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Exit, pursued by a bear
  • Rickster

Exit, pursued by a bear

Biking Solo Across Canada 2023 もっと詳しく
フォローする概要カレンダー共有共有死ぬまでにやっておきたいことリスト
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  • RicksterExit, pursued by a bear旅行者
    Nothing on this wretch was dry
    HmmmThis season's new look - binbagslagCampground! (no camping)Wild orchidsBunkey and GeoffMS CHI-CHEEMAUNFirst Nations land - "White Fish"There's some crazily awesome geology around here on the Niagara escarpmentWhite Fish

    The Dankest Hour

    2023年6月12日, カナダ ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    All of them.

    They were all dank.

    Each and every minute of every hour as I left Kincardine.

    The asthetics of the waterside trail should have knocked the soggy socks off me, but instead I had cloud infused with lake topped by an endless sprinkling of rain. Having said that, the merging was actually magical, mysteriously magical.

    As the rain soaked into my skin, and my skin soaked into my soul, I started to become cold.... bone-deep cold. There was no point putting on any dry clothes, which would just get equally soaked, but unless I could keep my core warm, I was doubting whether I could carry on. My expensive crappy breathable waterproofs would have even been monumentally surpassed by a £1 poncho...

    ...hmmm...

    ...and so I found myself peering into the bin-bag-lined bin of a restroom wondering if I could stoop so low.

    Yup, of course I could.! This was a mere paddle compared to previous depths of depravity I've sunk.

    "Come to me my used bin bag, let the portrait locked in the attic take the strain."

    ...

    Tobermory, on the Bruce peninsula, led me to a WS host that couldn't host me...but did know a bunkie that could....and I assumed this meant I might be able to find shelter in a bunkhouse or shed or something...but oh no....that's no Bunkey.....a Bunkey is actually a lovely lady originally from Cornwall, living with her husband Geoff from Wigan(!). A Bunkey is a girl born of long hair to her shoulders, whose father , at first glance, declared she looked like a monkey, and whose baby sister then declared "Bunkey" - so let it be known that she would always thereafter be a Bunkey.

    Amen.    もっと詳しく

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  • RicksterExit, pursued by a bear旅行者
    Check out the placardTourers galorers

    Momma always said...

    2023年6月14日, カナダ ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    ...that one day it might happen.

    I guess that day's today.

    Momma...I got me a friend.

    ...

    Sitting outside the Royal Canadian Legion in Massey munchin' on my luncheon, when a bike tourer wheels by complete with "TIBET" number plate and flag. He didn't stop to chat but headed for a nearby coffee shop. The weirdly sociable Rick that's been germinating inside me decided to head over to say hello.

    Sangyal's taken time out from protesting outside the Chinese embassy of Toronto to complete his second cross-Canada tour raising awareness for the Free Tibet campaign. Within minutes I had heard the campaign brief, had been given the leaflet, had read the t-shirt and...had a new cycling buddy - woohoo!

    We headed on up to Blind River, since iOverlander (awesome community-driven app for hobo/nomad travellers) suggested there might be some free showers up there and a possible stealth camping site. The showers turned out to be not as free as reported, but after crossing the harbour master's palm with $3 we freshened up and mulled over camp spots while I offered to cook-up dinner.

    After an hour of attempting to cook two full bowls of Jambalaya on a single Trangia by alternatingly each pan for 10mins (what I now know to be a terrible idea) Sangyal got bored of waiting and went for pizza. Knowing my own appetite after a day's cycling I understood.

    Dinners done, and with prior warning from Captain Birdseye that security patrol the marina and so they'd be no camping there, we waited till dusk and headed hopeful towards the nearby municipal park.

    Sangyal's interpretation of stealth camping differed somewhat to mine. As I whispered a goodnight call to Mart, fearful of alerting the neighbours to our presence, Sangyal had erected a 3 meter Dalai Lama banner, Canadian and Tibetan bunting, and traditional song was blaring from his phone. Suddenly I find I'm being streamed on Facebook Live, interviewed, and loudly cheering along with calls to "Free Tibet"!

    There goes any possibility of a future Chinese visa.    もっと詳しく

    翻訳をご覧ください
  • RicksterExit, pursued by a bear旅行者
    2

    🌧️ ❌ ♾️ = Motel

    2023年6月15日, カナダ ⋅ 🌧 15 °C

    Struck down by another endless rainy day that totally extinguished even the bright and ever-positive mood of Sanj.

    After 30 miles of downpour we gave in.

    Blind River presented itself a crappy Motel, and we jumped at the chance. The motelier knew we were at his mercy - we were both drenched, mud-spattered and wheeling filthy bikes...the 'deluxe sea view' rooms were round the back, tiny, smelly, had interesting mould patterns crawling across the walls of the bathrooms and the 'sea' could only be seen after walking 4m outside. I maxed out the heating and turned on the air-con before rapidly turning the latter off due to the foul decaying stench it kicked out. Neither of us cared; shelter cures many ills.

    Laundry. Coffee. Beer. Food.

    I asked the waitress in that evening's restaurant what the"White Fish" was on the menu.

    "White" she's replied

    Perfect. We ordered two. They were fresh and delicious.

    ...

    The morning was thankfully brighter as we set off for Bruce Mines. Sanj sung as he cycled behind me and occasionally dropped one of the 5 thousand Free Tibet leaflets he'd had printed into farmers' mailboxes. I wondered what the average Mennonite's opinion might be on the geopolitical issues surrounding Tibetans.

    What with leafletting, taking interviews, organising protests and communicating with his supporters/funders, progress wasn't all together fast. Sanj is supposed to be doing the Trans Canada Highway - a lovely flat, sometimes well maintained road with a hard shoulder that varies between 2m of beautiful cleanly defined tarmac .... and ditch. I've heard of others who've chosen this route and can't quite understand why -:would cycling the edge of the M25 41 times be pleasurable even if it had pretty views? Complete with potholes, tyre fragments, random bits of rusting metal, a zoological bounty of roadkill, not to mention the unforgiving and endless speeding by ofa semis, RVs, caravans and trucks; I think I'll stick with the trail.... at least as much as possible.

    Sanj didn't quite understand why I was suggesting a longer route (TCT), although to be fair I'm learning there's a bit of a communications issue as many of my questions result in a standard "Yes brother" response.

