RubiKon Adventures: GrizzLee Stories from the North: Ep 1 Leaving Home

“The best laid plans…”

This would become the theme of sorts for this trip.

So I am packed and ready to leave for my trip. Months of preparation, moved my planned vacation twice due to work and business travel... And then …. it begins to rain, rain and rain all through northern Washington State and up into Northern BC.

I check the forecast daily and it isn’t any better.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I don’t mind rain, in fact, I expect it on my trips. I just don’t want to start out the first 2-3 riding in it.

Two days later after stewing about the house it is decided to go for it. Hell or high water, I wasn’t going to wait. That combined with the fact that I was driving my wife crazy with ll the anticipation and complaining.

Sheep on the Way to Fountain Valley

Assume they are licking the salt from the de-icing activities of winter

So I had rain all the way up to Sumas (the border crossing). I got a temporary reprieve, but the forecast was not only for rain as I head farther north, it was supposed to get colder. Eek!!

I headed up Hwy 97 to Lytton and then over to the Fountain Valley reserve. I was in and out of rain showers, even saw some sheep.

Fraser Canyon just outside of Williams Lake

I really wanted to take side roads and dirt routes all the way up to Quesnel, but the weather wasn’t cooperating. I hit a wall of rain near Hat Creek Ranch and pulled into Clinton BC one wet and cold rider.

I decided that I’d ride to 100 Mile House. If the rain wasn’t any better, I’d get a room. It was the Canadian Holiday though. I managed to get one of the last 2 rooms left in town. Everyone, it seemed, was dodging the rain.

Day 2 of my trip began much the same way and my frost day… only it was colder. Frost had formed overnight. This was July 1^st, in country that had seen one of the worst fire seasons ever the year before. What the heck is going on here… So I got a late start and proceeded to Williams Lake for a quick breakfast. From there, the weather began to turn for the better. It quickly warmed up and soon I found that my heated riding jacket, along with my gloves were too much. I divested myself of those items and headed over to Soda creek with the intent of riding up towards Quesnel and out to Nazko and exit out onto the Yellowhead Highway and possibly camp at Fraser Lake.

Soda Creek Bridge

View north up the Frazer River

Things were going pretty good. The Soda Creek area is amazing. As I got closer to Quesnel, thunderheads were beginning to form. Not only that, there was a country detour due to some bridge construction. I spent a bit of time getting lost out there. But, despite this fact, I was having fun exploring country roads that I have never been on. It was quite a treat.

I eventually made out to Nazko and the rain came down in droves. Looking east, I could see blue skies, but it was dark, dark, dark here I was heading. SO I went back towards Quesnel and took the Backwater road out. Which, turned out to be another enjoyable ride. For the rest of the day I was skirting the black clouds, lightening and rain. I finally made it to the Yellowhead hwy, coming out a Vanderhoof. It was now near 9:00 pm. I made a beeline out to Fraser Lake. I experienced one of the most incredible sunsets ever.