Words by Issa Breibish // Photography by Nita Breibish

Since we were heading out of Vancouver with a plan for the south route skimming the US border along HWY 3, riding along the Transcanada until Hope was inevitable. We headed back out through East Hastings but weren’t met by any pirates wielding swords of pizza, and instead were briefly questioned by a seriously rough Danny Trejo looking guy with a great smile. “How many miles can you get on that?” When I told him his face lit up and we heard a “fuck yeah” as he pulled away. It was a great parting note before hitting the highway.

We watched lines of traffic roll into town – bumper to bumper for miles – stretching over the Port Mann bridge and well over the hill that reveals Vancouver for the first time as you’d roll into town. As the minutes passed the traffic heading east thinned only to be interrupted by the occasional line from construction. Once past Abbotsford the fast-moving highway is actually quite soothing with it’s valley’s and passes. You can move along at leisurely pace unfettered by the rushing masses.

We returned to a little diner in Hope for lunch but not until we managed to get lost in the town just as the GPS and headset had a little argument and decided to stop talking to one another. Still, a stop at an abandoned gas station quickly had it all set. Just east of Hope, we turned off of the Transcanada and onto HWY 3 toward Princeton. “It always surprises me that with a simple turn a commute can be transformed into a journey.”

As soon as we turned off the road began it’s twisted route through the mountains, and suddenly there was no traffic. It always surprises me that with a simple turn a commute can be transformed into a journey. Or an adventure. It’s hard to imagine that you can experience places like HWY 3 so easily yet most people who pass that turn-off never see it. The road is stunning with it’s many, many turns and twists mixed with extreme elevation changes.

After three nights in relative luxury in Vancouver our destination was campground in Osoyoos for a frosty night spent under the stars. The cloudless sky left the air crisp – it hadn’t reached “warm” yet on the entire trip. As we descended into the valley, it was clear that Osoyoos was a beautiful town. We pulled into our campsite just as the sun was getting ready to drop below the horizon so we quickly set up the tent, organized all the gear and promptly set off for a walk along the water. The setting sun was amazing and the lake was so still except for a lone duck making it’s way to shore. After a drink at the lodge, it was time to fire up the stove, pour some decaf and eat dinner by the tent.

It was a great way to end the day, laughing in the tent, hearing the quiet, and falling asleep as the chill set in outside.

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