Rider Fatigue, Mountain Weather and Camping, Partly Camping

Where the expression “iron butt” came from, I do not know, but I am grateful that I do not have one. My idea of a challenging long-distance ride would be 400 kilometers or more and to do it I would need a fair night’s sleep and rest breaks along the way. I find a ride 350 kilometers or less in a day comfortable and it allows a bit of time to play tourist and enjoy some of the destination as well as the journey.
On a recent weekend trip from Burnaby to Shuswap Lake Provincial Park, we broke up the ride and decided to stay overnight in Kamloops at the Accent Inn. The Inn is just off the highway and turned out to be motorcycle friendly. It has a designated parking stall near the front entrance and for a small credit card deposit they will give you heavy-duty locks to bolt your bike down as well as a cover to protect it from the rain. 

      This particular day was a mix of sun, cloud and rain. We took Highway 1 from Burnaby north east to Hope then the infamous Coquihalla Highway (#5) north through the beautiful Nicola Valley to Merritt. A few minutes after leaving Merritt, I noticed some ominous clouds in the distance and it looked like more than just rain. We suited up, I snapped a few photos and we continued on into the mountains.
     Signs warned to be cautious of changing weather conditions, but what happened next around the Helmer Lake area was quite unexpected.  It was as if we had driven into the Twilight Zone. Suddenly it was very dark, there were inches of snow and slush on the road, some cars were stopped and a couple people were pushing another car to the side; other drivers, myself included, slowed to a turtle’s pace. I lifted my visor to see better, but was splashed by a passing car. All I could do was chuckle and forge steadily onward through the wet and chaos another 25 meters or so until I was out of harm’s way and could pull off to the shoulder safely. I waited anxiously for my riding buddy, whose bike had stalled, and then we got the hell out of there back to blue skies and dry roads.

  We made it to Kamloops by late afternoon. After checking in and locking up our bikes, I had a brief swim in the outdoor pool before heading over to the Boston Pizza nearby for dinner and a well-deserved beer. The next morning, we ate at White Spot, fueled and very leisurely rode to Shuswap Lake Provincial Park. We were the first to pitch our tent in the group campground so we rode to the beach but didn’t stay long once the rain reappeared.
     Rather than return to an empty wet camp, we rode a little farther past the park to the Copper Island Pub for some grub and a drink and space and time to relax and chat with the staff.

The next day, we opted for a short group ride to the Dreamcycle Motorcycle Museum a few kilometers east of Sorrento on the Trans Canada Highway (#1). The Museum charges $10 if you want to get a close look at the vintage bikes and includes an assortment of Norton, BSA, Harley Davidson, some Japanese made racing bikes and only a couple Triumphs, which was a little disappointing for me as a Triumph owner. The Museum has a store, of course, and a decent cafe and was worth the visit not only for the trip down memory lane, but also for the delicious carrot cake and coffee.

     That night, there was a large group ride from camp through Blind Bay to the Log N’ Hearth Restaurant overlooking the Shuswap Lake Estates Golf & Country Club where all twenty-five of us enjoyed a buffet dinner outdoors, reconnected with old acquaintances and gained new ones all while surrounded by beautiful hills under a setting sun.
     The ride home the next day was a challenge. We ate a banana and a few leftover raspberries purchased two days prior, gulped down a coffee at the store located just outside the park entrance, fueled in Scotch Creek and then twisted the throttle, determined to make it home as fast, and as safely, as we could. Not surprisingly, after 350 kilometers, around Abbotsford in the mid-afternoon sun, I was becoming quite sleepy and pulled into the rest stop that I knew was there. I had to close my eyes and have a cat nap of five or ten minutes, wash my face and rehydrate before I could get back on the bike and complete the journey safely. I know my body and find it extremely difficult to ward off fatigue except by doing what I did.
     According to the Quebec Societe de l’assurance automobile, fatigue is the 3rd leading cause of death on the road! It’s dumb to have an “iron butt” if it means riding while tired when you shouldn’t. It’s like riding impaired. Why aspire to be a member of organizations like the Iron Butt Association which requires you to complete at least “the saddlesore” ride of 1000 miles in a period of 24 hours or less when doing so could kill you? Likewise, ride with a buddy who will also ride at your pace or you both may be  better off riding alone. Happily for us, we began and ended the ride together and in one piece.
      For more photos related to this Shuswap Lake Provincial Park Trip, please click on my profile above and view the album.

My Spring Road Trips: Part I Cascade Loop

A well planned road trip is a great way to escape from the stress and boredom of routine daily life,
enjoy beautiful scenery and discover new places and people. It’s better to share it with a friend, and an even bigger thrill to do it on motorcycles. It’s also an effective way to hone your riding skills such as pulling off the road safely, exercising caution around gravel and other poor road conditions and slowing for wildlife. And on a road trip, it helps to know where you are going.


