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A 2.5 day motorcycle trek to the interior.
Sept 4 to 6, 2020
Our Leg-2 Lunch Stop - Goldpan Provincial Park, on the South Thompson river
Leg One
North Vancouver to Hope
Rather than take the fast way (Highway 1), we took the scenic way: Highway 7, with a planned stop at Kanaka Creek.
The Kanaka Creek park is built around this "Oxbow" that got pinched off, connecting it back to the mainland.
Where the Kanaka creek joins the Fraser. We didn't notice the rude sand-drawing until 3 days later.
A few segments of the ride through the open roads past Deroche (click to play video)
Hope BC, our Leg-1 destination, is where the original Rambo movie was filmed. Initially this was a boon for the tourist industry there. But by the late 1980s, the city
was doing everything it could to change its image. This Beatle-Flower-Pot is the only remaining piece of art from that campaign.
The "Beatle-Bug Flower Pot" is the only art left from the late 80's campaign to make Hope seem more "peaceful"
A Japanese restaurant that specializes in Fried Chicken. Yes, my Chicken Terriyaki was battered and deep fried.
Leg Two
Hope to Kamloops
The second leg took us up the Fraser Canyon to Lytton, then along the South Thompson river to Ashcroft and finally to Kamloops. Along the way we stopped at 3 Provincial Parks, and even went for a dip in the Thompson.
Hope to Kamloops. Again, the scenic route. Note the quick route.
Alexandra Bridge was the original Fraser crossing in the canyon. Now it is a Provincial Park with fantastic views of the canyon.
Entering and riding along the Fraser Canyon (click to play video)
We lunched at Goldpan Provincial Park. It was hot enough that Janine contemplated getting into the Thompson river.
Along the way we, almost accidentally, ended up at the little community of Spences Bridge. Turned out to be a charming little place, with a motel, nice cafe, and the cutest little general store.
The Baits Motel at Spences Bridge. But the people seemed so nice.
Janine braved the waters of the Thompson River at Juniper Beach Provincial Park.
Janine couldn't quite get into the water. And it really wasn't that cold!
Leg Three
Kamloops to North Vancouver
We had a long way to go, and only 1 day to do it in, so there was no choice but to include the Coquihalla Hwy. But we decided to do the first part along Highway 5A - which only added 20 minutes to the trip, and what a good decision that turned out to be.
Kamloops back home. This time we didn't have the luxury of the scenic route. But we cheated a little and took Hwy 5A for part of it.
Hwy 5A was a motorcycle dream road. Scenic and winding and all to ourselves.
Hwy 5A, heading South towards Nicola Lake
The Quilchena General Store & Gas Station, in the Western shore of Nicola Lake, is a very scenic little pullout.
After Merrit, we followed the GPS to Coldwater River Provincial Park. We ended up in the middle of a mostly-paved side road when the GPS said "You have arrived". We saw no signs or any other indication
that we were in a provincial park, but eventually we found some camp-sites along a river (Coldwater river?). It was a pretty spot, but fully occupied. We had a quick lunch and rode the rest of the way home.
Our lunch stop at the unmarked Coldwater River Provincial Park