Every Ride Is An Adventure…

October 26th 2013-pics all clickable

Started out a little foggy and misty for my day ride.  Our Fall weather has been nothing short of depressing.  The fog has been so dense here but only a few hundred feet upwards there has always been sun.  This day I left for just an hours ride east in cool, heated gear temps to quite warm by Harrison Mills, BC.  I do this trek every year at this time more than once.  Why?

Anyone following this blog knows I, Leslie LOVE wild life especially Bald Eagles.  Every year at this time salmon spawn up the Fraser River to the Harrison River where they lay there eggs and die.  This causes a feeding frenzy for many wild life and we are privileged living so close to one of the most densely populated eagle “hang” outs there is in the world.  Thousands will eventually show up to gorge themselves on the over abundance  of salmon carcasses.

One thing I do not really get is all the fisherman in this area.  If the salmon are exhausted from their trip up river by this point how is catching them make for quality meals?  I watched hundred’s of anglers fish all around dead salmon as well.  Seems weird and not so challenging when you have fish jumping in and out of the water in front of you.  I say just grab a net, get a few and leave.  😉

In a few weeks we should be seeing the bulk of the eagles arrive after their own “free” food they got up in Alaska.  Our Eagles like to fly from BC to Alaska and back in the fall. There is the annual Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival coming up too.

My camera is only a Canon Super Zoom Bridge camera and it did it’s best maxed out to try and see these guys way out on the flats.  All digital and not that clear but you can get an idea of what I was able to see.  I think there most have a been a few hundred out today.

Out east there are a bunch of dyke roads you can ride on.  Built up pretty high just in case the river over flows.  I say every ride is an adventure because of 2 reasons in this case.  One, I rode the dyke and instead of turning off where it got level I got caught at a farmers gate.  2 horses greeted me and if they could talk would have said, “bad move rider”.  

At this point the little dirt grass road I was on was to narrow to ride and make a turn with my F8 so I hoped off and turned the bike around with some effort off the bike.  All good in the end and gave a chance to sit quietly with the horses and look over the river and take a few shots of my beauty of a bike. 😉

The second reason this was an adventure was that I finally decided to head up a forest road I have been past many times before.  The Can Forest Road.  I did not have enough gas or the right gear to venture too far up this road but what from what I did see it proved to be another hidden treasure from the pavement.

Beautiful lake not far in and while there I saw many eagles flying in the thermals up above and a beaver slowly paddling around looking for sticks.

Soaring eagles above, both adults and juvies is a treat.  Especially when you hear them trilling and clasping talons mid air. 

So, I rode a few hundred KM’s, got to see my eagles, got a little dirty and learned my lesson not to stay on the dyke too long or one will get stuck.  I will attach the rest of the pics in a gallery form.  By the time I got out to Harrison Mills the temps went from 5 C to 16 C with partly sunny skies.  Many bikers out today. 

Cheryl and I will be heading out this way again end of November for a weekend getaway at Rowen’s Inn and relax.  Since Cheryl is really into photography and has nice gear, she is actually looking forward to our river boat trip up the Harrison to see the eagles water view and enjoy some R&R.