As a western Canadian motorcyclist I have travelled many of the roads featured in the book. As I sit here in Edmonton in January it gives me great memories of trips past and anticipation of the snow-free riding months ahead!

However I want to pass on a friendly warning to all fellow two-wheel enthusiasts: beware the dark. I know, I know, Momma always said 'NEVER ride after dark' right? Well who hasn't been on a 'mission' to get somewhere and got caught riding at dusk or slightly after dark?

My luck ran out last July 14, north of Osoyoos at about 10:00pm trying to make Kelowna after an AWESOME day of riding through southern B.C. Cruisin' along nicely, in perfect rhythm with my V-Max when....no shining eyes in the ditch, no warning whatsoever that I was about to go for a different kind of ride. I was lucky  -I 'glanced' the poor guy and took a mean tumble at about 80km/h. Could've been a LOT worse if I had hit it directly, or if I hadn't slowed down to 80 when the sun set.

My poor '93 V-Max was no longer pristine and 'never ever dropped' but it, like I, survived to see another BC DH. I never saw the deer after I hit it but I hope it just got the #$%^ knocked out of it and got away wondering (as I was) if it was all a dream.

Hope this message gets through to anyone out there riding these FANTASTIC roads next summer. Ride in daylight only. Too bad 'cuz night riding used to be my passion years ago - now I feel mortal!

Hopefully someone else can share their 'close call' or 'slight mishap' (lol). I'm sure there's plenty of things we riders could learn from other riders.

See you out there in - oh about four months! -John