Vernon to Kamlooops

Note: the time on the map is cycling time and does not include stops. Today’s trip was about 10 hours. Also the total distance today was actually slightly longer according to the road signs!

We changed plans and headed to Kamloops rather than Blind Bay on the advice of Percy-Anne and Jeri (thankyou!), who said the Blind Bay-Barriere route we had planned  was very  hilly. After coffee at the Bean Scene and  some debate (!), we took the quieter  Old Kamloops Rd out of Vernon which joined the 97 after 11 kms. The 97 did  redeem itself as the traffic was lighter and there was a good hard shoulder for the whole way. The rain held off and as we got closer to Kamloops, the skies cleared. We had lunch at the pub in Falkland,  which is not only the home of one of the biggest rodeos in Canada but also to one of the largest Canadian flags.

We realised we must be getting fitter when we were pleased to note we had only 40 km to go, after already putting in 75! We cycled into Kamloops on the Trans-Canada west, probably the only time on this trip that we would cycle into the sunset!

Observations
#1: it is possible to buy 268 acres of land in the upper Salmon River valley for the same price as a 1000sf condo in the Olympic Village in Vancouver.
#2: has the cost of forest fires caused by casually tossed cigarette butts been included in the calculation of the burden of tobacco on society?

We are staying on the traditional territory of the Secwepemc Nation.

Kelowna to Vernon

We started out with all of our rain gear on today and kept it on for the entire ride, as the rain did not let up and  it seemed to get colder in the afternoon. We followed a relatively cycle-friendly route to Winfield. After that it was the 97 which is now our least favourite thoroughfare. The traffic was heavy and the shoulders narrow. Close to Vernon, Lois suggested a side route which appeared to be an old highway running along the lake. This was much quieter, with very little traffic and better views of the lake. When that route eventually led back to the 97, we discovered a bike path beside the highway which  took us the rest of the way into the city  and we arrived in better humour. We had a delightful dinner and visit with the Cooke family. Paul  was honoured to be chosen as the favoured story reader and Lois was invited to a game of “hockey” with 3 year-old Daniel.

We are still journeying through the Okanagan First Nations territory.

Penticton to Kelowna

We stopped at the Bike Barn in Penticton, first thing, so that Lois could dispense with her clipless pedals. She found that they were not working for her on narrow, uneven shoulders with heavy traffic. Her bike is now sporting a new pair of standard pedals and she can use her same shoes with the cleats removed. The new pedals are working well.

Until Peachland, it was a pleasant ride along the lake, despite some rain and distant thunder. After tea on the waterfront at Rocky J’s Beach Hut, and some respite from the rain, we began a slow long climb up to Westbank. The constant traffic was intimidating with the narrow shoulders, and the rain continued. In West Kelowna we went off on side roads to get away from the highway traffic and were helped by a local cyclist, who also told us how to get onto cycle routes across the bridge in Kelowna. After checking in to our hotel, we were picked up by old friend Percy-Ann and her husband, and spent a wonderful evening together in a great local restaurant, The Yellow House.

We passed through the territory of the Westbank First Nation and again stayed in the territory of the Okanagan First Nations.

We were determined not to bike anywhere today, so after breakfast and laundry, we took a cab to the city centre for coffee and a walk along the waterfront. We wanted to do a wine-tasting tour, so headed over to the BC Wine Information Centre, where they very helpfully set us up with a tour with Grape Escapes Wine Tours We were picked up by the owner, Doug Dean (Dino), and given a private tour of five wineries along the Naramata Bench, ending with an excellent meal on the patio of Hillside Winery, overlooking Okanagan Lake. Each of the wineries had its own unique style and personality – from Ruby Blues (previously Ruby Tuesday – she had permission from the Rolling Stones to use the name, but it seems the Stones had not protected the title and the winery was sued for infringement by an American restaurant chain of the same name) where rock music was piped into the vineyard, to Hillside winery, which began with a few Muscat Ottonel vines smuggled out of Czechoslovakia. We were told that the BC wine industry really took off, with the help of the Agriculture Research Centre in Summerland, following NAFTA and the influx of good cheap Californian wines in 1988. The tour was informative and fun and the wines were superb. Back on our bikes tomorrow.

