The Epic Roads and Altered Plans Tour - Part 1Dramatis Personae
Quinton - KTM 450
Clayton - Goldwing
Ron - CX650
Pat - GS1000
Rick - Heritage Softtail
Neil - Moto Guzzi Quota
Dennis - Stolen Sportster
Dovovan - Virago
Hans - Heavily overloaded FZ1
co-starring Guy and his R69
Friday, June 21 ? Day 1 ? PG to Williams Lake 250km
I met up with Qball at Trench for a pre-trip drink. We managed to get to the take off point on time at 5:00pm. There were 9 of us that left PG that evening for Williams Lake. Qball, Clayton, Ron, Pat, Rick G, Neil, Dennis, Donovan, and myself. Weather was nice, we made good time to Quesnel where we regrouped and then on to Williams Lake. We got our camp setup at the Stampede Grounds and then went to the Overlander for a Prime Rib dinner. A few drinks at the camp site and it was time to turn in.
Saturday, June 22 ? Day 2 ? Williams Lake to Lillooet 550km
Up and at them, breakfast and coffee at Tim?s and A&W. Qball and Clayton left for home so we were down to seven. A short ride to 100 Mile House got us onto our first opportunity to get off the beaten path. We travelled up Horse Lake Road to Sheridan Lake, a nice winding road, a preview of roads to come. West on Hwy24 to Lone Butte, we turned onto Green Lake Road. This road had a few more bumps and cattle guards, even a momma cow that wasn?t interested in getting off the road. We took this into 70 Mile House and pulled up for a little break. We could see stormy weather in the distance. South down Hwy 97, we jumped onto the Chasm Road and took a look at the big hole on the ground. Also our first bit of wet road. Back onto the highway, it was a quick ride down to Clinton for Fuel, encountering a few light showers on the way. Further on to Cache Creek, we hit a reasonable amount of rain. We turned onto Hwy 97C to go to Ashcroft. The temperature instantly went 10 degrees and we were dry in no time. Stopped into the Chinese Food place where the Sweet and Sour Pork was good and the Wonton Soup was awful. Continuing on 97C up the hill and onto the plateau where it cooled down considerably. On past Highland Valley Copper?s tailing pond and piles we made for Logan Lake and then south to Lower Nicola. Turning West onto Hwy 8, we encountered some of the best roads we hit on this tour. Mostly smooth pavement, nice and twisty, a couple spot where a rock had rolled onto the road. Everyone was having great fun. We pulled into a hippy farm stand for a stretch, everyone with grins on their faces. We could see more stormy weather heading down from the Northwest, so we decided to get a move on towards Spences Bridge and Ashcroft. I got to the junction of Hwy 8 and Hwy 97 first and started south. I noticed that I only had one bike with me, so I slowed right down, and then pulled up. After waiting 10 minutes, I figured sometime must be up, so I started heading back towards the farm stand. I passed a couple of our guys waiting at the highway junction and continued on to the stand. Pat?s bike was dead, no juice, wouldn?t start at all. Everyone regrouped and we started diagnosing. Our first diagnosis was the jumper cables we had were crap. After taking Pat?s bike half apart to get to the battery, we noticed that it was bone dry. We filled it up with what water we had, charged it for a bit with the repaired jumper cables, then managed to bump start Pat?s bike. While this was happening the rain had moved in, so we had got the monsoon gear on. Of course, soon after we got back on Hwy 97, the rain stopped and everyone overheated. But did the wind ever pick up, gusty and blowing hard. We got spread out heading to Lytton and in our hurry didn?t agree on a meeting point. I lead 5 people down to the gas station in the town site. Neil and Dennis ended up at the gas station above the town. No worries, they?d be down to meet us shortly? right? Of course Pat?s bike was dead again, so he borrowed a 10 amp charger from the gas station. A little oomph to ?help? the battery along, or at least turn it into a capacitor with enough charge to allow a bump start. Dennis came cruising down the hill, but where was Neil? We pondered whether to pull up in Lytton for the night as it was getting a bit late, but decided to press on to Lillooet where there were more services, and a Lordco that might be able to provide it a battery. Waiting a few minutes, I decided to run up to the other gas station where Neil has his bike half torn apart, the fuel pump wasn?t kicking in when he turned the key. I called down to Dennis to let him know what was going on and started into diagnosing this problem. The relay system seemed to be doing a funky dance. Luckily the fuel pump is very accessible, so we rigged up a bandaid fix of jumpering the pump directly to the battery. That got Neil going, I called down to Dennis again, they got Pat going and sent him on ahead. Just after 9 we pulled into the camp site in Lillooet, encountering a bit of rain just entering town. After we got our tents setup, 5 of us headed to town looking for a pub? that? didn?t work, the lady was closing the blinds. The beer store was still open though, and across the street the pizza place was open, so into there we went. After dinner, another couple drinks at camp it was time to bid this eventful day goodbye.
