Sunday, July 31, 2005

Day 34 – Distance: 108.49 km
Vermilion Bay to Ignace, ON

We got off to a great start; were on the road by 7:30 a.m., and made it to St. Luke’s Anglican Church, Dryden by 9:50. Everyone was extremely friendly, and Adele and I enjoyed a church service together – my first since I started biking! We joined the congregation for homemade goodies and coffee afterwards, then the priest’s husband did his best to allow me to use the church’s internet. Alas, we couldn’t find the proper connections, so we headed off to where Cassie was hooked up – at a Best Western hotel. We had our lunch, then I checked my emails; unfortunately I couldn’t hook up my computer to do my blog, so again, you’re getting this rather late.

Because it was such a hot and humid day, we postponed biking again until about 3:00 in the afternoon. Unfortunately, this did not give us quite enough time to reach Ignace, so we contemplated camping in a picnic area, since it wasn’t posted that we couldn’t. However, when Adele mentioned she had seen a bear, and another traveler mentioned he had seen a dead one along the road, we decided we’d be better off to get into the car and drive the rest of the way. It was about 8:30 by the time we arrived, and dark before we actually got into bed. Not much fun!

Scenery was typical northern Ontario, with lots of small lakes, trees, rocks etc. The terrain did flatten, and about 35 km after Dryden the wide shoulder gave way to a narrow one. However, the traffic was relatively light, and considerate.

Saturday, July 30, 2005

Day 33 – Distance: 101 km
Kenora to Vermilion Bay, ON

Wow, a sleep in until 7:00 a.m.! We were treated to coffee and cherries (I felt badly that Erika had to get up so early on her weekend off), then we headed out. We drove back to Kenora, but started out on 17A rather than from the town itself. It was a good day, but felt very much like a reality check! Lots of hills (not like the ones that are coming up, but a good training again), and getting used to the granny gear again. We’re hoping to reach Thunder Bay by Tuesday night, so that means I have to go for 6 days without a rest day, but I’m hoping by not doing huge mileages each day, I’ll be ok. We’ve decided to stick with Hwy 17, rather than going on a southern route which might have less traffic, but which would be farther.

It’s great to see northern Ontario scenery again, and to hear loons on the many lakes. We stopped by a little one for lunch, and just pulled up alongside the highway and laid our things out on some rocks. Just as we were about to leave, a fully loaded rider coming in the other direction pulled over to say hello. He had a trailer that he was pulling, and was heading back to Winnipeg from Dryden. He casually mentioned he had biked across the country last year, so I asked him if it was with Tour du Canada. It turned out it was, so here’s a hello to Murray Goring from Arnie.

There is no cell phone service here, so I pedaled to a nearby restaurant in my sandals, and borrowed the owner’s personal phone to make a few phone calls. When I left, I was horrified to notice I hadn’t even put on my helmet. I had thought there was a payphone at the campsite entrance! Oh well, I made it back safely.

It’s far later than I should be up, but I was getting behind with my logging. In any event, it’s “good night” for now.

Friday, July 29, 2005

Day 32 – Distance: 165.79 km
Beausejour, MB to Kenora, ON

Another century day, and again, not a particularly easy one. However, it felt SO GOOD to cross the Ontario border. I found myself with tears in my eyes several times.

The day started with my trying out the old trans Canada highway, which ran alongside Hwy 44, which was the one I was on. I gave up fairly quickly, but then was flagged down by a trucker who was stopped at a cross road. He said he wanted to apologize for honking at us, and didn’t want to frighten us etc. but wanted to warn us when he was coming. He also suggested I try the old trans Canada, as I wouldn’t have to worry about traffic. I thanked him for his concern, and explained why we couldn’t just go onto the shoulder every time a truck came along, and off I went. Of course, I soon thought of all the things I should have and wanted to say to him, about bikes being vehicles too, and if he couldn’t safely pass us, he should slow down until he could etc etc. I also thought I had better try out the old road again, since he had suggested it. I managed for about 10 km, but it was horrible. There would be pavement, which would suddenly run into gravel, or potholes etc. I had to keep my eyes on the road at all times to avoid skidding out, and my arms and neck ached. So, I abandoned that idea, and carried on down the highway. Fortunately, traffic was light, and things went well. I stopped at a bakery in Whitemouth, which had been highly recommended by several people for some cinnamon buns and a cup of coffee. Next stop was meeting Adele and Cassie (who couldn’t bike because her one pair of shorts were wet and her other ones lost) in Rennie, near Whiteshell Park, for lunch. The ride through the park was not so pleasant; the scenery was good, but the road again was terrible. I had to keep looking out for potholes and road cracks. It reminded me of the road to Swift Rapids! However, I persevered, again because I was so anxious to get to the border. There were a couple of highlights in the park; first, I saw a fox, coincidentally near a sign for “Municipality of Reynolds”, and a little later, I saw a young buck standing up to his knees in the grass of a ditch beside me. I also saw some eagles - huge wingspan.

Finally, Ontario! Wide paved shoulders, and smooth roads. Of course, this won’t last forever, but it sure was a treat. I rested for a bit at the information building, then carried on to Kenora. I met Cassie and Adele about 6:30, and we had supper, then headed to a campground for a shower. We were fortunate in that Erika had invited us to meet her at her cottage about 30 km west of Kenora; she and her son Anthony arrived there about 8:30 so we headed back (by car, of course). Erika has a lovely cottage on Rice Lake, and we had a wonderful time. I even got a bed to sleep on – what a treat! I slept like a log.

Thursday, July 28, 2005

Thursday, July 28, 2005
Day 31 – Distance: 149.5 km
Portage la Prairie to Beausejour, MB

We were up just about at the crack of dawn, thanks to the fact that Erika works very early hours. We were on our way by 7:00 a.m., but had to pick up a few things, then head back to where we had left off. We had decided the day before that we would try a route north of Hwy 1, rather than continuing on Hwy 2, where we had been, and where we had noticed a lot of road cracks. So, we drove to Portage la Prairie, which is just about due north from Haywood, and set off from there, leaving around 10:00 a.m. The winds unfortunately were not particularly in our favour, especially for about 12 km. I waited for Cassie and was able to draft her for about 6 km, which helped her out; I figured I had to work anyway, so I may as well be helpful! Around 1:00, we were near a little place called Warren, and since rain was imminent, we headed to the shelter of a little covered bleacher which had been built at the elementary school there. There were no seats, just a raised platform under a tin roof – perfect for our needs. We met Adele later, near a community called Stonewall, and headed into it for coffee and internet (Cassie only, unfortunately). Cassie opted to take the rest of the day off, as she was feeling tired, so I carried on to Beasejour on my own. I didn’t reach the campsite until about 7:45 p.m, and was very tired (and I’m afraid, rather irritable as a result)! However, I felt I had to keep pushing, as we really wanted to reach Kenora by Friday.

