Castlegar to Kaslo (Mirror Lake)

July 4, 2015    

Castlegar to Kaslo (Mirror Lake)

Today’s ride was definitely one of the best rides on the trip.   It wasn’t too hilly.  It wasn’t too long. It wasn’t windy.  It wasn’t too hot, or at least the majority of the trip wasn’t.  It was incredibly beautiful.  Kind of one of those Goldie Locks kind of rides I guess. The day is was really hazy as there are a lot of forest fires burning  due to the extreme heat wave the province is experiencing.    There is a province wide ban on camp fire and burning of any kind.  It didn’t really smell smokey until later  in the day when the wind picked up.  The ride was actually 109 kms and had 1300 meters of climbing.  All of the climbs were short and although there were a couple which were in 7-10% range, most were in the 1-3% range, and they were all under a 10 kms so they went by quickly. 

We were following the Kootney river until we got to Balfour and then we followed the Kootney Lake North to Kaslo.  We had picnic at Balfour just up from the ferry dock which takes cars across the lake.  We were all at picnic wondering where Earnie was when he rolled in with a broken spoke.  He said his derailer hit the spoke when he down shifted but I am not sure how that would happen.  I think his spoke just broke as this is a brand new bike and one spoke was probably over tight or faulty.  Julie loaded  Earnie and his bike onto the van and drove him back to Nelson which was 40 kms back.  The rest of us continued north to Kaslo.  It was only 35 kms so we didn’t need support for such a short distance.  We just made sure our water bottles were full and we were off.

We got into camp and decided to ride into Kaslo which was another 5 kms for  something cold to drink and maybe something to eat.  About half way in Jos got a call from Julie saying she was in camp.  Earnie had gotten his wheel fixed in 15 minutes at the Nelson bike shop and decided to ride the last 35 kms into camp. 

The high light of the day for me was seeing an eagles nest on top of a railway bridge just off of the highway.  The eagles were both in the nest as I rolled up one took off and the other one stayed along with the two chicks.  I took a couple of pictures and the eagle put on a good show for me. 

Pizza tonight in Kaslo  --  Yummy

Terry 

July 3, 2015

Rest Day in Castlegar

The campground in Castlegar is absolutely beautiful.  We have a wonderful site to spread out in and with great grass to put tents on.   This peace and tranquility was not the scene last night as about 10:00 Pm a domestic fight broke out from one of the campers.  Yelling screaming, vehicles roaring around.  Finally the entertainment was broken up with the arrival of the police.  The story revolved around a man who was out camping with his girlfriend who was his son’s wife (daughter inlaw).  His ex-wife and son arrived and then fireworks started. 

I lay in bed until 8:00 Am.  It was great.  A quick breakfast, and we were off to do chores.  We got groceries for the week, washed clothes and washed the van. 

Back at the campground we went down to the beach.  It was so wonderful just sitting enjoying the wonderful park.  It was so peace and quiet. We pretty much had the place to ourselves.  I don’t know when I have had a more relaxing day off.

Today is Ken’s birthday so we are going off to the Lion’s Head Pub and Steak House.  It is situated right below a huge out crop of rock which looks like a lion’s head.   We also have chocolate truffle cake in the cooler for later.

Terry  

July 2, 2015

Grand Forks to Castlegar

Last night’s campground was right beside the highway and I mean right beside the highway.  I bet that my tent was less than 20 feet from the shoulder of the road.  Not only that but we were at the start of an uphill grade.  So every truck coming into town would be gearing down and every truck heading out of town would be stepping down on the gas.  Sometimes you would think a truck was coming right into the tent.  To say it was less than rest full sleep would not be an exaggeration.  I guess that is the danger of doing an un-scouted trip.

We were up and on the road at the usual time, and I was  glad to be rolling but my legs just didn’t seem to have any power.  There route today was low rolling ups and downs for the first 30 kms past Christina Lake.  It was nice and cool and the lake was so pretty  peeking  through the trees.  At the 30 km mark we started the big climb of the day through Bonanza pass.   It was 28 kms long and averaged 3.5 percent.  By now it is around 30 C so it is a tough climb.   Julie was stopping the van every 3-5 kms to hand out water.  Just before the summit there was a mountain stream beside the road so I stopped and poured water over myself.  That water was no more than 5 C.  Boy was it cold but it felt great.  The summit is called Paulson Summit even though the pass is called Bonanza Pass. It is at 1535 meters.  We had lunch at the summit and then started the big downhill into Castlegar.  Not an incrediblely steep down hill but the same 3.5 percent we had on the uphill.  The remaining 32 kms went by pretty quick and we were rolling in to Castlegar with a metric century on the speedometers.  A stop at the local DQ for a milkshake topped the day off. 

Tomorrow is a rest day.  Ken, Ed, Julie and myself elected to camp but Earnie and Jos took a hotel room.

