On day three of the journey we transitioned from Alberta to British Columbia. Highlights include a big mountain, waterfall, old train station and giant cedar trees.
Day three map of our ride across northern BC.
The morning started with us finally getting a view of Mount Robson which is the highest point in the Canadian Rockies. It has an elevation of 3,954 m (12,972 ft) at its highest point. Still plenty of snow up on the peak.
Before heading out for the day we stretched our muscles with a hike at a nearby waterfall.
After the waterfall we set off in search of breakfast and were directed to the McBride Train Station by a local. It was off the highway a little bit but we were told it was worth the detour.
They served breakfast and “way better than Tim Horton’s but cash only” the guy behind the counter claimed. He was correct as the food was fantastic and both he and the building were filled with character. Almost every square inch of the walls with filled with either train or local memorabilia. The man himself appeared to be around retirement age but apparently ran this restaurant, drove a logging truck, restored railway items and once he spotted our bikes also raced motorcycles. It was a darn good breakfast though.
McBride was founded along on mile 90 on the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway. The first station was built in 1913 but it burned down in 1918 and was rebuilt a year later as the current building.
There was also a model railway on site.
While trains still rumble by they now longer stop at this station.
Nearby was a wood caboose. According to the sign it was Canadian National # 79149 built in 1957 and one of the last wooden cabooses left.
The next stop along Yellowhead highway was at the Ancient Forest to see some giant cedar trees. It is actually the most inland rain-forest (800kms or 500 miles from the ocean) in the world. The larger trees are well over a thousand years old although exact dating is impossible with these particular trees since they have rotten cores.
The biggest tree in the area is five meters or sixteen feet in diameter at the base with an estimated age of two thousand years old.
There were lots and lots of bugs including these large butterflies. So big you can feel it when hitting one of these at speed.
Plenty of these imported Mitsubish Delica vans in British Columbia as well.
After the day’s five hundred or so kilometer ride we found an older timer in this 70s Ford F-series Ranger four wheel drive pickup truck.
We stopped for the night in Burns Lake where they had a free (nice!) campground on the lake.
Being so far north in the summer I do not think it got properly dark until 1am. I then woke up as it was fully bright at 4:30am. Unfortunately the birds also woke around this time and being on the lake they made themselves heard. This gave us an early start for the next day when we shoot for the coast.
The full trip log:
Road Trip: Part 1 – Preparation and Starting a 4,500km Road Trip on a 250cc Motorbike
Road Trip: Part 2 – Best Laid Plans on a 4,500km Road Trip on a 250cc Motorbike
Road Trip: Part 3 – Making up Time – 4,500km Road Trip on a 250cc Motorbike
Road Trip: Part 4 – The Miles Pile On Up North – 4,500km Road Trip on a 250cc Motorbike
Road Trip: Part 5 – Heading for the Coast – 4,500km Road Trip on a 250cc Motorbike
Road Trip: Part 6 – A Coastal Ferry Cruise – 4,500km Road Trip on a 250cc Motorbike
Road Trip: Part 7 – Vancouver Island and Rain – 4,500km Road Trip on a 250cc Motorbike
Road Trip: Part 8 – Rain, Rain and More Rain – 4,500km Road Trip on a 250cc Motorbike
Road Trip: Part 10 – Riding Nirvana – 4,500km Road Trip on a 250cc Motorbike
Road Trip: Part 12 – Beer, Dune Buggy and a Ferry – 4,500km Road Trip on a 250cc Motorbike
Road Trip: Part 13 – Finale – 4,500km Road Trip on a 250cc Motorbike
Great write up! Ah, the stretch between mcbride and Prince George.( P.G.). 212 km of nothing except moose and bush with nothing else. Used to drive this stretch occasionally, but rarely in winter, as there was little traffic and if you headed into the rhubarb you may not be found till spring or summer. Hwy 97 North was better in this regard.
I have really enjoyed reading about your motorcycle trip and am always looking forward to the next installment. My longest trip on a motorcycle was around 300 miles (each way) on a Honda CB550, back in the early eighties. As I recall the 300 miles took us around seven hours and we were pretty tired when we reached our destination. I know that we stayed on the back roads as much as possible as the CB550 was much more comfortable at 55-60 MPH than the 75 or so needed to run with traffic on the Interstates. There is much to said in favor of smaller, lighter bikes; many of today’s tourers are so heavy and ponderous that they have gotten away from what makes riding fun.
This excellent series is already rivaling the GBC for its beauty. Your photos are outstanding David. I suspect as much as you enjoyed the GB Challenge, this was more of a genuine vacation for you. Nice too, you enjoyed a break from the tourists.
I can still just remember when CN and CP still used the wooden cabooses.
When I was in elementary school, I used to order lots of mystery and science fiction paperbacks through the Scholastic Canada Book Club. I first learned of the community of Tete Jaune Cache, reading one of author John Green’s books on the alleged Sasquatch. Tete Jaune Cache being nearby to one of Canada’s most famous apparent sightings back in the 1950s.
http://www.bigfootencounters.com/classics/roe.htm
Of the towns you passed through on this leg, I vaguely remember PG from my 1987 trip, but we did stop at the Honda dealer in Vanderhoof to say “Hi”, as we did at most Honda shops along the way. Already by ‘87 their inventory was a mix of dirt bikes, ATC’s, mowers and blowers. Plus one Gold Wing. But no dual-sports like our XL’s, and disappointingly no sign of the new-to-Canada, not yet available in the US TransAlp, which would have been ideal for our trip. And no Civics or Accords either – it was Ford, GM and maybe Chrysler only in northern BC in those days. In fact mostly Ford.
Some great pictures, beautiful territory. Need to get the bike ready for next year. Been enjoying your trip reports, getting me motivated for more mountain road trips. Its been too long.
I’m really enjoying this series and your great shots, David!
Judging by you mentioning an expensive ferry ride that you didn’t want to miss and seeing where you’re heading, I’m pretty confident that I know the answer. I traveled to the same destination in July of 2014, but I went there from Vancouver, so I’ve used Hwy 97 to get to Prince George. I remember that I was really surprised how hot it was (+39° C) when I got to Prince George, but at least it was a dry heat. Most boring part of the trip was a ferry ride for seven hours, as it was raining the whole time. I also remember that by 10:30 PM it was just starting to get dark in Prince Rupert.
I love your photography and your trip! A beautiful part of the country.
Cool pictures never knew of the model train there