7/23/22

After waking up in Hinton, I'm backtracking thru the Icefield Parkway to Golden and then to Tappen, BC where I have a Bunk-a-Biker with Tammy. Going thru the Parkway on a Saturday is completely different than the day before on a Friday evening. Today the park is loaded with people, cars, trailers and RVs. Every scenic stop was packed with people. I'm starting to wonder if I'm becoming a recluse.

But having the opportunity to go thru the Parkway again and in the opposite direction is definitely a special treat.

It's another hot day. Weaving thru the highway back to Golden and Revelstoke was a long chore. Eventually, I arrive into Salmon Arms, a small city that's right before Tappen. It was evening time now and I stop at a grocery store to pickup some food. While many Bunk-a-Biker hosts will happily feed their guests, I don't expect a meal unless it's been specifically mentioned beforehand.

Another 20 minutes and I am entering Tappen, a little town that sits on a hill above the Shuswap River. I pull into Tammy's driveway and she greets me at the door. She's gracious as she offers me dinner, laundry and a hot shower. I also meet her two pugs. We end up chatting late into the night about her and her husband's riding - he's at the start of a ten month long trip thru Canada and the US!

The next morning, I'm prepping my bike to leave as she makes homemade waffles. Then we hop into her truck and she drives me to the local park to check out the local waterfall.

Before I leave, Tammy gives me a ton of routes to hit on my way back to the Vancouver area and towards Idaho where I'll be crossing back into the US in just a few days. Another gracious host opening their home and sharing their time and knowledge with a grateful traveler.