Banff!

From Kimberley we continued cycling north-east, and got our first views of the Rocky Mountains. We stayed in Skookinchuck campground and bought a can of chilliconcarne from the tiny convenience store. Mixed with spaghetti it tasted surprisingly good!

The next day we headed towards Radium Hot Springs. We met a Japanese cyclist heading in the opposite direction. His yellow ortlieb bag was patched with duct tape - "a squirrel got into it. So after that I slept with my bags inside my tent - and woke up one morning with a bear walking around my tent! I yelled "help me!" and started clapping..." It was early morning and all the caravaners were fast asleep; no-one came.... The bear got a fright and scratched his tent before leaving.... We were able to pass on the advice we had been given by other cyclists - to put all food bags in the back of the bear-proof rubbish boxes. We also asked if he knew about Warm Showers; he said "oh, I just wash in the river". He was travelling very budget; sleeping in rest areas under the 'no camping' signs "I go to bed when it is dark and leave early". Neither of us was tempted to try to copy him; we like our hot showers too much!

We arrived in Radium Hot Springs just before 5pm. The sun was still fairly high in the sky so we decided to push on a further 26km to a campsite in the National Park; up over a pass. I was initially keen to try the Hot Springs; until I realised it was just a commercial swimming complex swarming with people. I didn't feel in the mood to wander around with my bikini, white torso, brown arms and ridiculous tan lines. All I wanted was a shower....

We entered the Kootenay National Park through the cool Sinclairs Canyon - and had to purchase a pass at a toll gate. $20 for every day we would be in the Park! And the Park is huge; encompassing Banff and Jasper - so we would need at least a week. I got the annual pass and am hoping to sell it on to some other hapless cyclist at the other end....

The ride up over the pass was fine; quite scenic. Jimmy saw a little black bear cub. On the other side of the pass we got the full view of the Rockies - and with the late afternoon sun it looked fantastic. The road was quiet; it was just a dream. We finally arrived at the Park campground - pretty setting but basic with no showers.

The next morning we woke up to drizzle. We had a slow breakfast, hoping the rain would stop and the sky would clear. It didn't.

The ride to Banff (110km) was in cold rain most of the way; we stopped at a campsite for a cookup - a random assortment of couscous and pea soup - which warmed us up very nicely. We flew down the second pass; I had gloves on but Jimmy didn't and by the bottom he could barely move his fingers. We arrived in Banff, the pinnicle of our trip, cold, tired, hungry, wet. The forecast was for more rain so we checked into a hostel. The hostel reception guy was Australian. Jimmy asked if there was a place we could put our bikes; the hostel guy thought for a moment and said "tell you what, I'll give you a private room for the cost of 2 dorm beds and you can put your bikes in your room." We found our room and it was like Heaven - 2 huge beds, pillows(Jimmy is travelling without one; he even almost bought a pillow in one of the outdoor stores; I told him it was a silly idea - who wastes precious space on a pillow?), and room for the bikes. I felt a little bad spreading my wet tent around the room to dry.....
I had the best ever sleep in the real bed (I love my Big Agnes sleeping mat, but nothing will ever compare with 20cm of REAL mattress...and real sheets... and 4 solid walls and a roof and carpet.....)

After a lovely breakfast of bagels and cream cheese ( I was so hungry I couldn't wait to have mine toasted); we wandered around chilly Banff, but at least the sun is out! Now off for more retail therapy and lunch..... (Jimmy says it seems all we do is eat)

A taste of Austria in Canada?

Today we cycled along the freshly-asphalted 30km RailTrail between Cranbook and Kimberley - our only proper try of a Canadian Rail Trail so far. It was great. We are now in Kimberley, where the central city area has been revamped into Alpine German/Austrian style, with the painted wooden facades, a 'mozart' cafe and a Bavarian Bratwurst diner. It's very nicely done; very clean; clever stone paving on the traffic-free road - just slightly artificial! Had a divine (cycling makes everything taste so good) cinnamon swirl at the local Bakery and Tea House. After checking our emails we'll be popping in to get another one!

Tailwinds, icecreams and goats

Well the time in Nelson was great. We went back to the Outdoors shop again the next day - Jimmy really wanted to buy a plastic chopping board (he refused to go for my idea of recycling an old icecream container lid). I think he was just feeling left out that he hadn't bought anything yet.... The shop assistants were so lovely, and they called my accent 'cute'.

