Canadian Ferry
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At the B.C. ferry terminal I'm put on standby for tomorrow's ferry. I've gone out of my way to avoid any schedules on this trip, especially after the Prudhoe debacle, so I don't really care if I don't get on. The standby status will turn out to be just a formality and I get right on in the morning. If I were in a land yacht it would be a different story. The motorhome drivers will lie about the length of their vehicles to get a cheaper rate. When the ship is loaded those extra feet add up and space that is supposed to be there disappears. Fortunately, there's always room for a bike. |
Prince Rupert is know as the "City of Rainbows." At one time it was the most densely populated area north of Mexico and the First Nation culture lives on to this day. This is evidenced by the many totem poles throughout the city. Rainfall is about 100" per year, which explains the rainbows, but today is beautiful. I ride down highway 16 to get a feel for the road in case I don't make the ferry. From what I see the road would be a pleasant one, even though I would end up retracing my steps further on. In town I try to take in a movie, but the theater is closed due to a labor dispute. I'm definitely not in the U.S. |
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| In my humble opinion, the ride south from Prince Rupert is the most scenic of the ferry rides I've been on. The straits are narrower than in Alaska, which intensifies their beauty. The ship passes whales, pods of porpoise and the occasional white spot in a tree which just might be the head of a bald eagle, but I can't tell. The Alaska ferries are much smoother than this boat which feels as if a prop is out of balance. The boat shakes in calm water. This does not bode well for the 2+ hours of passage through open ocean. I've strapped the bike down tight and check it every chance I get. Unlike the Alaska ferry, there are time when you're allowed to go down to the car deck. The only time you can do that on the Alaskan ferries is when the boat is docked. |  |
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If you're claustrophobic, stay away from the cabins. With one step you can go from the living area (table and 1 chair) to the bedroom to the bathroom. Two people would have to change clothes in shifts since there isn't enough room to do it at one time. I talk to a Harley rider and his wife. They went through 3 tires in Alaska due to flats and bubbles. At times they had several plugs and gallons of fix-a-flat in their tires. They're almost home, but this latest set of tires don't look great. |
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As we are docking for Port Hardy on Vancouver Island there are 15 motorcyclists waiting at the front of the boat. As is only appropriate, I throw the Steppenwolf CD in the player and crank up the volume. Immediately, the whole group is dancing and trying to be as wild as they were born to be. A Harley rider can't figure out why a BMW rider has that CD. I tell him that this was the London Philharmonic version. It just sounded like Steppenwolf. |
