Day 4 - Bagging National Parks in BC
- Skookumchuck, BC to Nakusp, BC
- 354 miles
- Thursday, July 18
- (Click
on map to view the entire Day 4 route)
After
nursing our serious mosquito bites with Benadryl, we head up the road
looking for a diner. We find one and stop for a right proper Canadian
breakfast. There are signs for "Mushroom
Buyer" and "Cash for Mushrooms" all over town. With
some of us being children of the seventies, the term
"magic" comes to mind and we think, "Wow!
Semi-legal weed, strong beer and now mushrooms? These Canadians
really know how to
party!" (Click on the photo to see a '70s
child checking out the sign)
 We
continue north on Hwy 93/95 and at the town of Radium Hot Springs,
we turn east and enter the Kootenay National Park where Hwy 93
splits off from Hwy 95. An entrance fee
is required and we soon realize that it's worth every penny. We
ride 64 miles through the heart of the Canadian Rockies. The forest and
the mountains are absolutely pristine. It's seems so remote that
if your bike broke down and you didn't hitch a ride out of
this area before dark, you'd probably get eaten by wild animals.
The scenery is so amazing that taking photos can't really do it justice.
(Click
on the photos to see the mountains) 
From Castle Junction, we continue up to Lake
Louise in the Banff National Park and then head west
through the Yoho National Park over to
the town of Golden. This is world class motorcycling touring and all we're doing is a light smorgasbord of what the
area really has to offer. Next time, we'll need continue up Hwy 93
to Jasper like the guy we met in Glacier told us. It keeps getting
better as you go North? Wow!
We continue west toward  Glacier National Park
and we spot a sign that says we are at the source of the Columbia
River. From here, it runs all the way out to the Pacific Ocean on
the Oregon Coast. Our brains are stretched even further trying to
comprehend the scope of it all. (Click
on the photo to see Columbia Lake)
We travel through Mount Revelstoke National
Park,
our fifth park today, and then we leave Hwy 1 at Revelstoke and head south
on Hwy 23 which
dead ends at the Upper Arrow Lake. We look for the ferry and we
spot it way out on the lake. The lake didn't look like much on the
map, but now that we're here, we're impressed with the landscape. (Click
on the photo to see the mountains and the lake)
 There's something neat about following a
road that runs right into the water. It really makes it clear that
the ferry is truly part of the highway system. No charge, either. (Click
on the photo to see the ferry on the lake)
Once
we cross, we head south to the Nakusp
Hot Springs and set up camp. We learn how to flip Toonies to
campground clerks and we spend a very enjoyable evening in
camp.
Click here for
Day 5
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