 Princeton to Penticton

We had breakfast at Coco’s Bistro. It opens at 4:30 am to serve the miners (we weren’t there that early!) We had intended to follow the Kettle Valley Railway trail/Trans-Canada trail to Summerland, but were told, over coffee, that off-road motorcycles were chewing up the trail. After checking out the start of the route it was clear that our touring bikes would not work on the unpaved surface, at any rate.  Carrying two large freshly baked cinnamon buns, we headed off on the Crowsnest highway instead, to Keremeos and Penticton. This proved to be a serendipitous choice as the first half was mostly downhill with a wide shoulder. The weather was good and we followed the Similkameen Valley, through sage brush country, past the old gold mine at Hedley and then into orchard land. After an ice-cream stop at Keremeos, we climbed until we were overlooking the Okanagan Valley. Although not steep, the hills were tough after a long cycle and we were glad when we could see Penticton in the distance.

Tomorrow is a day off!

We travelled through the Upper and Lower Similkameen Band’s land and remained within the territory of the Okanagan First Nations.

Manning Park to Princeton

Today we cycled 67 kms but the Garmin “froze” so we have no map or stats.

We woke to the  tweets of a couple of Barn Swallows on our window sill, and a chilly morning. Looking forward to an easier day, we carried on on the Crowsnest Highway, following the Similkameen river,  descending for several kilometres, before climbing again to Sunday Pass. The weather was sunny and showery, which meant we were continually stopping to put on/remove jackets and helmet covers, but did manage to have an espresso stop (camp stove) and picnic lunch between showers. The Similkameen valley is beautiful, though much mining activity (copper and gold) closer to Princeton. All in all, a good day, although still acquiring our “hill” legs.

Today we stayed again, on the traditional territory of the Okanagan First Nations.

 Hope to Manning Park

It was a tough, long day. Up to the Hope Slide was brutal, 20 kms, with the last 6 at an incline of 7%. After a valley we then climbed up to Allison Pass. The hard shoulders were minimal, if there at all, and half way it started to rain. With that and a temperature of 3 degrees C at the top, it was not much fun. We got lots of praise and encouragement from all those whom we met which helped, and we did see a bear, munching close to roadside. After taking a few photos, Paul pedalled away with the bear spray, leaving Lois standing between her bike and the animal!

We stayed on the traditional territory of the Okanagan First Nations.

Mission to Hope

Another good day, but tiring at the end. We did an extra 3 kms looking for our morning espresso, which,  as it turned out, was worth it (Grab-A-Java). The traffic was lighter today and for the most part there was a good wide shoulder. We again followed the Fraser, climbing high above and and meeting it again before Hope. The river is very high and we were told when we stopped for a cold drink at the Sasquatch Hotel in Harrison Bay, that some campsites are still under water, just days before the long weekend. Checking in to the Swiss Chalets Motel, we were offered cleaning cloths for our bikes, which we have to keep in our room. We had an early dinner at Kibo Sushi where we met three wildlife biologists involved in some environmental assessment work for BC Hydro. They suggested that we carry bear spray and very  kindly brought a spare can to our room. As if the ascent to Manning Park tomorrow is not enough to be concerned about!

We stayed the night on the traditional territory of the Chawathil First Nation.

Vancouver to Mission

We said farewell to Chris, Maritia, Steve, Jade and Rhys after coffee together at Terra Breads. We followed bikeways which took us up to Burnaby Mountain, then on to the Barnet, then Lougheed Highway, which we will take all the way to Hope. We passed through Port Moody which was for a short time the terminus of the CPR but was eclipsed when a line was built into Vancouver. In Maple Ridge, we visited the oldest church in BC (1859). Then we followed the Fraser River and the aroma of newly milled lumber to Mission, arriving on the territory of the Stó:lõ First Nation. The Mission Spring IPA went down well!

