Day Trips in BC, need a Home Base

[The Shepherd]

Tons of BC'ers here so this one should be easy.

I'm going to ride out to BC in September. I'm going to have a week to make it to Vancouver, pick up the girlfriend then ride for a week or so with her. We're going to go out to Vancouver Island first and go see the Pacific Ocean then head back to the mainland and go do the Banff / Jasper thing.

The girlfriend can only handle 300 - 400km days so I was wondering if there is a nice area / hotel / resort to stay at that is central so we can do day trips out and back. It'd be nice to have a "home base" to come back to and leave our clothes and unneeded gear at.

Any ideas?

[CDN]

With VIsland/Banff on your schedule, seems to me something like This would be a better option for riding BC.  BC's road network isn't all that condense - kinda hard to not have big mileage days if you don't have much time and you want to ride out of one town/city.  As per the Banff Run route and your 3-400/day limitation, toss in an extra night or two along the way (Merritt, Vernon, Radium, etc)

Having said that, if you're really looking for a home base for a few days this would be my suggestion:

Nelson
http://www.humehotel.com/

Bring your passports so you dip across the border for a few more route options.

[birdrunner]

With VIsland/Banff on your schedule, seems to me something like This would be a better option for riding BC.  BC's road network isn't all that condense - kinda hard to not have big mileage days if you don't have much time and you want to ride out of one town/city.  As per the Banff Run route and your 3-400/day limitation, toss in an extra night or two along the way (Merritt, Vernon, Radium, etc)

Having said that, if you're really looking for a home base for a few days this would be my suggestion:

Nelson
http://www.humehotel.com/

Bring your passports so you dip across the border for a few more route options.

Todd is pretty smart for someone who doesn't even own a motorcycle.    

[David Morrow]

The girlfriend can only handle 300 - 400km days so I was wondering if there is a nice area / hotel / resort to stay at that is central so we can do day trips out and back. It'd be nice to have a "home base" to come back to and leave our clothes and unneeded gear at.

Any ideas?

BC isn't as big as Ontario but it's still pretty big so that's a bit tougher than it seems. No matter how central a location you find, a nice day loop is still going to be 600 Km's minimum.

One place that might work is Kamloops. Not the most scenic place but certainly central to some great riding. It's sort of high desert country. Someone told me that the downtown area is actually quite nice but I haven't been down there for 20 years.

Easy to get to Banff and Jasper, both via different highways. You can get to Whistler via Cache Ck, Lillooet,and the Duffey Lake Rd. Easy ride to Vernon and the Okanogan. Nelson and the Kootenays are easy ride. North to Quesnel & Barkerville is also easy. You have a huge selection from Kamloops but you will need to set you daily mileages a bit longer. I can only suggest and early start and then a 2-3 hour layover mid-day at your destination. With the choices of destinations, a long layover would be an easy thing to do. All of the routes to these places are very scenic and I'd ride any one of them ( and do ) on a moment's notice.

[birdrunner]

Though most of the great roads are in the Southern Interior.   I'd suggest you start at Tofino, on the Island, and work your way to Whistler, Lillooet, Princetown, Penticton, Vernon, Nakusp, Kaslo, Nelson, Banff, Jasper.   This is easily done in a week.   Lot's of great little places to stay  (except Tofino).  Banff or Jasper to Vancouver is an very easy 2 day ride over the Trans Canada,  even with TONS of sight seeing.  (about 6.5 hrs driving by car).

[Mrs. DantesDame]

The province is big - I dont know if a central base would work. But if I were to suggest one, I would echo CDN's recommendation of Nelson. Not only is it a very charming and pleasant town to walk around, you're also in the heart of Valhalla. The Hume will come highly reommended by just about anyone who knows it, but if you're on a budget, check out the Dancing Bear Hostel in Nelson. I don't know if they have private rooms, but the should be able to hold your stuff while you ride around  

[bubba zanetti]

Another great place (albeit small) to base out of is New Denver. It places you within easy day trip of Nelson, Hot Springs, amazing roads and then within easy striking distance of Banff/Jasper.  

I would normally extend a hearty welcome to you but have firm plans to be away KLR'ing to Utah and New Mexico about then and we also have committed our extra rooms to students in the fall ... again.

But do drop a line if you would like specific info on the Kootenay area or accommodation ideas.

http://www.hellobc.com/en-CA/AccommodationSpecialOffers/NewDenver.htm

[KLRchickie]

Another great place (albeit small) to base out of is New Denver.

 

The Valhalla Inn is an excellent place to stay.  A little older, but clean & friendly with a motorcycling discount on the rooms.

[ajf]

BC is a long ways from Barrie, and it might be years before you get back.  I suggest you cross the areas that are within a long weekend's ride from home as quickly as possible to maximize your time in BC.  You should be able to reach BC in 4 easy days.  I recommend that you use the extra 3 days for some solo riding, because you can't really appreciate the best roads two-up (unless you're completely irresponsible).

As others have said, the heart of the great roads is the Nelson - Nakusp area, and that's where I'd stop for three days of solo riding on the way to Vancouver.  If you think you'd like a small, quiet, picturesque town with one of the best roads in Canada on your doorstep, New Denver is a great place for your solo riding home base.  The Valhalla Inn can be noisy if it's full (no soundproofing in the walls and the hallway floors are ridiculously creaky).  For an extra $20 I prefer the guaranteed quiet of the Glacier View Cabins.  Nakusp is a larger town with more services, but still quiet compared to Nelson.