Terry   

Lake Bonaparte to Grande Forks

July 1, 2015    

Lake Bonaparte to Grande Forks

The loons were calling at 4:30 Am this morning.  Ducks started a few minutes later.  The ground squirrels were busy rummaging the campsite all night.  They chewed the bite valve off of  Earnie’s camelback during the night. 

We started the ride just after 7:00 AM and headed off down the backroad.   It was a tree lined lane and the sun shining through the leaves made beautiful speckled color.  However it was probably not the color or the lack of cars but the fact that it was a 7% down grade which made it a beautiful ride.   We earned the downhill from yesterday’s climb. About 3 kms down the road we came to an unmarked Y.  Luckily a car came by and gave us directions.  The downhill continued all the way to the town of Curlew which was 45 kms.   From there we had 20 kms to the Canadian border and then only 10 km into Grand Forks. 

An easy day and all set up by 11:00 Am. 

Terry 

Winthrop to Lake Bonaparte WA

June 30, 2015

Winthrop to Lake Bonaparte WA

This was the second day of 153 kms per day.  I had originally planned a slightly different route which would have avoided the two back to back long days however just a few days before we left something happened at the campsite and they cancelled my reservation.  A quick scramble and we wound up with two long days followed by a short day.  It all would have worked out however we are 20 C above normal so it made the two days almost impossible.

To day was forecast to be a real cooker and we were not disappointed.   We got on the road at the normal time of 7:00 Am, while it was still a little cooler. We had a short down hill followed by 15 kms of 4%.  It was a brutal climb as the temperatures are now approaching 32 C.  This was followed by a 20 km downhill which took us into Okanagan WA where highway 20 merges with highway 97 .  Highway 97 is a very busy road and right out in the middle of the heat of the valley it was 38C.  We had 50 kms to grind up to the turn off  at Tonasket.  As soon as we made the corner we were face with a 10-20 kms headwind which felt like it was right out of the blast furnace.  Ed and I ground along until we were within 24 kms of the turn when Julie came along so we jumped in the van.  Ed and I hung out at Tonasket until everyone was there.  Julie sagged Earnie up to the campsite and the rest of us set off. It was 43 kms east of town and with the exception of a few kms in the middle almost all of it was up hill.  At least the head wind had shifted and was now a tailwind.  Not that it was much help as we were grinding along at 8-12 kms/hour.   We got to within 14 kms of the campsite before Julie got back with an empty van and we all jumped in.   We got into camp at right around 4:30 pm making it a 9.5 hr day. 

The camp at Lake Bonaparte is a little fishing camp. Not at all upmarket but cute as anything.  A fish camp right out of the story books.  Loons calling across the lake, sassy ducks leading their brood, stuffed fish in the office, row boats and canoes tied to a tiny wharf. The camp restaurant is really funky and smells great. I am really looking forward to supper.

Terry 

June 29, 2015

Rockport to Winthrop WA

I think that the people from the state of Washington have been hiding how beautiful the Cascades are.  They hand out this story about rainy and cold in the hopes that no one will come and find out, because once people discover this hidden gem it will be overrun with people.   

However I am ahead of myself.  Starting at about 3:00 Am it started to rain and rain big time.  It was still pouring hard by 5:30 Am alarm time.  We crawled out and realized that it was going to be a long hard and wet day.   The 153 kms were broken down into 100 kms up hill and with something like 2750 meters of climb to the summit of Washington Pass in Casscade National Forest followed by 50 kms of downhill into the town of Winthrop.  In a way the pouring rain was good as it had been forecast to be 37C.  The climb consisted of several sections with the longest at 31 kms of 3.5%.  By 9:30 Am the rain had abated and the clouds were breaking up and the sun was starting to dry the pavement.   Along the way we were treated to views of Gorge Lake.   Sometimes up close, and sometimes from a high ridge.  The water of Gorge Lake is the most stunning emerald green I think I have ever seen.  To say that it was a long grind to the summit would be a total understatement and would not to justice to the hard work which went into the climb.  I am definitely getting a 32 cog rear cassette as the 28 just isn’t big enough.  

Once at the summit the downhill is a screamer.  There is at least 25 kms of 15% including this huge high banked oval switch back.  It was so steep I had to just close my eyes and hold on.  The views of the surrounding mountains are truly awe inspiring.  They all reach in to the 7500’ s of feet and tower above the gorges below.   Each one is capped with a glacier and there were still huge piles of snow in the ditches of the road.   There was a snow gauge beside the road which was 25 feet tall.  My guess it that it is not too tall. 

Winthrop is the little town (390 pop) where we are staying tonight. It is all dressed up in a western outlook with the weathered wood store fronts.  There must be 5 restaurants and 10 gift stores and 3 saloons.  Ed, Jos and I enjoyed a huge ice cream cone in one corner store/bakery/candy store and giftware euphorium.    We were really ready as the temperature gauge now read 34C.

