Canada's Best Kept Secret: 500km from the nearest paved road, solo in Northern BC.

[Crooked Creek]

Originally Posted by YT Dave

Every mine on the planet exists in a place that was once wild or in a natural state. Every petroleum plant, coal mine etc is the same. The fact is, we'd be living like cave men if it wasn't for the likes of Shell Oil or Noranda Mines. Your car couldn't be built without lead, nickel, aluminum, plastic, copper, iron. You couldn't send your mother a Christmas card without forests being cut down and on and on and on.

Yup, it's nice to go out into the wild, but what nature provided for us in the form of minerals is what makes it possible.

Lets not bag too much on Shell Oil. Crooked Creek needs gas in his tanks to make this RR possible! And yes, Shell is gonna rape the land in northern BC, but it's only because you and I demand it.

Agreed. I don't think anyone was "bagging" though, just celebrating a good decision by Shell, the BC government, and the Tahltan. In the article, the president of Shell makes the point that every petroleum plant, coal mine etc is not the same in the sense that the potential economic benefits are not always worth the collateral costs. So, for cost efficiency, infrastructure, environmental, and (no doubt) public relations reasons it makes more sense for to concentrate their efforts in Northeastern BC at this time.

Were it not for natural resources development (and war) there would be no roads in Northern BC at all, but not all projects are worth the environmental and cultural costs.

[Crooked Creek]

On another note, Grande Prairie Alberta (the closest city to me) was the 2nd coldest in the world yesterday



But that didn't kill the Christmastime fun.











Also, my wifie is now ready for packrafting season.

[Crooked Creek]

Sorry about the slight delay, but when we left off we were here:



Downtown Germansen Landing.

Okay, not quite downtown.


That would be here.




It was easy to find.




What wasn't under water, that is.




The Omineca River, like the others along the way had overrun its banks and was occupying Scott Müller's front yard.




My plans for packrafting the Finlay were looking less and less likely to happen.




But even if I had traveled all this way just to meet Scott, it it would have been worth it. A true gem of a man. I won't spoil all the details, but suffice it to say that if you get a chance to spend some time listening to his stories, you'll be blessed.

There's a picture of his family in this article here.

In the feature (in British Columbia Magazine) the writer mentions that in addition to supplying gas, groceries and other goods to the locals (which include those hundreds of kms north), Mr. Müller is the notary public, marriage commissioner, electoral officer, and weather station operator. He also runs another gas station/convenience store 2 days a week in Vanderhoof and serves as a lay pastor there. The only thing he doesn't supply in Germansen is alcohol. Like in many communities in the North, alcoholism and related issues are a blight among the First Nation communities, and Scott doesn't want to contribute to the problem.

While I was fueling up (from a plastic 55 gallon drum I might add) I chatted for a few minutes with a friendly gentleman who was asking questions about my bike. Had a great talk about my family and why I'm up here and about his way of life. Scott later tells me how this man had called him up a few years ago in the middle of night confessing that he had just killed a friend of his in an alcohol-fueled dispute. He was distraught and asked Scott to call the RCMP for him and stay with him until they arrived. So Scott did. But but the time the case went to trial, the man's story had changed and he was never convicted.

That's not that abnormal up here unfortunately. On the other side of Williston Lake, in Fort Ware (which was my secondary destination) things are even worse, as this thread in a BC hunting forum attests. Sadly, it also reflect that racism in still an issue in a "enlightened" society like ours.

Anyways, I told Scott about my exploration plans and how I was banking on connecting with a couple of remote outfitters to secure fuel. We both agreed it was better for me to make myself useful if I was going to show up unannounced, so he gave me Ron Steffey's mail, so I would have a gift to give when I arrived. More about Ron and Moose Valley later, but he lives over 350km (and an 8-16 hours drive) from the nearest town so let's just say he doesn't get he mail that often. By the way, Wednesday is "mail day" in Germansen, so that's the day to be there if you want to meet some of the "locals."


That's Ron's mail in the plastic bag.

[yellowknife]

WOW - two Snojets and a whiz or Rupp - bringing back fond memories of my youth in the North. Those are probably collector items now adays.

Have a great holiday - looking forward to more pics and reporting.

YK

[Sunday Rider]

What a great update on the family front and on the long anticipated trip installment.

CC you are a man for all seasons.

Happy New Year to you and the family and wishing you great, safe adventures for 2013. AND Ride Reports for us

[Crooked Creek]

Originally Posted by yellowknife

WOW - two Snojets and a whiz or Rupp - bringing back fond memories of my youth in the North. Those are probably collector items now adays.

Don't forget the old 292 Yammie and the Moto-ski. But that is a Massey Ferguson Ski Whiz. They all should still run with a little lovin.

