I have breached the mountain's ramparts...

Day 14, 11th on the road, June 13th 2009
Porteau Cove to home, 50 km, Total 1,082 km

... well, maybe not exactly breached, but I did put a serious dent in them.

Click the map to view it full size

I awoke early at Porteau, packed up my little camp for the last time and hit the road at 8am.
Yesterday's tiredness has gone - I guess my bones knew I had only 50km to cover - and my bike fairly flew up the hills using stiffer gears than I have managed for several days.
I took the Marine Drive "low road" through West Vancouver, and enjoyed the cheerful waves from many of the throngs of bikers that I passed on the way. Several commented on my "two-wheeled hotel". I must say that the prospect of whizzing along on a light-weight, unloaded bike in the coming days has considerable appeal.
Stopped at my favourite Bakery, Tartine, just before I got home to snag a celebratory cinnamon bun for my second breakfast.

So, no brass band to greet me at Marinaside Crescent. However, the Vancouver Fire Brigade welcomed me with a Geneva-like water display...
Valerie was waving from our 11th story balcony as I rode up.

It's been an absolutely fantastic two weeks. As well as the physical challenge, finding the limits of my own strength and endurance, I have spent special time with my daughter Farrah, her husband Nolan, my grandsons Jeffrey, Taylor and Brandon. As well, I have made some great new friends along the way, and I'm sure that our paths will cross again.


And above all, I thank my lovely wife, Valerie, for her support in this crazy adventure. While I have been focusing on my own physical efforts and achievements, she has been there to take care of all my needs (not to mention her unselfish assitance to many of the people we met along the way). In the planning stages that led up to the trip, she has researched the nutrition and supplements that kept me going, and has helped me make many of the decisions on equipment, clothing and packing that made the whole thing possible. She has driven the Yalie through hill and dale, set up and broken down camps and worried about me when I did not show up on schedule. Thank you, Val. I love you.

Sky to Sea

Day 13, 10th on the Road June 12th, 2009
Whistler to Porteau Cove 80 km, Total 1,035 km

No photos today. The camera kept beeping at me but my reading glasses weren't handy, so I didn't know what it was trying to tell me. I had left the memory card in my computer last night.

I started the day with every intention of making Vancouver tonight. Only 120km, and much of that downhill. However, I was feeling rather tired, perhaps a consequence of the anticlimax of an amazing experience coming to an end, and a strong headwind did not help on the uphill sections.

I caught up with Valerie on the main street in Squamish - back on the sea shore after two weeks in the mountains. We ate some lunch, and Valerie suggested I take a nap, so I crawled into bed and snored for nearly two hours. The benefit of having a motor home for support.

As it was getting late, we decided that we would spend the night at Porteau Cove, a beatiful little camp ground on the shore of Howe Sound, which we know well from the years we lived in Lions Bay. Unfortunately, by the time Valerie arrived, all the RV camp sites were full - Porteau is very popular due to its scenic location so close to Vancouver. She was very disappointed, as she had been looking forward to kayaking in the bay and watching the sun go down behind the mountains.

By the time I arrived, Valerie had left for Vancouver, and as I was still rather tired, I decided to stop for the night in one of the lightweight camping spots rather than pushing the remaining 50 km home. This left Valerie with the task of parking the Yalie at our lot in Richmond, unloading the remaining supplies and doing all the tasks required to shut down the rig after a trip. Thank you Valerie.

Vancouver to Whistler - the hard way!

Day 12, 9th on the road. June 11th 2009
Rogers Creek to Whistler, 96 km. Total 955 km

I always thought that it would be an interesting challenge to ride my bike to Whistler one day... but I hadn't expected to do it the long way round like this!

Bit of a late start today, as I was up the night before trying to catch up on my blog. No WiFi at Rogers Creek, so I have been making notes on the computer and uploading them each time we find a connection, which can mean a delay of several days. Here I am at midnight, sitting in the office and rehydrating.

