Back on the Bike -

Friday mid-day I made the crossing into Canada – easy peasy at the Osoyoos, BC border station. I only have to cross borders 3 more times on this trip and of course all CAN/USA so very easy compared to previous trips where there is always hassle and stress involved. I headed straight to the resort town of Osoyoos to meet my friend Cynthia. We had met in Panama 6 months ago on my last moto trip and she offered up tent space by her cabin on a beautiful orchard in Keremeos – just 30 minutes north of Osoyoos. After a quick bite at the Owl Pub we took a scenic route to Keremeos – she had just received her motorcycle endorsement and bought her DRZ400 earlier this summer.

This area of BC is really pretty with lots of mountains, rivers and lakes and packed full of fruit orchards – mostly apples, cherries and nectarines from what I could see. So many fruit stands everywhere selling fresh fruits – I could smell the fresh cherries in the air while riding into town!

We arrived at her cabin and turns out I didn’t even have to pitch my tent – she had a little A-frame the size of a shed next door finished out with carpet and a mattress that I could lay my sleeping bag on. Thanks so much Cynthia!!!

The next morning after enjoying a coffee with her friends Vanessa and Rosie (also wonderful people!) we went out for a backcountry ride near Apex Mountain. The morning ride offered up views of beautiful meadows full of wildflowers, bubbling creeks and near the end of the loop a killer overlook of the river valley below.

The day before I had noticed an oil leak seeping from the engine case so Cynthia had offered to ask her friend Jeremy who was a home mechanic to have a look. Near the end of the ride he had sent her a text to come on over. Before heading to Jeremy’s we got a message from Rosie and Vanessa that there were free burgers in town at the local Legion – apparently a special occasion for Canada Day so of course we headed on over to join them. After a burger with the girls we met up with a Jeremy at his house. He confirmed that he also thought the leak was coming from the base gasket – a bit of a PITA to get to. For the time being, I have just decided to live with it and just make sure to keep an eye on the oil level and add as needed. I was hoping it would be something easy but seems not to be the case.

Cynthia and I left Jeremy’s after socializing a bit with friends over some cider and took another short ride up along a steep creek and parked to do a short hike up to a waterfall – well worth the short bush-wack hike in. By the looks of the faint trail in, it appeared not too many people visit so I’ll call it the secret waterfall since no-one could tell me the official name. Surprising that it wasn’t more popular as the drop was more than 10 meters! We ended the day back at Rosie and Vanessa’s place – also in the orchard, grilled up more burgers, enjoying cider and good times!

This morning I am heading north with no real plan for a destination. Rosie came over for coffee and to pick up Cynthia to go fly fishing, so I said my goodbyes and thanks for the awesome hospitality and great stay in Keremeos and hit the road again.