What a great day

Terry  

Lynden to Rockport WA

June 28, 2015

Lynden to Rockport WA       

It was noisy in the Lynden KOA last night.  Yelling until well after midnight.  Some woman realized her 8 year old son was missing about 11:45 PM  and started shouting and then there was lights and cars driving around.  Seems to me she should have had him in 3-4 hours earlier. 

We got up at 5:30 Am rather than the usual 6:00 AM as it was going to be hot today and everyone wanted to get an early start.  I was actually rolling at 6:50 Am so a really good time.  Ed joined me and we rolled along on almost perfect pavement at a good clip.  There was even a hint of a tail wind.  At about 35 kms out the shoulder down to 2 feet and the ditch was extremely steep.   At this point we came to a semi-truck which has hit the ditch and flipped over.  It happened only moments before Ed and I rolled up.  Being there was nothing we could do we just rolled on past it.

We continued south on Washington 9 to Sedro Wooley and were there by 10:00 am.  Julie was waiting in the parking lot so we grabbed a snack and turned East on Washington #20.  There was only 55 kms left to ride and by now the wind has turned solidly out of the west and is giving us a good tail wind.  Never stand still when you have a tail wind so Ed and I headed towards Rockport.  The road was steadily uphill as we headed East but with the good tail wind we sailed right along.  Just before camp a Westphalia boiled over just as we came up.  The Westphalia lurch to a stop and all the doors flew up and the passengers bailed out.  I could a picture just as it pulled over. There was steam everywhere.   We were in camp right at 12:00 noon. 

The Howard Miller Steelhead park where we are tonight is a beautiful campground right on the Skagit River.

Terry 

Vancouver BC to Lynden WA

June 27, 2015

Vancouver BC to Lynden WA

It was a brilliant sunny day as we rolled out of our Vancouver hotel this morning.  Howard B had graciously agreed to guide us out and rolled up just as we were getting the last of the bags into the van.  We all rolled down a couple of blocks to the nearest MacDonald’s for a quick breakfast before hitting the pathway. 

Howard took us out along False Creek and then onto the Central Valley Greenway.  What a great bike system.  Being early Saturday morning there was almost nobody on the path way.  Around  25 kms the pathway ended and we had to pick our way along but Howard’s unerring sense of direction was perfect and we found ourselves directly above the Pattulo Bridge.  We said goodbye to Howard and rolled down the hill directly onto the bridge.  Thanks Howard!  The bridge was really high and more than a little scary.  The sidewalk where we were riding was narrow, 18 inches above the traffic  and no railing. There was quite a side wind threatening to blow you into traffic.   Normally I would have my camera out but I kept both hands on the handlebars. 

After crossing the Fraser we rolled down a few back road and climbed a really really  steep hill before joining the Fraser Hwy to Aldergrove.   We crossed into the US at the Aldergrove.  We pulled into a Shell station in Lynden and bought out all of their chocolate milk.  There is nothing better than drinking an entire quart of ice cold homogenized chocolate milk on a 35C day. 

It was a very fun day at 87 kms and 702 meters of climbing. 

Terry 

June 26, 2015

Vancouver Second Rest Day

I slept in until 8:00 Am this morning.  I am beginning to get use to this sort of life.  After a quick shower and a huge buffet breakfast Ken C, Jos, and myself went on a bike cruise around Stanley Park and the Vancouver Sea wall.  The speed limit is only 15 kms and there are so many people on the path you cannot even roll along at 10 kms.  It was a gorgeous day out and we were not in any hurry.  Just roll along enjoy the beautiful day, the bright blue sky and the wonderful surroundings.  Stanley Park is so green and it contrasts so well with the city sky line and the ocean.  

We followed the Sea Wall around Stanley Park to English Bay and up False Creek to the Telus Science Center, where the Central Valley Greenway starts.  We are intending to take the Greenway out of town tomorrow and it looks like a good route.  We followed it for a couple of kilometers to ensure that we knew where we were going and that the route was well marked.  It was 1:00 PM  by now and time to find some lunch.  I suggested we head back towards downtown as there were lots of sidewalk cafes to eat at.  Just then Ken spotted an old fashioned water tower which said “Fresh Beer” in big red letters.  That sounded like what we needed. The water tower belonged to the Red Truck Brewery. The red umbrellas tipped us that this was just the spot.  The sandwiches were delicious and the beer was great.  I had the Belgian Blond and it was excellent. 

After lunch we rolled back to the hotel and did some bike work.  I had purchased two new tires I wanted to mount and cleaning the chain is always needed.  While we were working on our bikes Ken discovered that his front derailleur cable was broken and he rushed off to get it repaired. 

As I got back to the room Howard B phone to say he could lead us out of town tomorrow. Perfect!

Terry