RubiKon Adventures

Tales and travels of "GrizzLee", "Looksha Lori" & "Yukon Johann"


Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Summary [BMW R1200 GSA Solo Adventure] B.C. Chilcotin Plateau to Bella Coola

Trip summary of my 6 Day Solo Motorcycle Adventure into Central British Columbia

This fall, I had planned a follow-up ride to Bella Coola. A trip that was to last 6 days. I did a similar trip in 2011 (see my blog post: Solo Motorcycle Adventure: Bella Coola, Gang Ranch, Chilcotin & Fraser River ). My itinerary included a great deal of travel on dirt roads (~half of my travels were on dirt, 4x4 and gravel roads). The country is like nothing here in the lower 48 states. I left my home near Seattle and traveled Wa state hwy 9 to the Canadian border (Sumas). From there, I rode up the West side of Harrison Lake to Mt Currie. I proceeded through some freshwater fjords over to the Caribou-Chilcotin Plateau through the coastal mountains to Bella Coola. The country is remote, largely undeveloped, contains no paved roads (save for Hwy 20 from Williams Lake to Bella Coola) and contains lots of wildlife. Aside from that, the scenery is absolutely breathtaking as I traveled through several climate zones from desert country to high mountains to coastal rain forest. The vistas included high desert mountains, glacier covered peaks, deep and wide canyons carved by glaciers and big rivers. I felt like I traveled back in time. The country life in the Chilcotin-Caribou plateau is simply amazing and the people are warm and friendly. I traveled on every type of road imaginable (pavement, dirt, rock, gravel, chip seal, etc..) It is the ultimate dual sport destination and a perfect test of my skills on the large BMW R1200 GS Adventure.


This is my story... my solo adventure motorcycle ride through remote lands where I camped every night except one. I had no real itinerary and a vague plan of the route of where I wanted to go.

This post is a summary. Select links to read the details of each day. 

See my Ride Report on Adventure Rider

See a video summary of the trip here:

 


                                                                                       

 So here I am all loaded and ready to go. Tent, food, stove, clothes, water filter, cameras, camp chair, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, maps, bear spray, GPS, Personal Locator Beacon, camp towel, soap, tools, compressor, extra parts for minor road repairs, etc... 
Harrison Lake - Amazing!!
 A little fun along the way
Evening beauty on a calm Lillooet lake

As I go to sleep that night, I am lucky, in that I have no thoughts of work, traffic or the daily grind in my mind. It was a great day indeed.

                                                                 

The next morning picked up where the previous evening left off. This day proved to be "spectacular".
My morning view from my tent camp on Lillooet Lake

Looking toward Seton Portage and Seton Lake
The view down Seton Lake is fantastic
Incredible Carpenter Lake
Incredible Road
I pull into Kelly Lake that evening to camp for the night. I set up my tent and took a quick dip in the lake to wash the road off my body. I have a light dinner and some hot cocoa. I pour over my maps to plan my route for the next day. Again, as I drift off to sleep, not one thought of work crosses my mind. Awe, what a great adventure vacation this is.  
                                                                 

This day was long, long, long. It was long, not because of the miles made, but rather, the amount of time spent at each rest place. There were many. Not all of them were for resting, but to soak up the views. There were many sights to see, many things to contemplate.
The Fraser river escarpment is one the most beautiful sights in all of B.C


Slow Ride in Double Time

Wow
Fraser Canyon
Gang Ranch
Alexis Creek Area
My day ends with a nice dinner and a dip in the Chilco River to wash the dust from my body. I sit in my camp chair, reading and sipping on some cocoa as the sun goes down. What a great day. I'll say it again. What a great day to ride a motorcycle. It was some of the best back country m/c roads imaginable. I loved every mile of it.
                                                                

Getting to this point took me waaay longer than I thought. This is big country.
I had plans to go to Chilko Lake. But it was not to be if I was to goto Bella Coola and see some salmon eating bears.
There are many lakes and rivers along the road to Bella Coola
 