Manitoba scenery was lovely, but we were struck by the number of fields that had obviously been flooded out, and were basically laid to waste for the season. There were some great fields of sunflowers, but others that had patches of bare earth, or plants that were much smaller than they should have been.

Rants: Manitoba shoulders: there are none! I had to get off the road at least 4 times when transports were coming in both directions, or idiots in cars passed even though I was coming toward them. I found a finger is very useful for venting frustration.

Rave: Lockport – a small community on the Red River. I opted to walk over the bridge, as it was a narrow, raised, and the flags were standing straight out in the wind, which would have pushed me onto the road if I lost my balance. As I was crossing, I thought I should take a photo of the river, and was absolutely delighted to see a flock of about 20 or more white pelicans. I had only thought of pelicans as southern birds, but John Railton had told us we might see some. Check out the photo on the blog.

Wednesday, July 27, 2005

Day 30 – Rest day
Winnipeg, MB

Monique got up at the crack of dawn to get ready to catch her plane; the rest of us tried to sleep in, but I at least didn’t really succeed. After our goodbye hugs, she left, and I have to confess to a few tears. Adele and Cassie went back to sleep, but I couldn’t, so went for a little swim in the outdoor pool, then tried the sauna. It wasn’t as warm as the prior evening, unfortunately, but at least the showers were good. After a slow start, we went down for breakfast, then Cassie and I set out to Haywood, so I could bike back to Winnipeg. However, by 11:30, when we still weren’t even out of Winnipeg, I told her we might as well turn around, and call it a rest day, as Adele needed the van for a 2:00 pm physio appointment. We used that time to reorganize the van, buy groceries, and discuss tomorrow’s route. Then we headed to the home Erika Fenske, a friend of Cassie’s mother, where we were treated to a delicious lasagna with all the trimmings, and a great bottle of red wine. We then headed out to Assiniboine Park for another real treat – the Royal Winnipeg Ballet doing a free performance in the park. The evening was beautiful, as was the performance. We came back to Erika’s house, where we were able to lay out our sleeping bags, without having to bother with tents, or worry about rain!

Tuesday, July 26, 2005

Day 29 – Distance: 160.13 km
Souris to Haywood, MB

Well, I didn’t really intend to do a “century” today, but that’s how it worked out! Because of the time change, we slept in a bit, and left our tents etc. out to dry, as Monique had offered to put them away. Since it was her last day, she wanted to organize her things, and put her tent away dry so she wouldn’t have to fuss when she got home. The intention originally was that she would join us for biking a little later. That all changed after we left at 8:30, as it started to make more sense to her that she also take apart “bleuet” (her bike) and pack it into its bike bag.

The day was really a perfect one; the sun was shining all day, but it wasn’t too hot. The highway was a two-lane one, but the traffic was very light, and the wind was behind us. I soon left Cassie behind; she wasn’t feeling well, as it turned out, but of course I didn’t know that until later. The Manitoba countryside was beautiful; only one hill all day. I had fun doing a photo op at a little place called “Holland”, complete of course with the requisite windmill.

Monique and Adele, with Cassie, picked me up at 4:00, about 70 km from Winnipeg, and off we headed to the Delta in downtown Winnipeg. We arrived about 5:30, and laughed at the faces of the bellhops, as they saw us pull up with the van loaded to the hilt. We did manage to get all of Monique’s things in, and got our bikes put into security, before heading up for showers and wine before dinner.

When we got back, Monique told us a scary story, so I hope we can all sleep tonight (all about a miser who had his amputated leg replaced with a gold one, and after he died, of course the local boys tried to dig it out…)

Well, we’ll be missing her like stink tomorrow, but in the meantime, for tonight, she has kept us laughing and cheerful. I can hardly wait until Moncton (or Grand Barachois, to be more specific). All the more reason to be keep pedaling.

Rant: Cars (or trucks) passing each other on two lane highways, when there’s a cyclist coming in the other direction. We’re vehicles, people – cut us some slack! Of course, anyone reading this blog is well aware of cyclists, and treats us well.

Monday, July 25, 2005

Day 28 – Distance: 139.04
Moosomin, SK to Souris, MB

Another border crossed – within 20 km of last night’s campsite. The day started out well, although it was a little later than we had hoped. The wind continued in our back, and we met at the border in less than an hour. We decided to meet at noon, but forgot to take into account the hour’s time change at the border. So, lunch ended up at 11:00 instead (old time), in Virden. We had high hopes of going a huge distance again, but alas, the shoulders disappeared just as the highway became a 4-lane. Monique packed it in after a few kilometers; Cassie had already opted to rest for an hour or so, as she was tired (likely after her 200 km the day before). I soldiered on, but certainly did not enjoy it, especially as the wind (or highway direction) changed, and I had to fight it as well. Monique stopped the van in front of me, and we agreed I would carry on to Hwy 21, which would take us south to Hwy 2. Very soon after she left, construction started, so I got to ride on bumpy, carved up pavement too! I was very glad to see the cutoff, I can tell you!

The next little bit of road was wonderful, a paved country road past ponds with ducks, and lots of cattle grazing etc. Too soon, that ended too, and we headed east on Hwy 2, a two-lane highway. It was fairly light in traffic, but of course is used by trucks etc. By the time we got to Souris, I was very tired, and glad to go along with the idea of camping there, instead of going on as I had originally intended. I think I was starting to get a bit depressed too, knowing that tomorrow will be the last day that Monique will be with us.

Sunday, July 24, 2005

Sunday, July 24, 2005
Day 27 – Distance: 215.82 km
Regina to Moosomin, SK

Check out that mileage! We finally had a “perfect” biking day, for distance at least. We decided to take Hwy 1, as we wanted to get as close to Winnipeg as possible before Tuesday night. The wind was in our back, and the shoulders (mostly) were good. We couldn’t believe how far we managed to get, even by lunch time. Adele was trying to locate us, and I think turned around at some point because she didn’t think we could get as far as we did.

We did meet two other riders, who were fully loaded, and I had a chance to chat with the young man, who was riding as far as Montreal, then was heading to New York. From there he planned to head to England, and via various countries, including Iran, he planned to reach Taiwan (basically a round-the-world bike tour). He had taught English in Taiwan for 3 years previously, and I imagine he planned to do more of the same once he got back.

