A Ride in the Canadian Countryside |
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bb49
Falcone Joined: 26 Mar 2017 Location: Kamloops, CAN Status: Offline Points: 36 |
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Posted: 03 May 2017 at 04:17 |
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I brought the Norge home a month ago and up until now had put less than
600 km on her. Shameful! The weather was crappy and April was a
complete write-off.
But May is looking better and today was to be the best day this year, so it was time for a ride. And that meant my favourite, Highway 5A. Kamloops, BC to Princeton, BC. From my house it's exactly 200 km to Princeton. But a little pre-ride work has to be done first. The tires are low. After a brief stop at Costco for gas/petrol, we're off. First stop is the entrance to Stump Lake Ranch, est. 1883. A large cattle ranch, but not the biggest. Douglas Lake Cattle Ranch is the largest in Canada and it butts up against Stump Lake Ranch. A little further down Hwy 5a is endless miles of rolling hills, lakes and cattle country. The old (for us) Quilchena Hotel, 1905. It is owned by the Douglas Lake Cattle Ranch. http://www.douglaslake.com/quilchena.html Past the town of Merritt, the countryside changes. We leave behind the open pastures, the road becomes twistier and the hills close in on us. Corners ahead! Some people call these places Dude Ranches. http://www.apguestranch.com/index.htm And then it's lunch time. My destination, Princeton, B.C. Always a good burger at A & W. Btw, on the last 60 km leading into Princeton, I met no more than 50 other vehicles. One of the reasons this is a favourite riding road. Just outside of Princeton is their airport. This is all I saw of it. Possibly the last plane to land here! Heading back north, one of the many lakes. I'm not even sure of it's name. An old log church on the shores of Nicola Lake. It services an Indian Reserve. Nicola Lake with cattle country in the background. The Nicola Valley. Stump Lake. At least I think it is! Shumway Lake And after a long day of riding, a cool one is deserved. A great day of riding. Exactly 400 kms there and back. And now I have 1000 km on the Norge since I bought it a few weeks ago. This was the ride I needed. After riding a 1800 Gold Wing for 150,000 km, it's been a bit of an adjustment moving to the Norge. But this ride, and a few more should have us getting along just fine. Edited by bb49 - 03 May 2017 at 04:28 |
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Al in Kamloops
IBA #38705 GWRRA #180304 |
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Barry
Senior Member Joined: 02 Mar 2015 Location: Oxford Status: Offline Points: 2811 |
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Nice. Thanks for sharing!
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Rollo
Senior Member Joined: 11 Oct 2016 Location: UK Status: Offline Points: 175 |
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Thank you for sharing. Great to get a window on the Canadian scenery. Bet you carry a puncture repair kit!
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Safety Chris
Senior Member Joined: 03 Mar 2017 Location: Shropshire Status: Offline Points: 137 |
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Very interesting. Unless you were in the highlands, you would be lucky to get 400 km of traffic free riding in the UK!
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Roadrunner
Senior Member Joined: 06 Jun 2014 Location: East Yorkshire Status: Offline Points: 411 |
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Thankyou for sharing😊 nice photo's
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PaulW
Senior Member Joined: 19 Apr 2017 Location: Deal Status: Offline Points: 134 |
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Looks great. Having bought my Breva last week, feeling frustrated at working so much this week and mostly only riding it to work. Looking at your photos and then looking at the pouring rain outside, not jealous at all!
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Oldrat
Senior Member Joined: 31 May 2014 Location: Harrow Status: Offline Points: 1659 |
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I enjoyed that, thanks for taking the trouble to post.
I stopped overnight in Kamloops traveling on the Rocky Mountaineer a couple of years back. Canada - What a wonderful country |
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1976 "Zagato" Gootsi cafe racer
BMW GSA |
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bb49
Falcone Joined: 26 Mar 2017 Location: Kamloops, CAN Status: Offline Points: 36 |
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If you are referring to the gravel surfaces seen in a number of pictures, it's not that bad. Our highways have a lot of sand/fine gravel/salt put on them in the winter. This particular stretch of road had just been swept clean this week and the surface was excellent. It was some of the pullout and side roads that hadn't been cleaned yet. But I do have to upgrade my old puncture repair kit. Thanks for the reminder! |
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Al in Kamloops
IBA #38705 GWRRA #180304 |
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bb49
Falcone Joined: 26 Mar 2017 Location: Kamloops, CAN Status: Offline Points: 36 |
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Did you wave when you went past? Well I just happened to drag my butt out of bed early this morning, 7 am, just on time to see the Banff bound Rocky Mountaineer go by. I believe this was either their first or second day of the new season. I can see the main rail line from my house, less than 400 metres away. |
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Al in Kamloops
IBA #38705 GWRRA #180304 |
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PaulW
Senior Member Joined: 19 Apr 2017 Location: Deal Status: Offline Points: 134 |
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I'm assuming you're the same Oldrat from the VFR forum? I remember someone having a Guzzi there! |
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Oldrat
Senior Member Joined: 31 May 2014 Location: Harrow Status: Offline Points: 1659 |
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As it happens, we did loads of waving from the foot plate as we went through built up areas. ISTR that we just stayed the one night before getting going again in the morning. Great train ride, but we ducked out of the upgrades which were exorbitant. What a wonderful place to live eh.
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1976 "Zagato" Gootsi cafe racer
BMW GSA |
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Oldrat
Senior Member Joined: 31 May 2014 Location: Harrow Status: Offline Points: 1659 |
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I'm not too far from here, Londoners don't generally wave Ooops - lost me picture
Edited by Oldrat - 03 May 2017 at 20:42 |
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1976 "Zagato" Gootsi cafe racer
BMW GSA |
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johnno
Senior Member Joined: 19 Jul 2014 Location: loughborough uk Status: Offline Points: 5582 |
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Very enjoyable
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1100 sport corsa , Yam R1, guzzi 650tt rider
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