A Little Ride...

Saturday was a real beauty!  The sun was shining, the sky was blue, so we charted our course for the day.  We looked forward to a motorcycle ride in the countryside.

High water from the Ruskin Dam spillway on the north side of the Fraser River.

 Jeanette and I headed out for the Mission/Maple Ridge area to ride the nice, winding roads in the Stave Lake/Rollie Lakes/Ruskin Dam areas.  Heading east towards Abbotsford, we rode north on Highway 11, over the Fraser River, then west on Highway 7.

This area - below the dam - was ominous looking, even eerie. Other than the water, it had a moonscape look about it.  The dam was holding back the water and the result below was ugly.  Most of the time - when the dam is releasing water - the scene above is usually very pretty.

A lot of families were out enjoying the local Provincial Parks....although the scene above seemed quiet and serene.

 We kept motoring around the winding roads and came down to a lower Stave Lake generating station.  In fact, the water level was incredibly low.  I believe the water was being held back to reduce the high water flows into the Fraser River.  In essence, holding back the water to reduce the threat of flooding.  Could be a valid theory.

Pretty scene with the little tug (or boom) boat sitting still in the channel.

Although this looks so peaceful, when the waters are raging from the dams above, this photo would not look anything like this.

Further below we came across the Ruskin Dam that was busy generating power.  Most of the spillways were gushing water.

Rusting old cedar mill along the Fraser River.

A typical river scene along the Fraser.

Today (Sunday) we head out with another couple we have featured on this blog before.  They live in the area and winter in the Palm Springs/Palm Desert.  We have planned a motorcycle ride.  You'll have to drop back in the the next day or so for that story.

Thanks for dropping by.