Outstanding scenery along a perfect motorcycling road, plentiful wild game viewing and … cold defined today.
It was 41 degrees Fahrenheit (5 Celcius) when we set out this morning and shortly thereafter we came to a wide area of colder air so we put on our rain gear to try to slow the flow of chilling air against the body. A couple hours later we stopped for potty, food and warmth and I dug into my saddle bags for woolen long johns, long sleeve undershirt and balaclava. Julia was smarter: she began the ride with most of that on. For a couple of hours in the afternoon it warmed up some but by the time we were approaching Summit Lake it got really cold – colder than in the morning – and stayed cold all the way to the hotel in Fort Nelson, BC.
Within the first twenty minutes of the ride we saw a young black bear meandering toward the tree line alongside the road. Later we ran into several herds of buffaloes (bisons). I missed the best picture: a large bull was lying down on the opposite shoulder of the road so when I got close I prepared to take a photo of him. Taking a photo while rolling slow is not easy because both hands are needed for the bike ( gas and clutch). Anyway I managed to get rolling with the camera held between my teeth ready to take it with the left hand and snap a shot as I went by. Things were going well: the buffalo even got up and stood sideways! I juggled the camera –try doing this with the left hand in a winter glove – and generally aimed at him and clicked. You cannot see what you aim fo because the hand hides the screen because the clicker is on the right. But I could not miss; such a huge creature so close. As I rode clear I noticed that the camera was not turned on!
At one point, I noted brake marks on the road and thought that potentially there could be moose in the area, and there was: one cow feeding in a pond. Later in three separate occasions we saw small groups of cariboos. Eventually to crown it all we came onto a young adult black bear on the side of the road (the camera was in the top case!).
I have tried to do justice to the scenery with some pictures but it falls short of the splendor of this stretch of the Rocky Mountains. The road follows fast flowing, milky green rivers and clear lakes, goes up and down valleys, climbs to summits and generally does its best to position scenery attractively for the rider. It was a long delight: 335 miles.
It was 41 degrees Fahrenheit (5 Celcius) when we set out this morning and shortly thereafter we came to a wide area of colder air so we put on our rain gear to try to slow the flow of chilling air against the body. A couple hours later we stopped for potty, food and warmth and I dug into my saddle bags for woolen long johns, long sleeve undershirt and balaclava. Julia was smarter: she began the ride with most of that on. For a couple of hours in the afternoon it warmed up some but by the time we were approaching Summit Lake it got really cold – colder than in the morning – and stayed cold all the way to the hotel in Fort Nelson, BC.
Within the first twenty minutes of the ride we saw a young black bear meandering toward the tree line alongside the road. Later we ran into several herds of buffaloes (bisons). I missed the best picture: a large bull was lying down on the opposite shoulder of the road so when I got close I prepared to take a photo of him. Taking a photo while rolling slow is not easy because both hands are needed for the bike ( gas and clutch). Anyway I managed to get rolling with the camera held between my teeth ready to take it with the left hand and snap a shot as I went by. Things were going well: the buffalo even got up and stood sideways! I juggled the camera –try doing this with the left hand in a winter glove – and generally aimed at him and clicked. You cannot see what you aim fo because the hand hides the screen because the clicker is on the right. But I could not miss; such a huge creature so close. As I rode clear I noticed that the camera was not turned on!
At one point, I noted brake marks on the road and thought that potentially there could be moose in the area, and there was: one cow feeding in a pond. Later in three separate occasions we saw small groups of cariboos. Eventually to crown it all we came onto a young adult black bear on the side of the road (the camera was in the top case!).
I have tried to do justice to the scenery with some pictures but it falls short of the splendor of this stretch of the Rocky Mountains. The road follows fast flowing, milky green rivers and clear lakes, goes up and down valleys, climbs to summits and generally does its best to position scenery attractively for the rider. It was a long delight: 335 miles.
1 comment:
Q) What is the difference between a buffalo and a bison?
A) You can't wash your hands in a buffalo !!!!!
Errol
xxx
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