We left Burnaby, British Columbia on May 27 and crossed the border at Sumas  to get on Highway #9 south to Highway #20 and then east through the Cascade Mountains to our first resting place at the Mt Gardner Inn  in Winthrop, WA.  Since the well-publicized bridge collapse on the I-5 just days early was farther south, it would not interfere with our Cascade Loop trip on either end. With an elevation of almost 5,000 feet, we made it through Rainy Pass, which was cold and wet and except for the roads, still covered in snow patches. A primary feature of this route are the many small waterfalls that grace the mountain sides.

Upon arriving in Winthrop, we registered at the Inn, parked our bikes out front and walked through the old western styled town to the Carlos 1800 Mexican Grill & Cantina for dinner and some refreshing sangria. 

The next day, after coffee and a berry scone at the Rocking Horse Bakery, we packed up and headed south through the Methow Valley on #153 then #97 to Leavenworth where we stopped briefly for a walk and lunch at King Ludwig’s in this Bavarian-like town. Continuing west through Stevens Pass on #2 all the way to the Best Western in Everett, we settled in and dined next door at the Hunan Palace restaurant. We slept well knowing our bikes were safely parked by the fountain off the main entrance in full view of the all-night reception staff. This was a very clean, bike friendly hotel at an affordable price that I would recommend to anyone.

We enjoyed a full buffet breakfast at the hotel, loaded up and headed west on Pacific to Rucker Avenue, south to 41st and then west along Mukilteo Blvd to get the ferry to Clinton on Whidbey Island. The ferry runs every half-hour and was only about $4.00 each for a one-way 20 minute crossing so if you really want to do the Cascade Loop, you should include this section in your plans.  On the Island, just take #525 north west where it joins #20. Be sure to pull over to your left immediately before the Deception Pass Bridge for a washroom break, stretch and to take in the great scenery. This particular day included mostly rain than not so we dressed appropriately and managed to avoid getting our skins cold and wet.


Continuing on #20 but now east, we took a little detour to Anacortes, first dropping into the Visitors’ Centre and then to Anthony’s for a delicious lunch by the bay. This is a stunning first class restaurant with average lunch prices and great value, ample free parking and beautiful views.

From here, we continued north east over the Swinomish River Bridge and then took the first left to make our way to the famed Chuckanut Drive to Bellingham where we refueled and hopped onto the I-5 north to the Peace Arch Border Crossing and back home to Burnaby.

Like the sign says, "See you next time around."

Note: See more Cascade Loop photos by clicking on View Profile above and then Photos.

My Spring Road Trips: Part II Pacific Marine Circle

Following a full day and a couple nights sleep of recuperation from the Cascade Loop, we embarked on the shorter Pacific Marine Circle Route trip. This route took us from Horseshoe Bay in West Vancouver by ferry to Nanaimo where we then rode south on the Island Highway. We turned right on #18 west to Lake Cowichan, refueled  and had lunch at the A & W.

The area between Lake Cowichan and Port Renfrew is about 65 kms of winding, undulating, narrow road with gravel shoulders, passing logging trucks, wildlife like black bear, deer and elk and is relatively isolated. Although beautiful, the landscape is also scarred in many places from
clear-cutting and prompted me to reflect upon the value of the paper and wood I use and to see how I, too, had a hand in the destruction of this hidden, precious habitat without raising an axe myself.

When we arrived in Port Renfrew, we checked-in to our Trailhead Resorts “hiker hut” accommodations, lightened our load and rode to the trailhead for Botanical Beach to explore the tide pools and take in the spectacular ocean views. It was a sunny Friday, and a great day for beachcombing, hiking, riding, enjoying a beer or dining al fresco at the Port Renfrew Pub or the Coast Kitchen Cafe.

Although there was a loose stone, slightly sloping driveway around the hiker huts, we were able to park the bikes next to the cabin and not  have to worry about them. Port Renfrew can be a very busy place from late spring to early fall. It is next to the  Pascheedaht First Nation Reserve and a starting point for the Juan de Fuca Trail and much longer West Coast Trail. There is the underwater Neptune Oceans Network Observatory just off shore. It is, not surprisingly, a popular place for marine biologists, campers, hikers, sports fishermen, tourists, cottagers and, of course, bikers like us!

The ride from Port Renfrew south along the coast to Sooke was great, although British Columbia roads are not in the best condition. There were some excellent lookout points where you could stop and enjoy the panoramic view of the ocean and magnificent Olympic Mountains across the Juan de Fuca Strait on the American side.

Sooke provided another useful refueling and washroom break before continuing on around Victoria to the Swartz Bay ferry terminal to
Tsawwassen and home.  For this trip, we racked up a mere 360 kms plus ferry crossings compared to about 950 during the Cascade Loop. Another day in each of these locations would have been nice to enjoy some horseback riding or flyfishing in Winthrop and ocean fishing or exploring around Port Renfrew. Maybe that’s for another trip down the road, and another time.

Note: See more Pacific Marine Circle photos by clicking on View Profile above then Photos.