Our original destination today was Dawson Creek, BC, only about 475 kms away so we made our morning departure a little more casual starting at the A&W across the street for a Crack of Bill breakfast. I should have been capitalizing & acronymizing CoB all along. Seeing CoB all spelled out now is a bit awkward, but the acronym is *****in'!

After some B&E's were were off headed south on a beautiful blue sky sunshiney day. I almost said out loud to Bill that we were guaranteed no gravel roads today, we were that close (holds 2 fingers an inch apart) to civilization, but luckily I didn't. We encountered the all too familiar gradual degradation of road quality ending in a construction zone almost immediately. Luckily it was only about 9 km long so on the in between patches of pavement I worked us hard to make up time.

Despite Bill's bike really being a scooter, he has no trouble keeping up, usually. Here is an excerpt from his blog explaining his two wheeler:

Many people are curious about my scooter when they find out that it's not a motorcycle. What makes it a scooter?

Firstly, it has the traditional walk through so that you don't have to lift your leg so high to get on the seat.



Secondly, and to my way of thinking, more salient, is the fact that the transmission is automatic (constantly variable transmission) so there is no clutch and no shifting of gears.

My scooter has so many built in options that it's embarrassing for me to list them. Just one: there is a program to tell you if the battery inside the wheel transmitting unit (transfers tire pressure to the dash) needs to be replaced. (LD: C'mon, for reals?!)

Today I saw he was hanging back alot, and was not passing with me. We usually pass in formation so I ensure there is enough room in the oncoming lane for both of us. At times when traffic is heavy and there are numerous vehicles to pass we'll knock 'em off one at a time at our own pace until we both reach the front, then resume formation. This morning traffic was light, but Bill wasn't passing in formation, and he seemed reluctant to put the hammer down.

At the A&W he had shown me that the warning he was receiving now was high engine temperature. I assumed this is what was holding him back so at the first instance of a gas station, despite not needing gas, we pulled over. There was a small inspection window on the right side near the bottom of the fairing that showed his coolant level, but although I laid on the ground to ensure I was able to look at it correctly, the results were inconclusive.

Although we were in the boonies this gas station did not take advantage of the situation and keep some anti freeze to price gouge us on. Neither did the 3 other places we stopped into after that. Finally at Pink Mountain there was someone willing to gouge Bill, especially as he had to buy a 4L container. Again it was inconclusive as to whether or not that was the actual issue as any coolant poured in, immediately spat out of the overflow.

Bill was pretty confident that the problem was fixed so as we got ready to depart Bill gave a short confidence inspiring speech: "Let's giver ****!" So I did, and at first things were good, then he started hanging back again. Here is his version of the days events thus far:

We were up at the crack of Bill this morning and by 9:01 we were across the highway from our Motel at an A&W and then off like a herd of turtles.

Yesterday just as we were driving into town I got a warning on my dash. I couldn't see exactly what the problem was as the sun was at my back and I couldn't see the tiny figure. By the time we checked into the Motel the warning was no longer visible. I figured if it was important it would appear again the next day.

After about an hours drive, just as we were passing a vehicle, the warning appeared and this time I saw the little thermometer sign high Indicated the engine was overheating.

I assumed that my bike was low on coolant so Lou and I spent the next hour, unsuccessfully, trying to find a service station that carried antifreeze. It took about an hour but finally we were successful.

I added the antifreeze but the bike took very little so I started looking for another reason for the overheating. As it happens on our trip to the top of the world the front tire was coating the radiator with a nice layer of mud. Now we had to find a power washer.

As previously mentioned we were shooting for Dawson Creek as the last stop our journey together but I thought we should instead head for Prince George together in case his overheating issues weren't corrected. There were going to be more repair options in PG than in DC2. Bill wouldn't hear of me delaying going home, and I kept quoting Maverick in Top Gun: "I will not leave my wingman!". We were at a bit of an impasse. Here is his take on things:

I noticed that if I kept my speed at 100kph or less the motor didn't overheat so we drove another hour with no problems and stopped at the dividing point of our travels.

Lou would head east and south to Edmonton and I would go west and south to Penticton. Lou was very reluctant to leave me but I was confident, even in a worse case scenario, I could make it home at 100KPH.

I kept my speed at 110KPH, discovered it was ok at this speed, and made it all the way to Prince George and was fortunate enough to find a Motel with a restaurant, next to a Liquor Store, next to a wand wash car wash.

Man, you should have seen the mud that I imported from the top of the world.



We had stopped for a rest prior to our separation point, shot a video of the good bye man hug and I must admit that emotions were running high.



Last year we only spent about 3 days together and while it was fun, there was none of the adversity that there was on this adventure. Adversity shared and overcome creates a bond. I mean he has been my family for as long as I have been alive and I loved him as such, but we share a bond greater than that now.

A bond forged in Hail, Seal Coat, Red Clay of Death and the waters of the Arctic Ocean!!

Bill's comments regarding the same:

Let me just say that travelling with my friend Lou was a complete joy. If he was a little slow getting going in the morning....so what!

I hope that he invites me to join him next year for Lou and Bills most excellent adventure .

Thanks my friend.

We split up at the hwy 29 turn off from hwy 43 that would take me SE and him SW.



It was weird not having him in the mirrors for the first time in about 20 days! Took some getting used to. My plan now was to get as far south of Dawson Creek as I could, every kilometer that I drove today was one I wouldn't have to drive tomorrow. I also wanted to start my last day in the same time zone as home. Passed through Ft. St. John and then Dawson Creek with the inevitable road construction on the outskirts of both towns, but was making great time at a buck forty.

30 minutes outside of DC I crossed the BC/AB border and saw the familiar Wild Rose sign. It never ceases to amaze me the emotional impact seeing that sign has on me. It is always good to come home! I stopped for gas just over the border and didn't pay sales tax or exchange for the first time in 3 weeks. May the cash hemorrhaging cease at last?!

I wanted to get to Grande Prairie at the least, then call it from there. GP came and went and I thought I would try for Valleyview. Upon arrival in VV I thought maybe I could go for Fox Lake, but then I drove through a wall of steak and garlic smell wafting across the highway that removed all doubt of where I would be stopping. I had done about 700 kms and there was only 350 kms left, so, job well done.

Got me a reasonably priced mo'tel room and a big bone in rib eye, couple of TABs and some texting with my BabyGirl, home soon BuBu!

Ft. Nelson to Valleyview
701 kms today, 9725 thus far
10 hours in the saddle