It was a beautiful day. A hike up the scrubby steep hillsides provided a gorgeous view of the Similkameen Valley.
We are all enamored with the kittens (keen to help with donning my boots and drying my tent – both decidedly unhelpful!), and the second batch of even smaller kittens.
I did a little bit of fruit picking, laundry, gear drying, and relaxing.
We ended the day with a delicious family dinner of burgers and fresh corn with both cousins and everyone. So good.
Here’s hoping this sunshine continues for my accent into Manning Park!
September 18, 2019 Johnston Creek campground, BC –> Cawston, BC
Distance: 87 4km Ave: 17.0km/h Max: 57.9km/h
I stayed dry overnight – a testament to the MSR tent. Getting out of the tent and on the road in the morning was inevitably wet, as was the rest of the climb up to anarchist Summit (who named this one?). The wild decent into Osoyoos was numbingly cold. (think steep, switchbacks, centerline divider on 20km/h turns, in driving rain). I’d put on my rain pants and leather gloves (which take the bite out of the wind and wet), but had to stop a few times because I couldn’t feel my hands and feet.
Not the promised warm welcome to Osoyoos, which apparently only gets 25cm of rain annually. I wonder what percentage of that we got today…
I went straight to Nk’mip, and draped wet clothes in the bathrooms and restaurant and gradually came back to life with the help of hot coffee, fresh chowder, and bannock and berries.
Some of my items from the bathroom found their way to the lost and found. (Nobody touched my shorts though – can’t imagine why ha!) Retrieval proved straightforward – not too many people leave bike bootie covers behind, I guess.
I decided I didn’t fancy exploring Osoyoos in the rain, and I could push on to Cawston, so I did.
The rain and then clouds began to clear as soon as I headed west, and I arrived just in time for dinner with my aunt and uncle. Is there anything better than a hot shower, a home cooked meal, a round of solid family hugs, and sleeping in a real bed? Nope, not tonight.
September 17, 2019 Christina Lake, BC –> Johnston Creek campground, BC
Distance: 104.6km Ave: 19.6km/h Max: 55.6km/h
Oh the joys of pavement! I passed the 1000th km early on today (1096km totally running trip to date), and now more than midway through my trip. And I also literally passed the town of Midway.
Despite the rocky start (the dinkiest ice cream cone ever for breakfast), the morning shaped up well. Dark clouds ahead and behind me, but I seemed to be riding in a sunny(!) blue(!) hole in the sky…
I had a lovely stop in Grand Forks, including a Farmers’market with good live music.
There was a good climb up to Eholt Summit (1028m), followed by a beautiful rest area with dock and lake where I met another cyclist (Roman from Switzerland) with whom I played leap frog.
However, the forecast rain did arrive – just as I was enjoying my second (and much more reasonably sized) ice cream of the day.
When I arrived at my intended campsite and found no shelter to speak of, it was still before 4pm, so I decided to continue. The helpful woman the Greenwood tourist info centre had given me a map that showed Johnson Creek a provincial campsite <40km down the road. There was also a private one at Rock Creek, but that involved a minor detour onto Highway 33, and Johnston Creek was only a few kms further west. If you look closely, you can see the sprinkler going in this photo – apparently rain adequate to drench a cyclist is not adequate to drench fruit trees!
I didn’t look at the shape of the road after Rock Creek. If I had, I would’ve surely predicted the enormous hairpin climb and saved it for tomorrow morning. As it was, I was surprised to find what is essentially a highway switchback. It afforded incredible views of the Kettle Valley and back down to Rock Creek.
Aaaand Johnston Creek was closed. I checked my maps. The only other option I could get to was the one in Rock Creek, and the was no way I was backtracking down that hill. So here I stay. There’s a signpost that has a little roof that is big enough to cook under, (although alas not sleep under). So I’ve cooked up soup and fresh corn on the cob for dinner, and will soon crawl into what is hopefully a nice, dry tent.
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!)
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.
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.
September 15, 2019 Nelson, BC –> Pass Creek campground, Castlegar, BC
Distance: 47.7km Ave: 17.7km/h Max: 51.2km/h
Rain Rain Rain. I opted for the 50km day rather than the 130km day. I did laundry, packed up, went for brunch, and bought fresh food at the local co-op before hitting the road.
