19th May - McBride

Today is a Canadian Bank Holiday (Victoria Day). The roads are quiet. Seems most people prefer to stay at home.I head off towards Prince George & the central Rocky Mountains. The road connects one lake after another (Moberly, Mackenzie, McLeod, Summit) through the endless pine forest. Stopped at a roadside waterfall;

and am joined by an onlooker.

To be fair, he is only interested in my cereal bar. Even so, I appreciate a bird that is happy to perch on my bike whilst I identify it (its a Stellar's Jay). Bird watching is fine but all that fannying about with bins trying to find them can be dull. This is how bird watching should be.

More stops & advice from friendly Canadians on where to go lulled me into a relaxed "on the road" outlook. After mile three hundred and something I was sat day dreaming, leaning on my bag (my back was starting to complain), one hand on the bars, the other scanning the sky for bird life when a car flashed me. I looked around for anything hanging off the bike & listened for ominous mechanical noises. All seemed fine. Ten minutes later a truck in a line of trucks puts its siren on and slows to make a U-turn. "Licence and registration...you were doing 130 in a 100" (Ks that is..). C$150 fine. With 25% discount that's £60. I blame the bird watching. Still on the bright side, its heart warming to think I have now been done for speeding in six countries over three continents. Takes dedication you know.