2 May 2016: A canyon?
We woke up to cold cold cold blue skies. Well I did anyway. Chantelle stayed wrapped up in her sleeping bag until she grudgingly gave in to my whinging. I was keen to ride!
We didn’t really have much of a plan today, just to go down into Cache Creek, about 30kms south, and then head northwards via some back roads to Williams Lake some 180kms northwards.
Seeing as I kicked Chantelle out into the cold morning air and forced her to ride through some lovely landscape, I thought it only fair that I treat myself to a nice hot breakfast, I mean treat her….
We stopped at a little diner in Cache Creek and ordered some bacon, sausages, eggs, toast and hashbrowns. Plus bottomless coffee for Chantelle. It was pretty good and helped stave off the cold a little. It was while we were finishing up that a lovely couple from Smithers came over and started to chat to us about our trip and our bikes. For those of you in Smithers she is a teacher called Mrs Apple. Actually her real name is Mrs Macintosh, but she lets the kiddies call her Mrs Apple as its easier for them. Which we thought was pretty cool!
We had a lovely chat to them both and we were given some pointers on some places to visit and the road we should try to take through to Williams Lake. Lovely to have met you both!
Once more we put on as many clothes as we could physically wear and hopped onto the highway heading north. Just past a town called Clinton we took the recommended left turn and headed down a gravel road into…….the arms of a waiting black bear! Our first bear!!!! We both did emergency stops on the spot. The bear by this time had run off. Probably at least as half as scared of us as we were of it. I rode first, thanks brave Chantelle, and had my finger on the horn button. Which then made me wonder if I was basically ringing the dinner bell for all the other bears and cougars. Probably some other man eating nastiness too that we haven’t heard about yet! You get another flat tyre out here Rosie and you’re on your own!
That was so cool. Despite our terror we both wanted to give it a big hug! We couldn’t believe how shiny she/he was!!!
We followed the dirt road onwards. Our GPS telling us we had 178 km’s of these back roads to go. Woohoo!!
We wound through forest, then through cleared land and back into forest. Mountains popping up on our left and flat land racing away on our right. So magical!
At one point we followed a long snaking road down to a plateau and then this massive canyon just seemed to open up on our left. The road we were on snaked along the edge of it. The views I can not describe. They were so sensational. So immense. It made our eyes water looking at this beautiful thing called Fraser Canyon. We followed the road as it dipped and climbed. Curved and twisted. The riding some of the best we have ever ha
We met another group of riders on the way. Some locals who owned a ranch near here. After a lovely chat they invited us to come stay with them tomorrow! We accepted of course! A stay on a real Canadian ranch? Yes please!
Eventually the gravel ended. Just in time too. Both of our bums were screaming in agony now. We pulled into Williams Lake, grabbed some fuel and some dinner stuffs and headed out to camp.
We were both totally buggered after today and after a meal of chilli mushrooms we hit the sack and passed out.
Tomorrow we are off to Horsefly to stay on a ranch!