Just past Anahim Lake the road turns to dirt. I will ride dirt for approximately 40 or so miles down a steep 18% grade, called Freedom Hill aka "The Hill". It has quite a reputation. However, I am not afraid. The day before I rode a narrow, gravel road with softball size rocks that had a 23% grade.
his is the entrance to Tweedsmuir Provincial Park. I read that I am on or near the route that famed explorer Alexander Mackenzie took on his way to the coast. He made the first east to west crossing of North America north of Mexico and predated the Lewis and Clark expedition by 10 years. Mr. Mackenzie is the MAN!!!
This is one of the strangest glacial mounts I have ever seen
Beauty eh?
The end of the road... Bella Coola
 Many see this as a small town with not much to do. Quite the opposite; Bella Coola Valley is off the grid and remote. A visit here is about leaving the the hectic pace of the civilized world and taking a trip back in time.

I had a quiet dinner at the Bella Coola Inn, and stayed the night there. Hoping it wouldn't rain. I had a couple of beers before turning in. I drifted off too sleep with the TV on. I was spent. Man this was a great ride!
                                                                 

How do you top a ride like I am having.

You ride it in reverse.

Not really, but I did a 180 degree turn around and partially retrace ground I did the previous days. This time, the weather was different, the conditions were different, the mood was different.
Hard to leave with views like this
 Here I am at the top of the "hill", out of the clouds
 
Food for the soul
Hwy 20 bridge toward Williams Lake
One last picture from the road before I head into Williams lake
 I was more tired than I realized. I set up my tent and fell asleep almost instantly. It was another great day and another fun ride.
                                                                

I had a quick breakfast, and off I went. Before long, I found myself passing an RCMP officer in a town called 100 Mile House. I quickly slowed and the RCMP sped up beside me and paralled me through the town. I thought I was in trouble for speeding, although, I wasn't going that fast. I looked over and he gave me the thumbs up. He was looking at my ride. I felt lucky. I gave him a friendly wave back and he turned off and made a u-turn back into town.
I ran into this guy out side of Clinton

Peek-a-boo view into Fountain Valley

If I had to ride paved roads home, this one isn't a bad choice.

Looking toward Fountain Valley. It was a very, very cool area to ride.
Cool waterfall just before I arrive at Lillooet.
Goats? Nope, these were sheep. They surrounded my bike
Cute buggers

This was the last picture of my trip. I quickly rode through country that was all too familiar to me along the Fraser canyon to Yale and finally to Hope where I turned my bike west. I wanted to make time and avoid the evening traffic outside of Hope and across the US-Canadian Border in Abottsford. I wanted to get home before dark. I took Washington state route 9 back to my house in Sammamish. I arrived home about 8:00 in the evening.



I posted my route here on Google maps for any one who is interested:

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Day 6 - BMW R1200 GSA Solo Adventure: B.C. Chilcotin Plateau to Bella Coola

"When in doubt, use full throttle. It may not improve the situation, but it will end the suspense" - Anonymous

This is my story... my solo adventure motorcycle ride through remote lands where I camped every night except one. I had no real itinerary and a vague plan of the route of where I wanted to go.

                                                                 
Days 6  (Sept 5, 2012)
Note: Click pictures to enlarge

I left Lac La Hache Provincial park with sadness on this day. I knew that by the end of the day, I would be home, all wrapped up in the blankets of my bed and thinking about work the next day. It was going to be a long ride home. I wasn't really sure if I had time for one more side detour. I've ridden Hwy 97 before back to Seattle and it can be a chore in two lane traffic.

I had a quick breakfast, and off I went. Before long, I found myself passing an RCMP officer in a town called 100 Mile House. I quickly slowed and the RCMP sped up beside me and paralled me through the town. I thought I was in trouble for speeding, although, I wasn't going that fast. I looked over and he gave me the thumbs up. He was looking at my ride. I felt lucky. I gave him a friendly wave back and he turned off and made a u-turn back into town.