If you're really limited to a maximum of 200 km two-up before you have to turn back, I don't think your plan to tour BC from a home base is practical.  You likely won't be able to stay in one place more than two nights if you want to see all the areas you've listed.

[birdrunner]

If your girlfriend is done after 3-4 hundred km,  I'd suggest upgrading the saddle.   A Corbin, or it's like and a back rest will HUGELY extend her comfort level.

My wife is content up to about 800 km this way.   And no one who knows her would consider her flexible.  

[Kootenanny]

I'm in Kamloops right now, and yes there is some good riding around here.  Some of the trips David Morrow mentions are a bit more than 400 km total though, out and back.

If you decide you want a "home base" for a few days near Nelson, you'd be welcome at our place (check to make sure I'll be there--I often have to take business trips at short notice, like the one I'm on now).  It's small, and if you're allergic to cats or dogs you may not enjoy it...but we're about 20 minutes from Nelson, and we have a big garage.

However, as others have said, with only a week, and a 400 km limit to your daily riding, you may be best off to plan a tour through southern BC, rather than basing yourself in one place for too long (maybe an extra day near Nelson...).

Feel free to PM me if you want.

[daddymakk]

Besides lodging, check this site for rider friendly businesses of all sorts.
http://www.beltdrivebetty.com/index.php/rider-friendly

Feel free to suggest other rider friendly businesses. Best we support those that are nice to us cuz' we've all had the bad service and stares from places that think riders are a scary bunch.

[The Shepherd]

Thanks for all the ideas, advice and hospitality.

Since day trips won't work too well with the miles we'd need to cover, I think I'll pick the girlfriend up in Calgary and ride across BC to Tofino. This way we can take our time, snap lots of pics and tour around. She'll fly back to Ontario from Vancouver.

Since I'll have a few days free before I have to pick her up I think I'll head to the Nelson area and bomb around from dawn till dusk, get the twisties out of my system then turn into a tourist with the girlfriend.  

As for buying a Corbin seat, I like the stock seat as is. What I really need is a Gold Wing, but I'm not old enough to own one yet. I think I need to convince her to buy a nice 250 Ninja so she can follow me.  

[bubba zanetti]

That sounds like a good plan.

Although it is a pilgrimage that one must do, the ride to Tofino is not the best on Vancouver Island. That would be the ride from Campbell River to Gold River. Still, if you have not ridden to Tofino, it is a must.

There are lots of accomodation options that range from :

Farting through Silk Option

http://www.wickinn.com/

To ...

Slumming with Surfers Option

http://www.gotofino.com/tofinophotopgs/dolphinmoteltofinobc.html

With lots in between  

[birdrunner]

Thanks for all the ideas, advice and hospitality.

Since day trips won't work too well with the miles we'd need to cover, I think I'll pick the girlfriend up in Calgary and ride across BC to Tofino. This way we can take our time, snap lots of pics and tour around. She'll fly back to Ontario from Vancouver.

Since I'll have a few days free before I have to pick her up I think I'll head to the Nelson area and bomb around from dawn till dusk, get the twisties out of my system then turn into a tourist with the girlfriend.  

As for buying a Corbin seat, I like the stock seat as is. What I really need is a Gold Wing, but I'm not old enough to own one yet. I think I need to convince her to buy a nice 250 Ninja so she can follow me.  

Fly her to Edmonton, then do the Jasper Banff highway,  probably the pretties stretch of highway in N. America for mountain views.  Of course Calgary is OK too, and it'll give you the chance to see the B-J highwya from both directions (its different  dependint on the direction.

Be perpared for any type of weather,  you're in themountains, and you could get anything from 30 deg. to snow. in Sept.   That said fall in the high country is spectacular.

[ToadRide]

Forget the visit. Just move here. Ya know ya wanna!

[Mrs. DantesDame]

Forget the visit. Just move here. Ya know ya wanna!

Who doesn't?

First Step: marry a Canadian. Check!  

[bubba zanetti]

Who doesn't?

First Step: marry a Canadian. Check!  

Step Two:  Mid summer holiday on Vancouver Isand with a few days on Saltspring eating lamb.

[Sputnik]

Thanks for all the ideas, advice and hospitality.

Since day trips won't work too well with the miles we'd need to cover, I think I'll pick the girlfriend up in Calgary and ride across BC to Tofino. This way we can take our time, snap lots of pics and tour around. She'll fly back to Ontario from Vancouver..................

Much better idea. However, if you plan it right you can also do it in such a way that you don't have to pack up and move on every day. You can have a series of 2 nights in a few stops etc. For example, something like this gives you relatively short mileage per day (most days), and two  2-night stays (in Lake Louise and New Denver)

Day 1: Calgary-Longview-Kananaskis Country-Lake Louise.
Day 2: Lake Louise-Jasper-Lake Louise.
Day3: Lake Louise-Revelstoke-Nakusp-New Denver
Day 4: New Denver-Castlegar-Salmo-Creston-Kaslo-New Denver
Day5: New Denver-Vernon-Kelowna-Penticton
Day6: Penticton-Princeton-Merrit
Day 7: Merrit-Lillooet-Vancover
Day8: Vancouver-Nanaimo-Tofino.

Map would look something like this:

[ToadRide]

Who doesn't?

First Step: marry a Canadian. Check!  

Ha! I know there was an alterior motive!