Leah
We were confident that Betsy was fixed so we started our route home. We packed up the camp, said our goodbyes, exchanged some phone numbers with our newfound friends, and then hit the road. We stopped in Kaslo for breakfast, then I still had to be the leader for the first part of the trip just to be sure Betsy was operating properly and not leaving me stranded. Most of the ride between Kaslo and New Denver was really quiet traffic and I managed to get some good flow along the road. I will admit that I lost that flow when we had a large group of bikes come behind us. A few passed, a few didn’t. Maybe next time I’ll do better. Over the last few years (maaaaybe since an incident on the Bear Tooth Pass) I’ve had a bit of anxiety while riding. It’s improving but still likes to poke its head out from time to time.
It wasn’t a long stretch until our first fuel stop in Nakusp. We weren’t planning to stop for long, but as we road through town…there was a craft brewery just BEGGING for us to go in and sample their wares! We each had a flight, the brewery had only opened a few months earlier, so all the beers were new to Keith and me.
Freshly fuelled (bikes) and fuelled (beer) we headed to the ferry that takes us to Revelstoke. We hadn’t looked at the schedule to try to time a particular sailing, as we pulled into the lineup it looked like we should make the next sailing. As the ferry was being loaded we became doubtful, but managed to make it onto the back of the boat. We planned to stop after disembarking the ferry to let the traffic clear up rather than staying in the crowd along the road afterwards.
We chilled out for twenty minutes or so, then made our way through the very scenic road into Revelstoke. We fuelled up the bikes, grabbed some supplies for the night, then Keith decided Betsy had behaved well enough that he could take the lead again. We were approximately 50km East of Revy and had just passed a few vehicles as we were climbing a hill (familiar scenario) when Betsy had a tantrum and stalled out on me. I’m not loving how many times I’ve had to make unexpected stops along the side of the highway this year, but I will say I’m getting better at not panicking and finding a safe spot to coast to a stop. As Keith was in the lead, he didn’t see me pull over right away, so he was a few minutes before he got Roberto and the trailer turned around and back to me. We gave it a few minutes, Betsy started so we tried to limp her down the road, she only made it a few kilometres before dying again. This time there was no starting her, and she chose a spot that had an access road to the rail line that had happened to have an unlocked gate. After having my bike rummaged through after the last breakdown, we felt better about rolling her down the road & out of sight for the night. We were CLOSE, so close to our campground and tried to get there for the evening. We were less than a kilometre from the turn for the campground we planned to stay at in Glacier National Park. There was some traffic stopped on the highway that we thought was just construction traffic. But as it turns out, it was a major accident with a fatality. Keith decided to ride along the shoulder of the road to get to the Illecilewat campground. As we turned into the campground driveway I noticed a sign they did not have up previously: “no soft sided camping”. We most certainly had stayed at this campground with our tent trailer in previous years, so decided to inquire with the information booth on if they would allow an exception due to the highway being closed. No such luck. The ranger working the booth explained that some IDIOT camper (my choice of words) had left bacon in their tent earlier in the season. So now there is a local grizzly that associates tents with bacon. (insert eye roll of exasperation) The bear had been relocated and wandered back into the campground a few days later. The next closest campground in the direction we could go was full to capacity. The park ranger suggested that we stay at Canyon Hot Springs campground close to Revelstoke as it is a large facility and was open to tents and trailers. So back we went down the road to try to secure accommodations for the night rather than sitting on the highway for who knows how long. Sure enough, we checked in without an issue, made a quick meal, and then started trying to sort out a plan to rescue Betsy.
Very luckily for us, our best friends had access to a truck and ramps. The truck belongs to Prash’s brother who lives in southern Alberta, Prash and Julie are in Beaumont almost next door to us. Prash very generously offered to come and save us on Saturday. They drove south to Calgary, met his brother with the truck & ramps, swapped vehicles, and then started their way west towards us. Keith and I had a quick coffee in the campground, skipped breakfast and then went to check on Betsy. I will say, she was kind enough to breakdown right at the edge of where we still had cell phone service. So when we tried to start her up and she didn’t cooperate, we were able to send out a mayday signal to Beaumont’s newest hero: Prash.
There was a construction zone a few kilometers from where Betsy had spent the night, so we used the lull in traffic to push her across the highway to an area that looked better for loading her into the box of the truck.
By the time the four of us made it into Golden, everyone was properly hungry, We stopped at Whitetooth Brewery and ordered food from a Mexican restaurant just down the road. We managed to relax a little and then started West with Keith in the lead on his bike and me humbly sticking to the backseat of the truck.
We did a quick coffee stop in Canmore, then dinner in Airdrie. We had checked the forecast and figured that if we were able to get home before 6pm we should be able to miss the rain. Alberta has had a record level of rainfall this year, and most of the big storms seem to move in at 5 or 6 in the evening. Well…after the logistics of getting Betsy rescued, and our lengthy lunch stop there was no way we were going to avoid the rain. Sure enough, just before Red Deer it started to rain. Luckily it wasn’t really heavy and Keith powered through. It took us until after 10pm by the time we made it home. I must say, I am so thankful to have amazing people in my live that are willing to come and rescue me and my bike from what could have been a miserable day or three to sort out getting it home.
Some statistics for the trip: Days of travel = 13. Mileage completed by Keith & Roberto = 3,800. Mileage completed by Betsy on her own power = 1,442km. Mileage with Leah riding bitch on Roberto with Keith: 1,700km. Milage for Betsy’s two tow truck rides = 480km. Mileage for Betsy in the box & Leah in the backseat of a truck = 650km. The cost of having great friends = priceless.
In conclusion: NO, it is not time for a new bike.
Maybe: on if Betsy is fixed. We had her on the hoist at home for a while, Keith found a blockage in the vacuum line from the gas tank, it has been replaced, she started! Wiring was tested while the bike was on the lift The test ride of over 150km has not happened yet. I’ll be honest, I wasn’t super excited to get back on and test her out.
Yes: we will do it all again next year!
Keith and Leah's travel on 2 wheels 