Another beatiful day. Amazingly, after yesterday's exertions, my legs are still working. The grades are thankfully moderating now, although still following Cayoosh Creek uphill towayrds its source. And soon, beautiful Duffy Lake comes into view, ringed by snow-capped peaks.

Even after leaving the lake behind, the road continues to climb gradually for several miles, but with the scenery to distract me this is no great hardship. The altimeter climbs to 4,200 feet, almost as high as Allison Pass. Suddenly I round a bend and see the sight I have been waiting for:
Now the labours of yesterday are completely forgotten as I pick up speed to 50-60 km/hr, concentrating on avoiding the cracks and pot-holes left by last winter's ice and snow. I see the yellow signs flashing by warning of ever increasing grades, up to 15%, and notice several emergency truck run-offs. As cars pass me downhill, I often notice a strong smell of overheated brake pads, so many drivers are oblivious to the danger of relying on brakes on such a long and steep descent.
I pause briefly to admire Joffrey Glacier and continue my headlong plunge until the road levels out along the shore of Lillooet Lake, and soon I am riding through the lush farmlands of Mount Currie and the Pemberton Valley.

I sit and relax at a picnic table at the centre of Pemberton, enjoying a a lunch of jerky, landjaeger sausage, fig newtons and Gatorade, waiting for Valerie to arrive in the Yalie. She has been using the morning to catch up on her project of organizing our photo albums from previous trips.

We agree that we will press on to Whistler where we know there is a luxurious but expensive camp ground where we can get a hot shower and WiFi.

Although I have ridden the road from Pemberton to Whistler before, it seems to have become much steeper recently, or maybe it's just the load I am carrying. Just outside Whistler, I run into the first rain I have seen on the trip. One minute sunny, the next it's coming down like stair-rods. Running down my face so fast, that the water starts pooling behind my sun-glasses. Soaked right through before I can think of putting on my rain-gear, but only a couple of kilometers to go. And suddenly, the sun is shining and the road is dry, just as if it never happened.

By the time I arrive at the campground, Valerie has taken care of the tanks, set up the hookups, pulled out the awning and has dinner on the go and a cold beer on the table. She is the SAG driver extraordinaire!

Marble canyon to Roger Creek

Day 11, 8th on the road June 10, 2009
Marble canyon to Roger Creek (Duffey Lake Road) 81km Total 864

Last night, I decided to use the camping gear that I have been dragging over the mountain-tops for the last week. Yes, I could have made my life easier by packing it in the Yalie (or even by leaving it at home) but this is a proof-of-concept for the longer, unsupported trip that I am planning, so I am persevering.

I slept comfortably in my Hubba tent, and in the morning made porridge on my little stove, though I must admit that Valerie handed me a steaming cup of coffee from the Yalie.

The route to Lillooet is generally downhill, but as usual, those pesky engineers have inserted some stiff climbs. Much of the land here is First Nations reservation, including the hamlet of Pavilion, which was the jumping-off point for a cross-country diving trip that we made to Bella Coola a few years ago… but that’s another story. Further on, I got my first glimpse of the Fraser River, which at this point has cut so deeply into the landscape that it is invisible from most viewpointsThe landscape had changed back to sagebrush from the pine forest of Marble Canyon, and the sweet smell of the sage mingled with a trace of smoke from the forest fires that have troubled the area for the last week.

The CN railway to Northern BC parallels the road, with spectacular, unrelenting grades. You wonder how a train can climb this line; I’m certainly glad to be going downhill on this route.

Our plan was to meet in Lillooet, but after waiting for two hours in a cafe filling up with meat pies and sandwiches, I was getting a little concerned. Turns out that Valerie’s travelling ministry was in action again, she had rescued a family whose car had broken down, miles from anywhere. They had been trying to flag a passing car, but Valerie was the only driver that would stop. She has a kind heart. She gave the mother, Simona, a ride (80 km round trip) to a place where she could use her phone, and then took her back to the family to wait for a mechanic. The family were First Nations people from the Stein Band. Valerie had a wonderful conversation with Simona, and learned that in spite of the difference in background, their lives had many parallels. Of course, she left them with a stack of PB sandwiches, water, grapes, apples and oranges to sustain them, as well as hugs all around.