The other neat thing we saw as we were riding east was a series of solar-powered cars. I was sure the first one I saw was a space ship (albeit a small one); they are all very low to the ground, with a dome bubble for the driver’s head. Some had 3 wheels, others had 4; they were all accompanied by two vehicles. We found out later, at the campground, that the cars are part of a “race”, and have been developed by various universities (including U of Waterloo). They started in Texas July 17, and were ending in Calgary. Evidently the cars (not air-conditioned) can get up to 120 degrees F – not a place for me. You also wouldn’t want to be claustrophic!

Letting Loose in Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan Border

Albertosaurus in the Flesh

Could this be a tenor?

Saturday, July 23, 2005

Day 26 - Rest Day
Regina, SK

It was a much needed rest day, and we basically sat (while doing laundry and computer stuff) until about 2:30 in the afternoon. We then headed for some local “culture”, in that Regina had a folk festival happening in a park. It was all local talent, and we listened while trying some of the foods available from the various vendors. We then drove to the parliament buildings, where we strolled through the gardens, then had a tour of the building (free, even at 7:00 p.m.) with a charming young man who had studied French in France (so he and Monique had a few words). We then examined some teepees on the lawn, which had been erected for the "pile of bones Sunday”, and watched Monique try to make out with the buffalo skull which was inside. I just hope we weren’t desecrating some sacred symbol or something. We ended the day looking for a DQ, but were stuck with McDonalds instead.

Friday, July 22, 2005

Day 25 – Distance: 111.11 km
Craik to Regina, SK

Who has seen the wind? I would say I have, in my face, for 111.11 solid kilometers. We started the day off well, with a complete breakfast at our little restaurant. We thought the winds were favourable, but once we started, we found they were NOT. Monique had popped a spoke the previous day, which we discovered when we were cleaning our chains (aren’t we good?) so she was planning to head straight to Regina with Adele to see about getting it repaired (we don’t have spare spokes, which I know isn’t exactly smart). This left Cassie and me to face the wind alone. We drafted each other for the first hour and a half, but she found her pace getting slower, so we ended up parting. Adele had made an appointment for a massage at 2:30, so when that was finished, she and Monique came back and picked Cassie up, around 4:00. They stopped for me half way up the Qu’Appelle Valley hill, so I made them go to the top to wait for me, so I could refill my bottles and take a little break (I did stop every 5 km or so anyway, because the winds were so strong). I was determined to make it to Regina (Iron Lady kicks in again), so Monique told me to go as far as a McDonalds she had seen, and she would pick me up there. Don’t ask me about scenery, because I had to keep my head down most of the way. I finally arrived about 6:15 pm, and felt about as tired as I had after I completed my two hundred-mile-rides from Ottawa to Kingston and back a few years ago.

A hot shower picked me right up, plus the thought of a rest day tomorrow, so after putting my tent up, we headed out to an East Side Mario’s for a shared steak and Caesar salad. Perfect ending, to a rather brutal day.

Thursday, July 21, 2005

Day 24 – Distance: 120.82 km
Outlook to Craik, SK

We pulled out at around 10:15 a.m., and checked in with a woman at the local gas station. She warned us that the road conditions of Hwy 15 on the other side of Hwy 11, which would take us down to Regina, would deteriorate considerably; the shoulder was bad, it was quite hilly, and truckers use that route as it is a shortcut to the Manitoba border (which was why we were considering it). So, we went back to plan A, which was to head down to Regina.

It was an amazing day, wind wise; it was in our back the whole way, and we reached Craik by about 3:30 p.m. The campsite was great, and located near an “eco-centre”, a building which is the clubhouse for a nine-hole golf course, and which is built entirely from recycled and eco-friendly materials. The toilets are compost-types, and the heating and cooling systems are tube types. The concepts were especially interesting to Cassie, who is undertaking this bike ride to raise awareness about climate change. The restaurant there was really good too, so we decided we would pack up in the morning, and then have breakfast there.

Nights have been quite cool (cold…); I got up around 1:00 to answer a call, and saw a huge full moon looking down at me. I thought there was a new planet or something below it, but realized later it was only a light from a building. I didn’t take the time to see if there were any constellations that were unfamiliar – my warm sleeping bag was calling me, and my brain obviously wasn't functioning yet.

Wednesday, July 20, 2005

Day 23 – Distance: 154.79 km
Kindersley to Outlook, SK

I woke up feeling weepy, and not very sociable, because this was the closing day for the sale of the family farm. I felt so far away, and felt again the passing of an era. Monique encouraged me to reach family members by phone; I tried brother Rick, as it was also his birthday, but unfortunately I had forgotten to take along his new work number (I later called his answering machine at home). I did chat with niece Sarah, and sister Joan later and felt much better. I also talked to Mom and Dad who assured me they were happy with their decision, and I realized that home will be wherever they are.

Winds today were much less favourable than yesterday, although they were not directly in my face. As I said to mom, they were coming from the south, and I was heading east. I left about 8:15, and pulled into the campground in Outlook about 5:30 p.m. The others had opted to stop biking quite a bit earlier, and had set up the tents and checked out Canada’s longest suspension bridge (an old railroad trestle). I was too tired for that, but did get to the phones and called lots of people – thank goodness for calling cards! After some canned ravioli (enough of that, already), we went to bed, with the idea that we would sleep in somewhat, and possibly take a shorter route than originally planned tomorrow, if the road conditions permitted. By the way, I didn’t mention some of the roads today were terrible – gravel patches which my Carpe Momentum (the name of my bike) and I certainly did NOT appreciate. Other parts were great, though. We chatted with a retired SK farmer, who told terrible jokes, and said the shoulders were the fault of the different governments – the NDP put in good ones, but when they were replaced by the Conservatives, the plans were set aside. He also told us the field of beautiful blue were flax – I hadn’t been able to identify that. Some farm girl, hey?

Tuesday, July 19, 2005

Day 22 – Distance: 153.4 km
Youngstown, AB to Kindersley, SK

Well, we may have got to bed early, but we certainly didn’t manage to sleep straight through! The skies opened, complete with lightning and thunder (one sounded right on top of us), at 1:30, and I was SO envious of the two tents under the shelter! However, I did stay dry; I just didn’t dare venture out to the bathroom, even though I really wanted to. Then, after the storm had somewhat abated, and I was dozing again, another light shone into the tent, and a train came right through (or at least that’s what it felt like). I used one of Mae Cox’s favourite expressions, and said, “what next?” Anyway, I think we all managed to sleep some more; I woke up at 5:20 and proceeded to get ready for a long bike ride.

