Against The Wind

It is already a hot morning when we leave Creston but as long as the bike is moving and the wind is in our face we stay cool. Our black leather traveling gear can be hot, heavy, and uncomfortable when temperatures are high, however, we’re not complaining, as we’ve endured enough bad weather riding to be grateful for everyday of sunshine on a trip.
Our beloved Route 3 begins its climb into the Rocky Mountain range, winds along the scenic Moyie River and even more spectacular Moyie Lake zipping us through Cranbrook (where we jump ahead an hour) and into the alpine town of Fernie. As a skiing/winter sport destination, Fernie is booming and has much good accommodation and many restaurants including a Tim Horton‘s where we stop for lunch. We follow the rushing Elk River into coal mining country and Sparwood is the last BC town before we cross the Continental Divide amid lofty mountain peaks and glacial rock deposits thousands of years old. Just on the other side of the provincial border is the landslide site where the village of Frank once stood - bit of an eerie place that we usually hurry through. We’re about to leave Route 3 and feeling a bit sad as we’ve hardly done it justice this trip, speeding along trying to cover many miles early in this journey.
There are many top-notch stops we can recommend including the Cascade hiking trails of Manning Park where you can camp and hike for days. The Mascot Gold Mine tour from the Snaza'ist Discovery Centre in Hedley takes you up to the Provincial Heritage site perched precariously on the side of the mountain overlooking the Similkameen Valley. We love staying at the Gold House B&B in Hedley as it was originally the Gold Assay office. Another world-class destination on Route 3 is Osoyoos - whether you’re a golfer, a water sport enthusiast, a wine lover, or a naturalist! The Nk’mip Resort offers outstanding accommodation on a ridge that overlooks the town and the lake. They also have a huge RV and camping park, a fabulous winery, and the NK'MIP Desert Cultural Centre highlights the rare plants and animals of this desert landscape. The Cranbrook area has much to offer too, including Fort Steele and the cute Bavarian-themed town of Kimberly. If you’ve never ridden Route 3 make your next priority ride (those of you still car-bound will enjoy it too).
Just east of Crowsnest village we turn left onto Alberta highway 22 heading for Black Diamond. This is foothills country where the great plains have begun to rock-n-roll in front of the Rockies. Many of the people who live here believe it is the most beautiful place on earth and it is gorgeous today, although the winds are gusting high and the clouds are moving in. Much of the movie Brokeback Mountain was filmed in this area around Longview.