RubiKon Adventures: Day 4 - BMW R1200 GSA Solo Adventure: B.C. Chilcotin Plateau to Bella Coola

"On bended knee is no way to be free
lifting up an empty cup I ask silently
that all my destinations will accept the one that's me
so I can breath"
~Eddy Vetter "Gauranteed"

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 4 (Sept 3, 2012)

Note: Click pictures to enlarge

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.

The threat of rain seemed to be gone for the moment.

This is Tatla Lake. There is a community, called Tatla lake with a population ~123 people. It is the half-way point between the two ends of the Chilcotin-Bella Coola highway betweeen Williams Lake and Bella Coola. See those mountains back there? That's where I'm heading.

TS'YI-Os Provincial Park is in the background. I was hoping to go this way toward Chilko Lake.

It was not to be...

There are many lakes and rivers along the highway. This is one of them.

Gretchen looking for the beach to sun herself.
Those mountains with glaciers... there are getting closer.

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. The "Hill" would be nothing more than a loading ramp for this kid

I any event, this 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!!!

Hyder was having a great time. He wanted his picture taken at the entrance to Tweedsmuir. He, like me, feel like explorers and should have been there, shoulder-to-shoulder with the Sir Alex.

This the beginning of the "Hill". It is beautiful, but it doens't seem quite dramatic as the Fraser Canyon I saw the day before.

About a third of the way down. So far, so good. This is easy. I can imagine, if it was raining, the road may be different.

Once in the valley, I got back on pavement heading for Hagensborg, the little community that I pass through before arriving at Bella Coola.

I stopped by several campgrounds and parks. I talked to a park ranger and discover that salmon have not really began to run yet. The bears were scarce.

This is an old cabin along the road to Bella Coola.

It was overcast and I was at the bottom of a deep galcial valley in a coastal rain forest. I considered myslef lucky to see what I could and it was not raining.

This was near a little village just before Hagensborg. Nice setting.

This is one of the strangest glacial mounts I have ever seen. It looks dangerous to traverse as it looks like a flat icy "slanted" silver dollar of a summit.

The glacial valley had great views and this farm was nested at the base of this cool looking peak.

I loved this place...

This is the harbor full of fishing boats and the main ferry dock. I phoned my family and told them I made it here safely.

I made it... or should I say... "we", Hyder and I made it to the end of the road at Bella Coola.

Downtown Bella Coola. A small town nesteld in a deep inland fjord, miles away from pacific ocean with a population of about 2000 people.

It is a bounty of natural beauty. Surrounded by Wilderness. Read about the First Nations Nuxalk people going back 10,000 years. The journey here was an adventure. Oh yeah!!!

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!