    Still, he seems happy to follow for now, so we spin on together....and my Superior Thunder Bay problem looms ever closer.    もっと詳しく

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  • RicksterExit, pursued by a bear旅行者
    Pre-launch breakfast coffeeLovely local shop...1kg of nuts that expired in 2021 for $3 -bargin2Clagfest

    MotHell

    2023年6月18日, カナダ ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    I managed to convince Sanj to try the TCT alternative route....10 miles in and we hit a sign saying the road was closed for resurfacing. 🙄 We gingerly pushed forward but each meter rotated claggy clods of mud around our tyres to be cheese-grated through the chains. Not ideal.

    However, after liberating some kitchen towel and wet wipes from a nearby JCB, we cleaned our steeds up and eventually made it to Sault Ste Marie, the most easterly point of Lane Superior. Sanj headed into town to sit in a Starbucks to recharge, keep his social media wheels turning, and meet an Indian MP (as you do), while I checked out the town, got my cassette cleaned, and chain and disc pads replaced...this was the last bike shop for 1000miles.

    Sanj had found us a cheap motel he'd used before. I didn't think 2 star could sink so low... stained sheets & towels, brown marks in the bath, lights missing, broken coffee machine, glass fragments on the floor, no heating, etc. It was grim, and since the heating didn't work (the motelier turns it off in the summer), and I'd just hand -washed my kit, I had no way of drying stuff. While waiting for a portable heater that was supposed to be delivered, but never was, I attempted to steam my stocks dry in the microwave. This technique has worked in the past, but this time maybe I had them on a tad too high, causing them to ignite and fill the room with acrid smoke. Shite. Any minute the fire alarms would kick in and the whole motel would be evacuated because of me...or so I thought...turns out I can add 'broken smoke alarms' to the ever-growing list of issues.

    RIP fave riding socks.

    ...

    The Superior Thunder Bay problem is finally upon me.

    Let me explain... During my route research online almost everyone talks about the dreaded Highway 17 - the main arterial road across Canada that navigates the hundreds of miles of Superior's northern coast. Opinions seem equally divided but all seem to agree that it's not always a safe or pleasant road to ride. Over the years many cyclists have been injured and even died due to the alleged endless streams of heavy goods vehicles, RVs and motorists who vy for the narrow roads and crumbling shoulders.
    As I've travelled through WS host to WS host I've been trying to gather some intel and opinion. About 40% of people think it's not worth the risk and I should dip into America and take their southern route around the lake through Michigan. Another 40% say it's one of the most beautiful sections of the journey and can't be missed but just needs caution. The rest suggested hitchhiking or a train to bypass.

    Despite not wanting to, I'd even applied for a ESTA VISA for the U.S. just in case I had a last minute change of plan.

    The morning of the deciding came. Sanj wasn't responding to any of my messages and I couldn't wait around.

    If I could navigate London's north and south circular.... surely I could manage HW17?

    And with that foolproof logic....I set off    もっと詳しく

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  • RicksterExit, pursued by a bear旅行者
    1
    $6 for this ~1kg of Datey/Oaty goodness - that'll keep me goingDiscarded tent poles? Yes pleaseWicker Man doll strung up on the roadside6

    Highway to heaven?

    2023年6月20日, カナダ ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    I'm still alive!

    This road isn't half as bad as everyone has said...yes, it's a bit dicey in places, and yes, one badly timed handlebar shimmy and you're in the sand with the discarded Evian bottles full of Tizer (is it Tizer, right?), but overall it's agoer!

    I'm wearing my rear view wrist mirror just in case but it's spent so long in my bag that its convex centre has a lovely grey scuffmark which make it seem as thought I'm being constantly followed by a Dementor.    もっと詳しく

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  • RicksterExit, pursued by a bear旅行者
    Jockey wheel innards
    Gloria knows how to partyThe Prov. Park campsites area stunning, pricy but stunningFree flags!! Woohoo

    Brokebike Mountain

    2023年6月21日, カナダ ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    Suddenly realised mid-ride that I could no longer pedal backwards (not usually a great concern, I grant you); the chain just wouldn't run through, and every hill also felt more and more like a mountain. Weird, but maybe it'd fix itself, I thought optimistically.

    It didn't. Next morning I realised my bottom jockey wheel would barely spin and that the road hadn't been more mountainous, or winds stronger, just that my bike was working against me, putting loads more strain on the chain.

    Hello mech fail #2

    I carry spare chain, cables, derailleur hangers, etc but jockey wheels last lifetimes....or they should... perhaps this was the results of the claggy mud episode. Bugger. I managed to remove the gunk at the expense of scratching something off which I guess was the water-tight seal. 🫤

    Simple mech stuff I can do.... fiddling with the guts of single-point-of-failure parts when I haven't a spare makes me a little nervous.

    Minor heart attack when, during cleaning, the bearings-cover popped off and I was milliseconds away from watching the little ball bearing blighters scatter down the plughole. They didn't - saved by the gunk. Good gunk.

    Eventually I got it free-running but it was on borrowed time... 200miles till the next bike shop. 🤞

    ...

    Added to that another tent pole has now broken... the joint has disappeared inside the pole. I'm running out of gaffa tape and splints to fix this piece of crap; MSR have some explaining and refunding to do, and I have a skeewiff tent (no wonky erection jokes necessary Cowboys).

    ...

    To balance the woes...
    I was in Neys Provincial Park when someone shouted "We think you guys are amazing!" - a couple wandering past my campsite. They'd seen a few similar cyclists en route and were impressed. We chatted, and they left but then the guy returned 10 minutes later saying "My wife can't help but mother people... she's said you'll definitely need some of our homemade rhubarb cake to get you over those hills." handing me a cling-wrapped wodge of cake and taking a quick picture of me.

    Happiness equilibrium reestablished.    もっと詳しく

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  • RicksterExit, pursued by a bear旅行者

    A friend for dinner

    2023年6月22日, カナダ ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    Made it to Stillwater Campsite in Nipigon after a monstrous 105 hot hot hot miles....cracked open a beer...

    ...and noticed this guy in the corner of my eye...just 10-15m away.

    Luckily I'd had a Beer Of Bravado 💪🏻もっと詳しく

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  • RicksterExit, pursued by a bear旅行者
    1

    Polygon Of Protection

    2023年6月23日, カナダ ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    Just in case he comes back for desserts....or gets a whiff of my freshly munched pizza breath during the night

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  • RicksterExit, pursued by a bear旅行者
    thunder, Thunder, THUNDER PETS - HOOOOooo!
    They just didn't say a freaking word.... WeirdBringing sexy back?Going back in time againBugs r bad here... very bad3 people walked out of this alive an hour before I got there.Random furry Frenchman going W->EMSR won't refund the tent and are posting replacement poles back to UK....FFS.... New tent timeShit-inducing Mike

    Thunderpants

    2023年6月25日, カナダ ⋅ 🌧 14 °C

    Mountainous hills, roaring traffic, mechanical failures and swarms of hornets couldn't stop me from totally loving this section of HW17!

