Epic Awakening - Part III

Woohoo! The wheels were in motion as we began our ride around Mud Lake. Carefully following the instructions from our guide book, we turned left up a steep two-track path beginning our first climb. It was gruelling - exactly as described.

At the top we were immediately rewarded with an incredible view before zipping down into a blooming alpine meadow. The path was smooth and going was relatively effortless. The bright sun warmed our day, and several creek crossing cooled us down. It was idyllic.

looking back

Our nice path eventually gave way to a steep slope. With no apex in sight, we dismounted and pushed our bikes up the loose, dry dirt. The climb was long and brutal. We grumbled, and grumbled some more when we heard voices and revving motors, Damn! Rednecks. As we crested we caught sight of several dirt bikes, a handful of quads and dozen or so eyes peering inquisitively back at us. A couple of dirty, sweaty chicks, pushing their bikes up a mountain, staring right back at them.

Relay Creek was my answer to the inevitable 'where y'all headed?' query and not for moment did I doubt that we weren't well on our way to what the guide described as "little-known" and "the most spectacular of the Chilcotin single track". The rednecks looked a bit puzzled: Relay Creek? ladies, you're nearly in the Yalakom. Of course, I was sceptical of our enemy "no fucking way" was my response. But I could tell that this wasn't a joke. A map check via GPS showed, well.... that we were not on the map anymore and more devastatingly, we'd been off it for hours.

Our navigational error came early on. The left turn described in the book was not the only left we should have made. We would have to now double back nearly our entire route AND still have 6-8 hours of riding from there. Our spirits sank as we realized the mistake put our plan in jeopardy.

After a bit of banter we waved goodbye to our new friends as they left us in their dusty gas-scented wake. Who were we to complain? Having been lost and not knowing it had potentially very serious consequences far beyond a missed ride. And (as usual) we had been extremely lucky to have met these other 'fellow outdoor enthusiasts' when we did. After this rather unfavourable turn of events, we both knew that we'd be the talk of their campfire that evening!

Farewell friends

It was a wake up call indeed, and an insight into our own relative lack of preparedness for being in the way-back backcountry. And, nothing like a little bit of rescue action to change perspectives about who was fucking what up. We added to our Redneck Thesis - "A redneck will always stop to help you and have a winch and know how to use it". The guy in the BMW will probably leave you for dead. We were so glad that it was the rednecks that found us.

I like the way life is like that, one moment you get to be the smart-ass and the next your forced to swallow your pride and eat humble pie. Beside a lesson learned about self-propelled wilderness travel, we were also reminded that there is good to be found in everyone.