Summer brings the need for vacation and in my opinion the best way to enjoy some extended time off is a tour on two wheels. My wife (Sheila) and I had two weeks off but we needed to be back in Calgary for both Thursdays so we had to work this into our plans. This made us split our plans in two and as it turns out, we had two distinct parts for each half of our vacation.
Act I - Part I
We had a leisurely start on a Friday morning. We headed south-west of Calgary past High River and Nanton, then across to Highway 22 and all the way down to Crowsnest Pass. Highway 22 is not my favorite highway but options are limited to go west from Calgary. It’s often very windy and heavily traveled, but this morning it was a joy. No wind and light traffic allowed us to enjoy the mountain views as they rolled by.
A few years back we discovered a little café in Crowsnest Pass called the Cinnamon Bear. Since then we have been unable to drive by without stopping in. Fresh soup, baking, coffee and cinnamon buns make this a great place to take a break from the road and this morning was no different. Fresh scones, chili and coffee provided fuel for the rest of our days travel.
As we continued west into BC, the temperature steadily rose. By the time we got near our destination of Creston BC, the temperature gauge on the motorcycle was reading 34C. In full motorcycle gear this is simply hot. As we passed through Cranbrook, Sheila let me know it was time for a break. Having traveled this road a few times I knew of a nice rest stop by a creek was coming up, but in the heat it seemed to take forever to reach it. When we finally got there we quickly got out of all out gear and had a much needed cool down in the clear cool water of the creek. Refreshed we made our final run for the day to Creston.
A few years back we discovered a little café in Crowsnest Pass called the Cinnamon Bear. Since then we have been unable to drive by without stopping in. Fresh soup, baking, coffee and cinnamon buns make this a great place to take a break from the road and this morning was no different. Fresh scones, chili and coffee provided fuel for the rest of our days travel.
As we continued west into BC, the temperature steadily rose. By the time we got near our destination of Creston BC, the temperature gauge on the motorcycle was reading 34C. In full motorcycle gear this is simply hot. As we passed through Cranbrook, Sheila let me know it was time for a break. Having traveled this road a few times I knew of a nice rest stop by a creek was coming up, but in the heat it seemed to take forever to reach it. When we finally got there we quickly got out of all out gear and had a much needed cool down in the clear cool water of the creek. Refreshed we made our final run for the day to Creston.
Cooling off in a mountain creek
The next day was just a short ride but the route was new for us. From Creston we rode west to Salmo and then north to Castlegar and on to our final destination for this part of our trip; near Nelson BC. Clear skies and light traffic made this a most enjoyable ride. Mountain views and road side diversions added to the experience. We ended our travels for the day with a little excitement. We were staying with some relatives and their driveway is one of the steepest that I have had the pleasure of riding up. As we were coming up the steepest part I could just feel the front wheel lift off the gravel and then seconds later, land softly as we stopped for the day.
Once we got to Nelson we had a no ride day and we decided to spend part of it climbing to the top of Pulpit Rock in Nelson. At 1.8 km this is not a long hike but with a 300 meter elevation gain it is a challenge. The reward for the effort is an amazing view of Nelson and the mountains that surround it.
Nelson from Pulpit Rock
Act I - Part II
Toad Rock is also hosting a OAA Class is August that I will be taking
From the family visit we moved down the road a short way to Toad Rock Motorcycle Campground only to discover a new family. Toad Rock is a campground that really needs to be experienced to understand but I will try to describe it as best I can. The heart and soul of Toad Rock is Mary Laird. Before Toad Rock was a campground, it was Mary’s home. When the campground opened in 2004 Mary wasn’t so much adding a business to her home as she was expanding her home. Everyone knows and has the utmost respect for Mary and the way she runs the campground. Everything is on the honour system. From the coffee in the morning to the beer at night to your camping fees, it’s all assumed you will do the right thing and it all works.
Before Toad Rock, the Campground, there was Toad Rock, well, the rock
As you ride into Toad Rock for the first time you may not be all that impressed. The grounds are kind of junky, the cabins look a little rustic and it’s filled with bikers of all sorts. But, with a closer look you will find that what looked like junk is subtle jokes for you to discover. The cabins are clean and comfortable with freshly laundered sheets. Towels & coolers are provided for those who might need them; items that biker are not likely to carry. But the real gem is the people that choose to make Toad Rock a stop on their travels, many of which return year after year. There’s a real felling of community. I can’t quite put my finger on it but I think there is a real lesson that the rest of the world can take from Toad Rock. Again, it all just works.
Hidden gems like this little guy can be found all over Toad Rock. I'm sure that every one has a story.
Our little home for three nights.
Toad Rock was our home for the next three nights and it provided a great home base to explore some of the nearby attractions, like the town of Crawford Bay which we had visited in the past and the town of Kaslo which we had been through but never visited before. One of the highlights of Kaslo was touring the S.S. Moyie, the oldest in tack paddle wheel stern wheeler in the world. Since being decommissioned in 1957, the people of Kaslo have done good by the old gal, preserving this piece of history in fine fashion.
The S.S. Moyie. The oldest in tact Stern Wheeler in the world
We ended Act I of our vacation with a 600km dash home. We were up early to catch the first ferry of the day at 6:30AM. From there it was back down to Creston and the back tracking pretty much the same way we had come. With only a short lunch break in Fernie BC we managed to be back home at 3PM. And with that, we started our short intermission. A few days at home to kick back and get things that needed doing done and forget the rest. Act II started on the Sunday but you will have to wait a short while to hear about that story.
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