Packed up by 8:30 am, we left our electric fence protected campground and travelled across the road to get breakfast. At the Liard River Hot Springs Lodge, we had a wonderful waitress that had only just started, but did an exceptional job. She gave us the wifi password for free (saving us 5 bucks each), gave Cheryl extra toast, and provided complimentary waters before we left.
Wifi seems to have a way of making time fly—we didn’t hit the road until closer to 10:30 am. Yesterday, we left the Rocky Mountains behind and our prairie legs and lungs are grateful for it!
We had fabulous weather (not too hot, no rain, and just a bit of wind). The clear skies allowed for the incredible views to be throughly enjoyed during the 58 km ride. Our 4.5 hours of time spent in transit might have been shorter if it hadn’t been for all the wildlife we saw.
5 bear sightings, 6 bears total. A new record!
The first sighting came shortly after we passed a construction zone. A friendly worker tipped us off about a nearby artesian well. From the start of the path leading to the well we had the perfect view of two black bears in the long grass beside the highway. Guess who didn’t get any fresh water!
A little later there was a bear to our right in the ditch, possibly enjoying some juicy berries.
Two bears crossed over the road in front of us on two different occasions. Both times we saw them from a distance and allowed them to follow their planned trajectory before passing with our whistles blaring.
Finally, there was the bear that we received two warnings about from cars travelling the opposite direction. After it had also crossed the road and we had safely cycled past it, we were greeted by a friendly lady in a camper van who offered us water and had been watching to make sure we didn’t have any troubles with the bear. The kindness of strangers.
Just two kilometres from our night lodging, a long tail was seen swishing at the side of the road. A large bison turned his head and stared at us while we slowly backed away. It was intimidated by semis—moving towards the trees when they came by—and agitated by trucks—attempting a stand off with one and strutting back and forth across the highway to prove its dominance. The bison kept moving further down the highway, but stayed frighteningly close to the road. It felt like forever before the bison finally moved far enough into the trees that we felt safe enough to pedal past. It was the longest two kilometres of our ride, so far!
With all the wildlife we saw today, we were really looking forward to staying indoors tonight. Unfortunately, someone messed up our booking and the reservation that had been made at Coal River Services Motel was not recorded. After we’d set up our clothesline and pulled out our tents to dry, a guilty employee came by to offer us an old cabin, at no extra charge. A place with no electricity, or beds, but a wood stove and a roof to go over our heads. We graciously accepted (anticipating rain tonight and tomorrow—we didn’t want to pack up wet tents, again).
We’ve spent the evening preparing to cover a whopping 150 km tomorrow by pre-making sandwiches and wraps. As we chill by our campsite, slapping mosquitoes and blog writing, we’re grateful for the laughter and memories that this trip continues to give us. We’ll be praying for a few less bear, and bison sightings tomorrow.
Adventures on a bicycle 