I leave Portland and head for the United States/Canada border. The crossing is a bit like queuing up in a supermarket: slow, but everyone’s in a hurry. The line is long, and reaching it is the only time I’ve had to skid to an emergency stop. I cross the border. From Punta Arenas the bike has done 15,300 miles, and lost 500 miles from the broken speedometer cable drive unit. I’m 142 days from Punta Arenas.
I have just entered Canada. Back in Argentina I met a backpacker, Dave Thompson, who lives here. I look him up, and he’s home, taking a break from backpacking. We chat with his parents and I bed for the night.
I have Kiwi friends in West Vancouver: John Duke, a fellow design school student who, with John Giles, another student, has recently backpacked the Americas. They are living at Eagle Harbor, have plenty of room, and think I should get a job and stay. But it is the end of July, winter is getting closer, and I am on a mission.
I tell myself, “I will look for a job today. If I get one, I will stay; if I don’t, I will move on.”
I ride into Vancouver over the Lions Gate, and go directly to the first Triumph dealer, Fred Deeley Motorcycles. We chat a bit, and I can start work tomorrow.
I work there for a month, assembling and servicing motorcycles, including the Royal Canadian Mounted Police’s fleet of Harley Davidsons. I top up my finances by $400, but I must make a decision: if I stay and work, it means I have to immigrate, which means leaving the country until notified of approval. I choose instead to stay a tourist and move on, continuing with my plan to cross Canada, pick up my money in New York, and get to Scotland or somewhere in Europe before winter sets in. I get ready to leave.
John Giles is a bit short on cash. His plan is to work the Quebec ski fields for the winter, and he asks if he can hitch a ride for a few days. I reluctantly agree. It’s a big load for the bike, but he is a mate, so we’ll give it a go. I can do maybe one day or two, just to get him on his way.
I check the bike and put a new Dunlop K81 tyre on the rear. The weather is looking great, and we are ready.