For me the motivation is the ability to see so much more from a bicycle than from a car. A close second to that is the people you meet along the way. On my short tour last year I rode a part of BC which I have driven through a number of times but it was very different and far more enjoyable on the bike. I got to see sights that are normally only a blur from the car and actually met many locals who would not give another speeding tin can full of tourists a second glance.

As as for the scenery in BC and on the prairies, I would take it ahead of most of the world. Of course until you've seen a bit of the world, you can't judge for yourself and once you have seen it you are free to disagree. Truth be told, I would much rather see a moose on the side of a lake with a mountain in the background than yet another piece of man-made clutter regardless of when it was built or what materials were used.