Clayton Brown:
Trucking through the Fraser Canyon when things go sideways. Less than ideal conditions cause multiple problems along this long and narrow highway causing hundreds of motorists to be stranded for hours.
This video, even with its annoying as hell music, shows what truckers go through trying to drive in winter conditions. I don’t envy them. This road is the Trans-Canada Highway about 30 miles east of where I live. I love riding that road in the spring in summer (it’s one of the prettiest in British Columbia) but you couldn’t pay me enough to drive it in the winter.
I was driving down the Coquihalla this summer. There were a lot fewer accidents, obviously, but I still couldn’t believe what I saw in a single day: Multiple flips and mangled car trailers (all with Alberta plates), skid marks right over a cliff and a crowd of onlookers above.
Posted speed limit of 120 km/h almost the entire way. Sure, parts of it, that was fine. But if you’re doing 120 in other parts you’re an idiot.
I’ll take it again because I’m reasonably sure I can dodge whatever happens, but it’s definitely not a highway to test the limits on.
Edit: Also, as slow as I tried to take the road down to snow shed? I SHOULD HAVE GONE SLOWER.
On the motorcycle, there’s no chance I’ll take the Coquihalla. Much prefer the other roads. I can still go 120mph+ on those. 🙂
Parts of the Coquihalla are an endurance test in braking, and people are idiots. I haven’t ridden a motorcycle, but I think you got good judgement there!
The Fraser Canyon is crazy at the best of times. This guy is amazingly cool when the going gets tough. Hats off to him.
Amazing number of tandem trailers there.
Heck, this stretch of road is only number 8 for BC’s deadliest highways: http://globalnews.ca/news/1819213/british-columbias-12-deadliest-highways/
The Coquihalla is a straight, boring road, built for cruisers. I like windy and twisty roads. I do the same speeds but have MUCH more fun. 🙂
Have you done Duffy Lake Road yet?
Not the full loop. Last May, I did a variation of it. Here is my Ride Report: Chilliwack -> Kamloops -> Chilliwack. http://yml.me/2igTK4a
Nicely done. We truly live in heaven here in BC.
It is spectacularly beautiful. I liked the roads in the US better (simply because there are more of them) but our landscape is amazing.