BC, Canada Ride Report: Chilliwack -> Kamloops -> Chilliwack

Even though I’ve put tens of thousands of kilometers on my 2014 Yamaha FJR 1300 ES Sport Tourer, it was all (except for a ride to Vancouver Island last summer) on Lower Mainland roads so I’d been itching to “get out of town” on a long ride.

I’d heard from several fellow riders that the “Duffy Lake Loop” was a real treat so I made that part of my goal. As I didn’t have anywhere else to be, I decided to make it an overnight trip so I could do the route as leisurely as I’d like.

BC, Canada Ride Report: Chilliwack -> Kamloops -> Chilliwack

Nice report. I had the pleasure of riding the 5A between Merritt and Kamloops entirely by mistake. I made a "wrong" turn after gassing up in Merritt. Boy was I glad I did!

FJRLoonie said:

Nice report. I had the pleasure of riding the 5A between Merritt and Kamloops entirely by mistake. I made a "wrong" turn after gassing up in Merritt. Boy was I glad I did!

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It was amazing. It should be illegal for motorcycles to ride 5 when a road like 5A is RIGHT NEXT TO IT!

I like this quote, would make a good sig line. You are one lucky bastard living out there. Beautiful country.

Dave

there are two obstacles on the road – “Squishables” and “Non-squishables”. You never lay your bike down for a squishable.

I told you about 5a, also the logan lk rd to merrit, nice rides. That "lake " you saw on logan lake rd was mine run-off, on your left was mountains of tailings. One of BCs dirty secrets. Sharing is so cool amongst us riders.

Really nice.

Old Michael said:

Really nice.

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Thanks! That's straight out of the iPhone. The edited version is *much* nicer.

08FJR4ME said:

You are one lucky bastard living out there. Beautiful country.

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I bitch about it (far fewer accessible roads than when I lived in the US) but it really can be spectacularly beautiful.

JamesW said:

That "lake " you saw on logan lake rd was mine run-off, on your left was mountains of tailings. One of BCs dirty secrets. Sharing is so cool amongst us riders.

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Ah! What kind of mining? I noticed past the "lake" was a strip mining type hole in the planet. Are the tailings as toxic as they looks? And I assume what I thought to be sand isn't?

Nice ride! As close as I am, I've been threatening to visit the area one of these days...gotta make the ride now.

Thanks for taking us along!

--G

ShawnKing2 said:

JamesW said:

That "lake " you saw on logan lake rd was mine run-off, on your left was mountains of tailings. One of BCs dirty secrets. Sharing is so cool amongst us riders.

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Ah! What kind of mining? I noticed past the "lake" was a strip mining type hole in the planet. Are the tailings as toxic as they looks? And I assume what I thought to be sand isn't?

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It ain't sand and a couple of years ago the earthen dam you saw at the west end failed and dumped a bunch of stuff in the Fraser. It is some sort of metal or talc I do not know. Sounds like highway 8 is in better shape. It is spectacular riding country up that way, probably hit it a lick this year.

escapefjrtist said:

Nice ride! As close as I am, I've been threatening to visit the area one of these days...gotta make the ride now.
Thanks for taking us along!

--G

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You're welcome and, if you need a guide, let me know. I'll definitely be doing the trip again this summer.

JamesW said:

Sounds like highway 8 is in better shape. It is spectacular riding country up that way, probably hit it a lick this year.

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Yeah - 8 was in great shape and a lot more fun than 97C. You and escapefjrtist need to come on up!

Great ride report. If you don't have a copy of Destination Hwy BC and a Destination Hwy map please get them. This is a guide to THE BEST motorcycle roads in BC and will not waste your valuable time hoping to find a good road.

Hwy 5A is Destination Hwy 31 (DH31). Yes the authors have rated all the roads in BC. It is an awesome book.

In Destination Hwy's you will find a road called the Coldwater Road between Merritt and Kingsvale. Is rated as DH19. If you take this road you miss some of the Coq (Coquihalla Hw)y which is best done at 200 kph to be enjoyable and you will enjoy a road the Speed Tax Collectors (STC) rarely visit. I was on these roads on May 9, 2016 so I just missed you.

Fontanaman said:

Great ride report. If you don't have a copy of Destination Hwy BC and a Destination Hwy map please get them.

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Thanks and I'll check it out!

ShawnKing2 said:

Fontanaman said:

Great ride report. If you don't have a copy of Destination Hwy BC and a Destination Hwy map please get them.

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Thanks and I'll check it out!

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PS. I have no connection with the authors. I am simply an extremely satisfied customer. I have all their books and maps. They also sell app. I don't need no app crap as I create route and load them to my Garmin Zumo 550.