Kamloops to Barriere

After coffee at Blenz (our new favourite!), we went to the Spoke ‘n Motion. Paul decided to have fenders put on his bike, which this bike store was able to do right away; great service! Through the rain and gravelly shoulders over the past week, there was a real difference between Lois’s bike, equipped with fenders from the start, and Paul’s, in the amount of dirt that had accumulated on the gears, panniers and water bottles. There was also the matter of the spray from Paul’s tires when Lois was cycling close behind!

Sporting the new fenders, we crossed over the South Thompson river and followed the North Thompson, stopping for a picnic lunch at Heffley Creek. From Maclure to Barriere (see link re origin of name), we could see evidence of the 2003 forest fire, that burned 26,000 hectares of land and forest, including  70 homes. A volunteer fire fighter admitted to discarding a burning cigarette which started the conflagration.

It was a fairly easy ride, although certain muscle groups and parts of our anatomy are still feeling the effects of a long ride yesterday. We spent the evening over pizza and beer at Sam’s (excellent stone oven pizza), keeping one eye on the Ottawa-Pittsburgh game and the other on the guy with spurs on his cowboy boots.

We are staying again on the traditional territory of the Shuswap Nation

 Jade got a new bike today (note same make) for trekking with Nana and Papa