Where ever I may roam

I handed in notice to work today, which made me a bit sad. I’ll be finished up in 5 weeks and there are 52 days until the adventure begins. I’ve begun getting rid of items that I no longer want, and being quite ruthless in the process. This marks one of the points where I can’t turn back, the other one being when I give notice for cancelling my lease in a week. I imagine that I’ll be a lot more focused from this point forward. During the last few weeks I’ve determined the route that I’ll be taking and put dates against places.

The Route (so far)

The route across Canada so far. (click for larger version)

The initial plan was to head out of Montreal as soon as I arrived, tour around New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island and then get back to Montreal in time to catch some of the Jazz Festival, after hanging out in Quebec City for a few days. After planning the route it became obvious that I would not be able to catch any of the Jazz Festival without skipping a large amount, or travelling excessive amounts per day. In the interest of my sanity, and actually enjoying the trip, I changed the plan to spend a few days in Montreal before hitting the road.

From Montreal I’ll head inland toward New Brunswick, where I’ll pass through Grand Falls, Fredericton, and then spending a day or two in Saint John. I’ll then head up the Fundy Bay coastline,  taking the Fundy Trail Parkway, and check out Hopewell Rocks. From there it’s into Nova Scotia and down towards Annapolis Royal. After checking out Luenburg, Blue Rocks and Peggy’s Cove, I’ll spend a few days in Halifax. Then it’s time to head towards Sydney, along the coast, where I’ll also spend a few days before heading out on the Cabot Trail. At this stage it appears that I’ll be spending Canada Day in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, which is the home town of a friend. I’ll then make my way towards Prince Edward Island, where I’ll head around most of the island anti-clockwise, taking advantage of the historical roads on occasion.

Once getting back into New Brunswick, I’ll follow the Arcadian coastline towards Campbelton and then enter into Quebec again. I plan on taking the ferry at Trois-Pistoles across the St Lawrence River and then make my way down the river towards Quebec City, during which I’ll ride around Ile d’Orleans. I’ll spend several days in Quebec City, resting and exploring the city. By this point it will have been 3 weeks since arriving in Montreal and I would have covered over 5000km of roads.

From Quebec City it a long day’s ride into Ottawa, crossing into Ontario at Hawkesbury. A few days later I’ll make another long ride to Toronto, where I’ll also spend a few days, one of those days will include a trip out to see the Niagra Falls.

The route gets a lot less defined once I leave Toronto. I’ll be heading up towards Sudbury and then across to Thunder Bay, but how I do it is yet to be decided. I’ll try to take parts of the TCAT if the route doesn’t look to difficult. The same is true for the route from Thunder Bay, through Winnipeg, Regina, Saskatoon and then into Edmonton. I plan on spending at least a day in the cities mentioned above and I will probably weave my way across, as opposed to heading straight through. From Edmonton I’m going to head to Jasper, where I’ll spend a day or two. Then it’s down the Icefields Hwy for a stretch, through Rocky Mountain House and then down into Calgary. After spending a day or two in Calgary, I’ll head south to Bellevue, through the Crowsnest pass and into British Columbia.

Once in B.C. the route meanders from the Crowsnest Pass towards Creston, then up to take the ferry at Kootenay Bay across to Balfour, and continues on into Nelson. Then it’s up through Nakusp and Revelstoke and into Kamloops. I’m participating in the Loose Screw Dual Sport ride, so I’ll need to be there by the 12th of August. After that I’ll probably head towards Vancouver, via Whistler. It depends on how I’m feeling after 2 months on the road and how the funds are going. I could possibly head over to Vancouver Island as well.

I have 15 days to cover the 3500km between Toronto and Edmonton, which averages to 233km/day. As far as I’m concerned, this is a reasonable pace that still lets me see lots.

In 70 days I’ll be leaving on a trip to ride across Canada on my KLR.

