July 18 - 21, 2019 - Idaho and Nelson, BC

July 18 - 21, 2019

On the morning of July 18, we left Marion, MT and made our way into northern Idaho and up into BC. The road through here is gorgeous - it takes you through the Kootenai National Forest and at Libby, begins to run along the Kootenai River. We stopped for breakfast in Libby and then carried on into Idaho, turning northwards towards the border near Creston, BC. The road is small and rural, weaving through stunning farm land in the deep valleys of the Rockies. Once into BC, the valley opens up and becomes a wide valley basin at Creston, blanketed in a quilted patchwork of farm land and marsh.

(crestonvalley.com)

We opted to run up Route 3A which takes you along the southern arm of Kootenay Lake. This is one of the top rated motorcycle routes in BC and it's a visual feast of mountains, lake and little communities along this curvy road. The weather was dramatic and we were so lucky to hang in a small window of mostly sunny weather in between great looming dark storm clouds that threatened, sending down rain in great black curtains before and after us. We stopped an inordinate number of times to peel gear off as the temperatures soared when the sun came out and then don gear back on as deluges of rain appeared to be imminent. We noticed other motorcyclists doing the same. But, we didn't get wet until just before Crawford Bay where we got caught in a squall which kicked up wicked wind and sent wild drifts of debris onto the roads. Lynn narrowly missed being skewered by a large tree limb that came down like a spear onto the road just beside him!

By the time we made it to Crawford Bay, the sun was back out and we peeled off a few layers again and enjoyed the sun for 45 minutes as we waited for the next ferry across the lake to Balfour. We chatted with other fellow riders and traded travel stories with them as we passed the time.

The ferry crossing was beautiful. The lake was calm but we watched the surrounding storms dump sheets of rain into the mountains all around us. What luck we had! From Balfour, we were held up on our final stretch into Nelson by about 45 minutes as crews worked to replace broken power poles and downed hydro lines, a tangled mess beside the road left by the storm that had just passed through. FINALLY! Finally! We made it into Nelson and, as we were getting off our bikes at my mom and dad's house, I heard my mom's voice shouting from the porch, "Is that you?? Is that really you??" After almost 2 months of being on the road, it was so wonderful to be there, in the warm embrace of family.

For the following three days, we enjoyed family dinners and a BBQ at Lakeshore Park with extended family, some of whom I hadn't seen in 20+ years, as well as many friends. In addition to my dad's 80th birthday celebration and my niece Sophia's 11th birthday, it ended up being a family reunion of sorts and there was much catching up and promises we wouldn't let another 20 years pass before getting together again. It was such a wonderful final stop before our last leg home.