In this installment we have more mountains, another ferry but the highlight might just be the visit to the world’s largest collection of Brill trolley buses. If that is not enough also the oldest, still in continuous use piece of machinery in Canada. This might be my favorite day out of the whole trip.
The map for the tenth day. Less kilometers today but it includes a ferry ride which slows progress.
The previous night we had camped by the lake in Kelowna. Our company from the previous night had invited us over to their trailer for breakfast but was not yet up so we left a note and prepared to hit the road.
In the morning I noticed that my chain guard was rattling going over the campsite speed bumps. I stopped, investigated and discovered that a bolt holding the guard had dropped off at some point allowing it to flap around a bit. I felt without that bolt it was better to have the guard off so I strapped it to the back of the bike wrapped in a garbage bag to hopefully contain any dirt and grease.
Before leaving Kelowna we stopped for breakfast before heading over to a nearby a mini-mall. My riding partner needed some underwear and t-shirts as he had burnt through all his clean stuff. While he shopped I took a look at the hardware store next door to source a replacement bolt. No such luck as it was more of a woodworking tool oriented place and they did not have any suitable hardware. There was a classic Dodge Charger outside however so that was a nice bonus.
Quite a few grapes and vineyards in this area. Sampling the wares and riding is probably not a good combination so we kept moving.
Thankfully we were off the main highway again and on to some nice winding bits. We came across this fantastic sign at Cherryville next to the golf course. I know that Russian Borscht is a food but with live music below it I want it to be a musical act. Either heavy metal or a polka band seems most suitable somehow. At ten days in I am starting to grow a little bit of a beard which proved annoyingly itchy at times. Another guy on a bike passed by, saw us hamming it up for the camera with this sign and turned around himself to have a go.
In the same parking lot was this very nice condition Suzuki Samurai.
Amazingly this 1947 Studebaker M16 was also in the same location.
It looked nicely restored for a vehicle retired to sign duty.
It has no doubt carried heavier loads than the sign, a barrel of hay and this classic Honda gas tank. Anyone recognize the bike it was sourced from? A dirt bike perhaps?
We rode up and down another high mountain pass full of fantastic road, lakes and views.
There were a few other bikes out enjoying the scenery. Mostly larger groups of Harley style cruisers or smaller groups and singles of adventure bikes.
My Chinese moped bags had started to sag a bit on either side. They obviously were not designed with this sort of trip in mind so I hoped they could complete the whole thing. I had backpack as a plan of last resort in case they failed.
After 10 days and getting a bit wet with rain at certain points my towel did not smell fresh anymore. I strapped it to the back of the bike hoping to air it out. (Spoiler alert – it did not work).
After completing the mountain pass we had another small ferry to travel on to nearby Fauquier.
We lucked out with the timing and did not have long to wait. During the ride a local entertained us with tales of his nearby cottage. Before they retired they had a long term renter that lived there. He paid his bills and was very private. After he moved out and they used it as a weekend cottage they keep getting inquiries at the door to buy drugs.
We continued along the lake until it was time to tackle another smaller mountain pass.
Along the way we came across a sign that said “Tourist Attraction” at a right turn. Uncharacteristically we were not behind on today’s schedule so we went for it. The sign neglected (or we missed it which is more likely) to identify what it was or how far but this is what road trips are all about so we set down the dirt/gravel road.
After what seemed like quite a distance (both my bike and I are not super confident on gravel) we came across an inactive mine. Silver, I believe. Surely this was not it. The road continued so we did as well.
I am glad we persevered as we eventually came to one of my favorite places on the whole trip. The ghost town of Sandon.
There are a few remaining buildings left from the town’s peak but after a flood in 1955 caused it to be mostly abandoned.
There are a handful of residents left however.
The old City Hall was converted to a school when the town went bankrupt. The building is being slowly restored with the lower floors having a gift shop and information center inside currently. The upper floors are still a work in progress.
The whole town was a museum essentially and was to be run by one enthusiastic family. They noted that they do not receive any government funding which is surprising.
This 1951 Chevrolet 1300 pickup truck had been used by one of the long term residents of Sandon. After his passing it joined as an exhibit in the town and ensured that the truck continues to live out its whole life in the local area.
The formal museum had just closed up for the day but the center piece of the town is a power generating station which we could still visit.
We were told that this is the oldest, still in use piece of machinery in Canada. Amazingly the power generator in Sandon, BC is still on its original bearings. Water from the top of the mountain is dropped down chutes to power the turbine. With such a large drop and thus pressure that relatively little water is required.
The caretaker himself was working outside the generator building and we had a good chat with him.
A stationary engine that was used to supplement the power generator at the height of Sandon’s population. No longer in use.
All sorts of vintage items inside such as this Wright saw.
The whole town was built over top of this creek.
There were a few old Kenworths were around as well.
And a train. Built in 1908 at Montreal Locomotive Works.
Sandon is also home to the largest collection of Brill trolley buses in the world. These were built in Canada during the 1940s and 1950s. They were collected from various cities in western Canada including Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton and Winnipeg.