    Bloody hard work mind you, but Thunder Bay had always been such a milestone during my prep and every signpost that declared every decreasing mile to that goal caused an involuntariy and raucous mid-cycle rendition of Denver's "Country Roads" but with all lyrics replaced with "Thunder Bay". I wouldn't expect it in the charts but it did make me very happy.

    I'd booked myself in to the only hostel in town for two nights - I had bike issues to fix, clothes to clean, batteries to charge, and deserved a real bed after all that camping, although it actually turned out to be a curtained-off slot in the wall, 5 foot up a ladder, and resembling something you'd more likely find in a morgue. Also ... Thunder Bay didn't seem to be the shining, shimmering stop-over I'd imagined.

    Yep, if Thunder Bay has a pretty side, I couldn't find it amongst the potholed roads more befitting a third-world country. Nor was it on the pavement, several sections of which had more blood splatters than outside Brixton's 'Spoons on a Sat night. Prostitution, drugs, social issues, etc. How has central Canada gone so wrong, or has it always been like this?

    I thought I'd cheer myself up with a well overdue haircut...well, that was the plan but since the babers were booked up, the only option was a salon, but hey, a haircut is a haircut right? "The Cutting Room" thought different...I got the "full womens' salon treatment" - and I'm not talking just a cut 'n' colour... I'm taking about all local gossip, an insistence that I'd visit their former Iraqi colleague, Mohammed (aka Mike) who'd "made it big" and now cuts in Vancouver and whose cut would make me "shit my pants" (I took this to mean a good thing), and finding out that Georgina (my stylist) was very excited about going to a Shania Twain concert this weekend and when I asked if she was a superfan she replied "I think she's A-MA-ZING, I was actually conceived at a Shania Twain concert"

    ...

    Later, back in the hostel (and looking like Andy Lennox (Annie's bro)), who should walk in but Sanj. HTF did he get here so fast? I dismissed the visions that popped into my head of his bike strapped to the Bentley of his Indian MP friend and being sped across HW17 in a police-escorted motorcade. But it was good to see a familiar face and I invited him for some beers later that I'd arranged with a guy from our dorm. Replying "Yes brother" with a smile he went off to unpack.

    The next day I set off early in the pissy rain, glad to leave this dump. Sanj had "done a Sanj" and didn't reply to my messages last night...I can't help but think I haven't seen the last of him though.    もっと詳しく

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  • RicksterExit, pursued by a bear旅行者
    Little "Pioneer Villages"1No city is complete without one these daysKenora 1915Hot hot hotThe self service fridge of sanitary products...of courseHuskie the Muskie is the nickname of a 40-foot-tall (12 m) outdoor sculpture depicting a muskellungeRon's gifts waiting for me!Winnipeg's stunning human rights museumWinnipeg's stunning human rights museumWinnipeg's stunning human rights museumWinnipeg's stunning human rights museumGay bar Bingo with Wandering Hands GeoffRon!Realised pepper spray in a tent isn't wise...so this is my new scare tacticCanadians - if they can't cut shit down ... they blow shit up

    Out from the storm

    2023年6月29日, カナダ ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    A lot of the TCT west of Thunderpants follows Pigeon River and the American border...and oddly enough I find myself without a kayak...so I worked my way through the small towns of Upsala, English River, Ignace, Dryden, Vermilion Bay and into the gorgeous city of Kenora - Ontario...all is forgiven and all memories of stormy Thunderwho(?) have vanished.

    Kenora (previously named Rat Portage... good move with the name change there) is really pretty and even offered some river-side fine dining (one can't slum it everyday darling) - why didn't I do two nights here! Refund!? Can I get a two day refund?

    No time to relax though; there were deadlines to be met. Nearly two months ago whilst talking to my wonderful Haligonian friends, we discussed public holidays and where and when I'd need a little planning to avoid being booked out of campsites and any fun to be had in the coming months...and so I was introduced to..."Canada Day". See exhaustive history via Wikipedia, but essentially I needed to be somewhere big on 1st July to find out just how the Canadians partied. Hence a speedy westward journey and a two-day WS stay booked way in advance with "Ron" in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

    Yes, you heard me right....Goodbye to the chunky monkey that is Ontario and Hello to my lovely 5th province Manitoba!

    Just a short trip from Ontario's westerly border stands Winnipeg, its neighbour's capital and inspiring home to the eponymous Pooh (I was never going to get away with just one bear encounter on this trip). It's a beautiful city, boasting, amongst other draws, Canada's Human Rights Museum - which at first didn't appeal (I expected to be smothered in United Colours of Benetton children singing Deep Forest Sweet Lullaby) but the building alone is the most stunning piece of modern architecture I've ever seen. Seriously. It's worth going just for the building: more the interior's stone-cold hard angles and glowing alabaster, than the exterior's cloaked scarab beetle; and to say nothing of the simple but very moving content. Go.

    ...

    Canada Day on Cordoyn's streets saw the whole community dancing on Friday night with Ron, his girlfriend Moira, and myself twirled into the madness.

    I found myself playing bingo in Club200 on Saturday with a very feisty drag queen, some guy called Tom and his BFF "Wandering Hands Geoff" (not quite as 'First Nations' as he sounds).

    Tequila and Firebird shots chased by 70mile next day cycling - blurghhhh    もっと詳しく

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  • RicksterExit, pursued by a bear旅行者

    FUBAR

    2023年7月4日, カナダ ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    10 miles out of Neepawa...I decided to skip to TCT because it trailed into invisible nothingness.
    Just got back into town and the TCH crossroads when there was a terrible clunck , scrape, ping and jam from my gears.

    I freewheeled to the side of the road.

    New jockey wheels missing.

    Mech hanger bent.

    Chain jammed.

    This wasn't good.

    I put the bike down around the corner, sighed and tried to suppress panic in favour of pragmatism.

    Perhaps it was salvageable.

     I found the jockey wheels
    .. both screws (amazingly), but only 3 washers.... you know those washers that the cog wouldn't turn without. Bugger.

