Smithers to Fraser Lake

It was a mistake to pedal past Smithers...By the time a left after shopping, going online, exploring town a bit and making phone calls, it was almost nine o'clock and I pedaled into the dark for awhile before coming to the next good campsite. I got up early the next morning and started biking before breakfast, planning on a full day of cycling to get to the provincial campground in Fraser Lake.

The first town I came to was Houston, home to an enormous saw mill, and a wood pellet mill! I cruised around the town a bit and checked out the mill. I'd never seen so much lumber! And it was fun to see where some of the pellets come from that everyone is talking about in Southeast right now.

After leaving Houston, I fell into a wonderful rhythm on my bicycle. For the first time, I felt good even in the heat of the day and made good time for several hours, all the way to Burns Lake (a little over 100 km into my ride). I met two other cyclists there, a pair of Swiss women going from Anchorage to San Diego. We yakked for a bit and I ate lunch, then pressed on. After lunch, I struggled to find a good rhythm again, but eventually dragged myself into Fraser Lake just before the visitor center closed. They directed my to a beautiful camp ground on the edge of the lake, and I happily drifted down there.

The campsite is beautiful. I waded out into the lake with my bar of soap and washed off, and instantly felt a hundred times better, then headed back into town (less than 1km away) to find a burger and some groceries. After my burger, I went back to the beach to cook some more food (instant potatoes with salami, and kiwis on the side) and watch the weather put on a show across the lake. The sun was setting then, which cast the enormous thunderheads across the lake in majestic reds and purples, occasionally illuminated by bolts of lightning. I could live here, I thought, as I fell asleep.

I woke up late the next morning and decided to spend the day. I had planned to take a day off to explore Prince George, but the employee at the information center had mentioned a neat hike, there is plenty of internet here, and I had plenty of catching up to do. A day off now will do my hands good too, which are a bit beat up from riding.

That's all for now...I'm off to find that trail!