During their conversation, Simona mentioned that they had seen me on the road earlier, and a big black bear had run across the road right behind me. I hadn’t even seen him!

After we finally made contact (by voice mail) we both headed out along the Duffy lake road to find our next camping spot, about 30 km on. I have heard this road described as a challenging ride, but that doesn’t say half of it. The first 6 km are a series of switchbacks that reach 13% grade. I was able to struggle up that section, with numerous rest stops, but by that time my legs were toast. And that’s only the first part! The road just climbs and climbs into the forest, with just enough steep downhill sections to make sure that even turning back would not stop the pain. Way steeper than anything else I have seen on this trip, or anywhere else for that matter. Eventually, I just had to say “uncle”, and get off and push for a couple of km.

And just when I was starting to wonder if I had got in over my head this time, the road started to level out, at least to the same gradient as the roaring Cayoosh Creek that had created this spectacular valley.

I finally caught up with Valerie, who had found a good camp site and was just getting ready to drive back and look for me. She was parked by the side of the road preparing yet another wonderful dinner. Bless her.
Nearly 5 hours to cover 30 km. But when it’s over, it feels so fantastic.

A cold beer and a plunge in the creek, and I’m as good as new. This for my sister Janet: you asked me to include a photo without helmet and sunglasses. Here goes…

Kamloops to Marble Canyon

Day 10, 7th on the road June 09
Kamloops to Marble Canyon 128 km Total 783 km

I dedicated to today’s ride to my Mum and Dad. Today would have been Dad’s birthday (91, I think). They both died in the early 70s, just at the time when they should have been able to start enjoying the fruits of their life’s labours in retirement. So sad. I wish we had had many more years to enjoy them.

The ride west from Kamloops starts with a stiff climb before you even get out of the city – my altimeter showed a gain of about 1,000 feet. When you finally join the Trans-Canada highway, you are greeted by a big sign. As I could find no sign of another route out of town, I had to take my chances. Kamloops is a nice enough place, but I wasn’t ready to spend the rest of my life there!

Once clear of the city, I found myself in the large valley following the Thompson River (the North and South branches merge in Kanloops) The scenery is spectacular dry sagebrush country.

Although the general direction is down-stream, the highway designers had managed to provide me with lots of interesting climbs – why do they do that? The weather was getting warmer, and my water supply was supplemented by a cup of coffee provided by a nice group of Dutch tourists in a motor home. I met two solo bikers, a young Swiss chap and an older German man, both going in the other direction. Always great to stop and compare stories with kindred spirits.

I remember passing through Cache Creek on my epic bus ride across Canada in 1967. Definitely a greenhorn then, and this and other place names sounded so exotic and “wild west”. I still get the same feeling, maybe more so.

Cache Creek is the start of the Cariboo Highway to Prince George, but I followed it for only 15 km before turning left on highway 99 across Hat Creek. I say a nice outcrop of coal in a roadside cliff, I’m surprised it hasn’t been dug out by the locals to help reduce their winter heating bills.

The 30km to the Marble Canyon camp site is a solid climb, which I hadn’t expected, and my legs were already tired from the ups and downs of the Thompson Highlands. I reached 3,000 feet, the highest elevation since Hope-Princeton. However, the route is scenic, and I managed to drag my tired legs into the Marble Canyon camp site just before Valerie sent out a search party.A tougher day than I had anticipated, but lots of varied scenery and some interesting challenges.