    It must be somewhere on the intersection. I wandered cautiously on the sides and middles of the road, head down, frantically scouring the dusty track... knowing that the greasy washer could have easily stuck to any of the passing traffics' wheels and already be metres away.

    45 minutes playing chicken with trucks on Canada's busiest highway...until a police siren started up behind me.

    The police truck stopped in the middle of the junction, lights flashing and siren whooping in that tuneful American/Canadian fashion. Two very serious-looking cops jumped and cautiously approached...I remembered the jay walking laws. Joy.

    I apologised and led them to the bike... waffling about mech hangers and jockey wheels and when I turned around their stoney faces were finally relaxing : "Oh, your bike's broke?" one asked.

    "Yer, I'm desperately trying to find a lost washer otherwise I'm screwed" I replied

    Turns out someone had phoned the police because a meth-head (a.k.a. me) was wandering deliriously in and out of the traffic, head down like a zombie.

    The cops were really nice. They took my details, confirmed there were no bike shops in town, gave me some suggestions (Brampton city 50 miles away) wished me good luck and headed off.

    While surveying the damage a car pulled up and someone started asking me about the problems. I looked up and saw a crinkled face that almost looked...he said "you don't recognise me, do you" and then it clicked....this was Jim a motorcycle biker I'd camped next to sometime last week and we'd had a good chat. Whatever the chances were of this random meet, they were pretty damn slim, but it was unexpectedly great to see a familiar face. He said he'd make some phone calls, and left.

    Within 10minutes an older guy drove up. Seems he's the only bike expert in town...Jim had called a friend who knew of this guy, who knew Alex the bike mechanic and here he was...,raced here within 30mins like a freaking emergency service. Wow.

    Then the cop from earlier drove up with a PostIt and a phone number and the name "Alex"on it: "Here you go Rick, the station found this number of a local bike guy who might be able to help." Alex butted in asking what name was on the PostIt, "Alex" said the cop. "Yep, that's me!" said Alex.

    The full power of Neepawa's community was cranking rapidly into action - all for me!

    Alex poked around and we chatted about possibilities. He liked my straighten/rebuild then limp to the next town theory but saw that it was impossible without the washer...he took one of the others and drove off, saying he'd be back soon.

    Another guy wandered up...we discussed the problem and he told me about a shuttle bus that goes once a day into Brampton, but couldn't help otherwise. I thanked him. My head was starting to spin with all the offers of assistance and kindness, and the need for me to sift through everything to find a masterplan.

    A mechanic from the garage behind me offered the use of any tools, and a toilet and sink to clean up in.

    Alex returned with some washers but couldn't help any more.

    A lady, Maggie, walked up, chatted, and jumped on the phone to talk to her friend who was part of the large Filipino cycling community nearby(!). No answer from her friend, but she said she'd be back, and might be able to drive me to the next big town, Brampton, 1h down the road but not till after noon.

    I tried to fix the bike...I almost got everything back together before it just pinged apart...the screw threads are shot. I can't fix this.

    All hopes are on Maggie's lift into the next town.

    It's started to rain and I've taken shelter, along with all my stuff and a broken bike inside the garage.

    It's now 12:45

    Maggie said she'd be back 45 mins ago...and I've just realised that if she drove by she might not have seen that I've moved out of the rain.

    Bugger.

    Stranded with a dead bike.    もっと詳しく

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  • RicksterExit, pursued by a bear旅行者
    Loaded
    Wayne's Rescue Truck 1Wayne's Rescue Truck 1

    All Praise Neepawarians!

    2023年7月4日, カナダ ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    Mitchell from Mar-Dee Enterprises wandered over for an update - he was the nice guy who'd offered the use of the garage's tools, loo and shelter from the rain earlier.

    I told him about Good Samaritan Maggie, and how I thought she'd driven by thinking I'd gone. He said not to worry, in 3 hours, after his shift, he'd drive me to Brandon if I was still stuck. Hero 🙏🏻

    More rain.

    More waiting.

     Mitchell came back. He'd made some more phone calls and had a mate who fixed up bikes for underprivileged kids; he was out camping but had agreed to swing by and see if he could help. I was starting to feel guilty for causing such a fuss.

    30 mins later and Mitchell had, to my amazement, worked more magic. A company half-tonne truck was passing through to pick up some papers and deliver them to Brandon....the bike and I were booked on Rescue Truck 1. Hoo-freaking-rah!

    We might actually make it before the bike shop with a spare part (not exactly what I needed but good enough) closed....however they couldn't fit it for me for a week, but another bike shop, on the other side of town, had said they'd give it a go when I'd rung earlier. Both shops closed in two hours and I'd have to freewheel the bike 37 mins across town between them with the part. It would be close...but this might only cost me a day's delay.

    Wayne... my knight in shining white pickup, scooped up the fragments of my Canadian existence, chucked them in the pickup, and put pedal to metal.

    An hour later we skidded to a halt outside Brandon's "A&L Cycle" bike shop - the peeps with the parts. Before I could reach the door it swung open automatically. Two members of staff greeted me looking concerned as I carried my wounded steed towards them in my arms like something out of an opening scene of Casualty. I wouldn't need the other store....the team had put a rush on to clear their backlog...they made it clear it wasn't a perfect match but that it might get me to the next big city....they would attempt the transplant then and there.

    I said a silent goodbye to Perry and left the operating theatre.    もっと詳しく

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  • RicksterExit, pursued by a bear旅行者

    Rolllling!

    2023年7月5日, カナダ ⋅ ⛅ 10 °C

    The op a success - Perry survived!

    Back. On. The. Trail!

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  • RicksterExit, pursued by a bear旅行者
    Sleeping prairie giant
    22Your guess is as good as mineTCT nothingness5

    Il y a du vent 💨

    2023年7月6日, カナダ ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    I knew they were coming and these prairie winds don't disappoint.

    I've mentioned before how much attention the touring bike/biker gets - it's almost surreal and I'm questioned at least 5 times a day as to where I'm going, when I started, etc. It's hard not to like it. It plucks those vanity strings tunefully making me feel special, and after 4/5 hours alone in the saddle it's actually really pleasant to talk to random people (never thought I'd say that).

    Having said that, such chats usually include me being told in a near-patronising tone that I'll be going against the predominant wind, and then they'd smile and cock their heads in a way I can only read as tutting 'you foolish boy'. I don't suppose it would irk me half as much if they weren't invariably overweight flabbsters whose ample behinds would have hungrily swallowed a bike seat had they tried to sit on one.

