Yet not really another ride report.....

[nickjtc]

This time the purpose was to be convinced that I had solved the starting issues and tie that in with a visit to my eldest son in Kamloops. The direct route is about an hour and a half ride, but I decided to head south along Westside Road, described here  http://www.tigertriple.com/forum/index.php/topic,14725.0.html  then over the Coquihalla Connector (highest point 1728 metres) to Merritt and then up to Kamloops, making for a ride of close to three hours.

Climbing out of the Okanagan Valley. Lots of logging has gone on here.

(http://s51.photobucket.com/user/nickjtc/media/Last%20Ride%2003-04%20October%202015%20to%20Kamloops%201.jpg.html)

Close to the Pennask Summit at 1728 metres elevation. Not really clear here but there was significant frost on the trees.

(http://s51.photobucket.com/user/nickjtc/media/Last%20Ride%2003-04%20October%202015%20to%20Kamloops%203.jpg.html)

Then once you start to descend into the Nicola Valley (and into warm sunshine again) things start to get very dry and parched looking.

(http://s51.photobucket.com/user/nickjtc/media/Last%20Ride%2003-04%20October%202015%20to%20Kamloops%204.jpg.html)

(http://s51.photobucket.com/user/nickjtc/media/Last%20Ride%2003-04%20October%202015%20to%20Kamloops%205.jpg.html)

The little hamlet of upper Nicola is just outside Merritt. It used to be a thriving community at the terminus of the Kettle Valley Railway (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kettle_Valley_Railway), which was supposed to push on north and east from here, but ended up going a different route.

(http://s51.photobucket.com/user/nickjtc/media/Last%20Ride%2003-04%20October%202015%20to%20Kamloops%206.jpg.html)

This is the Quilchena Hotel (http://www.douglaslake.com/quilchena.html), built in the very early 1900's in expectation that the railway would pass close by and deliver lots of potential patrons. It did not materialise and the hotel went through many a hard time trying to stay in business. It is now a popular stopping off place for golfers who come to enjoy the course next door.

(http://s51.photobucket.com/user/nickjtc/media/Last%20Ride%2003-04%20October%202015%20to%20Kamloops%207.jpg.html)

Lots of lakes hereabouts. This is the north end of Nicola Lake.

(http://s51.photobucket.com/user/nickjtc/media/Last%20Ride%2003-04%20October%202015%20to%20Kamloops%208.jpg.html)

More verdant scenery, now heading home the short way from Kamloops, just north of Falkland.....

(http://s51.photobucket.com/user/nickjtc/media/Last%20Ride%2003-04%20October%202015%20to%20Kamloops%209.jpg.html)

...... and home to one of the longest running Stampedes in western Canada. http://www.falklandstampede.ca/ Not as big as the one in Calgary, later in the year, but still very popular.

(http://s51.photobucket.com/user/nickjtc/media/Last%20Ride%2003-04%20October%202015%20to%20Kamloops%2011.jpg.html)

Nearly home. Another lake, this one Swan Lake just north of Vernon.

(http://s51.photobucket.com/user/nickjtc/media/Last%20Ride%2003-04%20October%202015%20to%20Kamloops%2012.jpg.html)

Even thrashing over the Coq at 120+kph the bike still got better than 50mp(Imperial)g. Love it!!

Alas the insurance is about to run out and it is starting to get chilly in the evenings/nights, so the bike has been put to bed for the winter.

[Bixxer Bob]

Nice 

And the starting issue is gone?

[nickjtc]

And the starting issue is gone?

Yes, it looks like it was as simple as the fact that the battery was at the end of its life. The po thinks that it was the original battery from when the bike was new in 2008.

[John Stenhouse]

That could be interesting, I've just changed my battery and the starting issue was last year so that could be the cause. I'll see how it goes.

[tech141]

Thems be some nice pics, Nick.  Looks like it was a great ride.

[nickjtc]

Thems be some nice pics, Nick.  Looks like it was a great ride.

That's the huge advantage of living where I do