Motorrad

Beach/Vancouver Island After a 24-hour trip from house to house we arrive very tired. We need three days to get the motorcycles back into working condition - new tires, new battery, a little repair work.

Through Courtenay to Mt. Washington Ski Area, over back roads to Campbell River. Because it is 30 Grad Celsius (86 F) we pitch out tent at 4 p.m. at Elkfalls Campgrounf and lay down in the shade.

The #28 to Gold River. The City isn´t as full at is was three years ago. The big Pulp Mill is closed and many workers have moved away. The #28 continues to Tahsis on gravel. After 20 km we turn off toward Cougar Creek. On the way there´s a cliff with a beautiful view over the Pacific with several islands. The Cougar Creek R.A.(Recreation Area) is a great place to spend the night - right on the ocean but still protected. Because it´s still early, we get back on the #28 toward Tahsis. Spend the night at the Conuma River R.A. First time all alone on a camping spot - and in a tent. Only bushes for 40 km in all directions. Strange feeling.

A lumber jack city that had 3000 residents a few years ago. Now only 700. Lots of for sale signs in front yards. Just as we are stuffing ourselves with salmon berries Alisa and Martin show up. We get to talking and then go to their house. They are caver, so we drive with them to the Corral Caves. We are still in full uniform - leather jacket, -pants and -boots. It´s a totally new experience to go caving with poeple who know what they´re doing. After two hours we reemerge into the daylight, bathed in sweat and happy. There upon we receive an invitation to shower and stay at night.

Tahsis is at the end of a blind alley. Thus, 70 km of gravel road back to Gold River. When we pass Conuma R.A. we see that a bear has removed our trash from the container. Good thing he wasn´t there when we were. Off to Muchalat Lake to fish.

In the morning it rains cats and dogs until 12.30. Over Vernon Lake (completely overrun because of the weekend) to Woss Lake. The R.A. isn´t the best, but what the hell. We meet Dennis. Drink three bottles of very good Canadian wine. Invited to go boating and fishing.

Five hours on the water and nothing but inedible fish (Bullheads). But the view from the water to the mountains is great. Behind Woss we turn off onto a dirt road to go see Alisa and Martin again, who are caving with others. Alisa is gone, we see Martin for five minutes before he disappears. But the other cavers welcome us generously and we learn a lot about their hobby in the evening around the campfire.

At the junction we make three attempts before we hit the right forest road. The maps are often very ambignous. At the South end of Bonanza Lake we lunch. Georgeous view, beautiful weather and all of it just for us. At the North end of the 12 km-long lake three trailers are set up. Joe with his family. We get invited to eat, drink and fish.

Ida Lake is small and cute. Telegraph Cove causes our first tourist shock. Buildings are going up everywhere and the area is full anyway. We get away quickly. We go out to eat at Port McNeill - excellent and plentious. Finally something other than Spaghetti and canned food. We spent the night at Marble River R.A.

We restock our provisions in Port Alice and drive back into the bush. We see Devils Bath and the Eternal Fountain. Peach Camp R.A. isn´t nice, so we try to find Alice Lake R.A. Of course we miss the right fork-off and drive into the mountains on a street that doesn´t deserve the name. For street motorcycles it´s miserable, 6 km long. Then we turn around and find the rigt forest road to the R.A.

We say goodbye to the beautiful Seascape and drive to Rupert Inlet, then back to Marble River. We walk the trail and go fishing. We take Highway 19 to Port Hardy to the Quatse River Campground.

Heated washrooms are wonderful things and we take full adventage of them. We head toward Cape Scott. The gravel road is horrible. At times we have to drive 20 km/h because the gravel is so fine and round. San Josef Campsite ist very nice, but full of mosquitoes. San Josef Heritage Park is as strange as its proprieter, but nice. He has wild trouts and ravens for pets. You can pay as much as you like, and if you don´t like, that´s okay too.

Palmerton R.A., on the ocean. Cliffs over the water - marvellously beautiful. We climb around on the cliffs and filly-fart. Then we go to Winter Harbour on the Kwaksistah Centenniel Park Campground. After we pitch the tent we drive into the "city". In winter a population of 8. We meet 25% of it. Jim invites us to a boat ride on the ocean.

We put around in a little aluminum boat for two hours in the ocean with Jim and his friend Jim. It´s a crazy feeling to sit in such a little boat among the huge waves (taller than the boat). We see Grand Bay (a beautiful sand bay). We wind up driving to Koprino Bay R.A. We arrive late afternoon. All the spaces are occupied and the next R.A. 50 km of gravel away. I couldn´t make it on that day. Then along comes Kay and shows us a hidden grassy spot. Then Barb and Mike come over and invite us into their guest camper. Canadians are really nice people. We sat around drinking each others health until 1.30 in the morning.

We sleep late because of the wine and the late night. Kay gives us homemade salmon creme and fresh muffins for breakfast. On the way to Holberg we have to put on our rainsuits. But the drizzle has some advantages also; we can drive on wet gravel a lot better than on dry. In Port Hardy the rain stops. I want to stay the night in a B+B because it´s our last night befor the ferry. But there are no more B+B´s under Can.$100. After the shock we go to the wash salon and then shopping. There we meet Joe and his wife (one week ago at Bonanza Lake). We get an invitation to eat, hot tub and sleep.

