Day 73: The Northern Cascades and Crossing into Canada
Anacortes, WA through the Northern Cascades National Park to Osoyoos, BC, Canada
246.98 Miles | 5:01 Riding Time
It’s Saturday, June 22, 2024, and it’s Day 73 of my cross country motorcycle trip.
From Anacortes, I had two options. I could head up the interstate through Bellingham, WA and cross the border at the Peace Arch Border Crossing, or….I could ride about 100 miles east, through the North Cascades National Park along the Cascades Highway—a Butler Gold Road—and cross the border at Osoyoos. Guess what I chose?
The ride along the cascades highway was spectacular! A winding road, weaving through the cascade mountains, and the national park. Amazing views of snow-covered, jagged peaks, waterfalls, and amazing vistas. It was truly a beautiful ride. After the park (and getting my passport stamped, of course), I wound through Wintrop and Twisp on my way east on RT-20, then north on RT-97.
Crossing the border was uneventful…how long are you staying in Canada? (about 7 days); Where are you planning to go? (Jasper, Banff, Lake Louise); Do you have any weapons? (no). Welcome to Canada (thanks!) A few kilometers up the road, I turned off into Osoyoos and got settled into my hotel.
For dinner, I walked over to Campo Marina Italian restaurant, because it had good reviews on Google. As I was walking in, I noticed two motorcycles parked outside. It was popular, and the host estimated a 45 minute wait. So, I walked over to the lounge and found a seat, which happened to be next to two guys with helmets. We started chatting and Tom and Ed invited me to join them for dinner.
The dinner and conversation were both amazing. Tom and Ed had just gotten back from about a week in the US and the Linguini Marinara was fresh and very tasty! Gents, I hope you enjoyed the meal and conversation as much as I did. Safe travels home!
