RubiKon Adventures

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


Monday, October 28, 2013

Day 2 - Destination Nuxalk Nation: A Solo Adventure Ride to Bella Coola


Day 2: Bridge River Beauty
“We all strive for safety, prosperity, comfort, long life, and dullness.”   ~ Aldo Leopold

 
Video: Day 2 Bridge River Beauty

My morning on day 2 began with thick layers of fog.  Surprisingly, I slept good, albeit, a little wet because of the blanket of fog that had engulfed the valley overnight. I had large drops of condensed water coming off the trees onto my tent and this is what woke me from my sleep.
View from my morning camp on Lillooet Lake
With the daylight, I was able to see more clearly my neighbors with whom I camped. It turns out, I was a bit more cozy with them than I imagined last night. I really wanted to take dip in the lake to clean up, but the lack of privacy kept me from doing so. But, that could wait until later. After a quick breakfast, I packed my soggy tent up and headed down the road toward Pemberton. The road along Lillooet lake was in really bad condition. It was pretty rough, even by motorcycle standards. It really exercised my suspension and my ass. Eventually the fog gave way to sunshine and I was beginning to get excited about my trip again.
The fog lifted and the views were priceless

I re-fueled in Pemberton with both, breakfast and premium unleaded. I then proceeded further into the far flung reaches of southwest BC on the Pemberton Meadows road. I was on the fringes of the glaciated coastal mountains. I headed up the Hurley Forest Service road over to GoldBridge. This road was awesome. I gained elevation really fast and the soon found myself above the valley floor with great views in to the heart of the mountains.
Hurley road is amazing
It was hard to make fast progress as each corner rewarded me with great views. At one point I was mesmerized by the views into Dowton Lake. I stopped for quite awhile here to admire the scenery.

View of Dowton Lake from the Hurley Road

 
Not far from there, I stopped at Goldbridge, an old mining town with a population of 43 people, and had a snack. I then proceeded up to Bralorne mining town and had a look around, including a quick tour of the mining museum. It is quite the place to see.  For any biker, visiting the bridge river area is an unforgettable experience. I can see that any dual sport rider would love to ride any numerous road options here as they all offer fantastic vistas and challenges for all skill levels.


Old mining towns and abandoned bldgs

Welcome to Goldbridge... Population 43
Leaving GoldBridge, I proceed very methodically along Carpenter Lake. Carpenter Lake is a real gem of ride as well. The lake is just over 50 kms in length, but I would take more than 3 hours to ride it. I stopped several times to savor the beauty and waterfalls in this deep canyon.
Pictures don't lie...
 
Carpenter Lake was spectacular

Hmmm, hmmm, hmm, good!!

 
At the end of Carpenter Lake is a dam where the road winds its way through a narrow canyon.


The road and the river wind through a narrow canyon

Magic


Cool ride -- One of the best motorcycle roads ever


The geology has a story to tell


Both the road and the Bridge River would continually wind its way through the mountains. It was fantastic and mode for a very special riding experience. For several miles, the road hung precariously along the cliff wall, without guard rails and with the river far below at the base of a cliff.  This was not a ride for those afraid of heights. Eventually the canyon mated up with the Fraser River and I passed the West Pavilion Road; A road I was to ride the next day. I spent the night in Lillooet.
Old buildings and cabins dot the countryside, adding to the experience 

Exiting into the Fraser River Canyon to Lillooet

Until Next time..

Stay Tuned for Day 3...

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