Last week I discovered that Air Canada will air freight motorcycles across the country for $650 if you’re also travelling with them. This immediately got my mind racing over possibilities for adventure. After checking a few facts I found out that the motorcycle can only be booked 30 days in advance and that the fees are subject to review on the 1st May 2016. That was all the information I needed, on the 1st April I booked a one way ticket to Montreal from Vancouver.

There’s been a dream to drive across Canada since I got here 4 years ago. I arrived on June 12th 2012 and I’ll be starting this trip on June 13th, 2016.

Timing and Dates

I’m leaving for Montreal on the 13th, but I’ll be taking off a week before. I’d already registered for ToorCamp which is the June 8th – 12th. I was still keen to go as it only happens every other year and I missed the opportunity in 2014. As for returning, I’d registered for the Loose Screw DualSport Ride in Kamloops last Monday. The Loose Screw in on August 12th – 14th, so I’ll need to be in Kamloops on or before the 12th of August. This gives me almost 9 weeks to get from Montreal out to Nova Scotia and then all the way across to Kamloops.

The Route

Fly East. Ride further East until I hit ocean. Turn around and ride West until I hit the ocean. There’s a possibility of hitting up Vancouver Island again, just because. The actual route I’ll be taking is still up in the air, however I know that I want to ride the Icefields Highway (driven it twice now), some parts of the Crowsnest Hwy, and see some towns in B.C. that I haven’t been through before. I’d love to ride along the St Laurent river between Montreal and Quebec City (driven that, both sides), the rest is yet to be determined. I’ll be looking towards the TCAT for inspiration when planning the route.

The timing is right for me to catch part of the Montreal Jazz Festival on my way back through, which would be wonderful.

More to come on the route later.

The Bike

The KLR as it currently stands

My bike is a mostly stock 2013 Kawasaki KLR 650, with the addition of paniers, crash bars and a steel bash plate. I’ve got a chunk of work to do on it over the next 8 weeks, including but not limited to:

• New front tire.
• Upgrade suspension springs, both front and rear. (on their way)
• Luggage top box for sleeping bag, tripod and hiking boots. (in progress)
• Tool tube and better tool kit. (in progress)

The Plan

I’ve started getting rid of things, and have a few items to sell. Most of my bigger stuff is going to go into storage, which will need to happen by the end of May. Come the 1st of June I’ll be homeless and unemployed (again). I’ll be heading south on the 6th as I’m going to stay in Larrabee Park and hike around Chuckanut for a day. Back in Vancouver on the 12th, out the the airport to drop the bike early on the 13th and then fly out that night. In the mean time there’s a 1001 items on a TODO list which only seems to be getting bigger. Thankfully there are some green ticks on it already.

It’s time for an adventure.

I managed to sleep in this morning, getting up at 8:30 am. It was an early night last night. There isn’t much to do once the sun goes down. By 9:30am I was heading out to Port Alberni, I had a few things to explore and I was thinking of heading out to Tofino. The road into Port Alberni was full of twists and provided some great views of the surrounding lakes, which made for a great ride.

McLean Steam Mill was definitely worth the trip out. The mill wasn’t operating today so I got to walk through all of it and get up close to the machinery. The fragrance of wood and oil hung in the air throughout the property, which had old cars, trucks and wood shacks scattered throughout it.

The boiler. All the equipment in this mill is steam powered

I took the short hike out to Stamp Falls and grabbed some photos.

Stamp Falls

Riding back from Port Alberni I finally saw another rider, on a KTM. When the sun’s shining everyone is out on their sports bikes and Harleys, but when it’s raining, only the dual sport riders are out. I found riding on the highway in the rain stressful enough, with trucks and SUVs right behind be. I don’t think I want to deal with that tomorrow on muddy, rocky, forestry roads with logging trucks. I think I’ll be taking the highway further south, probably the 9A.

On the way back to camp I stopped in at Cathedral Grove. There were less trees in some areas than expected, which was due to a strong wind-throw in 1997. I quite enjoyed walking around the grove. There were plenty of people visiting, even though it was raining. I spent some time hiding under a tree waiting for most of the rain to pass before continuing back to camp.