Beginning on the traditional territory of the Songhees and Esquimalt First Nations

Day one of our cross-Canada tour  took us from Mile 0 of the Trans Canada highway, Victoria, to home, a cycle of  67 kms. The map includes the ferry ride which was not really difficult, as we were enjoying the sun out on deck.

The day started with breakfast  at our hotel with Dave, Kate, Heather, Isy and Rod. It was great to see old friends as we begin the trip. We cycled along Dallas Road to Mile 0 for the obligatory photos. Lois wanted to dip the back wheels of her bike in the Pacific ocean, but there was no easy access to the water and we were anxious to make the 1:00 pm boat.

We followed the Lochside Trail again out of Victoria, stopping at Matticks Farm for coffee. Lois carried her iced latte in one of the bottle cages! It was another beautiful day and we again enjoyed the ferry crossing sitting out on deck watching for whales.

Cyclists cannot (and probably would not want to) go through the George Massey Tunnel. We got to Ladner (Bus) Exchange just in time to catch the #620. The driver dropped us at the first stop north of the tunnel at no charge. We could have ridden slightly further to take the shuttle but we would have had to wait. The cyclist who admired Lois’ bike while we were waiting to leave the ferry, and disappeared into the distance in Tsawwassen, overtook us again on the Canada Line Bridge. He must have taken the shuttle! The run into town was uneventful, although we were unprepared for the heat and will need to remember to drink more water when we are out on the road.

Ending  on the traditional territory of the Squamish First Nation

Today was the warm up for Mile 0 tomorrow. We took the Canada Line and then the bus to Tsawwassen. Paul was pleased to have looked at the You Tube video of how to mount a bike on the front of a Translink bus, but then we got on board to find out that we needed to pay for another zone. This required Paul to call out to the assembled passengers to ask for change. This was forthcoming as were conversations on what we were doing etc etc. The man opposite was enjoying his retirement and was off to visit a friend on Mayne Island, drink beer and play his guitar. An older great grandmother was still having to work to ensure that her  grandchildren have shoes….We are already getting a taste of the role our bikes can perform as conversation openers.

After a sunny crossing spent out on deck, during which we spotted the dorsal fins of a couple of orcas near Active Pass, we readied our bikes for disembarking at Swartz Bay. You do get a good view when the ship docks.

The cycle  into Victoria took us along the scenic and blossom-scented Lochside Trail. Formerly a railway line, the trail passes through parts of Sydney and other towns along the way which we don’t see from  the highway.

We had a lovely barbecue with Isy and Rod at their house in Victoria, catching up and hearing about their Mexican winter retreat.

We were out on the seawall again today, along with hundreds of others, this time on our shiny new bikes. The open road beckons!

While getting used to beng clipped in, we have each had a couple of tumbles. These from not getting out of the clips quickly enough, forgetting about being clipped in, and from a rogue dump truck that slowly ran a stop sign in front of Lois. We have bruises and scrapes to show for it!

The position of Lois’ handlebars has been fine tuned and we will be back at West Point Cycles, after our trip to Victoria, for a final consultation.

Today, we picked up our new bikes from West Point Cycles.  Andrew checked and fitted and measured to make sure that every thing felt just right. I am sure that we will be back for some fine tuning, but we rode home very pleased. We are both, as yet, not entirely comfortable with the clips, but disengaging seems easier than we expected.

Lois wanted to make sure that her seat was just right:

Consultation and testing:

Final measurements for the record:

Ready to go at last:

We are keeping these bikes very close for now!

We will be picking up our bikes later this week so, today, we took our trusty hybrids out to Iona Park and back (around 40kms). It was lovely to be by the sea, although the tide was a long way out.
We discovered the bike path underneath the Canada Line Bridge, over the Fraser River, south of Cambie. Good planning, it seems.

Maps are great!

Today we visualized our trip by plotting the route on the map in the hallway.

Perhaps you can see why we are re-thinking the “northern route” through BC and AB on the way to Saskatoon!

