posted July 21, 2005 10:52 AM
Edited By: spam on 21 Jul 2005 12:03
Dead Zone and Beyond *with pics* I finally have my pics back from the Dead Zone rally, as well as the week Sagot and I spent touring around off-road afterwards.
The Dead Zone rally was great. When I saw that I was only 1 of 2 women signed up (other is the wife of one of the head organizers) I had been a bit concerned that it might be a bit of a chauviunist parade but the event was FAR from it. All the guys I met there were kind, funny, friendly and I think that there were also lots of newbie guys at this event who seemed as or more concerned as I was about how they would stack up to the better riders. Turned out to be a non-issue.
Sagot and I arrived at the Dead Zone camp on Fri night after packing up the bikes with everything we would need for a 10 day trip- after the Dead Zone weekend, our plan was to wander around BC until the next weekend. We were camping off Laluwissen FSR, about 25km from Lytton. The rustic camping was very nice- only facilities were a pit toilet 400 m away so water had to be packed in, food slung in trees, etc. 5k ride up Laluwissen proved too rough for one of the cans of the 6-pack we packed in with us so first thing when we arrived, before I could even park the KLR, I had to shotgun the rest of the beer. Way to start it off.....
The rally started 8am the next morning. Sagot let me lead as I had the roll chart maps provided displayed in my tankbag. Plus this makes it easier for him to keep an eye on my than having to check his rearviews for me when he leads. We are following the C loop (as opposed to the A and B loops for better riders and/or smaller bikes). The route took us on- and off-road within the area between Hwy 1 between Spences Bridges and Cache Creek, Highway 99 and Highway 12. It rained up in the mountains the night before the ride so we encountered big mud puddles that had already been enlarged by the A and B riders (but at least you could see what line you were supposed to take and so slick roads that are usually dusty- the rain had turned them to snotty mud. After lunch, on one such road, I think called the Hat Creek road, I had to stop and check out the KLR- the handling was messy from the conditions, but also the power sucked and I couldn't get up to "planing speed" over the mud.
I don't know if you can tell from these pics, but the mud was packed in my wheel well right down to the tire and the muck was sucking all my power. The mud was in fact extruding itself out the frame and the chain was totally packed as well. We had to dig the wheel well out twice before we got off that road. Crazy.
After completing the rest of the loop, we arrived back at camp to enormous burgers and lots of funny stories around the campfire. Everyone was very very friendly and out of any shells they may have had on Friday night. On Sunday, most people packed up to go home, we watched the start of the Monkey Wrench race. The start is at the bottom of a big hill and is great for spectating.
We camped again that night before heading out Monday morning. After stopping for an extended period of time in Lillooet, chatting over lunch with a couple from Edmonton touring 2-up, we carried on to the Clinton-Pavillion Rd, a dirt road leaving highway 99 at Pavillion. There, for some reason, we stopped to check the map and GPS again, even though we were pretty sure of where we were and while we were pulled over, a truck passes us, then brakes and backs up to us again. The family of 4 inside the truck is very very familiar but out of context so we can't quite place them. One of the kids finally says "Argentina, Argentina!!" and we figure it out. It is the family from Gibsons that we met in Malargue, Argentina, which is the middle of nowhere. And now we are in the middle of nowhere BC and we bump into them again, 10,800 km as the crow flies from where we first met them in South America!! It seems that the husband's family owns a ranch a couple of kilometers up the road and they invite us to stay, they insist. They are heading to Ashcroft to pick up some supplies but direct us to the empty cabin that we can use.
That night, in the main house (far right of pic), they treat us that night to a great rib dinner with beer and wine (South American, what else) and we exchange stories about the rest of our South American trips. We were at the end of ours when we met them, but they carried on for several weeks after we saw them and filled us in on all they saw in Northern Argentina, where we did not travel (but hope to return to one day soon). We mused about how incredible it was for us to all bump into each other again- when we bumped into them earlier in the day on the road, they were leaving the road and heading in the opposite direction from where we had come from so 30 seconds either way, or if we hadn't stopped to check our bearings one last time, we would have missed each other completely.
We ended up staying 2 nights on the ranch and spending the day in between riding through their property and down into the marble canyon above Pavillion Lake, along Highway 99.
That evening, Sagot helped their 14-year old son take apart a few pieces of an '82 XL80 dirtbike that needed some TLC but they couldn't get it running. I'm currently trying to track down a Haynes manual for the bike if anyone knows where I can find one in BC (looks like I might have to order from the States).