Vernon to Kamloops

Day 9, 6th on the road June 08
Vernon to Kamloops 119 Km Total 655 km

The ride from Vernon to Kamloops was a complete change of pace from the arduous days of the previous week. We have often driven this route and enjoyed the rolling countryside. A couple of days to let the old muscles recover did not hurt.

After a couple of hours, I pulled in to the little mining town of Falkland, and ordered my customary second breakfast – bacon and eggs with all the trimmings. I don’t need to worry about gaining weight on this trip, Einstein would appreciate the transformation of mass into energy. I enjoyed eavesdropping on the conversation at the next table, a group of farmers discussing the intricacies of fixing vintage truck engines. The Okanagan and its surrounding areas are full of old restored vehicles, I think the dry climate must help to preserve them.

I took a short break at picturesque Monte Lake, then continued down the steep hill into the South Thompson River valley, and turned on to the Trans Canada Highway that follows the river and the Canadian Pacific main line into Kamloops.

Found some useful road-kill on the highway shoulder, a brand new Leatherman tool (a kind of high-end Swiss Army knife). I had been thinking of buying one.

I caught up with Valerie at a nice camp ground on the river’s edge, and as usual she refueled me with a great dinner.

Contrary to rumour, Barney does dishes.

Family time in Vernon

Days 7 and 8 June 06 and 07
Family time in Vernon

After my long ride from Penticton to Vernon yesterday, it was good to have a relaxing lie-in on Saturday morning. We parked the Yalie in Farrah’s driveway and set up our own “home away from home”. When we woke up, Jeffrey and Taylor were up and ready to go for a bike ride with Nana Valerie and Granddad Barney, so we got all the bikes out and loaded up snacks and drinks.

The whole family mounted up and we rode through the lovely Vernon back roads from their house on Silverstar Road to the beach on Kalamalka lake. We were happy to have Nolan's son Brandon spend the weekend with us too.

Later on, we headed out again to watch Jeffrey (in red) play in his soccer league.

Later on, we had a birtday party for family friend Doug Hartry.

We talked to Ryan and Pete on Skype. Ryan’s knee is on the mend, and they will be tackling Rogers Pass in a couple of days.

On Sunday, we loaded up all our boats and wind-surf boards and headed out to a rustic forestry-service park on Westside road (an easier trip than my last one). We barbecued hot dogs and burgers, and enjoyed all the watercraft.

Farrah and Nolan - with our grand-puppy Ruby.

Valerie, Farrah and the boys sheltered from a sudden wind storm under the duvet in the Yalie.

Meanwhile, Nolan was delighted; while everyone else scurried for shore, he rigged his surfboard and raced off among the white-caps.

At the end of the day we returned to the house and said our good-byes in anticipation of an early start the next day – we to continue our adventure, everyone else to work or school. A very full and enjoyable weekend. We wish that the family lived closer so that we could see more of them.

Penticton to Vernon

Day 6 (5th on the road) June 05 142 km Total 536 km

Penticton to Vernon via West Side road

After a welcome recovery day on the shore of Skaha Lake in Penticton, it was time to press on.

Started off with a brisk tail-wind which was lucky for me - we later heard from Pete and Ryan that they had battled a strong and scorching headwind going to Kelowna the day before.

The ride to Summerland was relatively easy, with a few uphill stretches, but always returning to lake level. I already missed the company of Pete and Ryan: the miles go faster when you have a partner in your field of view to share the pain of the tough sections, to rejoice in the achievement of each summit and to enjoy the new vistas at every turn in the road.

Just past Summerland, I was lucky to miss an hour-long road closure for a major construction project. I expect that I was not to popular with the crews, as they had to wait for me to traverse the several miles of the project before they could begin their blasting operations. Turns out that this highway improvement project is at the location of the major landslide last year that cut off transportation along the Okanagan valley for several weeks last year. The amount of material that had been carved from the mountainside is amazing.