9.30 Departure. The ferry rocks quite a bit. I got a little seasick, but after a pot of tea and some crackers I feel better. Then we take a tour of the engine room. Very interesting. Then we go out on the bridge. The capitain is a very nice man and his first mate is a biker. In all of our conversing we almost miss dinner. At 7.30 p.m. we are in Bella Bella. There we transfer to an indian canoe and paddle to Shearwater. Our guide entertains us with indian talk and songs on the way. Fantastic. At 10.30 p.m. we are back on our ferry.

We sleep poorly. At 6.30 a.m. we arrive in Bella Coola. We breakfast at Clayton Falls. We look at Hagensborg and fish at Fisheries Pool in Tweedsmuir Park. Then we take the Heckman Pass. Gravel road at an 18 % incline. A really great road that´s fun to drive in dry weather. Afterwards there´s an endless stretch of roadover plateau. We have to watch out that we don´t fall asleep. Over Anahim Lake to Nimpo Lake.

It rains until 10 a.m. We hang around until the tent dries and drive slowly to Bullstick Lake. When we arrive it starts drizzling, so we set up under the tarp by Helga and Thomas. A little canoeing, playing with the dog, sitting at the campfire and it´s already time for bed.

The night was very cold- we are over 1100 m above sea level. We see several small lakes and restock in Tatla Lake. An older lady invites us to lunch in her house. On to Pyper Lake. The weather looks unfriendly; a wall of rain rises. A VW Camper arrives at the lot. We talk to the people, strech out a large tarp and spend a nice evening.

We get away late, having talked too much. Puntzi Lake is very pretty, but total touristically developed. We pass Bull Lake to a look-out platform behind Hanceville. Georgeous. Then we try to get to Raven Lake from a small forest road. After 20 km we are back on the Highway and our nerves are shot. The road was so bad, and we weren´t even sure it was the right one; so we turned around. We spend the night at the McIntyre R.A.

We go shopping in Williams Lake and eat two litres of icecream because of the heat. We take Horsefly to Horsefly Lake. We go swiming and filly fart around. We receive three fishes from the host (two Kokanee´s and a trout). They are delicious.

Back to Horsefly to tank up. We look at the Horsefly River Falls on the other side of the Lake. We drive on to Crooked Lake. I lay down in sun and Manfred has a great fishing day: 12 trouts, three of which he threw back into the water because they are too small.

In the middle of the night we hear inexplicable trotting noises. Our hair stands on end for fright, but when we finally look out, we laugh. It is a herd of horses. A fabulous sight in the dark. For breakfast we still have fish from yesterday. Boscar Lake, Bosk Lake, Hendrix Lake, Paddy Lake, Christmas Lake, Succour Lake. All of them lovely, but not our thing. We spend the night at the Provincial Campground Canim Beach on Canim Lake.

At breakfast we decide to leave the bush and drive to Icefields Parkway. It´s a huge detour, but we´re here to ride. From 100 Mile House to Bridge Lake over secondary roads. Then a great street leads downhill aprox. 20 km with a beautiful view to Little Fort. We turn off behind Barriere and drive down the Lois Creek Valley. We stumple over Sunpeak Village. Our 8 year old map do not mention the existence of this tourist town. Now it looks like the Alps in its worst traps. We drive to Niskonlith Lake with many detours and small stops.

Highway 1 - lots of traffic, very annoying. We tank up in Revelstoke, loose a pair of expensive sunglasses and attack a 150 km dead end. All the way along a damed up lake. After 50 km the rain and thunder come. We take a 30 minute break until the storm passes over. We ride the last 100 km up to the Mica Dam. Then comes the next lake. A great view. We also have good fishing; so we stay there at the Potlatch R.A. Indescribably lovely.

In the morning we catch a fat traout which makes a great second breakfast. We borrow a canoe from a nice young man who is working at the Dam, and paddle around for two hours. In a little boat in a huge lake, and all around are mountains- words cannot describe. We cross through Revelstoke to Canyon Hot Springs. and take a hot bath in the evening.

Morning bath. We take Roger´s Pass, Golden and the #95 to the beautiful Columbia Wetlands (Swamplands) over to Dry Gulch Campground. It is hot, late, weekend. The lot is full. In desperation we asked for help and - praise be - they make space for us. On top of that, we received steak, chicken and baked potatoes. I still can´t get over how nice people are.

Rain. Breakfast in the tent. We look at Invermere. Great view with the sand dunes, the lake and the mountains all around. Over Radium Hot Springs into the Kootenay NP. We put on our rain gear. It drizzles until noon. We take a 1 1/2 hour break at the Dolly Varden Reststop with sunshine and blue sky. We continue in the rain to Banff NP, Lake Louise. At the Crossing we sick of this business and take a motel room. Whirlpool and sauna inclusive. We got to warm up our cold bones before we go into a bar and downed some canadian beer.

The morning is cold but dry. Great for riding. Sunwapta Falls and Athabasca River Falls. We take the 19A (great little street) to Whistler Tramway Station. From there is a marvellous view. We gather our energie for 370 km of mostly boring road to Edmonton. After reguesting assistence twice we finally find our relatives house and are received warmly.

The relatives load us with booty. We go shopping (West Edmonton Mall: 800 stores under one roof with dolphin show, iceskating rink, adventure park, wave pool ...), walk around in the city park, have a pool party. We still have time to make some repairs, like soldering the suitcase carriers, back-wheel ... Then we get the bikes ready for their sleep and now they are waiting on next year. After five wonderful weeks we arrive in Germany by puring rain.

Kanada 2000

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