    I'd politely acquiesce with a 'what am I like' eyeroll, however, they were right - the winds are mentally and physical draining. The concept of free-wheeling has vanished. Even downhills require peddle power... not that there are many hills here in Flatsville.

    At least the winds won't last for ever. I just have to get to the foothills of the Rockys....

    ...1000 miles away.

    ...

    My mood lightened when I popped into CoOp for some food stocks and approached the shelf stacker. I'm learning not to say "Do you have a toilet?" because this can confuse Canadians... once one even replied "Yes, we do" and turned away looking puzzled. So this time I used the correct terminology: "Excuse me, do you have a restroom?" The startled lad turned to me with fear in his eyes as he searched for the right response. "I'm sorry" he started with wide panicking eyes. "I don't speak French" he continued, before adding "NON FRANCAIS" in a loud voice with frantic neck-cutting motions.

    I really must work on my Canadian accent.    もっと詳しく

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  • RicksterExit, pursued by a bear旅行者
    1.5cm gash in my rear Schwalbe Marathon tyre
    10m of multiple shattered glass bottlesTyre Boot and Crazy Glue to the rescueIs that The Emerald City?? No, just another massive grain silo1I just can't help loving these choo choosRamblings From The Road

    Nightmare on HW1

    2023年7月7日, カナダ ⋅ 🌙 15 °C

    There are advantages to these prairies...the stunning fields of seemingly endless yellow rapeseed stretching to the horizon, the beauty of a tarmac road dissipating into the illusion of a shimmering river, Manitoba's mosquito squadrons changing guard in favour of Saskatchewan's black flies....never mind the joy of listening to 15 hours of Simon Callow's narration of Dickens' Tale Of Two Cities.

    The bad aspects of highway life struck sharply however, when, with concentration low and my mind drifting off to just how soggy Callow's mic would be from all that spittle, I crunched through a large stretch of broken glass bottles that proved too much for my puncture-resilient tyres, and a dreaded hiss of rapidly escaping air interrupted the performance.

    Never having used an emergency tyre boot before (large rubber patch for the tyre) I wasn't sure whether a 1.5cm gash exceeded their limitations, but as a man with only a hammer sees every problem as a nail, what choice did I have? Luckily I was also carrying a fresh tube of Crazy Glue (bought just the day before to fix my "waterproof" Ortliebe cross bar bag which wasn't weathering well). Tyre booted, glued, and the puncture repaired, it was all fingers crossed to see if it might last to the next big city - Regina.

    Perhaps packing a spare tyre would have been a good idea.

    ...

    I stopped into Wapella for my usual lunch of ham and cheese wraps taken on the town's park bench. A lot of these towns are very similar: dusty, a small store, perhaps a Canada Post, and usually with a tall central grain elevator poking above the horizon, surpassing any local church spire and announcing the town's name in bold lettering. Wapella, however, broke the mould, in the way of a BMX-riding welcome party.

    It was odd from the start. Just a single guy, in a vest, maybe early 40s, who cycled over, waved and pulled up by the bench. "Rick" he said, extending a dirty hand ingrained with black stains and displaying mangled fingers nails. I reluctantly shook hands, we laughed at our matched names, and I wondered whether there was any polite way of sanitising myself so that I could continue eating.

    Rick had seen me cycle past and had come to say hello. He'd seemed interested in my tour. He'd tried to help out some French bike tourers once by letting them sleep in his girlfriend's laundrette but they'd broken into all the machines and robbed him. He asked lots of questions about my direction, future campsites, who else I was traveling with, what I did for a living, etc, and I felt bad for pre-judging him as a little weird. Just because he had no front teeth didn't mean he was a "wrong-un", right?

    He then moved over to check out my bike.

    "Niiiiice bike" he said admiringly.

    "I bet this was really expensive" he enquired. He asked about the frame, its composite parts, how much it retailed for.

    I began to sense that I might have stepped into a trap.

    I'd given out way more information than he had during our conversation.... he'd actually said he had an oil company, and although I questioned in my mind how likely it was that a toothless guy with a deep wrinkled tan (suggesting he spent most of his day sitting in the sun smoking) had such a company, it hadn't set off alarm bells. Until now.

    Now he knew who I was, that I was traveling alone, where I'd be camping tonight and also therefore where my bike would be.

    I made my excuses, packed up rapidly and cycled off.

    I'm now in a campsite in a place called Broadview....the place I told Rick about.

    There's no one else here... I've locked the bike up, I'm close by, and I've left my cooking pans on it so that they'll wake me if it's moved.

    😶    もっと詳しく

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  • RicksterExit, pursued by a bear旅行者
    Province #6 the rectangular loveliness of Saskatchewan!
    Puncture hunting in my new 3 day old inflatable mattressGoogle just gives up on me sometimes1You can never have too much Cookie Dough ice-creamXaniar's dinnerTailored poncho to perfectly suit my classic starfish riding style

    Regina Decliner

    2023年7月8日, カナダ ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    A Quebecois couple turned up late last night at the campsite and I rambled through my lunchtime panic, explained my paranoia, and asked them (since they were sleeping in their van) to honk vociferously to alert me if they saw anything suspicious. They'd nodded a solemn acceptance of this duty, and my fears were slightly allayed before bed.

    ...

    The morning finally came and both Perry and I had survived the night...although, as expected, it wasn't the most restful; waking up at every twig-snapping critter that ambled through my campsite.

    Either I win a free self diagnosis of Paranoid Personality Disorder, or Redneck Rick didn't think us a worthy enough swag.

    ...

    I cautiously peddled on, dreading checking whether the CrazyGlue was holding or whether I was one more pothole's bump away from a totally split tyre and probable damaged rim. But it held - All praise The Bicycle Gods! Regina was in sight and I raced to each bike shop in search of a replacement.

    None of the bike shops in the city had similar tyres and considering I still have thousands of miles to go, a bike whose weight wasn't getting any lighter, and terrain which was going to get tougher, I really didn't want to settle for anything less. I bought a substandard emergency replacement and got some contact details for bike shops in the next city, Saskatoon. I couldn't bear sitting around here for 3+ days killing time, so planned to contact them in advance and get replacements ordered and delivered in time for my arrival in a few days.

    Plus, Regina is a bit of a dump. Sorry Saskatchewan, I know it's your provincial capital city, but eugh - even Redneck Rick said it was dodgy, I might get knifed, and that I should just cycle on through without stopping.

