After returning from a 9 day trip last night, I just want to give you all a little summary...
With a group of 5 riders total, #4Harleys1Honda, we left Langley on Sunday June 13.
We had a wet start, but the smiles in everyone's face were big and everyone was itching to leave the Lower Mainland.
We took Hwy 1 to Hope, then #3 to Princeton, where we stopped for lunch.
After lunch it was time to get rid of the rain gear and we kept following the #3 until Osoyoos.
Staying on the #3 until Rock Creek, where we sat up our camp for the night at "Rock Creek Riverside Campground".
At Rock Creek we had an amazing night. Lightning and thunder surrounded the valley and it went on for a couple of hours. We were lucky and only got rained on lightly and for a very short time. I never have experienced anything like this, it was spectacular.
The next morning, Monday, we packed up and took #33 to Kelowna. This time it started out differently than the day before: beautiful sunshine and then we got rained on hard on Kelowna's Westside Road.
Stop on the Westside Road before it got really wet...
We kept on going for 20mins in the rain until we decided it's a bit too much and found a spot to hide until this storm had passed.
The plan for Monday and Tuesday was to camp at Goldpanners Campground on #6 close to Cherryville.
Shortly after the storm we got a call from them, telling us they had no power and running water. We were a bit desperate for a hot shower after the rain and found a great deal for a hotel in Vernon.
It was sunny in Vernon all day Tuesday, but everywhere around us the weather apps said it's gonna be wet. So we decided to stay in Vernon, watched the soccer game (Germany vs France), and dried our gear out.
On Wednesday morning we left Vernon and followed #6 towards the Needles ferry and had 2 nights booked in Nakusp at Riders Retreat. What a great place! They rent out tents, a trailer and a bus. The tents are fully stocked and you don't have to bring anything. Great for riders on a sports bike who don't want to bring any camping gear.
We had the trailer and the bus booked and had a great time. Sitting around the fire with other riders, telling stories, good times were had.
Lunch at the Leland Hotel in Nakusp before we went to Riders Retreat
On Thursday morning my buddy and I didn't want to wait for the others to get ready, so we went ahead and visited a spot in Silverton we knew from last year and then head breakfast in New Denver. At the...
Photo stop in Silverton
The others met us there and then we took #31a towards Kaslo and stopped by a ghost town called Sandon. What a place, so much history. For more details just google it...
After visiting Sandon and learning about the history and the powerhouse, we got back to #31a, which is in the TOP 5 of Canada's roads, and kept going to Kaslo.
Relaxed lunch break in Kaslo with great parking.
And then came the best part... we had to go back #31a to get back to Riders Retreat
Another great night around the campfire...
Friday morning we got ready and then took the #6 to New Denver and then the #31a, again
to Kaslo, then #31 down to Balfour. Shortly before Balfour there is a campground called Toad Rock where we stayed for 2 nights.
What an amazing place!
We set up camp in a quiet area under the trees and started the fire to prepare dinner.
On Saturday morning 3 of us left for a nice loop.
We took the ferry from Balfour to Crawford Bay, the #3a to Creston for lunch.
I stopped at this place last year and thought it was good, apparently I played it down. My friends said it was the best Fish'n Chips they ever had!
1 piece Halibut with fries
2 pieces Cod with fries
From Creston we continued West on #3 and stopped at Kootenay Pass.
Then we took the #6 up North to Salmo and Nelson. In Nelson we stopped at the brewery to get enough hydration for another fun evening on the campground.
On Sunday morning we took the #3a down to Castlegar, then the #3 to Osoyoos and then up the #97 to Penticton where we stayed one last night at a hotel.
On the way to Penticton at Christina Lake
Viewpoint at Osoyoos
After a great night at the hotel it was time to pack up and start the ride home
From Penticton we took the Green Mountain Road, which then put us back to #3a to Keremeos. What a beautiful, twisty road!
Stop at Ford Lake
From Keremeos we took the #3 West and after Hedley we turned off and followed the Old Hedley Road to Princeton. We had to stop along the river and cool off, it was 33 degrees celsius / 92 fahrenheit.
After lunch in Princeton we followed the #3 to Hope and then #1 to Surrey.
And that's how fast 9 days can pass...
Great memories were made and we had an amazing time! We met the nicest and most interesting people!
I guess it's time to plan the next ride!
All in all we rode close to 2300km. Not the biggest of a ride, but a great vacation that will probably be repeated every year now.
