17-August-2022
I woke up to a beautiful but cool morning in Golden, BC. Oh how I would come to miss that crisp cool air later in the day. Before heading out I dropped in at Mountain Mart in Golden to dry some laundry. I had washed some clothes the night before in my hotel tub, and hung up to dry. I bought items that are ‘quick dry’ which I discovered was code for ‘make your room humid but stay wet’. The Mountain Mart had a cool and relaxed feel to it. Very clean, reasonable prices, free wifi, large folding table and a couple of really comfortable living room chairs. What more do you need in a laundromat?
Todays route along Trans Canada Highway took me through Glacier National Park, Revelstoke, Salmon Arm, and Kamloops then I jumped on the Coquihalla Highway. Most of the Trans Canada through here is a single lane each way, with frequent double lane passing areas. It’s along these stretches that I discovered a new form of Dyslexia that seems to be common with a large percentage of the drivers on the road today. On the single lane sections there would be a speed limit sign that looks like this.
But to the people I encountered today, with this new form of Dyslexia, the sign apparently looked like this.
This Dyslexia isn’t limited to numbers either. When the road would widen to two lanes to allow for passing, there would be signs telling you how a passing lane works, in case you have forgotten what the words ‘passing’ and ‘lane’ mean in english, or what meaning they have together.
Unfortunately, those drivers afflicted with this new form of RSD (Road Sign Dyslexia) would see that sign, but to them it looked like…
I’m amazed at the number of times a leading car going 70km/h would get to the passing lanes, kindly move over to the right, then suddenly decide it was time to set the land speed record for a clapped out Corolla in the “Hubcaps don’t all match” category. Man, I never knew an old Corolla cold go that fast. In one moment there is a slow moving Corolla being followed by a dozen cars, trucks and myself on the motorcycle. We’d get to a passing lane and instead of an orderly line of cars, it would suddenly look like the starting grid at a Formula 1 race. Two lanes, a dozen vehicles, and the right lane is moving at 120+ and the left lane is 140+. Alas, it can’t last forever as the lane will end, and then we get to witness the barrage of brake lights as they all try to ‘merge’ into one lane again. Little known fact…”Merge” is an old Indian word meaning “I don’t want to wait my turn”
One of the things I enjoy the most about solo travel on a motorcycle is the people you meet. When you travel in a small group of riders, most people leave the group alone but when you travel solo you are less imposing, and more approachable. After the amateur class Formula 1 race event was over I stopped for a cold drink in Revelstoke and went to sit outside, but all the tables in the shade were taken. One table had an attractive young woman sitting alone, and I glanced at the table wondering if she was waiting for anyone else or if I could ask to sit there, at the risk of looking like an old creeper. She picked up on the vibe (not the creeper one) and quickly offered to share her table in the shade. We started talking and it turns out she is originally from Ottawa, which I called home for 20 years, and she went to Queens University, the alma mater of my sister and her two daughters.
It’s interesting how these innocent interactions with strangers can affect our lives. Here was a total stranger with a smile that could light up a room, who offered an extra seat at her table, and after a few minutes of conversation I had let go the stress of the danger and stupidity on the road earlier, and was back to having a great day. I cherish these random meetings with strangers, and remember these moments for years.
Remember the cool crisp air from this morning? I wish I could have brought it with me. During the ride today I saw temperatures range from 15C up to 40C, often changing 5 or 6 degrees in a few kilometers. The majority of today was either spent going uphill, or downhill. Lots of elevation changes today. By the end of the day as I was approaching Abbotsford, BC it was 38+C, traffic was getting heavy, and I was almost part of a multi vehicle accident. Standing on the pegs was no longer providing me a cooling breeze, but rather the sensation that I had just opened the door on a blast furnace. I had planned on going another 70km or so, but then that little voice in my head spoke up and said “did you see that really nice looking hotel back there?” and the decision was made. Great room, a pool, a restaurant attached to it with really good food, and they let me park inside for the night. It doesn’t get much better than this.