Wonder of wonders, and thanks to Monique staying behind to pack the van, we got on the road by 7:15 a.m.! The day was overcast and cool, but the wind was in our backs, and the shoulders of the road were great. We made the Saskatchewan border (88 km) by noon, even after taking a half hour break to get warmed up at a truck stop (go figure, hey? Yesterday I was so hot I couldn’t keep cool enough). Adele arrived with lunch at 1:20, and we stopped at a “point of interest” to eat it. The “point” was a huge rock that evidently used to be used by buffalo to scratch off their winter coats. We made it our destination by 3:30, and I really wanted to continue, at least to 160 km so I could say I did 100 miles, but we had agreed to meet at the campsite, and by that time it didn’t seem fair to the others to take off again, and make them come and pick me up. So, I used the time for a nice shower (there being none available last night), and to get some things dried out. I guess supper will be in town tonight, after we pick up a few groceries. Then, hopefully, another early night, as tomorrow’s destination is even further away.

Rant: As Monique said “I’d like to slap the engineer who put these random rumble strips on the shoulder, and left an edge not even as wide as my ass”. Aptly said, my dear.

Monday, July 18, 2005

Day 21 – Distance: 130 km
Drumheller to Youngstown, AB

We honestly tried to get out earlier, but it seems no matter what, we can’t leave before 9:00. I was awake by 5:00, but didn’t want to waken the others as it had been so late the night before. In any event, we all took off; Monique saying she would rather go at her own pace and take lots of photos on the way. There was a long 3 km climb leaving town, then it was “prairie” again. I won’t say flat, though! There has been very little really flat land in the prairies so far. The winds were blowing, sometimes behind us; other times in our face etc. The sun was high all day, and I found it quite hot; I even carried my camelback for water.

We did stop for lunch in some shade, and were invited by the owner of the home to come sit in the shade of a shed, and to use the garden hose to water down. Rather nice, I must say. We pulled into Youngstown about 5:30, and are camping in the town park, which has a cooking shelter where Monique and Cassie set up their tents (free standing ones). This turned out to be necessary, as the winds picked up to almost gale force shortly after we arrived. My tent, unfortunately, has to be pegged down, so I found the most sheltered spot I could to set up.

The roads today were much, much better than yesterday, thankfully. I actually called Murray Goring last night, to see if he remembered whether the shoulders would improve. We were strongly tempted to head back down to Hwy 1, and put up with the traffic. However, this morning, we did a “secret ballot” vote, and it turned out we all opted to try one more day with the secondary highway. We were really glad we did, as the shoulders were great, and we felt safe all day.

We cooked spaghetti for supper, and are now heading for an early night. Finally!

Sunday, July 17, 2005

Day 20 – Distance: 103.00 km
Calgary/Airdrie to Drumheller, AB

We got up at 6:30 to the smells of sausage and pancakes being prepared by Joy and John. What a pair! And what a sendoff! John gave me a map to get us to Airdrie, and we managed to get off by 8:00. Unfortunately, Monique’s inner magnet told her we were heading south instead of north, and we turned around. I just assumed I wasn’t reading John’s map correctly (oh me of little faith). After ending up in suburbia somewhere, we turned around again, and this time, after asking for further directions, we managed to find the right way. We drove to Airdrie, as we weren’t comfortable with finding our way out of Calgary by bike (just as well, it turns out), and as Monique says, this is a west-east trip; any distance traveled north or south by car doesn’t count.

The first part of the trip to Drumheller was great, but then we hit highway 9. The shoulders were narrow and full of wide road cracks. By the time we got to Horseshoe Canyon, we were really glad to get off the road. This was a fascinating stop, especially for the other three, as they had never been exposed to the Alberta badlands before. We were able to take a fairly long break, as we found out the Tyrell dinosaur museum in Drumheller was open until 9:00. Monique opted not to get back on the roads, and Cassie and I headed out for the last 20 km. We found a campsite in Rosedale, then headed for the showers and the museum. I got some really good photos of the Albertosaurus – you can imagine why! It even looked a bit familiar… evidently it had large nasal cavities. I wonder if it sang?

Dinner at Boston Pizza wasn’t until 8:30, so again, it was a very late night.

Saturday, July 16, 2005

Day 19 – Rest Day 2
Calgary, AB (chez John and Joy Railton)

Today was a day of getting more things done – more blogging, more laundry, more shopping etc. We picked up our bikes in mid-afternoon. It turns out I had not had full use of my rear brakes, as the bracket for the rear rack had been rubbing on the brake caliper. One pad was fully worn, and the other was like new! The technician at Campione reshaped the faulty bracket so it won’t be causing that problem any more. He also redid my tape on the handlebars with a gel type, so it should be more comfortable. We walked about 20 streets of Calgary, looking for T-shirts etc., but avoiding the Stampede, as that would have meant being on our feet too much…

John and Joy arrived home from the cottage around 8:30 with Hazel, Bruce and Brendan (Albert’s sister, her husband and their grandson). After some visiting, we headed for bed, as it had been a busy day and we were all beat.

Success at the Pass

Emerald Lake near Field, BC

Two babes at the Great Divide

Adele pondering Natural Bridge

View from Kicking Horse Pass

Bear Hug in Banff

Rogers Pass

Two dreams

Which way do I go?

Friday, July 15, 2005

Day 18 - Rest day
Calgary, AB

What luxury – to be able to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night, and not have to walk outside, with a key, to do it! I did waken fairly early, though, thinking of all the things that had to be done. I got up about 7:30 and started answering emails, then went up for breakfast. Around 10:00 Joy suggested I should start calling bike places to see about boxing my old bike etc., which I did. Joy then led us to the best butcher shop in town, because Monique has been longing for a “really good steak”, after which she led us downtown. We dropped off the bike that is now being shipped to Orillia to get it boxed. Then we delivered our other bikes to another shop, where Joy had made an appointment for us, to get them “tuned up”. MEC was close by, so that became our next stop. By the time we finished having some late lunch, the bike was boxed, so we headed over to Greyhound, and arranged to have it sent home. I’m delighted that my old baby will be looked after; it’s been out in the elements for over a month now, and is sadly in need of some TLC. It was 5:30 by the time we got home, and we got out the laundry and the computers. It’s now 8:30, and I think it’s time I checked to see if any supper is being made yet (Joy and John have gone to their cottage, so we’re on our own).

Okay, it’s 10:30 p.m., and we’ve just finished supper. I’m exhausted, and the steak, while good, was far from “the best”! I guess we should have splurged and gone for the tenderloin. Meanwhile, I’m going to say goodnight. See you in the morning…
. .

