July 14, 2022

Long pull, 280+ miles to Dawson Creek.  Leaving town I had a sudden doubt that I might have missed a turn for 97 S.  Stopped and consulted Google.  I was on the right road.

Weather was great initially.  Moderate temperatures and a strong tail wind that had me cruising along at 80 mph effortlessly.  It seemed like the elements were mocking me after all the rain, cold and wind thrown at me the last couple weeks. Through the day the wind turned to a west cross wind that grew more vicious the closer I got to Dawson Creek.  

I was a bit worried about cross winds on the steel grate Peace River bridge about 20 miles out of Dawson Creek.  When I reached it I was on it almost before I realized it was there as I was looking for an overhead trestle bridge.  That's how I remembered it from 2018 but it is flat with no superstructure.  Anyway, the wind was not a problem.  I made it more difficult by getting on in the middle of the grate encroaching on the oncoming lane.  Of course, immediately a car entered the far end forcing me to edge sideways into my own lane.  I'd never really done that, i.e., ride diagonally cross grate, so it was good to find that it is not that perilous.  Some day maybe I'll get up the courage to try 4th or 5th gear on one of these squirmy bridges.

The scenery is not terribly interesting,  especially after some of the more spectacular parts of B.C.  There is a nice moment about 50 miles down the 97 when a train of mountain peaks starts rising on the far horizon.

Wildlife:  Saw one black bear.  I'd not seen one this far south on the A.H. before.  Also saw a dead elk or deer (if it was a deer, it was a big one and had an impressive set of antlers) in the shrubbery 20 feet from the road.  It was probably hit and flung there by a speeding truck.  If it was hit by a car, there would be a dead car nearby as well.