I press on to Purden Lake Provincial Park- lots of hills... When I got there, I set up camp and then of course the rain comes... No time to mess around and sightsee... I set up and hid in the tent and fell fast asleep...
This section is very scenic and wild...
This section is very scenic and wild...
July 20 (Purden Lake Prov. Park to McBride, 100.03mi/160.98km) - I did not intend to ride 100 miles today... My tent was wet, so I got up slowly and shook off my wet fly and got ready to hit the road when I met Gerald an old beekeeper who used to do a lot of touring in his prime... Nice fella. You wish me luck.
Few miles down the road I saw two black bears cross the highway... a truck honked to warn me of the first one. At first I thought he was just being a big jerk but then I realized it was a thing up here. A little while later in the Sugar Bowl Grizzly Den, I saw my fourth black bear.
About 10 miles into my ride it began to rain, then it began to dump. The skies opened up and torrential showers came up on me for about 2 hours. I was waiting for a rest area that never came...
Eventually, after 45 miles I arrived at the Ancient Forest where the rain subsided a bit and I took this opportunity to take a break. I decided not to hike through the Ancient Forest if I was to continue writing a long ways. This would just delay me even further. I sat at a picnic table near the entrance where I talked with a friendly bus driver who used to do some touring himself. He told me of LaSalle Recreation site between here and McBride where I could possibly shoot for. It often happens where I'm not quite sure where I will lay my head that night.
Oh Lord, please keep the rain from me... Well, he had other plans in mind... It rained on me even more so as I left the Ancient Forest. Amaya later I passed the Ancient Forest campground and stopped at a rest area at last.
Keep on pedaling - keep on pedaling
Bicycle touring is 90% mental and 10% physical. Today I had to make sure that 90% was as sharp as ever.
I came to LaSalle Recreation site with 2.5 hours left until McBride and had a decision to make-to camp or to ride. In the end, I decided to ride and it ended up being a great decision. McBride is so far away. It rained at the entire way... Cold and wet to the Bone! As I reached town I saw a deer and pulled into a gas station and got a hot coffee to get warm. As I was getting my bearings, it was reaching at 9 p.m. so I headed for Beaver View RV Park and Campground. I decided, after paying for a tent site but I didn't really want to camp in the rain again after such a long day. Therefore I decided to spend the night in the laundry room and took a warm shower and dried off with my wet towel. I put on wet clothes and crawled in my warm sleeping bag... Good night folks. I spent 10 hours in the saddle today, 100 miles, my bike broke 18,000 miles... The minimum mileage requirement to bike around the world!
July 21 (McBride to Mt. Robson Provincial Park, 50.18mi/80.75km) - This morning was a slow start. After getting up and moving around, there was a French couple that enter the laundry room to do some laundry. I was also going out some of my clothes from the previous day. I offered some coins to them because they were running low. I forgot to dry my gloves out and so I put them in with the French couples clothes ! After I gathered my gear together on my bicycle, RV Park employee enter the laundry room... First time since I arrived! I sure dodged a bullet there.
Long and dreary... 50 miles of monsoon weather! Make it stop!! Please! After drying my clothes out this morning I started my ride at 11 a.m. now it was on to Mount Robson! Rain and rain and rain and rain and rain... Did I mention there was rain? So much cold and wet, cold, wet, wet and cold... Shiver, shiver! There was no place to stop... Just paddling away prepaid. Down the road... Down the highway... Keeping the perfect circles rolling.
I passed Dunster, Croydon, and Tete Jean Cache Junction, where Richard from Royston had told me there was a campsite / resort there years ago that had amazing dinners... but in light of the weather and my situation, I pressed forward, rode past and was about to start up the Rockies. I'm getting close... It's still raining. This rivals the Oregon Coast Monsoon of May 2005!
Rearguard Falls is the last point where salmon migrate to from the Pacific Ocean... It has a huge volume of water! Quite the site!
I continued to follow the Fraser River.
I finally came to Mount Robson Park!! The visitor center is closed but I setup camp cross the way at Robson Meadows campground and took a shower. Then I asked the guy about Berg Lake, a bit after I returned from the shower. Berg Lake is a long hike that I told to be sure to be able to do once I am there. But I did learn up that it's pretty much an overnight trip, and seeing what I have been through, I would settle for Kinney Lake which is just as magnificent. I slept my wearied body.
July 22 (Mt. Robson Prov. Park - Hike to Kinney Lake, 00.00mi/00.00km) - It was amazing to rest from the bike today yeah, but the hike just about did me in... I really wanted to hike to Berg Lake but I realized it was way too far and my knee wouldn't let me. Kinney Lake had some magnificent views itself... It was maybe a two-hour hike to get there, my left knee started to act up. I don't know what the deal is. I can ride a bike fine, but walking or hiking is another story... I may get it checked out when I get home.
Man, Mount Robson is incredible... It has some magnificent views. It is the highest mountain in the Canadian Rockies. What a Peak it is. Lots of great pictures are on my camera!
After the return trip back, I rewarded myself with some coconut and peanutella gelato! So yum! I contacted some warm showers using the spotty Wi-Fi from The Visitor Center. Then I went back to camp and rested my weary legs and bones for the upward battle to Jasper tomorrow.
July 23 (Mt. Robson Prov. Park to Whistlers Campground, Jasper National Park, 58.57mi/94.25km) - After passing Moose Lake and Yellowhead Lake I came to Overlander Falls which was pretty amazing. British Columbia has a ton of water volume.
I climbed Red Pass before entering the East Portal. Apparently I didn't see any sign for the continental divide or the famous Yellowhead Pass. I am now leaving BC and entering Alberta... Setting my clocks ahead one hour! I'm entering Jasper National Park.
After just over 1,000 km, I leave the Yellowhead Highway behind me and turn my sights toward the Icefields Parkway. I enter Jasper Town site and go to the park headquarters and end up purchasing an annual Parks pass which I thought included camping... Dumb... It's all a money maker... But I will be in the parks for about 7 days so I guess it was worth it... Then I filled up water at Subway, bought groceries and had some Tim Hortons, which has become a staple up here.
I camped at Whistler's Campground right outside town. A man happily let me camp with him at his walk-in site, when he saw the rangers almost denied me passage.
There was a thunderstorm that night!! Hoorah!
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