Coming into Peachland, the favourable wind was starting to turn, but a small construction project was causing the traffic to bunch up and slow to a speed not much faster than mine. I have learned that in this type of situation you can enjoy a nice boost from the slipstream of passing traffic.

By late morning, the temperature was rising. I had covered 60km, with a fair amount of up-and-down, and was feeling more tired than I had expected. I had decided to take the West Side Road route from Kelowna to Vernon, which is much more scenic than the interminable strip-mall developments on highway 97 through Kelowna. West Side is a winding switchback road through rocky terrain, a succession of steep 200-300 foot climbs followed by similar drops back to lake level. But what the hey, I'm not on this trip to follow easy routes!

I decided to forgo my usual midday feast in a restaurant, instead stopping at Bear Creek Park to get a protein fix from nuts, fruit, beef jerky and landjaeger sausage, followed by a pleasant 45 minute nap on a picnic table. Before leaving, I fortunately remembered to refill my water bottles - even so I was running on empty by the time I reached Vernon.

During one climb, I experienced my first mechanical problem of the trip: missed a gear change and got my chain firmly wedged between two chain rings. I eventually managed to pry it out, with no apparent damage. New motto: if your chain comes off, stop pedalling!

By late afternoon, pedalling was becoming hard work, so I was pleased to get my first sight of Vernon through the haze across the lake, and stopped to eat some chocolate that ran down my fingers.

Fun to see some teepees by the side of the road - a large part of West Side road runs through the open rangeland of a First Nations reserve.

And finally into Vernon. At the city limits, I called Farrah and the boys, and Jeffrey, Taylor and Nolan rode ther bikes down the hill to meet me.

And now for a great weekend of sun and fun with the family. On Saturday, we will go for a family ride to Kalamalka lake (heaven - no panniers!), watch Jeffrey playing in his soccer league, and enjoy a birthday party for friend Doug Hartree. On Sunday we will all go to the beach with the Yalie and have a picnic with boat rides. Always a sweet prospect, and doubly so remembering how I got here!

Vancouver to Vernon

This isn’t the Sea to Shining Sea trip. That is still to come. This is a 1,000km warm-up, to ride to Vernon via the Crows Nest highway, then back by another route yet to be decided. This will be a two week trip, still a serious challenge for an old geezer like me. Valerie will be riding SAG in the Yalie (our little motor home), but I will be riding fully equipped as if I were travelling self-contained. I want this to be just like the real thing

Day 1 May 31
Lougheed Highway, Vancouver to Harrison Bay – 95 km

Left home at 8am, Valerie waved me off and then she headed out to Richmond to get the Yalie, which we had been preparing for the trip the previous week.

Yesterday evening, I did a test-pack of my new panniers to see if everything I wanted to take would fit. They weighed in at about 40lbs, which was more than I expected – we carried them down to the bike room and fitted everything to the bike. Looked good, everything tidily packed away, but felt like a Harley!

So, off I go. I am packed for an open-ended trip, and although I will be meeting Valerie at each camp-site, I am equipped to go solo – camp gear, food, clothing. Pedaling off down Marinaside Crescent the bike felt a little wobbly at first, not used to the weight, but as soon as I got some speed up, it settled down and I soon forgot about it. I followed my familiar route down Adanac Street and then Hastings and Barnett Highway onto Highway 7 and was surprised to find that the additional weight didn’t have too much effect on my hill-climbing.

I rode for several miles with a guy named Mike who rode to Trail last year – similar circumstances, first trip with a full load. He said it is surprising how fast you get used to it, and

I’m beginning to sense that myself already.

Sign by the side of the road in Maple Ridge says “Ships are safe in a harbour, but that’s not why we build them”. My next T-shirt slogan, I think. Got that, Tensing?

It is a perfect day to start out, warm and sunny, not too much traffic.

