Around New Denver the twisting and turning highway got even twistier. There were lots of signs indicating 60 or even 40 kph on corners. I slowed down for a couple but learned that was more for cars and bigger. Bikes could go around a lot faster.
After Silverton, I stopped at a lookout, a lot of bikers stopped there. I actually stopped as I had too much coffee in Nakusp. It was fun finding privacy to take care of business.
After I was back underway it was a fun ride into Nelson. I am sure glad I did not attempt this the night before.
When I got to Nelson, I found a gay friendly place to eat, The Bent Fork. How do I know it was gay friendly? It had a gigantic rainbow flag flapping in the wind. The food was good, the service was absolutely terrible. The customers appeared to be interrupting him. I wasn't sure what he was doing. I didn't get any gay vibes off him, but then again, I'd have trouble in a room full of gay men.
While I was there I searched for a place to stay. I was lucky, The Alpine had a room at a good price (it went down on the 4th). The only problem is it is up the hill on a small plateau. It was easy to get to on the bike, but walking was a bitch. In fact, I rode to breakfast just to avoid the mountain climb back. If you saw the movie Roxanne, you'll know what I am talking about. I found the fire station, I think I found Roxanne's house, but the bushes he hid in have been clipped, or maybe it's his house. I will take a picture. It's for sale :)
House prices here are a bit cheaper than Vegreville. Maybe it's because the jobs are tourism related and not oil/farm related. I am sure Roxanne's house is close to $500,000. In Edmonton it would be over a million.
After I got settled in the room I stripped off the chaps and stuff. It was hot here. I decided to go to a beach. There is a nude beach here, it is a bit of a hike. I am surprised I found it after 5 years. I listened to WWOZ there and tanned. It was good to feel sand and relax. Riding is good, but it is good not to be riding....sometimes.
When I got back to hotel I decided to go for a ride. I though that there was a biker bar on the North Shore. I asked a guy at the beach, he gave me a puzzled look. Anyway, I put on full face helmet and decided to go for a look. I was in traffic all the way to Balfour. There was no bar, where I thought it was. I saw a sign for Kaslo, it wasn't that far. So I said, WTF 53 kms.
OH MY GOD - I died and went to heaven. This was the best 53 kms of any ride ever. I was behind a car for a while, I blew past her before Ainsworht Hot Springs and man, am I glad I did!.
The road was an aerobic workout on a bike. lean left, right, left right. Gear up down, some times two downs, then up, up. Watch for deer. Look at the scenery, gear down. I wasn't listening to music, I was listening to the motor. Now I know why a 1400 is so good.
I got to Kaslo and had supper. I needed to wait for the sun to set a little bit, it would have been in my face on the way back. Th ride was better on the way back, add to it the fear of deer and it was great!.
I stopped at the side of the road to take a picture. In the picture it shows a road, and off to the left you can see the road in the trees. It sort of shows how dynamic it was. A small pickup passed me when I was taking pic. :( I knew the fun part was coming up.
He was a good sport though, I think he worked for an organization that would know the road. And I don't think he had ever gone that fast on it.
We had to do a switch back before Ainsworth, I dragged a peg, the first time this trip. Dragging a peg is when you are bent over so far the foot peg sparks as you turn a corner. The thing about the peg I dragged is the fact it was the one that was bent up by the assholes who tipped my bike over when they moved it. So I was really bent over. The new Michelin tire did it's job.
I passed the pickup in a burst of speed after the switch back. I noticed he slowed right down, I think he was white knuckling it - or I'd like to think so.
I got back to Nelson and went out for supper, again!!! At Mike's Pub. It was ok, this town really dies when tourist season is over, the big bar on Baker Street was empty. Mike's pub is in the Hume Hotel.
Got home and watch Michelle Obama's speech and then went to sleep.
I have decided to head out, I was going to stay another day in Nelson, but I need to get back. Money is not doing what I want it to, I think I paid too many bills before I left. Which I should learn never to do.
Some other things, things break. So far this trip, I have lost a lens on my eye glasses. My chaps go on, but a zipper on the right leg is screwed. I tried to fix it at Elisabeth's place, but it needs a tool to go over the zip part to re-align the cogs. pliers don't work. A pad cam off the headphone, not there is a piece of plastic sticking in my ear - not nice.
And the iphone case is finally dying, it did the disappearing display game again when I had to push button for a phone menu.
The PQ won in Quebec, I guess some guy didn't like that. Now like a festering wound, the whole Quebec vs Canada issue has blown up. We both need each other, that's it. Lets move on!.
What a speech by Mrs President!
Oh, the Gargoyle. When I was riding West on Nelson Road I saw some red lights up near the top of a house. You would not see this if you were in a car, it was too high up. A house has an observatory and there is a gargoyle on top of it, looking down.
in the pics, the one with the yellow dotted line, is highway 3A South from Kaslo. If you look on the left side, the gray spot in the trees is the highway further down, I just missed getting a pic of a car coming with lights on.
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