Cold Rain in the Rockies.

Day 3.                                                                                         145Km

A great day cycling. The terrain was flat to gently sloping upwards and the weather was calm and 17C. Perfect cycling weather. In the end we managed to reach our target town of Hope.

The highlight for me was being passed by a Canadian Pacific locomotive (in fact three locomotives) pulling a train the length of which I have never seen before. Further up the road it had stopped and we started passing the carriages one by one endlessly it seemed until we finally reached the stationary locos. The driver had stopped so that he could nip across the road for a takeaway meal! While I was inspecting the locos another monster thundered past travelling in the opposite direction. The loco driver having grabbed his dinner then told me that his train was 7kms long!

Adi and I started up the road just as this giant was getting under way and we had probably gone about 4kms before he caught us. With a wave he was gone.

Tonight we are camped next to the Fraser River. I’d be lying if I said there weren’t mossies’ here but the campground is cheap, we had a meal further down the valley, and the shower water was hot and plentiful.

Day  4.                                                                                            70Km

Rain today and 1300mtrs of climbing. We got under way in drizzle which turned into heavier rain for the duration of the 70kms uphill. At lunchtime we stopped at the only shop along the route which climbed through forested high country frequented by black bear at this time of the year. We didn’t see one which surprised me as I know they are seen along the roadside. The weather got pretty cold as we climbed sitting at about 6C. Adi rode really well, consistently chugging along with hardly any rest stops. I appreciated this as in cold weather I like to keep going in an attempt to stay warm. Even so we both arrived at Manning Park Resort feeling pretty cold. Adi vetoed the idea of a tent and so I find myself in motel type accommodation tonight watching bad American TV. Although the road gradient was steepish today my  42 X 28 was sufficient to get the loaded touring bike up ok. I wonder if I will need my triple to get through the Rockies (30 X 28 is my lowest gear) ?

Day 5.

Freezing today and with sleety rain. The bike temperature gauge reckoned 5C but it felt colder. I had brought gloves and booties but Adi had not packed either. I also had tights but Adi had not brought any! She was turning blue and I feared that she would not make the distance so against my better judgement I advised her to pedal faster, that way she would keep warm. When this failed to improve her look I relented and gave her my booties. What’s a bloke supposed to do? She would have just keeled over and we wouldn’t make our destination. After 60kms of this we started to descend to Princeton and we stopped at a diner for a slap up Canadian all day breakfast which was like dinner with heaps of coffee. The next 70kms flew by and was much warmer. And now here we are tenting in Keremeos BC.

I know you will be all very interested in the observation that ‘Ken’ my kerosene cooker is loving the Canadian kerosene we are giving him here. Note the lovely blue burner! I think the fuel is triple filtered and to the highest standard. Adi didn’t seem that interested when I told her!

Sorry forgot the burner pic, maybe next time.