June 18: Hello Canada!
Hello Canada! After years of waiting, I am so excited to finally be across the border. Today’s ride took me north to Marysville to one of my favorite barbeque places and then into Canada at the Douglas Peace Arch crossing. I wanted to leave a lot of room in the schedule to cover for any problems that might come up at the checkpoint, so I took interstates most of the way. But it was a great day, nonetheless.
I left West Linn mid-morning as my older son was visiting the night before and I had stayed up late packing and talking with him. It was such a blessing to spend time with him hearing about his new job and plans for the future as well as to load up the bike for another exciting adventure.
This is my eighth summer cross country trip but the first one where I left wearing my winter gloves and electric jacket. I was grateful to be warm and comfortable despite the fact it was 56 degrees out and raining on and off. It was exhilarating to be on the road again, knowing that I have several glorious weeks on the bike ahead of me.
The food at Jeff’s Texas Style Barbeque in Marysville was even better than it was the last time I ate there. The brisket was as tender and juicy as a stick of butter and had a flavorful crispy char on the outside of the piece. The baked beans with chunks of brisket and pineapple were sweet and savory at the same time and piping hot as well. I hadn’t planned on eating all of my food, but my arms were shaking from fatigue from driving 100 miles in stop and go traffic. So I decided to throw caution to the wind and polished off three pork ribs as well. The meat fell of the bone and melted in my mouth.
The trip north was beautiful with lake, river, and Bay views including Semiahmoo Bay on my left as I approached the border. After a relatively painless experience at the checkpoint, I took a few pictures in front of the “Welcome to Canada” sign before gassing up in Surrey, picking up some groceries, and arriving at my host family’s home in Surrey for the night. For the next few days I’ll be tracking my speed in kilometers per mile and my gas in liters as I head north towards Alaska.