    Regardless, I had to pick some spare parts waiting for me at a Canada Post. The cages on the store's outside windows and the internal counter gave a distinct "this area is dodgy as..." vibe, and I asked a guy in the queue whether my fully loaded bike locked outside was safe. He looked concerned before describing the area as 'sketchy' and I wondered whether they'd be anything left of my bike by the time I got served....he very kindly said he'd go watch my bike.

    An age later, I'd been served and had had a lovely conversation with my improvised security guard, Gareth. He was a sporty guy, more into marathons than cycling, but he'd also recently been to Manchester and had Welsh heritage, did video journalism (involving having interviewed Prince Edward nonetheless), so it was a interesting chat and he helped me out with finding a motel and restaurant in the 'right' part of town, and then left me his business card in case I got stuck.

    It sounds twee but it's those little trivial moments, when people help you through problems that really make everything well again.

    ...

    Brace yourself Saskatoon... I'm coming to get you!    もっと詳しく

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  • RicksterExit, pursued by a bear旅行者
    1
    Cinema all for little old me! ("Blue Jean" - not bad, nice to see a Brit film)South Saskatchewan RiverHazeCanadian GothicNothing escapes these windsIt's the world's largest Bunnock of course!Beautiful patterns on a rotting siloTCT1Can't figure out whether these are old salt marshes or chalk deposits

    Hazy Saskatoon Daze

    2023年7月15日, カナダ ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    It's looked and felt like dusk all day.

    The hazy skies were thick with smoke blown over from Alberta and British Columbia, giving everything a creepy end-of-the-world tinge ... ironic for the province 'of living skies'.

    I'd raced up to Saskatoon over two or three days, eager to make some progress after a couple of days' bum rest, and keen for some distance from Regina

    Good things had been said about Saskatoon, and I was looking forward to some more lively, vibrant culture. Sadly the tyres hadn't arrived by the time I got there but my lowest gears has started slipping under load so needed some investigation and maintenance and it was probably a good time to get everything in shape before those hills crept up on me.

    I treated myself to a 3 star hotel and took full advantage of the pool, laundry, comfy bed and everything non-campy. Saskatoon has its charm; a great vibe, lovely restaurants (something other than a burger, fish and chips, or poutine - hurrah!) and some fun bars, but there's only so much fun to be had in a city on your own.

    Thankfully, within a couple of days the awesome guys at Bike Dr had me rolling again - new tyres, new chain and, (with the spectre of the Rockys haunting the back of my mind), an upgraded cassette to 11-36 for easier hill climbing and hopefully a resolution to that slipping issue.

    At this point the TCT climbs up to Edmonton then south to Calgary before hitting Banff and the Rockys but, yet again, there's deviation on the cards. There were some really knowledgeable bikers at the shop and I'd soaked up loads about the good, the bad, and the bumpy ways forwards. With Jasper National Park having been sold to me long long ago as being totally stunning, and most of it being missed by the TCT, I've traded cities for parks; another time Edmonton & Calgary.

    West to the Rockys!    もっと詳しく

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  • RicksterExit, pursued by a bear旅行者
    1
    The 'New' FrontierSexy Bingo not living up to its name

    Coronation chicken

    2023年7月17日, カナダ ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C

    I zoomed west, staying at little campgrounds in Biggar, Wilkie, Macklin before jumping the border into Alberta (ker-pow province #7!) and arriving here, in the small but perfectly formed town of Coronation.

    All was not looking good in the skies above however and I pitched the tent rapidly as fat droplets started to fall and threatening grey clouds layered themselves above my camp.

    My puny little one man tent wasn't really built for storms and was going to need some reinforcements. Scavenged guy ropes, liberated from the discarded tent I passed thousands of miles away, were attached to some free corners and anchored to re-purposed bricks from the firepit.

    The wind and rain was crazy. I took refuge in the toilet block several times, half expecting to emerge and see cows, caravans and my little tent circling in the sky.

    Sleep was impossible; my beleaguered tent was ceaselessly shaken from side to side with the noise of the gusting wind adding a worrying ferocity to the scene.

    The morning wasn't any brighter, dryer or calmer, and the lack of sleep put me in a crap mood. If I'd set off my trainers would have been drenched within 10 minutes and the bike would be blown at the wind's mercy across the highway. But the alternative was... nothing... I'd just be stuck in the tent for the whole day, since the walk or cycle into town would just end in a soggy mess.

    I deliberated what to do for ages, not wanting to lose a day's progress, but also not wanting to spend the next day and night soaked. In the end I chickened out.

    ...

    Luckily the 'all day in the tent'. fear was dodged since by 3pm the rain has abated and I managed to make it out to The New Frontier for a pint... and....as luck would have it.... Sexy Bingo Night!

    Which was sadly cancelled due to not enough interest.

    Meh.... what a waste of a day    もっと詳しく

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  • RicksterExit, pursued by a bear旅行者
    4
    The Underwood Flying Machine!The Underwood Flying Machine!The Underwood Flying Machine!This eagle (?) caught a gopher right in front of me but I startled him, he dropped it and wasn'happy2

    Red Deer to Rockys

    2023年7月20日, カナダ ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    Finally I hooked a WS host (Gloria) for Red Deer two days in advance - I've obviously been way too far off the beaten track since there's been no one for ages.... ahhh a shower, laundry and chance to recharge, brilliant! Except that Gloria only replied to my message with 'Yes' (to agree to me staying) and failed to supply her address despite me asking and re-asking so that by the time I'd arrived in town I had no way of contacting her so it was either wait around in hope or just get a campsite.

    Camping it was then..
    and costly camping too: $35 not including shower tokens. Grrrr

    On top of that I forgot to depressurise the meths fuel canister, which was hot from the days sun, and so it shot a half-meter fountain of flammable liquid all over my meat balls, bags and picnic bench. It had been a long day and I was shattered and I assumed it would have evaporated n second, so I lit the burner...which lit my fingers (still wet with 99% alcohol) so of course I dropped the burnin burner full of meths onto the bench, splashing everything with FIRE.

    If you've never seen meths burn you might be unfamiliar to the fact that it's an almost invisible flame... especially in bright sunlight.

    There was a whooosh and a wall of invisible heat hit me, but I couldn't see what was burning, only shadows of heat ripples on the bench and the smell of melted plastic and (before now still in their sealed plastic tray) meat balls frying.