We finally tore ourselves away from the ranch and said goodbye to the family (again- but where will be bump into each other next?) on the third day. Our ride from Pavillion to Riske Creek (about 50 km west of Williams Lake) was incredible. Our route took us through Kelly Lake, Jesmond, across the Fraser through Gang Ranch and out through the Chilcotin River Valley, which was an amazing dirt road full of switchbacks and cool hoodoos down by the river. This entire ride from Pavillion really reminded us of the Carretera Austral in Chile, which makes sense because it is the same latitude North and the Carretera is South. The dirt road was twisty, the views unbelievably scenic and no one on the road. My only regret is that I wish we hadn't run out of film by the time we got to the Fraser and Gang Ranch. The view of the road on the South side of the Chilcotin from the North side would have made for such an incredible picture- it is twisty to catch the interest the sportriders but not paved, so reserved for dual-sport riders.... and plenty of logging trucks so heads up.
In Riske Creek, we had a delicious bowl of soup and the best grilled cheese sandwich on planet Earth at the Riske Creek General Store. You must stop and try if you are nearby.
Thats all the interesting stuff to tell about. We had originally planned to go to Bella Coola during this week but didn't make it after staying on the ranch for 2 days. From Williams Lake, we headed to Kamloops on pavement to visit some friends and then the grind back to Van over the Coq. and highway 1. Boring. Yeah, I know there are lots of more interesting ways to get back to Van from Kamloops but time was an issue.
If you are interested in the Dual Sport rally we went on, visit www.dualsportbc.com for info on others like it. Sagot is going on the Rutledge Run this weekend- I have to stay home for spring playoffs.
PS- nice to meet you in person Squiddly Diddley!!
____________
get both sides of the story
posted July 21, 2005 11:49 AM
damn, running into that family is just too weird! sounds liek a bloody god trip again. every time i read one of your or sagot's writeups i'm that much closer to ditching the sportbike & going DS!
posted July 25, 2005 09:15 AM
It was great meeting you too Spam. Glad the two of you enjoyed the mud-fest. Despite 'only bottles were available', I still think Sagot took way too long returning to camp Saturday night!
We missed you on the (mud-free) Routledge, but I think Sagot had a good time.
The 'Sea to Snow' is coming up in a few weeks...
____________
A great many people think they are thinking when they are merely rearranging their prejudices.
Needs a life
Miles to go before I sleep....
Posts: 10623
posted July 26, 2005 04:57 PM
...very cool story...I'm in wanderlust.... ____________ “We sleep safe in our beds because rough men
stand ready in the night to visit violence on those
who would do us harm.”
-George Orwell
posted July 27, 2005 04:45 PM
Hi!!! I was at Dead Zone also but did not meet you. I did see you there but I rode the "B" loop, just never had a chance. Anyway........Are you coming to Sportbike West Aug.26-28???
I am put on the dual sport ride for them. You can check out more details at www.dualsportbc.com Just go to the forums and check out the rides we should all know about. Limited info about the dual sport ride but more about the other stuff can be found at www.sportbikewest.com
Lots goin' on and prizes to boot. A real fun event that you shouldn't miss. Hope to see ya there.
quote:........Are you coming to Sportbike West Aug.26-28???
I am put on the dual sport ride for them. You can check out more details at www.dualsportbc.com
I saw the posts on dualsportbc about the sportbike west DS ride but as of now I have a prior engagement that weekend, which is a burn because would rather expereience Sportbike West. I'm still working on it though...
You should post all the details of the DS ride you are organizing in a new thread here because I found that the DS zone of Bikeland has a lot of lurkers!!!
____________
Blank
posted July 29, 2005 12:25 PM
Good idea, I'll start another thread about SBW in the DS zone to go with the one already on bikeland. Hope to see ya there!!
The 4th annual Dead Zone (July 1, 2006) is awaiting your pre-registration @ dualsportbc
We had more than 60 participants last year... How about a few more BC / WA based bikelanders?
____________
A great many people think they are thinking when they are merely rearranging their prejudices.
posted July 02, 2006 03:51 PM
Hey, was nice t o meet you guys, at Hope and then of course at the campsite, I had a great time!!
____________
I'm not addicted and I'm not quiting
posted July 08, 2006 04:22 PM
Nice to meet you too SilverD..... this guy wrassled his V Strom with street tires through the C loop of this ride. Quite unbelievable. Not without some help getting out of a few mud puddles, however, I hear. It was all good....
____________
get both sides of the story
posted July 09, 2006 08:14 PM
Sorry Freek, gotta work and support Sagot as he skips out of work.... kidding, more important to save the holidays for Africa, plus it would be NO FUN to ride KLR that far.
We'll take you on the Deadzone route later this summer if you want to try it out... head over there via Hurley, its not too far....
____________
get both sides of the story
quote:spam, u should be goin to laguna too damnit.as to buddy on the vstrom, now u got me wonderin if the 12 could make it
Other than the mud, which affected more'n just me, put some wide bars on the 12 and have at it.. Well tires would help to..., I know, put on your studded snow tires!! ____________
I'm not addicted and I'm not quiting
HOME
NEW TOPIC
posted July 21, 2005 10:52 AM
Edited By: 