We had planned to meet at the Kilby Provincial park, where Harrison River flows into the Fraser, but a few kilometers before Kilby I found a perfect camp ground on the Sqawkum Creek Reserve, with grassy sites right on the Harrison Bay shore, so I called Valerie and set a new rendezvous. She had been delayed getting out of Vancouver, so I was the first there. When she arrived, I had set up my one-man tent, and was trying out my new stove for the first time to cook some pasta. All systems working fine.
We relaxed in the camp chairs and both had a nap, and then got the boats off the motor home. Valerie tried her new Pungo kayak for the first time, so it was a real day of new experiences. Surprisingly, saw a seal swimming in the river, 100km from the sea, and Eagles and Osprey fishing. Saw two loons (my totem), and Valerie gave me a present of a calling loon toy that she had been saving for the right occasion.

A delicious pot roast in the motor home, then an early night. I’m planning 140 km tomorrow with a 1300 metre climb over Allison Pass.

I slept in the tent tonight.

Day 2 June 01
Allison Pass, Harrison Bay to Manning Park. 115 km Total 220km

My hardest day of riding ever!

Woke up to a shaking tent. A strong wind had picked up during the night, blowing straight from the east. Packed up and got on the road by eight o’clock. I had been expecting an easy ride as far as Hope, pleasant farm land with no hills to speak of, but this was anything but. The head-wind kept me in low gear the whole way, nearly 3 hours to cover 50km. I was ready for the trucker’s breakfast I found in Hope, and took a thick deli sandwich for the ride.

Just after Hope, I met up with two guys from Ohio, Ryan and Pete. They are starting a coast to coast trip – actually, they had started in Port Hardy a week ago. They were towing Bob trailers with big loads, including computers and serious camera equipment. We got talking and decided to ride together for a bit.

After a while, Valerie went by in the Yalie (laden with boats and bikes) with a cheery toot on her way to find a camp site at Manning Park.

I have driven to the Hope Slide area many times; not a problem, Just the first landmark after you leave Hope. Different story on a loaded bike. It’s a 2,000 foot relentless climb over 18 km.

I rode for a while with Pete, who is a fitness trainer, and we had a good chat about our respective trip plans. Before too long, my heart rate had climbed to the high 160s, so it was prudent to take a break. Pete carried on ahead, while Ryan had dropped out of sight behind us. I caught up with Pete at the slide, and we sat and chatted for about half an hour until it became apparent that something was amiss with Ryan. Pete decided to turn back, while I pressed on uphill.

An hour later, I had stopped to talk to a young man on a beautiful vintage Honda Gold Wing, who needed a bicycle pump to adjust his air suspension (!) Mine had the wrong fitting, but he gave me a big jug of Gatorade that was most welcome, as the temperature was well into the 30s.

Just then, Pete came chugging up the hill. He had found Ryan, who had simultaneously broken a spoke and a chain, and was out of action. I offered to run back and pick him up in the motor home when we arrived at Manning Park, so we pressed on.

Now the climbing got serious. Allison Pass summit is over 4,400 feet, while Hope is close to sea level. I quickly started to learn some new things about pacing myself – my legs were getting tired and although I was working as hard as I could, my pulse rate stayed well below maximum at about 140. I found that the best strategy was to ride in short sections (sometimes as little as 200m), and then stop to get my breath back. Eventually the signs at the summit came into view, and I drank the last of my water and took some photos. I was pretty pleased with my accomplishment, to say the least – 108 km, half with a major headwind, and the rest a grinding climb.

Just after the summit, I met Valerie coming back in the Yalie. She had met Pete in the camp ground, and he told her about Ryan’s misfortune, so she was heading back 50 km to rescue him. She gave me the welcome news that I had only 2 km to go.

Arriving at the camp, I found Pete relaxing with a cold beer that Valerie had given him. We were both in jubilant mood, enjoying our accomplishment.

A few minutes later, another cyclist arrived – Brian from Outlook, Saskatchewan. Another middle-ager, he is intending to get to St. John’s in just 40 days, averaging 150km per day. He’s in great shape, and I’m sure he will do it.