I had to ask around to find the trail head to the Hole in the Wall. It was right by a concrete railing on the side of the highway. I was tempted to take the bike out there as I’d heard it’s possible. While I saw signs of ATV tracks, I’m glad I didn’t ride out there as I probably would have been spending a cold, wet, night there. It was difficult enough to walk up some of the muddy slopes.

Hole in the Wall

Tomorrow’s plans are to head to Victoria and spend 2 nights there. I could do with a hot shower, I’ll probably be staying at a backpackers. I’ve left a lot of things undone on this part of the Island that I had planned to do. That just gives me an excuse to come back again. Next time I hope I’ll be better prepared and have the bike handling better. Regardless, the trip has been a lot of fun so far.

The odo now has 5301km on it.

When I woke up I noticed that the inside of the the tent fly was wet and the top of the sleeping bag was damp. I think that the moisture from my breath is condensing throughout the night due to lack of air flow. It does make packing up annoying. I’d like to be able to dry out the sleeping bag before packing it up but that’s not possible.

Nimpkish Bridge and River

My initial impression of Port Hardy was a quiet town. However it’s 9am on a Sunday, so that’s not really a surprise. The early morning air temperature was very brisk on the ride into town and the wind cut straight through my gear. A hot coffee is just the thing I needed to warm back up again, accompanied by a hot pecan roll. I found a great little cafe, book shop, and craft store called Cafe Guido. It was one of the few places open. While nursing my hot coffee in my hands to suck up its warmth, a lady came into the shop with an awesome silver mullet. It was truly a sight to behold, just a shame I couldn’t get a photo.

I made plans to head south, where there’s sunshine and warmth. While heading back towards Port Hardy, a N plater in a black pickup flew past me. Satisfaction was mine 15 minutes later when I saw him again, on the side of the road, having been pulled over by the police. The temperature dropped on the way into Port Hardy and there was a lot of cloud cover. Once I was past the town the clouds receded and the sun came out, which provided some much needed warmth. I haven’t seen many other bikes out, a few Harleys, certainly no one touring. In a few months the North end of the Island will be a much nicer place, it will also be very busy.

Just outside of Woss I stopped and took a short hike out to Hoomak Lake. The view of the dead still lake and the snow covered mountains in the distance was worth the 10 minute hike.

Hoomak Lake

Heading towards Campbell River I had the road mainly to myself as it twisted and turned through the undulating country side. An occasional gap in the tree line would reveal snow covered mountains in the distance. By the time I got to Courtney I was in a bit of a funk. I was not happy with always spending, I wasn’t spending as much time on the trails as I’d like, and it was taking more energy than I’d anticipated. I’d been riding for over 5 hours at this point and covered over 300km. I’m learning lots about touring on a motorcycle. It’s a lot harder than in a car and this is my first time riding a bike for extended periods. I’m going to dial it back and take it easier as I don’t want to push hard and then make a mistake. I could have planned my food a lot better as well. After a snooze in a park in Courtney I was back on the road and heading towards Port Alberni.

Bugs

I went to check out Qualicam Falls and as soon as I saw the campground sign I knew I was staying. It felt good to stop. I’m planning on spending 2 nights in the campground, giving me a chance to relax. I plan on investigating the falls and several things around Port Alberni tomorrow. After which I’ll head out to Tofino. It’s time to take it slower and see some things up close. I would like to rework the bag on the back of the bike. I don’t like leaving it on the bike while I’m not there, say if I go for a hike, and it’s a pain to carry.

Home for the next two nights

The clock now reads 5187km, so that was 427km today.