The Brill buses and Sandon are worthy of their own write-up but for now more information at their website. http://www.sandonmuseum.ca/
For further reading on Brill see Jim Brophy’s post Bus Stop Classics: Canadian Car and Foundry “C”and “T” Series Urban Transit Coaches – They Outlasted Their American Counterparts
The next installment starts with scenic Kaslo, BC.
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
Very interesting! On a side note, my business is rotating equipment maintenance, and once I asked our pump representative how old of equipment they generally see in their service center, and the oldest is from about the thirties. It really does seem that our “modern” standards of reliability arose after precision machining and superfinish came about such that that ancient generator is quite a rarity.
The fuel tank is from a 1975-6 (at least in the US) Honda CB200T street bike, distinctive for the padding on top, which is remarkably well-preserved on this example. The other novel feature of this bike was a cable operated front disk, at a time when most entry bikes still had cable operated drums, or were migrating to hydraulic disk.
Thanks – I knew someone would know! Cable operated disks has to be fairly rare.
Wonderful! I love running across places like this, where folks have committed to keeping an old mining or lumber camp as preserved as possible. We’ve stumbled into a few in our travels over the years. There’s a fair number in Eastern Oregon.
One thing is certain: they didn’t drive those Brill buses there!
We just got back from a five day trip in our van, so I’m going to have to do some catching up on your travels. I’m going to use it as a guide when we head up to that part of the world.
Sandon is definitely place to stop if you have the time and are nearby. It might be my favourite spot for the whole trip.
From Sandon you can take the Idaho Peak Road up to a trailhead for a 2-3 hour walk along a mountain ridge trail with great views. Part of the trail is on StreetView. A great afternoon excursion.
The busses are very cool. Many of them are from Vancouver – who knows how they got them all up there. The ‘Fraser’ bus at the front of the line-up pic is the route that runs about half a block from my house. 🙂
By the way, about your chain guard bolt: both of my Suzuki’s had similar problems: the VStrom lost the rear bolt within a few days of my buying it, and the DR650 had a broken front tab (where it’s welded to the swing arm) when I bought it. In both cases a few skinny zip ties, fastened together to create sufficient length, saved the day. I always carry a bunch of zip ties and wire for reattaching things on my bikes … those plus small visegrips get used more than wrenches and other hand tools. I always carry a short length of duct tape, too, but have rarely used it. Zip ties FTW.
I actually had zip ties on me. Didn’t think to use them that way.
Another side note; Sandon was home for interned Japanese in the early ’40’s. The winters were brutal with no sunlight because of the high mountains, so some were dispersed to other centers. Love your trip and writing!
I could definitely see that lack of sunlight in winter. They apparently get massive snow in the winter as well.
What a great find this little town was. Photography is excellent as well. Really enjoying this series. dman is correct on the gas tank, good eye!
I’m struggling to id the bike on the Cheeryville sign. The tank says Honda but it doesn’t have the look of a Honda engine to me. Maybe an XJ or a GS? Anyone?
I am thinking early 80’s CB750 custom
My first thought was some Honda 750 Custom, but I think one of those would still have Comstar wheels, and these look cast. My guess is a Suzuki GS550L, but unlike with the CB200T fuel tank, I’m not confident.
They sure look like Comstar wheels to me. Maybe the reason it doesn’t look like a Honda motor is the angle, shooting from below accentuates the cam covers. Look at the bright line along the bottom of the seat.
Yep, all the details look spot on. Maybe the cam covers got hit with a spray can as well?
Good eye.
Wow! I’ll be making a photo adventure trip to Sandon for sure!
It is definitely a must visit destination.
Hi David,
I am enjoying reading about your road trip.
Bigger bike in your future?
Cheers!
We visited Sandon in 1990, and as I recall they were at about the same stage of getting that old city hall/schoolhouse restored. But the trolley buses are a new addition!
That whole region is fascinating. Loving your travelogue!
Most excellent, and like Paul I am taking notes for future AB travel.
And there’s another Hamilton connection! Although they left town in 1997 the plant is still there, run by Siemens for a while and now split between various smaller company.
It’s a pity you didn’t go through much that was scenic on this trip.
There’s a large “wow” factor for someone from a dry and largely flat country. Oz has mountains, sure, but nothing on the endless scale (or height) of what you’ve shown here, let alone the beauteous and bountiful waters. Gorgeous.
Sandon is a wonder. Here, nowhere near as remote, Google the mountain town of Walhalla (about 150 miles from Melbourne, Vic). Very similar set-up, with a narrow-gauge train partly working too. Site of a very productive gold mine 100 years ago. Now a lot more prettified than when I was a kid, it famously, it didn’t have electricity at all until the ’80’s. And rather oddly, there’s a Sandon in Victoria too (a friend lives there), though it consists now of nothing but a lovely sandstone church, all else disappearing when the gold did.
What a great series this is.
You went right through my backyard David, and highway 6 (Vernon to Needles) is a must do for any motorcycle enthusiast. I’m glad your trip included that route.
Cherryville is quite a unique community. The back roads have many more classics hidden in the trees
You’ve inspired me to get the old KLR out for sure next year!