November 2020, Quesnel, BC

The bike had a set of studded tires which I would find out are absolutely necessary on the frosty winter roads ahead. Since temperature would be great for any foods, I stocked up on some of the nice pre-made soups at Safeway

Even though it was the only bike shop in town, the cycle logic would have been my first choice! Great service and they were totally cool with trading in my old tires

I didn’t have to bike far to be thankful for the new studded tires…

but it all pales in comparison

The road was small but well used, plenty of beer cans and grouse on the shoulder, I still think this is much safer than going on the main highways - especially in winter.

I set up at a nice turn off and happily used a dustpan that I bought on the way out of town to clear my camping spot. Fresh out of town I still had boiling water in all my thermoses and a sandwich or two. It’s really nice to be biking in a fridge!

I went to adjust something but my Canadian Tire multitool wasn’t up to the task

A logging truck snuck up on me but it was all good, they really do drive slow on these roads. Some horses took a great interest in me but they seemed just as odd as I did to them.

I barely remember riding through the area one August, everything was so green. Now there is the gloom of the winter and that thin layer of cloud that always sticks around. Now even in summer things go so quickly from the spring melt to the fire season. The winter is a good time to be a cow. with all cattle guards snowed in it is only those great Canadian marshmallows that keep these beasts in check and on their farms.

but it was obvious that these aren’t those grass-fed cows that A&W is raving about. They mostly subsist on a diet of giant marshmallows over the winter

A farmdog, Dot followed me around for a bit but his humans assured me they will pick him up if he strays too far. He didn’t but he made sure I made it safely to the other end of the farm.

Drinking and driving is like playing slots machine!

The days are short and the moment the sun goes away the temperature plummets, often making me wonder if I should have taken the last decent camp spot.

This was the only photo I got of the camp, just out of sight of the road so nobody stops in the middle of the night to ask if you are okay.

The morning was gloomy and that thin cloud cover never lifted enough to give the landscape some color. The Fraser Canyons runs quite a ways and I will be following that all the way to Cache Creek, just on the less developed west side.

The grader operator came to a full stop, engine off - socially distant chat. He assured me that the road was plowed to and past Farewell Canyon and this was great news, a detour to Williams lake would have taken at least a day along with quite a bit of climbing.

camp was fairly uneventful, just off the road but out of sight. No fire yet as I am still fresh from town (eventhough this is day 3) I still got some of those amazing soup pouches which I think are making a big difference.

The Broccoli Incident! — The Broccoli Incident

The morning was cold and crisp as usual, it looked like I may see the sun today

I got past a nice ranch but not before wrecking havoc among the cows brave enough to remain on the road. And boy you need to see the video when that makes it on youtube, I got my studded tires but cows… they don’t have studs on their hooves!

The sun eventually broke through and it was a very nice day to be out on a bike

I had a brief section of the Bella Coola highway and was glad to get away from all the traffic, slush and that annoying sound that studded tires make on pavement. I don’t think I want to ride pavement again.

The moon was out I was happy to be riding into the more open areas along the Farewell Canyon FSR

by the time I was done with the moon I was almost at the top and ready to go into Farewell Canyon and opted for a camp beside the road.

the fading light brings that nice alpine glow and any smudges and specks of dust on the camera lens

The good thing about having a big descend is that I can throw on all the winter gear on. I had big expectations for the Farewell Canyon, it was supposed to be the highlight of the ride so far but it was very empty, gloomy and void of all traffic. My last ride here went like this: https://youtu.be/srBl5AjBgFU

this could make an excellent waterslide someday…

The way up was half riding, half walking. Walking when I got too warm and riding over the icy sections that I simply couldn’t push my bike up.

At one point I dropped the camera and while I wouldn’t find out the issue until the end of the winter when I look through those photos there is some odd focusing/background blur going on.

not sure what exactly happened to the camera… but i like it

I caught a sunny break on the top of the hill and thought its a good time to be out… unless you are a 4 point + buck

there’s one hanging right behind the orange truck. I know all the bears are probably sleeping but I dont know if they should leave it unattended like that.

It was day 6 from the last resupply and the cold was starting to wear on me. I found a nice snow-free spot and plenty of firewood around.