Shortly thereafter I came upon Begbie summit, the highest point on the Caribou Hwy (Hwy 97). The summit was named after a judge known as "The Hanging Judge". Shortly there after, I was nearly in the town of Clinton.
I ran into this guy out side of Clinton. He (she?) was scouring tthe roadside for a meal. He didn't seem to mind my presence. I stopped and took some video of him.
He looked at me several times as if I was going to feed him. This was a bad sign. Obviously he has been fed. I departed and wished the guy luck.
He gave me a nodding approval, as if he understood my concern, but seem to tell me not to worry.

In Clinton, I made a decision to ride some more dirt. I figured I could retrace my steps form a couple days before and head over to Pavillion via the Clinton-Pavillion shortcut. From there I would head out to Lytton and re-join Hwy 97 (Hwy 1?) south of Spences Bridge. I haver never been down that hwy (Hwy 99), so it would be something new for me.
The above photo and the one above it were taken on the steep grade going up to the high plateau above the Fraser Canyon. It was an 18 % grade or maybe more.
I was riding the road in reverse and in the morning hours this time. Previously, I was riding it north and in the late evening hours heading toward Kelly Lake.
I was approaching the Fraser Canyon.

In the distance, I could see the cold air coming off a glacier kissing the warm morning air. It looked like a volcano eruption.
I began my descent down the canyon escarpment.
BEAUTIFUL!
From here I could get peek a boo views into Fountain Valley.

I believe this is Hwy 12 as it approaches Fountain Valley.

The river carved canyon was quite a sight.
If I had to ride paved roads home, this one isn't a bad choice.

Looking toward Fountain Valley. It was a very, very cool area to ride.

This was my view looking north from my roadside vantage.

Cool waterfall just before I arrive at Lillooet.

My web research tells me tha this is Dickey Creek Falls
Located just north of Lillooet, this waterfall is also known as Honeyman Falls in winter and is an awesome ice climb.


Shortly outside of Lillooet, I come across some of the most interesting stretch of paved hwy I've ever seen.
That narrow track of road behind my bike is known as the "Big Slide". This is because the geology in question is unforgiving and the engineering problem it poses - The mountainside crosses "rotten rock" from the top of the ridge right down to the river. Not much has changed on the road since it was first built. The road has to be repaved every so often because of all the falling-rock damage. I was unble to get pictures of the road as there was no stopping allowed in the "slide area". There were sizable rocks in the road. It is not an area where one would race their bike through quickly without consideration of safety.
A few miles down the road I ran into these guys grazing on the side of the road.
Goats? Nope, these were sheep. They surrounded my bike like a flock of protective hens. They were very inquisitive.
After awhile, it was time for me to get moving, so a quick beep of my horn and they trotted away.

I thought this was quite funny as they "mooned" me in my rear view mirror as I drove away. Cute buggers.
Not to much farther and I found some more traversing the roadside cliffs.

One last picture and I am off to Hwy 1 to Hope.
This was the last picture of my trip. I quickly rode through country that was all too familiar to me along the Fraser canyon to Yale and finally to Hope where I turned my bike west. I wanted to make time and avoid the evening traffic outside of Hope and across the US-Canadian Border in Abottsford. I wanted to get home before dark. I took Washington state route 9 back to my house in Sammamish. I arrived home about 8:00 in the evening.
WOW, what a ride! This was without a doubt, the best motorcycle ride I've ever taken. I've said it once before, but British Columbia is AWESOME. I can't wait to return. Wether riding the remote back roads, hiking in the high country or paddling her beautiful lakes. B.C. is, without question, one of the most beautiful places on earth.
Thanks for riding with me. It was fun to re-cap the trip in this ride report. I hope you folks enjoyed it.


I posted my route here on Google maps for any one who is interested:

 

Check out Day 5:
Day 5 - BMW R1200 GSA Solo Adventure: B.C. Chilcotin Plateau to Bella Coola