My dad also has one of these in the shed (though not in that shape...)

[yellowknife]

on some frozen lake around Edmonton - late Neolithic time period I am thinking.
I was never sure what it was called but the distinctive hard as a rock in winter time seat
and lack of suspension left an enduring impression on me.

Thanks for posting - these pics brought a big smile my way.

YK

[Mercenary]

sigh....

[gunnerbuck]

Originally Posted by Mercenary

sigh....

I'm with you, C.C. hasn't updated this story since last year...

[Mercenary]

Originally Posted by gunnerbuck

I'm with you, C.C. hasn't updated this story since last year...

LOL.... Now thats funny right there

[Crooked Creek]

So Christmas wasn't as restful as I was hoping...but:

Off I went, across the swollen Omineca River and towards all points north.




Did I mention that I still hadn't met vehicle on the road since the Finlay FSR. One that ran anyway.




In fact, I wouldn't meet another vehicle all the way to my destination (which was still many hours away.)




The riding was excellent.




And the bears were plentiful.








I'm on the Thutade FSR now and the road takes a sharp turn north. If you head west here you can go to Takla Landing (which was going to be my last fuel stop on the summer before on the Spatsizi expedition.)








Not too far and we are starting to climb.




I am iching to use my boat now, but the road keeps going on and on.




This is the last of the clear cuts I rode through before getting into the "real bush."

[Fishenough]

Ah, pictures like today's create a burning desire to ride - hard to believe it'll have been 9 years since I last rode down BC logging gravel. Been away from home for too long (though year round riding didn't hurt)!



This pic really gave me pause, putting me right into the moment



Thank you!!

[Crooked Creek]

So maybe 40km up the Thutade, you hit Uslika Lake.




My backroads mapbook showed a "recreation site", but this is basically it.



I would have liked to wet a line, but I knew I'd be riding in the dark if I did.


Another 10 km or so and the road joins the main Omineca Resourse road. Can't miss it.




I spun down to look at the sign just to make sure I knew where I was. They've kinda let things go since the mine shut down. But no dust.




As I had found out in my research, they were pretty clear that they weren't going to let you bum any fuel at Kemess.




Either way, I was committed now and off I went.




We were still climbing as I hit the Mesilinka River, as were water levels.




I am starting to get to the scenic part.

[alcanrider]

Originally Posted by Crooked Creek

Agreed. I don't think anyone was "bagging" though, just celebrating a good decision by Shell, the BC government, and the Tahltan. In the article, the president of Shell makes the point that every petroleum plant, coal mine etc is not the same in the sense that the potential economic benefits are not always worth the collateral costs. So, for cost efficiency, infrastructure, environmental, and (no doubt) public relations reasons it makes more sense for to concentrate their efforts in Northeastern BC at this time.

Were it not for natural resources development (and war) there would be no roads in Northern BC at all, but not all projects are worth the environmental and cultural costs.

Funny similar thoughts are had regarding coal mines, mostly strip mining. I personally have no problem with any resource developement as long as the environment can be returned to its somewhat original state. I do realize that after removing coal, the hills in West Virginia might not be as high, but the benefits outweigh the risks. No reason we should sit in the dark because some dont like dirty fossil fuels. Grew up in WV and listened to the mostly out of state environmentalist groups cause lots of problems for the residents, who mostly worked in coal. I personally like gas way under 3 dollars a galllon and dont care if the crude oil comes from underwater wells or the sands in Canada, just make the wilderness areas wilderness areas once again after resource developement. Awesome RR

[alcanrider]

Originally Posted by Crooked Creek

Agreed. I don't think anyone was "bagging" though, just celebrating a good decision by Shell, the BC government, and the Tahltan. In the article, the president of Shell makes the point that every petroleum plant, coal mine etc is not the same in the sense that the potential economic benefits are not always worth the collateral costs. So, for cost efficiency, infrastructure, environmental, and (no doubt) public relations reasons it makes more sense for to concentrate their efforts in Northeastern BC at this time.

Were it not for natural resources development (and war) there would be no roads in Northern BC at all, but not all projects are worth the environmental and cultural costs.

Funny similar thoughts are had regarding coal mines, mostly strip mining. I personally have no problem with any resource developement as long as the environment can be returned to its somewhat original state. I do realize that after removing coal, the hills in West Virginia might not be as high, but the benefits outweigh the risks. No reason we should sit in the dark because some dont like dirty fossil fuels. Grew up in WV and listened to the mostly out of state environmentalist groups cause lots of problems for the residents, who mostly worked in coal. I personally like gas way under 3 dollars a galllon and dont care if the crude oil comes from underwater wells or the sands in Canada, just make the wilderness areas wilderness areas once again after resource developement. Awesome RR