At this point the camera is focusing on what it wants to but some of these shots turn out really cool.

too afraid of how much snow may have accumulated on the 3100 I opted for a more direct route to Gang Ranch, it seemed that somebody drove up in the morning and even without the fresh track - the last car tracks were only few days old.

It was so cold and crisp that the Gopro 8 batteries were dying like…. hmm can’t think of anything here. A dime a dozen? I had foolishly thought I can shoot the winter episodes in 4k. that won’t work unless you got some serious solar / battery packs. I went back to 1080p a long time ago but it may just be that stabilization that kills it. Often you can jump-charge them back to what they were but you need to warm up both the camera and the battery.

I always had my eyes on the far distance… while still being glad for having two fresh tracks to follow

Eventually the snowpack got lighter and icyer..

and then Mud

There was no escape, nothing. just Mud.

I can still hear the scratching of the rocks and muck against any and all carbon parts and the words of my friend Chris (Elevation Wheelworks, CO) who said “it feels odd packing the bike so nicely, knowing what you will put it through”. His friend Brad from SRAM had hooked me up with a drivetrain and then some.

that mud is gonna stick around for a while…

I topped off some mediocre well water from Gangranch (to be boiled - regardless if its ok or not), I asked someone if I can recharge my gear for a bit and took a good hour by the big barn to get just enough juice into the drone and cameras to make it over the next few days.

I still had to warm up anything I was charging for a little bit, otherwise it just wont go.

I even splurged a bit of warm water to get that mud off the chain, but it was clear that I won’t be pedaling today…. or likely tomorrow when all that muck freezes

I found one spot, just one spot that seemed almost dry enough to set up camp. There was no way I was sleeping in the mud

I was right at the junction with Gang Ranch and The Empire Valley…. the summer map shows a mine way, way up into the mountains and I really wondered if I will ever make it up there

going over the Fraser is always a big deal. This is one of the most well videographed bridges in the SEE THE WORLD series.

I spent a bit of time and some of my last remaining water + snow melt to get the chain… clean enough to pedal on the flat-ish sections

But the Fraser just went on, it would be so much quicker to be on the water. (preferably not on a packraft with all this ice floating around)

all of a sudden there was a whole bunch of mooing and mooing, I was nearing the ranches on the east side of the Fraser

bad place to be a pedestrian, good thing I have my bike

Then I rode down to all the cacophony to ask for some water and I was recruited into holding the line. It took 3 humans a kid and few dogs to keep the cows contained.. and under control. I got all my thermoses full of boiling water and some great spring water as well (anything is better than the Gang-Ranch well water!)

Looking back at Rosewood or Dog Creek, no stores or anything and I wouldn’t have stopped either way due to covid

The ride up was nice and cool enough to pedal everything. The chain was working okay given the circumstances and I was able to pedal up with ease.

There was just the right amount of sunshine in the evening to bring out the nice colors of the rocks here. I’ve ridden this road twice - once up and once down and I don’t remember seeing this!

I was in touch via InReach with Darren from Prince George about the possibility of taking the Big Bar ferry and while it was closed, it is likely the cable car is still open.

The one thing Darren mentioned is a lookout with a stove and although I hadn’t planned to go there it was very close and right about now a night or two with a stove sounded great.

Over the last few nights I have really wondered how long have I really gone without indoor heating on my travels and its not more than 4-5 days. Not even the ice roads, the winter ride on the GDMBR or going through the southwest in the middle of winter had such long stretches. With covid accepting any invite was off the table, there wasn’t even a table - I haven’t been within 2m of anybody in the last 9 days

Snow wasn’t much of a problem, there was a whole lot less of it around and south of Williams Lake. The top looked okay from below as well. Having had a taste of fresh water and with stream access being quite dangerous/slippery I asked at a house for some water, boiling water. I got both my thermoses full and then some. If Bonnie Henry (BC provincial health officer) was to see this interaction it would surely get 2 thumbs up.

It started snowing and blowing but I made sure to take that coveted lunch break. A cup of warm noodles and few spoonfulls of hot chocolate can do wonders. I left Quesnel with 2x500g of nestle hot chocolate bags and I was well through my second one.