     I paniced. Perry was leaning against the bench so I knocked him away, then instantly regretted it as he fell new-derailleur-side-down with a clunck. Luckily 4 freshly filled water bottles were at hand and I liberally soaked everything in sight.

    I somehow managed to escape with only minor burns and soggy meatball carbonara.

    ...

    Nice early skiddadle the next morning before anyone noticed the singed grass and picnic bench. As I was stocking up on food in "NoFrills"... the lovely till lady, who'd seen me cycle in, mentioned that her husband has 36 bikes! I was suitably impressed and remarked that they must have a huge garage. It turned out they didn't but he just kept them in the house...

    I replied, astounded: " In the house!? How can you let him do that...?"

    "Well at least he's not doing hookers and blow" she replied.

    No frills wisdom from Ang.    もっと詳しく

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  • RicksterExit, pursued by a bear旅行者
    2

    RE-ROUTE

    2023年7月21日, カナダ ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    Admission time...I may have been a little cocky and shortsighted in my ditching of Edmonton.

    Red Deer west into the Rockys actually totally misses Jasper National Park - yes, the very same one I was dying to see - it would have made far more sense to get to it via Edmonton. My only excuse is that it's difficult to navigate on a tiny phone screen constantly zooming in and out between trails, towns and provinces as they each disappear in and out of view at the touch of two fingers.

    Anyway, he says beckoning to the crowd...and performing a finger-tip drumroll on the table top: "Can I hear a 'Re-route'?"

    "RE-ROUTE!" I hear you all shout kindly back at me in a non-admonishing tone.

    So.... I've gotta head north...but I have a cunning plan. There's something called the Forestry Trunk Road (FTR) which zooms along Rocky's foothills, and I could join it midway and follow it north by ~100miles to get back on track and parallel to Jasper.

    It's isolated. They'd be no power sources. No mobile reception. No potable water sources. Possibly no other campers. It's really just an unpaved track used by huge logging, mining and oil trucks who would have right of way and terrifyingly large emergency stopping distances.

    Hmmm.

    Oh yer and according to website graveltravel.ca: "In addition to bears expect to see many kinds of birds, deer, moose, various rodents, including our national symbol, the beaver. There are also mountain lions, lynx, and most members of the mink and weasel family, coyotes and wolves. "

    BUT it does have a few provincial recreational camping sites....I'd just have to carry 3 or 4 day's worth of food (considerable considering I'm burning >5000cals a day) and hope that that doesn't overload my bike on what will be rough, hilly terrain.

    It's making me nervous just thinking about it. Everything I've read online is based around motorised use of the FTR. Until I actually see it, and get on it, I'm just not going know whether Perry and I can do it.

    I think I have to try.

    West to Nordegg and the FTR!    もっと詳しく

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  • RicksterExit, pursued by a bear旅行者
    1No provisions for cyclists111Creek water Vs Well water

    Carry On Up Brown Creek

    2023年7月22日, カナダ ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    Nordegg was a sweet little launching pad for all those outdoorsy types...like a NorthFace fashion show for the middle classes; well-tanned and well-weathered people savouring their last lattés and poring over trail maps.

    First glance of the FTR was promising - partly paved and light gravel....the initial section was even busy with people launching various watercraft into a small aquamarine lake. That was all I needed. Decision made. I started north.

    Brown Creek was my first FTR campsite - and what a debut...I don't think I can describe just how stunning it was more than the videos show and it's now No.1 on my fave list. Prime position was not without its problems however: I was the only one there, and there were signs of bear activity all over. My previous tactic in this regard,(alongside all the tips and tricks), was really quite simple: in a bear-eat-human world, all you have to be is the least tasty human. So when other campers were grilling delicious-smelling burgers, steaks and sausages, and arousing the olfactory senses of every critter within a 5 mile radius, my invisibility cloak of pasta, pesto, pre-cooked ham and cheese would doubtless keep me safe.

    But with no sacrificial lambs... there'd only be one item on the menu: me.

    ...

    Somehow I survived and even made it through the next night at Lovette River Campsite, despite it also being empty. The road however turned quite quickly into lose gravel, and combined with steep gradients it was challenging to stop the rear tyre slipping while going uphill under the weight of the bike; the unholy trinity of sand, hills and load. Perry and I had been here before however, and we were surefire professionals at sniffing out the smoothest path, meandering across the road between HGV tyre tracks - luckily it was a weekend and traffic was sparse.

    On Sunday the FTR and I fell out with each other. North of Robb the road had become an endless sea of static gravel waves cresting every half meter and causing the bike to judder as if riding over rumble strips. I had lost the feeling in my palms by midmorning, and my bum was bruised from the gratuitous nonstop paddling. Either the heavy goods trucks carved these patterns, or they were gouged out purposefully to help motorised vehicles' traction in bad weather. I didn't care. I hated them vehemently. My previously pleasant bear-alerting calls of "Hey Bear?" and "Passing through!" were replaced by a barrage of curses and expletives, huffing and sweating.

    By 50miles I was so shattered, drained and fed up I even googled the direct route to Vancouver. I feel bad for it now...a moment of real weakness that had me assessing fast forwarding these last, and possibly best, 1.5k miles. Dreaming aside, I didn't think I could even make the last 20miles I'd intended to cover today. When the final campsite (that I'd intended on skipping) came into view but was at the bottom of a hill, complete with river I could wash myself and my kit in, I gave up on the road. Those 20 miles would have to wait till the morning.

    ...

    Monday morning broke early with the roar of straining diesel engines. In delaying my exit the FTR had now become a monstrously busy highway where every passing semi threw up clouds of choking dust, stinging my eyes and crunching between my teeth. It was grim. Some drivers slowed while passing me to minimise the tempests in their wake - others just didn't give a damn.

    Finally, 3 hours later, the dust clouds parted and Hinton emerged into view.

    Civilization once more.    もっと詳しく

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  • RicksterExit, pursued by a bear旅行者
    31Jasper muralRocky Mountain Express1

    Jasper National Park

    2023年7月24日, カナダ ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

    After a monstrous final day of the FTR, there were still some lovely gradients to tackle but nothing could have taken the huge smile off my face as I approached the sun-blessed alpinesque resort town of Jasper.

    ...

    As a little recovery was in order I booked in at the Hostel International, showered for the first time in days, set some laundry going, and sat back in the bar with a well earned beer.

    One of these days I'll learn that hostels don't ever supply the economical respite you might think from the outset. Four men in a dorm on a blazing hot day with no air con. and just one crappy fan meant the room was sauna-hot all night and sleep therefore impossible.

