After two days' rest at my friends' house in Kamloops it was time to do the final day's ride home to Campbell River. I left shortly after 9:00 a.m. and headed west on the Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 1) through Savona to Cache Creek. After a few photo stops overlooking Kamloops Lake and some minor glitches starting Big Red, I stopped in Cache Creek to top up on gas for the leg of my ride between Cache Creek and Squamish through Lillooet, the Duffy Lake Road, Pemberton, and Whistler.
Maggie, the younger of Sue & Jim's two Schnauzers. She has quite a personality.
Kamloops Lake looking toward the east and Kamloops.
View to the northeast across Kamloops Lake.
Kamloops Lake
When I tried to start my motorcycle nothing happened except for a whine from the starter leading me to conclude that: a) my battery was failing (the simpler and easier problem to deal with) or b) my starter had a major issue (a generally more serious and expensive alternative).
I contacted the local towing service to get a jump start and after waiting for forty-five minutes the towing service guy arrived and boosted my battery. The starter still didn't turn the engine over so the next step was to call Don's Towing in Kamloops and have my bike trailered back to Kamloops H-D. By the time the tow truck arrived I had been waiting for more than two hours and by the time my bike was dropped off it had been almost four hours and a three hundred dollar towing bill from the time the starter failed. This with a temperature in the high 20s and me in my chaps and vest because I had no place to put my leathers.
The dealership was closed on Sunday so I checked in to the Super 8 close by. Shortly afterwards my friend Jim called and offered to pick me up. I was able to check out of the room for a reduced rate and spent the night at my friends' house.
The next morning we arrived at the dealership prior to its opening and were first in the door. The service writer put my bike at the head of the line for servicing. We left the dealership returning an hour later to find that the problem had been fixed and that my bike was ready to go. I can't say enough about the professionalism and high quality service that everyone in this dealership provides. I was dealt with as soon as possible and the repairs were done quickly and professionally. If I lived closer, this would be my favourite H-D dealer. Because I had previously purchased extended warranty service, the total cost was fifty-six dollars. And my warranty will cover most of the towing costs so the financial hit won't be too bad.
I left the dealership at 10:30 and decided to skip the route through Lillooet and Duffy Lake and take the Coquihalla Highway in order to save time and try to get home at a reasonably early time. The 'Coke' is a four lane freeway with a 110 kph speed limit so it is possible to make good time on it. The scenery here is equal to anything we saw on our trip. We live in an incredibly beautiful part of the world and this highway goes through some of the more outstanding parts of it.
On the Coquihalla Highway near the old toll booths.
The granite batholith near the summit of the Coquihalla.
A close up of the batholith
The batholith
On the Coquihalla
As beautiful as the mountains are this ride was about speed and moving fast in order to catch a ferry to Vancouver Island although I did stop to shoot video of a CP freight train on its way to Vancouver. After the quick run from Kamloops and a stop in Chilliwack to gas up, I was back on the road heading toward Horseshoe Bay. Traffic was moving surprisingly well and except for the section near the new Port Mann Bridge I was able to keep to the speed limit.
Crossing the Ironworkers' Memorial Bridge it was a relatively easy run to Horseshoe Bay where I arrived at 2:50, four hours and twenty minutes after leaving Kamloops. The ferry ride was uneventful although it was a beautiful sunny day and the coast was its usual spectacular self.
Near Nanaimo, BC
Looking northeast to the Coast Range near Nanaimo, BC
After stopping for dinner in Nanaimo I headed north. The ride from Nanaimo to Courtenay on the Inland Island Highway is fast and safe. I stopped at the A&W for a drink and found more than fifty bikes in the parking lot. At this A&W, Monday nights are bike nights and a large number of people show up with a wide variety of motorcycles to sit around and talk with other riders and check out their rides. I met several new people, including 'Lady Di' from Coombs. She rides an H-D trike and has quite a few tattoos. Unfortunately, I wasn't thinking and I didn't pull my camera out to get a few shots of the gathering.
After a gas stop I pushed on to Campbell River and home on the Old Island Highway. Closer to Campbell River the road runs by the Strait of Juan de Fuca (Salish Sea) and provides many spectacular views of the Coast Range across the water.
After two weeks away it was great to be approaching home. I arrived in my driveway at 8:00 p.m. after 529 kilometres, and after saying 'Hi' to Darlene, I unloaded my bike, parked it in the garage with a new load of smashed bugs on the fairing, ready to call it a day after putting on 4849 kilometres in just over two weeks.
Discovery Pier & the Powell River Queen, Campbell River, BC
The Coast Range behind Quadra Island from Campbell River, BC
Looking north over Chinese Mountain, Quadra Island, BC
Dusk in Campbell River, BC
Except for a few minor downpours and a relatively minor mechanical problem this was a great ride. Jim is a great guy to ride with and to spend time with off the road as well. After knowing each other for almost 39 years we finally had the opportunity to do a road trip together and it went very well. We saw a wide variety of country, met quite a selection of Americans in five different states, took roads that neither of us had ridden before, and generally had an outstanding time, although the 100+F. temperatures that we experienced for several days began to wear on us.
It's great to be home, but I'm already looking forward to doing another ride next summer although we haven't figured out just where yet. However, wherever it will be will be worthwhile. There's lots of places to go and see and I have a particularly warm spot for the American southwest. The open country, great roads, spectacular scenery and incredible geography makes it almost impossible not to go back.
And there's still lots of riding left to do this summer before the rains begin and it is time to put Big Red away for the winter once again.
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