I was up at 6:30, and on the road by 8. Not too shabby for cooking breakfast, coffee and packing down. The sun is shining, it’s warm and there are no clouds, looks like a great day for a ride… The air is sweet, and there is a hint of tree resin as I ride down the road. I pulled into Cambell River for info and fuel. Unfortunately I was really early and the info centre wasn’t open. Thankfully, their WiFi was accessible from the carpark so I spent a while checking road conditions from Woss to Gold River. After a brief wander  around town I decided to head to Gold River first. This was mainly because there is fuel there, it’s tarmac all the way and should be able to check on the road conditions once I get there. I had a brief glimpse of Elk Falls as I rode past, I debated stopping and exploring but I was itching to be on the road and stick to the plan. I made a deal with myself to check Elk Falls out on the way back. No really [In hindsight I should have stopped, but I knew this when I passed through. If I say I’ll do it on the way back, I won’t]. The trip along the Elk River Rd from Cambell River was windy with great views of the lake and mountains, interspersed with tree covered sections. The highway (28) itself is also twisty and has similar views, it looks like the rest of the trip to Gold River will be similar. I called into Strathcona Park Lodge for a coffee and a chat, as people from work suggested that I call in. There are great views of the lake and mountains from the lodge mess hall, it’s not surprising that it gets used for weddings. The rest of the ride to Gold River was just as fun, lots of wonderful sight and twisty roads. I took a brief hike out to Lady Falls, in Strathcona Provincial Park. The KLR is holding up wonderfully so far.

Lady Falls

I got to Gold River only to find the Info centre closed for the off season. Damit, two in a row. Looks like I’m a few weeks too early. The Bike bottomed out at some point after Lady Falls, There was a big *crunch* and *scrape*, however an inspection showed no marks on the bash plate or anywhere else, so letting it pass. [I hadn’t adjusted the preload before leaving and it was set on my default of 3. I’m guessing that that probably had something to do with it.] The guy behind the counter at Shell Gold River was most helpful, giving good information on the conditions of the road to Woss. I’m going to head for Woss but I’m still thinking of a trip out to Tahsis and back. I spent a fair amount of time at the intersection outside of Gold River. On my left was Tahis, on my right was Woss. After a fair amount of deliberation and several Texas cheesy hamburger buns I reached a decision: Tahsis it is, there is heaps of time, it’s just gone 12, and I’m in no rush.

Choices

I called into Upana Caves, however I didn’t venture down the trail to the caves as I was completely unprepared. The Island has made me realize that I need to get a caving buddy as there are so may caves around here to explore. I stopped at Painted Rock for a photo op and a bite to eat. I am currently 20km in from the intersection and it’s been about 40 mins. I continued along the road to Tahsis, dodging graders but otherwise enjoying the ride. At the 20km mark on the FSR I turned around, it was 1:45 and I still want to make it towards Woss tonight. I discovered that I am more likely to check things out and explore when I am on the bike than I was when I was in the car. I’m guessing that it has something to do with being more exposed to the environment when on a bike.

Photo op at Painted Rock

I do need to remind myself that it is more about the journey than the destination on occasion. Heading towards Woss, I didn’t get back to the turnoff until 3pm. I keep on assuming that I can go a lot faster than what is practical for these roads. Old habits of highway driving on straight flat roads I guess. The tires are a little skittish in places, especially the front. I think that this is due to how the bike is loaded, with everything over the back tire.  The roads are generally quite good and very easy to ride on, having been recently graded.

Two thrids down the trail I ran into an unexpected fork in the road. After consulting the available maps and signs I decided to follow the sign pointing towards the highway. Unfortunately this  was the wrong choice as I was wanting to follow the TCAT path and I ended up on the highway 11km west of Woss. A better map or higher resolution imagery would have solved this problem, which is something to keep in mind for next time. I’m heading towards Port McNeil for fuel and food, it’s getting late, I’m hungry and the bike is thirsty. I’m probably going to camp in Telegraph Cove somewhere, as I’ve heard it’s a nice place. I set up camp at what I think is the Telegraph Cove bush camp, it looks like a caravan park to me tho. The tent is set up next to a babbling stream and there are the occasional birds chirping. I’ve figured out one of the reasons that I’m enjoying this trip more than a single day trip… There’s no urban traffic to contend with for an hour each side of the fun bit, it’s all fun. Having a hot shower was wonderful. I’m yet to find someone to pay, I’ve been knocking at the site office door but no-one is answering. I dug through my Backroads Mapbook looking for free camp sites around Port Alberni, where I’m planning on being tomorrow.