This was today’s practice ride. First time over the Lions Gate Bridge! The time was better than recorded. For some reason, the Garmin did not stop when we had coffee in North Van.

Lois’ bike should be ready next weekend. This is the message from West Point Cycles: “The frame is in customs and we are just waiting for it to clear! I am hoping to have it built before next weekend”. We both trust that this will be the case…

While cycling around Stanley Park on another gorgeous day, we were, momentarily, questioning the sanity of our decision to be away from the west coast all summer. We then continued cycling into the sunset and onto Granville Market to buy Easter chocolates.

Today our run took us back to UBC and again to West Point Cycles. When trying to find the lightest way to keep the weight down, but remain secure, we discovered Pinhead Locks. These replace the spindles and lock the wheels. This means that we can use a smaller, and lighter, standard lock. We will let you know if they work! (update: they do!)

What a great day for a ride in the sunshine to Deep Cove for lunch with Chris and Shinyoung, at Honey Doughnuts and Goodies. The 36km jaunt was caught on film (clever Chris duplicates us!), including Lois coming off the dusty narrow noisy slog over the Workers’ Memorial Bridge.

Another 30Km day, also out to UBC. This time it was sunny and not bad weather for fixing a flat tire.

Our ride, of around 30km, took us along False Creek, English Bay and UP to UBC. We visited West Point Cycles on the return to buy more supplies, including a smart new helmet for Lois. I will have to get one as well as I realize mine is probably beyond the 10 year expiry date. Lois’s bike should arrive in two weeks and therefore hopefully in time for our trip to Victoria.

It was cold, but not rainy. We guiltily admired the first cherry blossoms while snow storms continue everywhere to the east.

Later, we planned our route, calculating daily distances and possible resting places. This will be “subject to change”, but is a start.

The forecast was for rain and it poured as we circled Stanley Park for a 20km+ ride. The experience confirmed our wardrobe deficiencies: booties, helmet cover and waterproof gloves! There were pluses however; the sighting of a seal and four immature bald eagles.

IMPORTANT DAY: We planned out our training schedule over coffee at Terra Breads Cafe and then embarked on our first ride. Uphill all the way but lunch at Cozi Cafe and downhill on the way back. Total distance approx 12 kms. It’s a start!

Back to West Point Cycles where Lois decided on a pair of shoes (although she says she has still not committed to the clip-in pedals!). After a lot of debate, we also came away with sets of Ortlieb panniers. We are now having to ensure our clothes and equipment are colour-coordinated! We also talked about lights and purchased a wonderful tool which assists in almost all maintenance and repair and fits into a miniature pouch.

We decided to widen our repertoire of cycle shops, so wandered along Broadway between Cambie and Main. The staff of Valhalla were as helpful as before when we bought jackets for Nepal, and we had a good discussion about tents. Ice Breaker produces cycle clothes which we will be sporting. La Bicicletta was a real find. We bought more clothing as well as a Garmin 810, and got lots of advice and encouragement, even though we admitted getting our bikes from a competitor.

We spent more than two hours with the West Point fit specialists. My Trek now has a higher stem, narrower bars and a different seat. It feels much more comfortable and “right”. The Trek 520 will not work for Lois and so she will have to wait for a Kelly Bedford custom made frame which will then be equipped with the same gear as mine. We also discussed mud guards, mirrors, computers, panniers and the pro and cons of shoes with cleats.

Next we have to start charting out our route, plan our physical preparation and decide on clothes and other equipment.

As a result of a recommendation, we arranged to try out bikes at West Point Cycles, on West 10th in Point Grey. The staff, all who seemed to be able to give complimentary advice, as required, set us up with Trek 520 cycles.

These are steel framed, to withstand the kilometres of asphalt that we will be covering from May to September, and are equipped with straightforward gears and brakes. This will be important if we run into trouble a long way from the nearest bike shop. Paul felt comfortable very quickly on his machine. Lois has yet to decide between the venerable 520 and something custom made. We will be out there again next Sunday for a fitting.