Valerie arrived back with a grateful Ryan, and we all started to set up our respective camps. Val was concerned that our new friends did not have enough food – they had not realized how remote Manning park would be and had expected to be able to pick up supplies – so she gave them a pot-roast and vegetables. After dinner, we all sat and chatted, and it seemed like we had known each other for years.

Day 3 June 02
Sunday Summit, Manning Park to Princeton. 70km Total 290km

We awoke at 8am to find that Pete and Ryan had completed their bike repairs, and quietly departed. We were disappointed not to have said our good-byes. Brian was the next to leave, but I was happy to stick around for a leisurely breakfast before embarking on the day’s challenge.

After a gradual descent for about 15km, the serious part is a 1,000 foot 8.5% climb. Again, my tortured legs dictated frequent rest stops, but then I could enjoy the reward of a 25 km roller coaster ride past the Similkameen mine into Princeton.

I found Valerie and the Yalie outside the Overwaitee store. She had seen the sights of the city, and was getting ready to replenish our food, beer and wine (not necessarily in order of importance). We decided that after two tough climbing days we would stop in Princeton instead of pressing on to Keremeos as originally planned. Our accommodation guide mentioned a pleasant camp ground on the river, so I unloaded my panniers into the Yalie and pedaled off to check it out.

First thing I saw in the camp-ground was two familiar red tents, and Pete and Ryan yelling to attract my attention. I was very pleased; we had been hoping that we would see them again.

After doing my laundry, which was fast becoming a priority, we got together again for drinks and conversation.
Day 4 June 03
Princeton to Penticton 104 km Total 394 km

This morning, Ryan unfortunately awoke with a very sore knee – ilio-tibial band, which is a common source of problems for cyclists. It was obvious he wouldn’t be riding today, so we agreed that he would stay and use the camp site’s wi-fi to write an exam (he is completing a Masters in clinical counseling), and that Pete and I would press on to Penticton.

After a pleasant 30 km ride along the Similkameen, a welcome break after the tortures of the previous two days, we stopped for a second breakfast at the Hitching Post Diner in Hedley, an old mining town that is being renovated as a tourist attraction. Then on to Keremeos, and a scenic but moderately tough ride over highway 3A into the Okanagan valley, with a welcome break to cool our feet at Yellow Lake near the summit.

I’m amazed how good I feel today – just as if the trials of the last two days had never happened.

I could hardly believe my eyes when I got my first glimpse of Skaha lake. I had actually got from Vancouver to the Okanagan Valley under my own power!

We met up with Valerie and Ryan at a nice lakefront camp site in Penticton. They had enjoyed a day rolling along in the Yalie with blues music and heart to heart conversation while Ryan iced his knee.

After a refreshing plunge in Skaha Lake, we got the boats down and spent a pleasant time paddling.

Valerie invited the guys over for dinner – we are beginning to call the Yalie “Valerie’s Mission for Travelling Cyclists” – followed by a satisfying re-hydration session.

Pete really knows how to put away the groceries! Riding whets your appetite.

Day 5 June 04 Total 394 km
Penticton 0km Day off

Valerie and I decided to stay by the lake and veg. She is sorting photos from previous trips, and I’m catching up on this journal – amazing how quickly you can get behind.
Beautiful Okanagan day, great to sit in the shade with a cold one.

The guys said good-bye this morning and head edfor Kelowna to meet a cyclist they had met in Victoria. We will miss them, we had become good friends in a short time, and I’m sure we will see them again.

Valerie is now a fully qualified RV operator, and has mastered the delicate arts of checking batteries, filling water tanks and dumping the dreaded gray and black water.

Tomorrow we will make an early start to get to Vernon. I will ride via Westside road, and Valerie will break camp and drive straight to Farrah's house.

We are really looking forward to seeing Farrah, Nolan, Jeffrey and Taylor - its going to be a great, fun weekend.