Four uneventful days from Smithers to Prince George has found us happily in the home of Carol and Wayne. Over a delicious meal and some lively conversation (local paleontology exploits, foreign travel, politics), Nathan and I have been persuaded/encouraged to deviate our southward route to Vancouver. As such, we will add a few days travel time but get the benefit of some quieter roads and more stunning scenery. So, instead of south on Hwy 97, we are continuing east towards Jasper on the Yellowhead Hwy and taking Hwy 5 south through the mountains towards Kamloops. We should be able to branch back over and reconnect with our original route through Lillooet and Whistler on our way to Vancouver. With fall in full force (a few nights have been down to 20 degrees) it might seem strange to venture into the mountains for more adventure, but we wish to depart from the chaos of the main highways and back to the pleasantries of the calm and majestic byways. Everything is owned, farmed and fenced alongside the big roads, so our nights have been restlessly spent next to idling trucks in rest areas. We are choosing (well aware of the extra work and time) to get back to the pure enjoyment of riding for the sake of riding, and not for the purpose of getting somewhere. With any luck and good weather it might even bring out the camera and continue to press upon us British Columbia’s catch phrase, “the best place on Earth.”