Headwinds and Wind In My Face: A 3 Day Roadlike TR

[jetski]

***Damn it!!!!**** Why are my pics rotated???


Started in Clearwater BC with a threatening sky above me. Quick coffee and then 4 km in the clouds descended and it started to pour. No problem. Im climbing and Im warm. Pavement ends, gravel starts and my drivetrain hates me. Sprinted to catch the last Ferry across the N.
Thompson River to avpid waiting an hour for lunch break.
Ate a bunch at Little Fort and under more ominous skies. Saw this sign. Made me laugh. My engine couldnt afford the wasted energy of reving and my scheduled medicine break wasnt for much later.
I started the big climb up Hiway 24. I decided to take the Ferrymans advice and leave the main road and grab a gravel road he said I would love. I loved it... Then I got lost and walked up a steep logging road for 4 km with too much elevation gain then back on to the main highway. Losing an hour or so. It rained hard and I got wind slapped hard; I got cold. Battled to a gas station, dried my clothes at the laundromat and smashed some calories. Grabbed a tall beer for the bivy which hopefully will be dry. Sun came out as it was setting, lights went on and I picked up the pace to leave the busy road and hit Green lake. Made it. Chugged the beer and fell asleep with the bright moon.
Got up early, had some food and pedaled a nice leisurely pace joining hiway 97 at 70 mile house. I consumed my usual long bike ride breakfast called shades of pork. Ham bacon sausage 3 eggs, hash browns and a litre of coffee.
Trying to hit Lillooet and feeling good as I start out. Then the winds. I got drop kicked in the chest by the wind and slowed my pace considerably. Another battle to reach Clinton B.C. where to my delight there was a real coffee shop. Bunch of espresso and Im ready to leave the road and find some gravel via the Clinton- Pavillion road. Start climbing and the breeze increased and it felt like biking in sand. With flat tires. On a tricycle. Getting frustrated but I press on. Pavement ends and its beautiful.
Big climb and I had to walk a bit cause no one was watching. Gorgeous views and surface is amazing. Downhill time!!! (With a headwind)
On to Hiway 99. Its windy. Im struggling. Listening to music helps but Im losing it. 20 km out Lillooet and im barely moving. I yell something stupid that I dont really remember but juvenile like" fuck you wind ,right in your stupid windy butthole." I look up and see someone in their driveway probably amazed by what he just heard.
Lilloet!
Soooooo windy. I can't take it anymore. Hotel time. Grab 3 single beers one being a tall boy. Grab some sushi as a warm up to my pizza and as I exit the restaurant the wind slams by beer bag against the door puncturing the king can. Drop everything and shotgun that beautiful Budweiser. Tastes good. Look up and realize I just did that infront of a full restaurant across the street. No harm. Gave them all something to talk about.
Great sleep and fresh kit I start the massive climb out of Lillooet. Weather is mixed bag and it almost rains as I crest the first major climb.but suddenly clears up!!!! Then the winds returned. Smacking me with gusts that feel like Im biking on a treadmill behind 747 engines. Stop for a long break and eat and medicate. Throw some tunes on and start to enjoy the views the Duffy Lake road has to offer...

The decent into Pemberton was super windy. Kind of a theme of the ride. Scary as the gusts push me around and make it hard to rest. 6 km out from Pemby theres a fruit stand! I know its a bad idea to eat a bag of cherries.. So I eat a bag of cherries. Make it to Pemby and enjoy a big Mac and fries as well as two espressos and I make the final windy push to Whistler. So breezy. I need a break for meditation and to kick my own ass. 8 km left spirts lifted. WHISTLER!!

440ish km in three days. Duffy ride checked off the bucket list. I mountain bike too so dont judge me too much. Thanks for reading. Sorry for the rotated pics...

[mntlion]

well played sir, well played

[Dantheman]

My neck hurts now, but that was cool.

[jetski]

Ya not sure why it did that. Posted from my Samsung

[Jong Lafitte]

Rad!

Lol fucking wind.

I saw a dude on a moped as a draft vehicle for a road biker the other day it wasn’t even windy lol, kind looked fun tho.

[plugboots]

Cool.

[weibo]

You need to give me the full report over beers, shotgunned or regular.

[BCMtnHound]

You took the Dunn Lk road from Clearwater to Little Ft ferry? That’s a decent push to start. And up from Little Ft was that the Eakins Cr fsr to the ‘crossroads’? Nice country but ya, easy to get lost in there and climbs like a .... the original 2-4 hiway.
Never did the Clinton to Pavilion fsr, but need to considering how many times we have made the duffy lake run to lilloett lk via ‘loops/cache cr. Great TR!

[jetski]

Ya Eakins is where I messed up. No map cause thats how I roll. The FSR i took was labled Eakins Crk connector. So thats the way I went. Would have been a tough ckimb on an unloaded mountain bike. If you have an appropriate vehicle for sure try the Clinton Pavilion road. Once you summit the views are amazing and the road is decent.