From Usa to Canada
Seattle, Ashcroft, Prince George e Smithers
I went from Malaysia to the Internation Airport of Tacome on the 14 September at 17.00 o’clock, and i reached Rashmi’s house, the motorbike rider and editor of Global Woman Who Rides, who welcomed me into Seattle. The day after Rashmi brought me to take my bike.. GD.
Global Women Who Rides is a platform for female riders all around the world, which picks up all the two wheels lovers women from every place of the world. To get all the informations: www.globalwomenwhoride.com
After I was done with the praccy in an hour I was yet riding, incredibly happy to travel around the American roads. On the 16 September I woke up with the will to start my adventure.
Anita’s Riding Tip:
To carry my bike from Malaysia to USA i have chosen Delta Cargo. The operation was easy and without any sort of problem, because i have respected all the International Security proceedings. You have to ask in time for the EPA’s approval (Environmental Protection Agency) to bring engines and vehicles into the USA
The desire to start my travel is emphasized by the will to reach as fast as I can my destination: Hyder. Because it is the Northest place of my travel, in Alaska, the sooner I get there the hotter temperature I’ll find. So i inaugurate my world trip driving down to my first interstate road: The North Freeway 1-5. It’s sunny and I feel all the comfort I can need thanks to my GIVI gear. Naturally there is a bit of traffic, but the closer I’m to Everett, the lesser it is. In 3 hours I reach the Canadian frontier, the stripe Sumas – Abbottsford, which I passed in 10 minutes. Oh yeah!
Anita's Riding Tip:
To manage the weather, the traffic and the road conditions there is an always updated site www.ezbordercrossing.com
Driving in Canada is awsome. The road conditions are better then the ones in USA, there is less traffic and everything is reported by a rich signposting. The panorama is great as well, above all next the Fraser river. Once you reach Ashcroft, the view changes: you start to watch at dry mountains and hills which make u think to be in another planet.
Anita’s Riding Tip:
I take a break at the Hope Visitor Center to ask for some informations about the closest bank to change my USA dollars into Canadian dollars.
I found a place to camp for the night. It looks like a cool place, next to the river, but I can’t sleep: there is a railroad in the next area and a trains pass every 20 minutes.. Of course I didn’t know that .. Urghhh!!!!
Cold wakes me up in the morning on the 17 of September: i pack my camping tend and all my things into my waterproof GIVI 80lt. (I love it, with a velcro closing it’s really easy to use) that i tie to my backseat.
Then arrives a bit of rain exactly when I decide to keep on moving. I need my gloves: I pick up my summer ones, just because the winter ones are somewhere into my lateral bags. So when I reach the road to Prince George, I can’t feel my fingers.. they are frozen. But the panorama is heating me, with its beautiful colors of the autumn leaves and with his long rows of pines.
I keep my bike speed around 85-100Km/h while traveling into the Highway 97. The closer I get to Prince George and the rainier it is. But no problem, because I ‘m wearing my travel waterproof GIVI HEVIK jacket and trousers, plus a beautiful rainbow over my head!
Anita’s Riding Tip:
in British Columbia, Canada, the speed limits are 40km/h for urban areas and 110 km/h for the highways.
A really unlucky even happens to me on my 3rd day. More or less about 30 km after Prince George, i’m driving in a real windy area and i feel a strong whistle piercing the right side of my helmet. I’m loosing the control of my vehicle.
I have no idea what really hit me, but that thing passed through my visor right side. Fortunately I don’t fall, and I still move holding on into the wind hits. Then I stop and I take out my GIVI balaclava. Instantly heat and comfort surround me. That’s exactly what I need!
After 379 km i arrive at Smithers, where i lead myself to the bike shop which is a rider friend of mine shop. His name is Sam and I meet him exactly when he is closing the store, but he helps me anyway fixing up my helmet. At night he and his wife receive me in a sort of buss. This awesome couple live in a real “motor home!”
Anita's Riding Tip:
The day after, greeting Sam and Sarah, i listen to their advice to drive carefully because of the presence of wild animals on the roads.. in particolar bears.