Sunday, June 23 - Day 3 ? Lillooet to Pemberton 179km
Waking up to reasonable weather, we packed up some and rode into town to find a little caf? for some breakfast. Ron bade us farewell and headed back to PG, so then there were 6. After breakfast we headed to Lordco to source a battery for Pat and some switch gear for Neil so he could more easily turn his fuel pump off and on. The first battery the parts guy came up with was the wrong shape. The next battery he came up with was the exact size but the markings on the top indicated the polarity was opposite. No problem, plenty of cable to make the swap. In the meantime, I was trying to coordinate with my friends Paige and Kirk to meet up in Whistler and they would ride with us for the day. I told them that we?d likely be a bit late due to the repairs needed. Put the battery into Pat?s bike and?. nothing?. stone dead. What the?. have a look around and notice that the main fuse is popped. OK, replace that, instant pop?. Confusion sets in. Must be a short somewhere. Out come the multimeters. I look up the wiring diagram on the intertubes. We start isolating stuff until the main fuse holds, and the circuit allowing the current through is the rectifier. Did running with the boiled off battery kill the rectifier? Isolating it, the lights on the dash come on, oddly, and the start spins but won?t engage. Battery must just not be throwing out enough current we figure. I put out the word on the intertube that we are looking for a rectifier, and Neil heads to Lordco to see if they have anything we can use. They don?t but point him towards the tow operator who apparently has some old Suzuki wrecks that we could poke through, except he has to go have do a tow and won?t be around for an hour. We reconverge at the campground with the start of a plan. I text Paige, now she says they can?t get up the Sea to Sky Highway to get to Whistler because of a fire. That scuttles that, plus I don?t know how long we?ll be. Dennis heads off to see if he can find the Suzuki wrecks, I poke around some more with the multimeter, getting a bit more confused by the moment. It seems to check out, maybe the multimeter doesn?t put out enough current to short through?? I head into town looking for a snack, spot Dennis. I get a phone call from Neil. He tried to charge up the battery using the jumper cables and it poped the fuse on those. Neil puts the multimeter on the batter and it reads 13 volts? oh wait? negative 13 volts. The polarity of the terminals is reversed. WTF I say. I head back down to see this with my own eyes. Sure enough, negative 13 volts. We pull the battery out, turnaround, and there for all to see are markings on the side of the battery that are opposite from those on the top. Replace the battery using those marks, turn the key, the dash lights up proper and the starter spins the engine, it?s now turning the right direction. There went 2 and half hours. Good AC/Delco quality control, battery must have been built early on a Monday. We get finished packing up, Neil heads up to Lordco to given them the whatfor about the battery, and we unsuccessfully look for someone to pay to the camping since the office was closed by the time we got in the night before. Time to ride again and start up the Duffy. It?s 27C in Lillooet so I convert my coat to mesh, a few others lose some layers and we head up the hill. Duffy is a wonderful road, but it does go up, and up, and by the time we got to the top the temperature was dropping fast. I continue in the lead for about 20 minutes, I look at my dash and it?s telling me it?s 15C. Time to pull over and reconsider what I?m wearing. On go the layer, for me and everyone else. We watch a few bikes go by including a Ducati with a dog on it. Not a little dog, a Shepard of some sort, and it looked terrified. We get down into Mount Currie without any trouble, enjoying the haripins, and decide to do a sidetrip to D?arcy. Nice little jaunt to the end of the paved road. Small town at the end. Ugly gravel road does continue on but we didn?t. We headed back to Pemberton and decided our camp spot to be Nairn Falls Park just outside of town. Just before we got there the rain came down. I was out ahead and turned in, but I made the mistake of not waiting at the turn. I watched as everyone blew on by, heading to Whistler. I got back on the road and wrung the neck out of the Blue Meanie to catch up, third gear wheelies are scary in the rain. Got the cats herded again and the rain let off as we set up camp. Back to town to find the pub was closed on Sundays, the other Pub/Restaurant was packed, and so settled on an ok meal at another restaurant. Back to camp with a campfire, and the Irish whisky was unleashed to round out the day.
