It looked like a great day for a ride.
I would have liked to have stayed another day at the Brookside Campground but the weather report was for rain the next day. So I wanted to beat it by leaving today for Prince George. The forecast for there was decreasing rain. So I booked a campsite there and got out of Dodge.
It was a bit nippy out so I put on a base layer. After breakfast in Clinton I put on my heated vest without the heat turned on. The clouds rolled in and it started to drizzle. No biggy. But the drizzle turned to rain. Then mother nature decided to add wind to the equation.
You know how things seem worse when you aren’t expecting it to happen? Well, I was expecting a nice ride and now I had rain, cold and wind.
By this time I had turned on the heat on my vest to “Max.” To get the full effect I leaned on my tank bag to press the vest and heat close to my body and to shield myself from the wind and rain.
On a positive note, it was the first test of the Klim Badlands jacket and pants in the rain. They worked great! I was completely dry. The same was true for my Held gloves!. The damage was more psychological than physical Grrrrrr. I took a break in the best psychological place I know – Starbucks ha ha. I have been making good use of the Starbucks Gift Card given to me by my co-workers as a going away gift. Thanks everyone!
By the time I got to the campsite in Prince George it was still raining. Setting up the tent in the rain, while soaked from the ride, was not my idea of fun. Even if I was going to lose my reservation deposit. Off to McDonalds to use the wi-fi to find a solution.
A quick check on Expedia revealed a hotel in my price range – YAY! I got a nice room at the Riviera City Centre Inn. Time to dry out, do laundry, charge electronics, and better prepare myself mentally for the rain. It was actually great for this to happen now. A bit of a baptism for what I am sure will be much greater hardships in the future.
Route for July 4, 2016.
Of course you went to Starbucks!!! Glad the gift card is coming in handy and that you were able to get out of the rain.
Brian, do you have enough room on the bike to keep adding Starbucks Mugs to your collection? Safe travels enjoying your posts
Ha ha ha ….not much room for anything! I am lucky when I can find a Starbucks. Just like being at home 🙂
Hi Brian: how far north are you going? sounds like you are “solo riding”? A couple of friends of mine just finished a trip that got them up to Inuvik and then back, via Demptser Highway. I was encouraged to go, but didn’t have proper bike. Cruisers are only good for asphalt riding. Is that your BMW bike that you are riding?
cheers, and safe driving Kurt
Hi Kurt! I am in Tok, Alaska, right now and am heading to get new off road tires on my bike and then heading up to Prudhoe Bay – the furthest you can go north on a vehicle. Inuvik would be awesome too … the furthest north you can go in Canada. I thought about doing both but I am not sure. Yeah I am riding a 2013, BMW 1200 GS. A lot of people on cruisers go to the Arctic Circle as their goal.