    But it really didn't matter.

    I'd dropped Perry in Vicious Cycles for some R&R and a little TLC from the lovely Liam who'd tweaked, tightened and lubed Perry's drivetrain to hitherto unknown perfection.

    We practically glided up, up and away into the hills bound for Icefields Campgrounds.

    Just this initial first day in Jasper National Park has blown me away - I doubt my photos do it justice but ... wow!    もっと詳しく

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  • RicksterExit, pursued by a bear旅行者
    1
    1Viewing platform at the glaciers31Katrina

    Columbia Icefields

    2023年7月25日, カナダ ⋅ ⛅ 7 °C

    Icefields Parkway slices down the easterly range of Jasper's mountains, cutting through some extraordinary scenery.

    Hidden, respectfully behind giant firs and spruce, Columbia Icefields Campsite required some effort to get up to its 5,394 feet; but as yesterday, the vistas drove me on and, believe it or not, it was actually a fun challenge.

    I realise the name probably should have been a bit of a clue...that and the dominating frigid glaciers wedged in the highest valleys...but it still surprised me when it got rather chilly. There really wasn't any choice but to defrost by my first blazing campfire, sadly without marshmallows.

    Of course, that night it was a classic time for my inflatable mattress to develop a puncture, and so every few hours I'd be woken by the aches and pains of limbs stiff from laying on gravel, and bone-chilling cold seeping up from the icy earth in the 5°C temperatures. A shivering and drowsy re-inflate, some light sleep, then repeat till sunrise. Not a good night's rest.

    ...

    The next day was brightened by meeting Katrina from Minnesota, who cycled up to me on Day1 of her Great Divide tour... riding a very light looking bike, bikepacking-style, that I was instantly envious of, especially considering the recent gradients. She was cool, and I liked her, and despite aiming for different campgrounds there was really only one road and we were both going in the same direction, I hoped we'd meet again.    もっと詳しく

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  • RicksterExit, pursued by a bear旅行者
    1Indian Paintbrush
    1The stunning Peyton Lake1Holy Moly - it's only my final province!Aster1StephSteph's tent castleCrazy sand sculptures

    Lakes, Canyons, Trees & Friends

    2023年7月27日, カナダ ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    All praise Newton, for yesterday's Up was complemented perfectly with today's Down, as I freewheeled speedily south through an alpine heaven interrupted only by the brutal tourist intersection at Saskatchewan River Crossing where heards of air-conditioned zombies were off-loaded from coaches to feed, water, and browse the huge array of bear and mountain-themed tat on sale.

    After a quick stop in for fuel, I continued on and the views just kept getting better, what with the near-perfectly mirrored mountains shimmering in Bow Lake and bordered by a rainbow of wild Asters, FireWeed and Indian Paintbrush. Then the huge climb up to look down upon the vivid cyans and turquoises in Peyto Lake. Astounding.

    Then who should I cycle by but my biker-ballerina-self-proclaimed-"dork" friend Katrina! So we moseyed on together down into Lake Louise, and had some early lunch at a cafe, chatting happily and comparing pet photos. I've found that I can get quite easily attached to people during this tour - since for 3 months I've hardly ever seen the same person for more than a day, three day's of even brief interaction can feel falsely magnified into a friendship, and so I was strangely sad to say goodbye as our roads split.

    ...

    With a struggling cafe WiFi connection barely managing to show potential campsites along the route I saw that my next step, Marble Canyon, had only 3 available pitches left and frustratingly could only be booked >=2 days in advance - WTF. It was just midday, 20 miles to go and a load of RVs to beat to the spots... the race was on.

    After a speedy and difficult slog to get there, hoping every RV and caravan that passed wasn't going to Marble Canyon, I finally arrived, raced into the campground, rudely overtaking a car and RV, and hunting frantically for the essential green "Available" sign....of which there were none. My heart sank before I realised that only a small proportion of sites were reserveable, and there were at least 20 available on a First Come First Served basis...all that racing effort I'd put in and I'd just read the web site wrong. 🤦🏼‍♂️

    ...

    A successful mattress repair, and having dropped some altitude into warmer climes, I finally managed a much needed good night's sleep. Well rested, emotionally a little more balanced, and with less risk of clinging on to random people, I zoomed at crazy break-neck, white-knuckle speeds (49.2mph!) down mountain sides, along valleys and into Radium Hot Springs. Along the way I met a lovely German called Steph, cycling a huge 4-panniered bike + trailer; she wasn't very happy about the hills and had had to push her rig up several steep gradients today for hours. We were aiming for the same campground so that evening, after pitching, we shared a beer, some laughs, and our war stories on a picnic bench. Nice.

    ...

    Next stop, the bookend that is a chap called Rawly. Remember National Geographic Brent from Nova Scotia over 3000miles ago? Well he'd set me up with one of his best friends in Kimberley who he used to work with running dog sleighs in the north. Visiting Brent, then finally getting to Rawley, has had an almost 'First Milestone / Last Milestone' position in my head for some time, so I'm looking forwards to it.

    It seems a stupid thing to say but the last leg of this journey feels just a little bit closer than normal tonight.    もっと詳しく

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  • RicksterExit, pursued by a bear旅行者
    11Osprey nestPride just for little old me?!Rawley's garden

    Marysville

    2023年7月29日, カナダ ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    Steph wandered over sleepily at around 6ish the next morning to say goodbye and wish me safe travels. Spruce Grove Campgrounds was large and it had been gone 11pm before last night's children's screams and shouts were replaced by their drunken parents who carried on the cacophony of disturbance well into the early hours despite the 10pm noise curfew.

    After three months of it, the joy of camping starts to a wear a little thin.

    Decending early from Fairmont Hot Springs the road was quiet, calm and tranquil, and the rising sun seemed to trace the path of the mountain tops like a distant otherworldly star, highlighting Canal Flats with an acute dawntime sparkling; really beautiful.

    Arriving in Kimberly it seemed they'd heard I was coming and had put on a special pride party in the park, which was nice of them, but really not necessary.

    It seemed like a sweet little town, but I carried on through to its southern district of Marysville, where Rawley was rather easily located by his garden full of decorative bicycle wheels. We had a good catch up and talked Brent, dog sleighs, routes, vegetables patches, and adventures. It was a lovely easy evening with his family, and I felt like I'd had an approval seal stamped on my upcoming plans.

    Grey Creek Pass awaits.    もっと詳しく

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