Thursday, July 14, 2005

Day 17 – Distance: 123.34 km
Banff to Calgary, AB

I had been puzzling about how to organize bikes and other problems once we reached Airdrie and Calgary, and thought I had better contact our connections in those two places to see if they had any ideas. Since June and Dick Buchanan in Airdrie were on the route we had planned, I called there first. However, they had company, which would make our coming there awkward, so I was happy to call Joy next. She and John had made Albert and me feel so at home on our way out west, and she didn’t let me down. As soon as she heard we were in Banff, she said “well you’re so close, why don’t you come tonight!” Since I was standing at a phone booth swatting moth-sized mosquitoes, I immediately said, “That really appeals to me. Let me see if I can persuade the others”. Cassie also jumped at the chance to get organized and have two actual rest days in a home with laundry, internet, stove, fridge….so we had our breakfast, and headed out. We decided to stick to Hwy 1, as the distance would be shorter, and the shoulders were wide and fairly good. The day was quite hot, but the wind was in our back, and we often reached speeds of 42 km + along flat stretches without even feeling that we were exerting ourselves. We high-fived each other when we saw the mountains behind us, and flat prairies in front of us (of course, we also saw the foothills, but we pretended they were going to be easy). We saw four mountain goats (I think – I’m afraid I do get them mixed up with the sheep); they bounded off when they saw us. They’re incredibly nimble on a practically sheer rock face; we didn’t bother trying to get photos. We almost ran out of water, but a Petro-Can station appeared (Monique thought it was a mirage) on the other side of the highway, so off we went to replenish. Meanwhile Adele arrived, so we used the GPS to get directions to John and Joy’s house. Monique opted to drive the rest of the way, and Cassie and I rode the remaining 22 km or so into Calgary. Again, there was a hill that I didn’t think I could do, but I just put my head down, and off I went. From now on, I shall think positively! I don’t really think the hills around Thunder Bay can be any worse than Nose Hill Drive in Calgary (it overlooks the Winter Olympic site).

We arrived at our destination at 5:30 to be greeted with the offer of a gin and tonic or shower. I opted for the latter first, as I wasn’t fit to be sat near, and then we had a wonderful, relaxing evening, including an absolutely delicious meal cooked by Joy. We had suggested pizza, but were totally spoiled instead. We each were given our own bed to sleep in, and enjoyed a night without traffic or train noise. What a treat!

Wednesday, July 13, 2005

Day 16 – Distance: 102.62 km

Kicking Horse Pass (Field) to Banff, AB

We woke to some rain, and even thunder, but eventually decided we had better get going. It turned out to be truly a gift day. We started out with breakfast at a lodge, then rode to old Hwy 1A, which is closed to vehicle traffic. We were warned there might be bears, so we should make noise, so I taught Monique and Cassie the chorus to my favourite biking song, “Today While the Blossoms Still Cling to the Vine…”. One neat thing about this route is that it includes the old Continental Divide marker, where if you spit on one side, it will flow to the Pacific Ocean, and on the other side it will flow to the Arctic. Monique said she had always wanted to spit on both sides, so she proceeded to do just that. I think she also tried to pee on both sides, but I don’t think she quite managed that. This somewhat hilly, unmaintained route took us to within one km of Lake Louise, so we decided to tackle that hill as well in order to show Cassie the lake and the Chateau. Then we headed to the Bow Valley Parkway, which does allow vehicles, but no trucks, and we had a great day. There was some rain, but nothing as serious as in other locations (Adele mentioned rain bouncing off the pavement). We stopped lots of times just to enjoy the scenery, and the fact that there was not much traffic. We also met many other bikers; this obviously is a favourite route for the bikers in the area. The hills are rolling; the road is winding, and it’s a great training ride. We did run into some strong wind at Storm Mountain, where we had stopped for lunch, but luckily it didn’t last. We arrived in Banff around 4:00, and gradually got ourselves organized to go to the hot springs for a nice soak. Cassie had some sad news waiting for her, in that her great grandmother had passed away, so we decided we should find a nice restaurant and surround her with life and love. We drank a toast to a grand lady who sounds like she remained feisty to the end of her 97 years.

We camped at Tunnel Mountain campground, shared our blood with huge mosquitoes, and went to bed, rather late. I vowed I was going to get to bed early next day!

Tuesday, July 12, 2005

Day 15 – Distance: 65.29
Golden to Kicking Horse Pass (Field, BC)!

Yes, I did it! I kicked ass at Kicking Horse Pass today. Actually, it was probably more of a stroking, since I stopped every kilometer or so, but it was great, and now it’s behind me.

We left Golden about 9:00 a.m., full of anticipation of the 16 km climb that we knew was ahead of us. It wasn’t too bad, especially as I had done the first steep section the night before, when we came to our campsite. We were always able to stop for rest breaks when we needed them. Monique was about half way up when a truck gave a really loud bang beside her and then basically pulled over onto the shoulder and crawled up at about 4 km per hour. Since she couldn’t get around him, she was forced to walk for at least a km. Anyway, that’s her story…and she’s sticking to it.

We got to Field, which was our destination, by 2:00 o’clock, so after an hour’s rest and stretching, Cassie and I decided we would tackle the pass today and get it over with. The sun was shining, the wind was in our back, and it seemed to make sense. I was elated to get it done; in actual fact, it really wasn’t nearly as bad as I had feared. Somehow, it looked really bad when Albert and I had driven down it; it was probably a mistake to drive down this way. Anyway, I’m hoping I’ll sleep better tonight for having done it; last night I only got about 4 hours, in spite of pills and everything else I did to get to sleep. Half way up the pass, I was fortunate to be able to see a train going through Spiral Tunnel, which is an engineering phenomenon which allows trains to be able to climb the pass safely, by basically driving over themselves! I could see the head of the train at one entrance, and the rest of the train going through another.

Fauna note: I saw what I think was a moose, and managed to get a picture. Monique and I also found a crow feather, which she stuck into her helmet. I was going to call her Chief Crowfeather, but she lost it. Too bad.

The other very exciting thing was the tourist information booth in Field was for Alberta! We have finally finished our first province. Hooray!

