September 16, 2019
Pass Creek campground, Castlegar, BC –> Christina Lake, BC

Distance: 92.5km
Ave: 14.4km/h (the uphill half was averaging around 10km/h)
Max: 44.1km/h (definitely not while I was on the Columbia and Western rail trail!)

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Rail trail is not steep and there is little traffic (of any kind – I saw two humans, one dog, and one chipmunk), but it is slow and hard on equipment (there’s a Corb Lund cover in there somewhere).

One of my racks came off due to the rattling loose of bolts. Fortunately (thank you, Clare!), I had spare bolts, and reattached it. But knowing the problem, I started pausing periodically to tighten. I think this could be solved with one of those curved washers, but I don’t have any more of those, and rail trail also doesn’t tend to have a bike shops or hardware stores. I’m considering myself lucky that the rest of me didn’t rattle loose as well.

I had less rain than I expected, but also plenty to be getting on with. I tried a new strategy of wearing rain coat and rain booties, but leaving my legs pretty much bare. It worked ok. Skin dries easier than gear.

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There were enough gaps in the clouds to see that there are probably very impressive views down onto Arrow Lake. There are several tunnels, most of which were delved by hand. But one, the bull dog tunnel, was one of the first to use drilling equipment. Just as well as it’s almost a kilometer long. Quite a feat. This diagram shows the previous maze of switchbacks required before the tunnel was built.

There are many covered picnic areas along the trail. I resisted the opportunities to camp, and plowed on to Christina Lake.

I had an excellent fish and chip dinner in what appeared to be the only open restaurant in town, while the rain continued and dark settled in. I found a dodgy but covered place to put my tent and called it a night.

Thinking I might try pavement again tomorrow…

Alice