July 23rd 2023 – Prince George, BC

It was yet another beautiful morning when we said goodbye to Mike and his lovely family.

We pointed the bikes west towards the mountains and one of the most famous roads in North America – The Icefields Parkway. It didn’t disappoint!

We hadn’t booked any accommodation and had been warned that it could prove very difficult to find a place to stay. Early afternoon we started looking. The first 2 campsites we passed were fully booked. 3rd time’s the charm and at Rampart Creek Campground we get the last available spot.

We put up camp and walk down to the river to cool down and wash the sweat off. The water was freezing cold (not a surprise considering that it’s meltwater from the glaciers). It required determination to get in, but we managed and afterwards it felt great.

Back at the camp we consume some beef jerky, nuts and granola bars for dinner.
After much consideration we decided not to bring cooking gear on this trip. None of us are particularly fond of neither cooking nor washing dishes. The days we plan on camping we eat a proper lunch during the day and settle for something simple and cold in the evening. So far we’ve been happy with that solution.

Later in the evening while I sat at the table and Katrine was in the tent, we suddenly heard the shout: “BEAR IN CAMP” repeated several times. Minutes later a Black Bear appeared at the edge of the trees maybe 50 feet/15 meters from where I sat. It paused and looked up at me before it continued its foraging through the forest. It stayed in the area for a while circling our tent before leaving. Everyone in the campsite was very alert – not least Katrine – while the bear was around. I stayed at the table, took my precautions and enjoyed the experience. What else could I do?

We broke camp at first light. It was an extraordinarily beautiful morning.

The roads were still mostly empty as we continued north. We parked at Columbia Icefield and walked to the edge of the glacier. We had it all to ourselves.

We stop for fuel and brunch in Jasper. As we are getting ready to leave I received a message from Kelly (@GISdood). He offered to host us in Prince George the same night. Thank you very much!

The riding became less interesting as we traveled into BC. The roads were now surrounded by farmland. At Dunster we noticed a sign saying Farmers Market. We pulled in. Everyone present were locals and chatty – from Mennonites to Mexicans. It was a fun, quirky and charming experience.

As Prince George appeared on the horizon the sky turned dark and menacing. As we reached Kelly’s house, the wind picked up violently, breaking small branches of the trees and hurling them through the air. We had only just parked the bikes in the garage when the rain started pouring down.

Kelly had another traveler staying. It was Mez that we had met a couple of times before. Bill was no longer with him. They had split up a few days earlier.
Tyler’s mother and her husband Dave lived in the basement of the house.
All of us went out for dinner at a pub. It was still raining so we took the car. The food was amazing!