Monday, July 11, 2005

Day 14 – Rest Day in Golden, BC

We decided on a bacon and egg breakfast, and while we were preparing it, Cassie (Janca) rode up on her bike. It turned out she had stayed at a motel by herself. After trying to talk to the group, she realized her personality and theirs were not going to mesh, and she had better leave them. We suspected she wouldn’t be going the whole way with them, but thought she might wait until Calgary, where she has relatives. Anyway, we invited her to join us, on a trial basis to start, and she accepted with alacrity! It might be a bit tight sometimes, but on the other hand there will be another person to share the various loads. She’s 25, a graphic artist who doesn’t consider herself an athlete at all, although she does enjoy biking, and she really still wants to cross the country. So, I may have company all the way after all. We’ll see whether she can stand to be with a bunch of old women for that long (sorry Monique – you don’t really fit the “old” category), and whether my timetable might be too leisurely for her. She’s basically not being paid for as long as she’s away, so my timetable of September 15th as a finishing date may be too far away. Anyway, that’s in the future; we’ll take a day at a time.

Today was a good day, although it rained sporadically throughout. We caught up on the laundry etc., then went to Kicking Horse Resort, where there is a gondola ride up the mountain (much longer than at Banff). We bought the package that included a lovely lunch at the restaurant on top. We had planned to stop at a grizzly preserve on the way down, but it was raining, so we passed on that. We tried to find some internet cafes, but they seemed rather pricey, so again, you won’t be reading this until well after the fact. Sorry!

Sunday, July 10, 2005

Day 13 – Distance: 102.62 km
Albert Canyon to Golden B.C.

Quick breakfast of instant porridge, using the electric kettle we had bought (we end up paying extra for our campsites in order to have electricity, so we may as well use it as much as possible), then we headed up to the bathrooms that were open before 8:00 a.m. While there, Monique started chatting with some young women, and found out they were a group we had heard about earlier, six women cycling across Canada to raise awareness about global climate change. They had left Victoria on Canada Day, and, fully loaded, had managed to get to the Canyon Hot Springs the same time we did. Obviously, they were biking much longer hours (10 hours a day and longer). While chatting, we found they were also headed to Golden. One of the young women had fallen with her bike the previous day, and injured her knee. She had rested it partially the previous day, but it was still sore. From my cubicle, I asked her if she would like a ride with Adele to Golden, which she very happily accepted. Monique inspected the knee, and pronounced it bruised, not twisted, so Cassie was very happy. She and Adele had great day together, discussing group dynamics primarily, I suspect, while we had a great day riding.

Rogers Pass was a long climb, but very gradual, so it wasn’t as bad as I had feared. The scariest part of the day was after the pass, going through the first snow tunnel after the pass. I had turned on my lights etc. and waited until there was no traffic, but found it SO dark inside. There was a full lane for a shoulder for me to ride on but I was afraid traffic coming might mistake it for a traffic lane. I just pedaled hard and prayed hard. In any event, I made it safely, and found the rest of the tunnels not too bad, as they had windows. The rest of the way to Golden wasn’t bad; there were some up hills, but most of it was down. I guess that’s because the next two days are going to be mostly up (Kicking Horse Pass is coming up after Field; that’s the one I’m dreading)! I had to hang on pretty tightly sometimes, and other times I had to pedal because the wind was in my face.

We had a great time chatting with Cassie, who stayed with us until the time appointed to meet the rest of her group at a Subway restaurant (one of their sponsors). It turns out that the group didn’t know each other well before they started out, and there were a whole lot of issues that were not being resolved at all. She and Adele spent some time formulating a letter to the group, to help Cassie try to address the problems. Then we drove her to Subway, and left her with them. Only a few of them had arrived; they end up putting in far too long on the road. In fact, one of them had already been hospitalized for dehydration, so they don’t appear to be looking after themselves very well. Before we left, they were all there, so we headed off to our campsite.

Fauna note: I saw a bear! However, it was lying in kind of a ditch between the highway and a country road, and I suspected it was dead. I hope you will forgive me that I didn’t check.

Saturday, July 9, 2005

Day 12 – Distance: 79.01 km
Three Valley Gap Lake to Albert Canyon, BC

We woke to some rain, and thought, oh no! However, it was over by the time we got outside to the van. Monique made us a peanut butter and banana sandwich for breakfast, then she drove me back 12 km to where I had left off the night before. She had decided to leave from the hotel. We planned to meet at McDonalds in Revelstoke, and I managed to catch up with her just about a kilometer out of town. It turned out to be a great run to Albert Canyon, and I arrived there about two o’clock, which was when we had agreed to meet Adele. We basically pulled in at the same time. After deciding about the campsite etc., I hopped on my bike again and went another 12 km down the road, so as to make Sunday’s ride to Golden a little more doable. Monique picked me up, just before I was to enter another tunnel, then we headed back to Canyon Resort (RV camping) to enjoy a soak in the hot spring fed pool. We planned to cook a can of ravioli in the campsite, but it had started to rain, so we ate a burger in the café instead. Adele and I poured the bottle on Chardonnay she had bought into a Dasani water bottle, and snuck it into the café. I suspect we weren’t totally unnoticed, but no one seemed to mind.

Rant: Washrooms that are only open between 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m., and showers that cost $1.00 for 3 minutes.

PS – I was totally confused today – I thought it was Sunday all day. It was great to feel I actually gained a day.

Friday, July 8, 2005

Day 11 – Distance: 90.9 km
Salmon Arm to Three Valley Gap BC

Another early awakening (3:30 a.m.) for a bathroom visit, and being unable to get back to sleep! We got up at 6:00, and made a quick breakfast of oatmeal at the site. We drove back to where we had left off (my suggestion, but NOT a good one) instead of just starting from the campsite. The distance would have been the same. But we wouldn’t have had to start our day out by walking up, and up, and up 10th Ave. in Salmon Arm! I don’t think I mentioned how hilly the place is! I think it was 2 km, but Monique insists it was further. I think she finally forgave me, but I’m not sure. I like to think if I had been warmed up, not so tired, and had my old bike, which has more favourable gear ratios for hill climbing, that I might have been able to climb at least most of the hill, but I definitely wasn’t in shape for doing it first thing this morning! It was also a rainy morning, so we were outfitted in all our raingear, and that of course made us rather hot. The rain stayed with us the rest of the day, and we learned to hang on and keep our heads down when the transport trucks came by. Luckily the roads were still relatively flat all day, although the winds were sometimes in our face. We decided fairly soon that tonight was going to be a hotel night if at all possible, and we are now comfortably ensconced at the Three Valley Gap Lake Chateau and Ghost Town, in a very beautiful setting. Unfortunately, they don’t have internet access, so you’ll have to wait to read this!

Rant for the day: shoulders of roads that stop at bridges over creeks and railroads, so that you have to wait for traffic to clear before continuing. Bad shoulders on roads. Spray from trucks – one practically blinded us. I was glad I didn’t have glasses on.

