home made with dad. |
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| Awesome deck with Pat, Hux and Zoe |
View from Pat's place, so good.
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| Deer don't give a care here |
Pat's art. Takes a few hours just to make this one hitter pipe. Impressive.
Imagine how long this huge piece took with another artist helping as well.
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| Built-in magnetics |
Day 9, Shusswaps (500km). Taking Highway 99 up passed Whistler and Pemberton in order to enjoy that area and old Highway 1 in my route to see Art in the fire destroyed area of the Shuswap lakes. Amazing riding and bone chilling post fire photos.
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| loading up 9am ish |
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| I'm ready for a good day |
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| Near Squamish |
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| Green Lake North of Whistler |
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| a bit of construction slow down |
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| That is not fog, it's smoke from fires. |
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| more smoke |
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| Dangerous curves |
Nice riding...
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What happened here? Thought their Honda
was fire proof? yikes. |
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| smoky near Lillooet |
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| Really so many fires |
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| In to Kamloops first time since I lived here 2022 |
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| 33C!!! |
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| Ah man, I want a dog on the back of my bike |
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| Yep, that's burnt trees |
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| Used to be a gas station |
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| So little greenery |
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| Copters preparing to drop water |
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| Fires in the distance |
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| Art's summer cabin |
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| So cute, two siblings snuggled |
Day 10, Calgary (550km). Unfortunately with a rain looming in a day or two and likely 10 C during that I took a good look at when I should head back to Calgary. On top of that, Highway 1 was getting shutdown for bridge construction the whole week adding 1.5 hrs to the 6.5 hours home so I had to leave early on the Sunday. A shame as we never got to golf the sleeveless Anglemont course.
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| Another house burnt down |
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| Fire station burnt down |
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| Sicamous, and a shot of the houseboating world |
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| Three Valley Gap |
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| Top of the Rogers Pass |
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| Back to AB! |
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| Mt Rundle |
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| Cowtown |
Other Stuff
Oops, arm no workie after doing some more boat sanding.
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| Banana, oats, date slab |
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| Amazing smoked ribs by chef Nathan |
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Low flying cropduster
poisoning us and checking out
the golf |
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Some used "brand new"
Gazelle's for $70! |
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