The past few days, I’ve been seeing signs (literally) of the upcoming election with unfamiliar names. While waiting for brunch, I tried the 2019 vote compass put together by the CBC. If you haven’t, it’s a fun tool: https://votecompass.cbc.ca/canada/ I like that you can adjust the weighting of issues they ask about, and that you can see what each of the major parties responded for each question.
My short ride today was deliberately slow to avoid breaking a sweat while fully decked in rain gear. I managed it, but still started to get damp from the outside. I fear resistance may be futile.
There are multiple hydro dams on the river here. I couldn’t get close enough to the signboards to read full details about this one because the puddles were too big (booties don’t prevent your feet from getting wet from below), but I gather this one was upgraded in the 2000s, and has been a major power source for the area since the early part of the last century.
I also stopped to traverse the Brilliant bridge (it goes to Brilliant, which looked a lot like a chunk of the TCT, and sure enough it had a sign for “The Great Trail” on the far side). It is a restored pedestrian/cyclist suspension bridge which is juxtaposed nicely beside a major traffic arch bridge.
My campsite tonight is the best deal yet. $10 for a fully covered picnic area with 3 tables to myself. There are bathrooms, showers (which I didn’t even need thanks to my snail pace), wifi, and every good thing. The grounds seem well on their way to becoming marshes, although I’m not sure they yet justify this sign. Perhaps by tomorrow morning though… the rain is supposed to continue for several days.
A rest day! The Blue Horned Pothole Magnet stayed at the campground while I explored on foot, retracing some familiar paths from a family trip 20ish years ago. It’s funny what I remembered – this set of benches under a yellow awning where we had ice cream, that steep curve of walkway up to the campground…
I’m sure there are many ways to explore, but this I can recommend:
Work up an appetite climbing the steep hills (for the gorgeous view) at Gyro park.
All the better to devour eggs benny with at Vienna Cafe, OR (or in my case AND) pick up tasty treats, sodas and veggies at the local farmer’s market. Get extra in case you’re hungry again in 20 minutes. (Yep!)
Savour piping hot locally roasted coffee from Orso Negro Cafe.
Deek into shops to avoid the rain and find interesting, local products for sale. Avoid buying things that won’t fit in the already full panniers.
Discuss bike routes at the bar of Backroad Brewing. (Their ESB is particularly good, as is the news that the rail trail from Castlegar to Christina Lake is viable.)
Ride Streetcar 23 to Lakeside park. Don’t get off because it’s the last returning trip of the day and you saw another brewery at the other end of the line.
Find some fellow nerds playing games at Torchlight Brewing. Multitask sampling beer, carb loading house-made Mac and Cheese, and vying for dominion of Catan until karaoke night takes over the bar.
Stagger back to your campsite well after quiet time to avoid the option of doing laundry tonight.
In a nutshell, Nelson is rad, and I’m considering moving.
September 13, 2019 Kuskanook Harbour and Boat Launch, BC –> Nelson, BC
Distance: 116.8km Ave: 18.7km/h Max: 58.5km/h
I was up with the sun and some rain this morning. I delayed leaving immediately, observing the antics of a pair of loons near “my” gazebo.
Despite this delay and a 15km hilly ride, I arrived at the Glass House a good 20 min before they opened at 9am. (Yep, I was too early – I hope you’re sitting down!)
The Glass House turned out to be a fascinatingly bizarre retirement home built in the 50s by a funeral home director. Disliking the idea of just throwing out all the bottles that embalming fluid was shipped in, he saved them up and used the bottles as the main construction material… cemented together by hand. He had no formal training in architecture, building, or rock work, but apparently an idea and enough skill and patience to figure it out! It’s an unusual place, shaped like a 3 leaf clover with patio, small bridge, mini turret etc. Apparently curious passers by started stopping and wanting tours pretty much as soon as construction started, so a ticket booth was included in the design. While some of the interior has been refitted over time, much of it smells and looks like my grandparents’ house (although this place has orange shag rather than orange plaid carpet!)
Back on the road and working hard to make a ferry that would allow me time to make a side trip, I passed hoards of cyclists going the other way. It was fun to wave at my (unloaded) peers.
I made it to the ferry and after loading up on coffee and pastries, started for Ainsworth hot springs. 14km and 14$ later, I was soaking in the glorious pools and caves. I think it would be neat to stay overnight and go for a moonlit soak. However, I wanted to make it to Nelson, so I reluctantly climbed out and beetled off, trading the relaxing heat of the pools for the familiar heat of sweaty hill climbing.