Rave: seeing where the last spike for the railroad was driven in – a dream fulfilled to cross the country by rail. I thought of my dream to cross the country on two little wheels, and I got a little emotional.

Scenery today was definitely getting more lush and mountainous, as we are entering the Rocky Mountains. Tomorrow we start to climb Rogers Pass – we’ve already booked ourselves in at a campsite where there are hot springs. I suspect we’ll be needing them.

Thursday, July 7, 2005

Day 10 – Distance: 109.87 km
Kamloops to Salmon Arm

We got up and out of our Silver Sage campsite as quickly as possible, and headed back over to the Boughtons’ for a hearty breakfast of oatmeal. It was so nice to be looked after, and we were sad to say goodbye to Kathy and Keith. Keith had given us directions to avoid Hwy 1 for at least 20 km, so off we went. That part was great; the rest of the day seemed to me to be a chance to get to know pavement intimately. Because the traffic was so heavy, I tended to watch it and the pavement in front of me rather than all the scenery. According to Monique, I missed the chance to pick lots of raspberries along the route – oh well, Adele keeps finding fruit stands where she buys (and eats) all sorts of fruit. Too bad most of it isn’t portable by bike! In spite of a bit of a late start, and a fairly long lunch break at a lovely little café in Chase, I did manage to make it to our designated meeting spot by 4:30. I called Adele (yes, we actually had cell phone service), who said she’d be right along, and that Monique was just coming down the road too. I waited, and waited, and finally after another 20 minutes I called again. I asked her where she was, and it turned out she was in the parking lot where I had suggested, just not at the agreed upon corner! We were within a hundred feet of each other, but I couldn’t see the van because it was behind a barrier. In any event, we did find a camping site, set up tents, and then went for a lovely supper down by the water. I was pretty tired, because I had been in the sun all day, and I don’t always tolerate heat very well, as lots of you will know. I had also awakened about 4:30 and not been able to get back to sleep, so the sleeping bag was mighty welcome.

Adele had heard a bit of the news on the radio, although the reception was not good, of the bombings in London. We were horrified and saddened by the events, as I know you all were. Albert also phoned, to make sure we had heard.

On a funnier note, Adele told us about another (mis)adventure answering the call of nature. This time she decided to park herself beside the van, and reached for some tissue in the pocket of the door. After her business was done, and she wiped up, she noticed a burning sensation. She thought the irritation from the ant bites might be back, but upon further inspection, she found that the bug repellant bottle had been parked next to the tissue, and some of it had leaked out. Monique told her at least the ants wouldn’t be wanting to bite her in that area any more, since she had the repellant on!

Wednesday, July 6, 2005

Day 9 � Rest Day

Kamloops, B.C.

 

Needless to say, it was an uneventful day, just what we needed.  We came over the Boughtons� for a lovely breakfast, then were given carte blanche to do what we liked.  We caught up on our blogs, transferred photos, and did laundry.  Adele was able, after lots of driving around, to find a physiotherapist who could work on her neck and shoulders.  After she came back, Monique and I drove around Kamloops looking for a bike store to buy a handlebar bag so that I don�t have to wear my fanny pack while biking.  We found a very helpful store owner who didn�t have the bags, but did adjust our cables and derailleurs etc so we�ll be good to go tomorrow.  Then we headed off to a Canadian Tire store and picked up a few things, including a bag which I hope will work.

 

We went out for supper, and are now trying hard to get things finished up so we can get back to our campsite in preparation for another ride tomorrow.

 

Thanks, Boughtons, for your great hospitality.  It was just the oasis we needed.

 

Photo below:  Monique on front balcony at Boughtons' condo - see reflection of hills in the glass...

Tuesday, July 5, 2005

Day 8 – Distance: 92.44 km
Merritt to Kamloops, BC

Well, today truly was a gift day. Hwy 5A is a not-heavily-traveled road, and mostly relatively flat. It follows Lake Nicola, Stump Lake, and others, and again the scenery was beautiful. It reminded me in many places of Muskoka, as it would have been before the monster “cottages” crowded the shorelines. The morning was quite hot, but it cooled a bit in the afternoon. We met for lunch beside the road, and were able to get down to the lake and sit on a large log which had obviously been used for that purpose many times. Loons kept popping up in the water, and purple grasses (ornamental in Ontario – a fescue perhaps?) blew softly on the shore in front of us. As Al Haig always says “too much happiness”!

I had intended to look up the “Kamloops bypass”, and to take my hybrid bike on it if the gravel wasn’t too bad. However, I hadn’t checked my map, and didn’t know the name of the road, and so I passed it by before I noticed I was climbing a rather long grade, of which I had been warned. I kept my head down and kept pedaling, and at the first leveling off, I got off the bike and waited for my heart rate to slow down. Meanwhile, Adele and Monique, who had put her bike onto the car just before the grade, came back, and as I was just about to start out again, they took my bike bag and fanny pack so as to lighten the load. As it turned out, the rest of the hill was relatively easy, and I had no problem finishing it. Hopefully, when it comes to the long passes through the rest of the mountains, there will be times when I can pull off, rest, and continue again. I’m just not very good at starting uphill; I need some momentum to get seated on the bike properly. I’ll have to practice getting on the bike like the guys do – I still use the female method of having a leg on each side before I start. Anyway, I’m kind of proud of myself that I did manage to do the hill, and hope I’ll keep getting stronger so when I get to Kicking Horse, I’ll be able to kick back.

We’re sleeping at a campsite, but basically staying at the home of Keith and Kathy Boughton, who are friends of Adele and Norm. It certainly was a treat to have a home-cooked meal, and to feel so at home. We are having a rest day tomorrow, and our muscles are looking forward to it immensely.

Monday, July 4, 2005

Day 7 – Distance: 65.96 km
Spences Bridge to Merritt, BC

What a night! The campground was great, but there was a train track on either side of the Thompson River, and they were both well used – all night! Needless to say, we got up nice and early and got on the road by 7:35, after a cold cereal breakfast at the campground. We loaded up the van, but left Adele napping, as we intended to meet her at day’s end in Merritt. Finally, a day where she didn’t have to be at our beck and call. This was the first day we had a road with very little traffic; the surface was a bit rough, and there were no paved shoulders, but it didn’t matter; I rode in the middle of the road for most of the trip. The scenery was absolutely spectacular – very barren in a way, with sandstone mountains, but with ranches alongside the Nicola River. We stopped every ten minutes or so to take photos, and little rests. Because, of course, perfection is hard to find, and although Hwy 8 follows the river, it does not stick to the river BED. The ranchers were irrigating the bits of flat land near the river, and of course it makes sense that the road would have to take second place. It had lots of climbs and down hills, many of which we also had to pedal down because there was a fairly strong head wind all day. Eventually, Monique decided her muscles weren’t ready for the effort, and she urged me to go ahead, which I did. She went her own pace, and Adele picked her up when she came by. We all ended up stopping for a bit of lunch together, then I continued. I reached Merritt about 1:30 pm, to find that the other two had already put up my tent for me. What a treat! I stretched, then had a shower and we headed into Merritt to find some food and wine. It started to rain before we got back, but this campground has a covered picnic pavilion, so we enjoyed the take out food we had bought at the grocery store there. In fact, that’s where I’m typing out this log right now!