The bike definitely got it’s legs stretched today, as the clock is now at 4760 km and a decent chunk of it was dirt.

There was a smattering of blue sky peeping through the clouds, promising sunshine, as I left home. I was bound for Horseshoe Bay to grab a ferry to Nanaimo. Getting out of the urban area was it’s usual exercise in frustration and doing my best to not get killed by oblivious drivers. As I passed under a safety sign on Hwy 1 in North Vancouver I let out a laugh, the message conveyed in large letters what I already knew: ‘Motorcycle season is here’.

There were clouds clinging to the sides of the mountains as ferry left the dock at Horseshoe Bay. I stood on the upper deck taking in the fresh air and sunshine. Damn it felt good. I was starting to relax into the idea of the trip.

The few days before I left had been packed with tasks to perform and a lot of running about.  I had only finished packing this morning and I’d left items that were not required strewn from one end of the house to the other. Ohh the joys of being a bachelor. As luck would have it I got to terminal 10 minutes before loading commenced, so it was a short wait and a chat to another biker heading out to Tofino. The clock read 4176km this morning when I left home and I have a rough idea that it will be 1000km more by the time I’m done. I was aiming to camp at Miracle Beach that evening, and I had some things to check out on the way.

I rode up the 9A at every opportunity I could as it ran right along the eastern edge. It’s called the Oceanside Route for a reason :D. I called into the info center at Parksville to see how to get to Horne Lake Caves. They said the only way was on the 19, however a bit of time on their Wifi and maps I’d figured out how to get there while staying on the 19A. For people who are interested, there are signs on the 19A indicating the way. I got to the caves at 11:55, however I’d missed the tour as it left 5 minutes early. The dirt road into the caves was fun, it was the first time off road on this trip and things were going O.K. It was 11km of dirt, 14km from highway. Prior to this the only real off tarmac experience I’ve had was a Noobie Ride with DSBC. While I didn’t get on the tour I did go on a self guided tour. The major thing I learnt was that motorcycle pants aren’t the best for climbing around in caves with. I did swap the boots for hiking shoes, which helped immensely. Scrambling around inside a cave with only a shitty headlamp for light and no route was fun. It reminded me of Giants Cave in Margaret River, something I go through whenever I’m in the area. I’m a bit disappointed that I missed the tour, it sounded like they got to see a lot more and it wasn’t all walking on boardwalks.

I arrived at the Miracle Beach park to find some poor sod lying in the middle of the road with his Harley on its side. Not an inspiring sight on the first day of a road trip. There were already several people helping him, including someone on their phone, so I continued on. Shortly after there were Police, Ambulance and Fire vehicles on the scene. He had a blood down his face but he appeared to be moving. I later found out from a RCMP officer that the guy caught a peg on the pavement coming around a corner and wiped out and that while he’s banged up he’ll be O.K. It was a not so subtle reminder to take it easy.

Sitting on an old sun bleached log looking towards Powell river and listening to the waves gently crash on the rocky shore. Out to sea, two kayaks slowly drifted across the scene, from left to right. There’s no-one around, however I’m fairly sure that will be a different story in a month.

The 19A was great to ride up. The traffic was minimal, it was a decent speed at 80km/h for most parts, and the views of the coast were postcard worthy. $33 a night for camping at Miracle Beach. I’m wondering how it works for more than one bike, do they count it as 2 vehicles or do they cut us some slack? Dinner was a can of chilli and Texas cheesy hamburger buns I’d picked up at a Superstore somewhere. Damn it was tasty. I’m so knackered and its only 6:15. I guess that it’s been a full day and I did get up around 7am. The rest of the night will consist of cleaning up, a cuppa tea and then an early night for me. I’ve been wearing my over pants, with the liner in them and jeans underneath the whole day. Towards the end they got somewhat uncomfortable and the jeans ended up sticking to my legs. I’m thinking tomorrow that I’ll use the over pants as just pants.

The clock now reads 4385km.