Today was a long day in the saddle. Fort Steele only opened at 10, so I gave that a pass. As well, decided not to wait an hour for a tour to see the restored old train carriages at the museum in Cranbrook. I pretty much kept riding with very few pauses until I saw an ice cream sign just outside Creston. There were a lot of logging trucks and wood processing sites. The scenery definitely is looking a more like the Okanagan and less like the mountain parks.
Cycling along Kootenay Lake was exhilarating and beautiful. Exhilarating because I was pretty sure I would need to “stealth” camp, and also because my shoulder pretty much disappeared so I was sharing the windy road with all the other folks with motors. And beautiful – riding up the east side of the lake, with the evening sun beaming down in great bands of light through the clouds. Initially, the light was sparkling down onto the telltale green blocks of agriculture below, which gave way to blue shining Lake. Flying down these twisty roads near the speed limit, I did not hesitate to take the lane. I can see why it’s so popular with motorcyclists.
I’m camping right next to a lovely gazebo in a rest area which is combined with a marina and boat launch. There are stealthier places to have pitched my tent, but they are close to the bathroom and it stinks.
Trying to look like I wasn’t planning to camp, I made myself dinner in the gazebo, and although it’s usually the first thing I do, for a while, I avoided going for a swim in the lake because someone in a small rowboat kept noodling around nearby. I snuck down to the water once I thought they’d rounded the corner into the marina. I stripped down and had a nice little nudie swim only to find the rower still out in plain sight! Whoops. It turned out to be a guy about my age (but seemed younger) who’s into the stock market, and comes to property he bought from his grandparents near Creston. He commented a few times on how fit I must be to be riding so far, so I helped him load his boat into his truck. I’m sure that’s exactly what he was aiming for! Haha.
Alice
PS. I finally switched time zones today! When crossing into Kootenay National park a few days ago, I’d clearly forgotten than a good chunk of south east BC does “mountain time” (complete with abstinence from daylight savings).
September 11, 2019 Redstreak Campground, Radium Hot Springs, BC –> Fort Steele Resort & RV Park, Fort Steele, BC
Distance: 132.4km Ave: 22.5km/h Max: 53.2km/h
Rainy night, rainy morning, but with enough incentive I was up and leaving before the nearby crew of motorcyclists. The right incentive? Kicking Horse Cafe (home of kick ass coffee) was <20km down the road – aka breakfasting distance.
I decided not to sample beer at the brewery next door. 11am and only 16km in didn’t seem like a good combo as the closest of my shortlisted destinations was a 110km ride.
The weather improved, and with it, so did the cycling. Saw some interesting landforms (hoodoos??) and dramatic clouds. It was even hot enough for ice cream.
Today set records for most kms, and most expensive campsite fee (35$!) to date… hopefully this isn’t a trend!
September 10, 2019 Vermillion Crossing, BC –> Redstreak Campground, Radium Hot Springs, BC
Distance: 68.7km Ave: 18.2km/h Max: 58.4km/h
Not letting yesterday become a pattern, by 10:30am this morning, I was already 45km along and well into the main climb of the day. It’s a good thing I started when I did, otherwise the temptation to stay dry and warm may have got the better of me. Today has been entirely soggy. It started just spitting, then became more and more persistent and has yet to stop. Wearing full rain gear, it’s impossible to stay dry on a long climb, and by 11, I was still cranking up the same hill, in the same sprocket, now completely soaked from sweat.
I nearly froze at the viewpoint (aka false Summit #3, which on a day like today offered a view of only clouds) and was uncharacteristically happy to find more climbing required as it reduced wind experience and turned on the internal heat. Rain gear, I gather, starts as a dry suit, but then also works as a wet suit. The wet inside my black suit was certainly warmer than the wet outside it. So long as I never stopped pedaling, it would stay that way, and I’d be fine.
But, after my measly breakfast of a few handfuls of granola and (delicious!) mini cheeses, I needed water and food. I found another covered picnic area, stripped quickly and pulled on my dry set of clothes and all the sweaters. I hung the wet set, although if they dry at all it’ll be a miracle. I made excellent (although very flamey!) use the last of my fuel to cook myself some soup.
Tonight, I can’t imagine anything more awesome than hot springs.
Alice
PS.
They were awesomely warming, and I am now pleasantly full of dinner (and dessert!), and hiding in yet another covered shelter at tonight’s campsite.
BC by Cycle 