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Retrieving My Ride

Greatly anticipated, my final chapter of the #Tour2017. I waited patiently over the winter to pick the right time to retrieve my ride (Little Shasta). Did you know the some of the highways need winter tires in March and late in April in BC? Well, let me tell you that watching the “DriveBC” road conditions is not only helpful, it was like playing roulette without spending money. I had to plan a route that did not take me through snow. I was planning to hit the Southern route with Hwy 3 to visit some friends, but on the day I was to travel, snowstorm warnings was in effect on Hwy 3, 5 and 97. Well that blew my plans going to Kelowna and Fernie. The decision to head home was now in play. Using the DriveBC site’s webcam feature was most excellent. I plotted a route on the ferry once I hit the mainland, I was to take the Trans Canada Hwy 1 which lead me through a gorgeous Fraser Canyon.

This route was nice a dry but cool, it was hovering around 8C, but way better than Hope BC where it was raining and windy. It was definitely the pick of the day. I will have to come through here again, the Coquihalla is just boring.

Knowing I will be staying in Kamloops overnight, I took my time cruising this beautiful valley. Letting others pass me was not an issue, I wonder why take this route if you are in a rush? There would have been more stopping if I trusted the weather to cooperate, remember I needed to avoid snow.

Stopping at this picturesque place, I wished why can’t the whole year be like this? I just fell in love with my little Shasta all over again.

From Kamloops back to Jasper was a wee colder, keeping in touch with friends back in Jasper and asking about the road conditions by the hour was keeping my confidence high for a snow free return. Going over some higher elevations dropped the temperature to 3C and that gave me an urgency to rush a little bit, specially when you see snow on the sides.

Other motorists probably was thinking what a weirdo riding around in these conditions.

Making it home snow free. A bittersweet return as the snow dropped another 7cm the next day, making my little Shasta stay under wraps for a little while yet. This season is going to be epic! Time to put my ski back on again.

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