DIARY - Week Three
DIARY - Week Three
Today counts as a rest day, we had intended a double nightstop at Lytton but opted for a short bike ride instead. The road was kind and we made good time. Just before Spences Bridge we met 3 cyclists on the road just as we were setting off from a drink stop. We talked briefly on the road but chose to meet at the hotel to talk. One guy was on his way to Kamloops and Vernon with a Bob Yak in tow. Another was on his way to America as part of a cycles for Africa project,'www.bicyles-for-humanity.org', the third, was his wife who had cycled out to meet him with his panniers for the next few days. We were advised to change our route from Highway 1 to Highway 8 and 5A via Merritt. This route is slightly longer and has all its hills in two lumps, but has the advantage of being quiet. The two guys set off for Merritt and we booked into the hotel which is perfectly situated overlooking the river, a peaceful a really good stop. We have opted for the quiet route tomorrow. The hotel at Spences bridge has to be the best stop to date and highly recommended.
Dawn at Spences Bridge was frosty and bright. After a good breakfast we made good time for 10 miles and stopped for a break by the river. The scenery was outstanding and the ride was a real joy. By mile 14 we hit hills and the next 20 miles was all hills (good scenery but working too hard to enjoy it). By this time the temperature in the valley was climbing faster than we were. The 40 miles to Merritt follows the river quite closely, but there are no services along the way. With 10 miles still to go we were exhausted and running out of water, then as we rounded a corner we saw the house of Solange (Sally) Hamilton and stopped for water. We were welcomed, watered and gifted a cooling neckband for Pauline and a bandana for me. After that the roads were kinder and we finally made Merritt after 8 hours on the road.
I have previously cycled 200 Km during Audax events and 200 miles in a day but todays ride was more difficult than any of them. How Pauline survived today can only be by strength of character.
After yesterday's exhausting ride today was planned as a rest day. Our plan was to travel 20 miles and then cold camp. We set off at a lazy 10 am and headed for our first walk out of Merritt. After crossing the main highway to Kamloops the 5A became a benign road through a wide open valley leading to a 20 mile long lake. With flat roads and a following wind we made good time to our lunch stop and our target miles achieved. We took the advantage of kind roads to press on up the road. At 2pm we were met on the road by Jim who had driven down to meet us. It was an absolute pleasure to see him again especially as he was holding two bottles of ice cold water. We agreed that if Jim took all of the equipment and the trailer in his car we may achieve the other 40 plus miles to Kamloops. With minimum weight on board we flew along the valley, even able to look up and enjoy the fabulous views. With stunning scenery (we had been told this was one of he prettiest valleys in Canada) and kindly rolling roads, the pleasure we felt matched our best expectations of the trip. Of course we knew there would be a sting in the tail of the day. Jim had correctly advised us that the climb was a 'Lu-Lu' and at 62 miles we faced a massive climb that took us to a view overlooking Kamloops. The drop down the other side and across the river to Jim and Eileens house saw our total of 66 miles being another first for Pauline
The conclusion from yesterdays ride was that without the weight of the camping equipment we were able to make sensible progress on our ride. With this in mind we had to review our options. We could;
It was difficult leaving the home comforts and getting the legs working again. The 1st 12 miles took us around the outskirts of Kamloops and through the urban sprawl along Highway 1. A steady days ride along gradually climbing roads into a head wind brought us to Chase. We found a dream motel complete with Japanese restaurant in a charming lakeside community. A good day back on the road but our legs were complaining by the end. We seem to have reached a reasonable compromise with the weight of the trailer.