Monday, June 24 - Day 4 ? Pemberton to Powell River ? 300km
A slightly slow start to the morning due to the Irish whisky saw slightly mixed weather. We chose to ride into Squamish for breakfast, foregoing any idea of going into Whistler. At Squamish we had trouble finding an adequate breakfast place seeing as they all want to serve hippy deep-fried quinoa gruel. Find a Whitespot nearby, we realized it was impossible to get into unless you went down the highway and pulled a U-turn. Actually, I just missed the entrance which to be fair was rather hidden. Back on the Sea to Sky highway, the traffic picked up. I was running tailend and all of a sudden I had this Toyota pickup on my arse that wouldn?t pass the group. WTF, they weren?t too close, but it get disconcerting after a while. We worked our way into the Horseshow Bay Ferry terminal when the Toyota decided to finally pass. It was Paige and Kirk, they were headed up to Squamish to go pick rocks when they passed the line of us. They turned around and followed us. We got through the payment kiosk by confusing the clerk. We all eventually just bought a $100 ferry pass which gave us discounts on some of the passages. Getting down towards the ferry I saw the Paige and Kirk had managed to con their way into the terminal, so we managed to have a short reunion. They wait for the boat was only 5 minutes, and we were first on. Nice thing about riding motorcycles, usually you get to the front of the line. A nice sail put us into Langdale. Running tailend again, I was accosted by a different Toyota, this time he was running too close. The best way to get me to ride 5 under the speed limit is to tailgate me when I?m going 5 over the speed limit. We finally got rid of him as we entered Gibsons. We parked up in Gibsons and did the obligatory tourist thing in front of Molly?s Reach. We travelled on up the Sunshine coast towards Earl?s Cove, enjoying the road before us. A couple of deer in the ditches stayed put. We got to Earl?s Cove, but the next ferry was 2 hours away. We decided to go explore a bit, so we headed into Egmont where we just happened to find a pub. A bowl of chowder and beer later, it was time to get to the ferry. To the front of the line and on the boat and we were headed for Saltery Bay. From Saltery Bay it was a shortish ride into Powell River where we booked into the Willingdon Beach Campsite with seniors discounts. Four of us went into town for dinner at a Latin Food place which was quite good. Afterwards we bought some highly discounted sandwiches for the 2 that stayed behind. Another couple of beer and it was time to close this day.
Tuesday, June 25 - Day 5 ? Powell River to Salt Spring Island ? 285km
We had the choice of an 8:05am ferry or a 11:50am ferry to cross to the island from Powell River. We had pretty much discounted the 8:05 ferry, but we pretty much could have made it. As it was, Neil decided to take the 8:05 so he could do some visiting with his brother in Courtenay. The rest of us packed up, and did a side trip up to Lund and had breakfast at the hotel there. A nice little ride, seemed longer getting there than coming back. The hotel is old school cool. There is a marker there claiming to be the start of Hwy 101 that can get you all the way to Patagonia. They neglect to mention the ferries required, especially at the Darien Gap between Panama and Columbia where there is no scheduled ferry service. Back to Powell River in time for the ferry and another shuffle to the front of the line. A newer boat saw us load first, but we were pinned in and so came out in the middle of the ferry traffic at Comox. We met up with Neil and rode together a little until Pat and Rick bade there farewells. Pat left us in Courtenay to go visit his buddy and Rick in Royston to go visit his daughter. Now we were 4. Salt Spring Island wasn?t originally on the plan, but by now there really wasn?t a plan anymore. We were just playing it by ear. By this point my back and neck were really starting to give me trouble, legacies of a motorcycle accident when I was 21. We rode Hwy 19A through Qualicum and then to Coombs where we went to Goats on the Roof for Ice Cream. I got us onto Hwy 19, the freeway, and bypassed Nanaimo until Ladysmith, whereupon we got onto some more sedate roads that took us to the Crofton Ferry dock, almost. Neil was enjoying the road so much, he missed the turn to the ferry. It wasn?t marked in the direction we had come from. We got turned around and made the ferry with 5 minutes to spare. This time, we had to wait in line as the ferry was disembarking and we couldn?t get to the front the queue on the wharf. We fit on and had a short 25 minute ride to Vesuvius on the boat. Once off it was a tight and narrow road to Ganges where we had dinner at an outdoor restaurant that was having open mike night. Dennis had suggested Ruckles Provincial Park, he had camped there on a bicycle holiday with his kids many years ago. Google took us off the beaten track to get there, some nice slow winding riding. We were able to secure a great camp spot just off the beach, the neighbours liked to yell at their kids though. No one came buy to collect camping fees, so that was another freebie/ Watched a few ferries go by to a couple drinks and that was the end of another day.