For the record, I think I sorted out my odometer yesterday, and it is now reading accurately (I guess I inadvertently inflated my mileage and speed a bit for the past few days. Sorry!) Evidently it can be set up for two different wheel sizes, and somehow the odometer that was tracking my distance was not the right one. Luckily I found out now, although it did make the day seem more difficult.

Flora and fauna notes: I took a photo of a beautiful brown-eyed susan (a brown centre with a red ring, different from our black-eyed susans). I saw several ospreys, and also the tail end of a fox retreating behind a rock. Also, the smell of all the clovers growing alongside the road has been almost heady – and wonderful.

Sunday, July 3, 2005

Day 6 – Distance: 51.72 km
Lytton to Spences Bridge, BC

We got up at 7:00 to a sunny day, the first one we have really had. We enjoyed our “included” breakfast, then drove down into the village of Lytton , where the muddy Fraser River meets the clear green waters of the Thompson River. Then we carried on back to where I had left off Saturday, and we headed off. Somehow, the hills that seemed so high yesterday when I was exhausted weren’t too bad with a fresh body! We totally enjoyed the scenery, even through the switch backs and bad shoulders, as we knew we weren’t going far. It was quite an uneventful day, all in all, although we did meet a few delays. We got into our campsite around 3:00, and proceeded to try to catch up on a few things, including logging, and photos. We didn’t managed to do much to our bikes (Monique’s and my odometers don’t match, and I’m suspicious of mine, even though Jay assured me he had set it up for the proper tire size), but we’re hoping there might be a bike store in Kamloops.

Fauna notes for today: I saw an eagle flying overhead, and thought of the second dance at Nory and Robin’s wedding. I also saw a pair of osprey with babies near Spences Bridge.

We’re just about to warm up a can of beans, some wieners, and a few eggs for supper, to make up for spending too much in the last few days. Bon appetite!

Saturday, July 2, 2005

Day 5 – Distance: 119.22 km
Hope to Lytton, BC

We got up at 6:00 and managed to get out of the campsite shortly before 8:00 a.m. Of course, we didn’t really get going, because we then stopped back at the truck stop for some breakfast. By 9:00 a.m., however, we were on our way for a full day’s cycling. This was the day of the tunnels, so Adele was stuck with us for a good part of the day. At each tunnel, she would wait, and follow us through, with the van flashers going. It was the safest way to get through them, and we really appreciated the escort. We had thought we would have lunch at Hell’s Gate, but it would have cost $14 just to take the tram down, in order to spend who knows how much for lunch, so we kept going. Instead, we pulled into a “pullout”, and dined on cheese, crackers, apples, and peanut butter. It was great! When we were about to leave, a local dog, probably at least part Rottweiler, came up rather timidly to say hello. He seemed to like me best, and when he started sniffing at my bike, I took his picture. He said thank you by proceeding to lift his leg, and leaving his calling card over the back wheel of my bike, and part of my helmet!!! Needless to say, I was not impressed.

We got into some real climbing today, mostly not very steep grades, but fairly long. I know we’ll get into much more difficult climbs in the Rockies, but we felt it was good training. Since it was Monique’s first day, she opted to get into the van after 93 km, just before Jackass Mountain Lookout. She and Adele scouted ahead to check on the Kumsheen River Rafting Resort, which had been highly recommended by Eric Closs (the Kenora cross-Canada biker who has been invaluable with tips). They came back with rave reviews of a beautiful campsite, which has been set up like a resort, with outdoor hot tub and swimming pool, plus all sorts of games etc for families. It was a little pricier than regular campgrounds, but breakfast was included, and there was a great restaurant. We noted the place where I had stopped and I piled into the van too! It was too good to resist any longer (they told me I still had at least 10 km to go, with some climbs, and I was getting quite tired). It was great to get the tent out and dried (we had packed them up wet in the morning), and to luxuriate in the tub. My arms and shoulders were particularly grateful, as I generally go into the “drops” when I go down fast or rough hills so that I have quickest access to the brakes. This of course puts much more of a strain on my upper body than it is used to. The road shoulder had deteriorated quite a bit after Monique left me also, and the wind had picked up substantially also. This totally underlined Eric’s lesson about getting out early, when the wind has not started yet.

We decided to start a little later, and to make a short day next day, as we are trying to ease into this whole thing without killing ourselves. I guess one day soon we will have to bite the bullet though!

Fauna notes: I saw an elk (I thought it was a large deer, but decided later it was an elk) in a ditch beside the highway; I startled him as I went past, and he left, away from me and the highway.

Friday, July 1, 2005

Day 4 – Rest Day

Happy Canada Day, and happy birthday Lynn Whelan!

It was a relaxing day, relatively, as we slept in at our luxurious lodgings in the Fairmont Airport Hotel, Vancouver. After some time on the internet at the hotel, Monique treated us to a buffet breakfast, then we packed, and headed over the Rick and Patricia’s house to put Monique’s bike back together, and say a last farewell to Albert. I got to test my new bike pump, and managed to get one of Monique’s tires up to 90 psi. Pretty good, hey!

Then we headed to Hope (by car this time), and found a campsite for the night. We headed down the highway after we got set up, to have some supper at a local truck stop. On our way back, we stopped at the scene of a traffic accident. A small truck (enclosed; I’m not good at cars and trucks, sorry), had left the road and gone into a ditch, resulting in its passenger side roof resting up against the rock face. Another truck, heading in the opposite direction, stopped at the same time we did. Before we got there, a car had pulled up, and the passenger was leaving his truck and getting into the car (we figure he had somehow called her), or perhaps she was following him. They insisted the driver of the wrecked vehicle was fine, and they took off. There was enough cell phone service to call the police, and enough excitement to last me for awhile. The driver of the other truck that stopped was very good at details, and was able to give the police sufficient details for them to hopefully stop the (impaired) pair.