From Nelson we had a primo day cycling; up the Kootenay Lake and across the lake on the free vehicle ferry (anything that is free is by definition, good). Across the other side of the lake were some surprising climbs, then nice downhills. We arrived in a tiny 'artisan' village. There was a traditional woven broom maker (whose claim to fame was making 300 brooms for the Harry Potter movies and promotions); artisan blacksmith, glass blower etc etc. It was a cute place to stop for coffee; and at the cafe I just had to order the 'chocolate brownie to live for'.

After 114km of rolling hills running fairly well beside the lake (= scenic ++) we arrived in Creston. I got some food for dinner, and by the time we got to the campsite we were cooking in the dark; our latest dinner yet. It's now getting dark by 8pm.

Today was another 100+km day (tailwind most of the way - I think we've had a tailwind every day!); though not nearly as scenic as yesterday. Highlight was "Two Scoops Steve's Icecream" in Yakh. There was also a 'goat's milk soap factory' next door - a large old villa with a veranda out front. The veranda roof was grassed, and 2 goats were happily walking around on it! There was a ramp at the side for them to walk up and down from the ground.

We've arrived, rather tired (familiar theme) in Cranbrook, the biggest city in a while but rather rundown looking. It's windy; I think there is a storm brewing. There is a 30 percent chance of rain in the next day or so - after all the sun we've had (Jimmy's had 1 day of rain in 2 1/2 months) it feels a bit surprising that we might have some water come from the sky. And for some reason the time has gone forward one hour since we arrived in Cranbrook. We certainly didn't pass any sign stating we were crossing a time zone! All seems a bit odd as we are still in the same State in Canada.

We're heading towards Radium Hot Springs; then across to Banff...

Retail therapy in Nelson

I'm was a bit worn out from lack of sleep due to a self-deflating air mattress and mild pyelonephritis; so I went shopping.
The shop assistant at the outdoor store was so helpful. I was eyeing up the Thermarest Neo-Air mattress, but decided it was too narrow; my elbows kept falling off. Then she showed me others and I pounced on a fabulously comfortable yet compact green Big Agnes mattress - the only one left in stock. It was then I spied their MSR tents. I own an MSR Hubba Hubba and love it - lightweight, easy to put up - but it leaks (12 months of accumulated cycle touring over 4 years has taken it's toll). Their MSR tents were on sale - less than half the price they sell for in NZ.
So I walked out of the store with not only a new air mattress, but a new tent to match... My old tent is now sitting in the post office ready to take the slow boat back to NZ.
I celebrated my slightly manic purchase with a licorice and ginger icecream (the ginger was great).
I feel I haven't written that much about what the cycling is like here. Very different from cycling in NZ or Europe - the options pretty much are highways or small gravel roads. Jimmy isn't keen on going offroad (too many broken spokes) so we are sticking with the highways. The highways are fine - wide shoulder and well paved; but with the big distances between towns and just being on a highway we don't tend to stop much along the way; hence the big distances. Also, the scenery hasn't yet been as spectacular as I was expecting; though it is improving (getting more rugged) each day. It won't be long before we are in among the Rocky Mountains! Everyone we meet tells us how great Banff and the Icefields Parkway highway is; so I'm chomping at the bit to get there. Only 513km to go.... (And no, a bus is not an option! Well, it is, but I don't want to)

Sunny Nelson (BC)

It was a 120km day to arrive in Grand Forks - fortunately the last 10-15km was primo downhill! Our warmshowers hosts, Randy and Cheryl were fantastic. They are planning their own major cycle tour (of the world, pretty much) so we spent the evening swapping ideas about cycle clothes, tools, gear, gadgets. They hadn't really come across Down Jackets; I think we convinced them to get one each. They told us about GPS cameras (never forget where you took a photo ever again); mobile walkie talkies for on the road; UV water purifier...

The next day was 100km to Castlegar; I think Jimmy was pretty keen to see if we could make it all the way to Nelson; but I was starting to fade. It was another hot day, with the heat radiating back off the black asphalt; and another 1500m pass to cross. The scenery is becoming more rugged; more the Canada I was expecting, so I'm getting more and more excited about getting to the mountains. By the time we arrived in Castlegar I was knackered. We'd done 690km (fully loaded) in 7 days.... We were both starving (3 cinnamon rolls and 6 sandwiches (each) during the day had well worn off) so we went to a chinese restaurant. Jimmy wanted sushi, but as soon as we walked in the door and saw a huge plate of noodles we both knew what we wanted. I ordered a 'combo' which was a huge plate of 4 different dishes - pork balls, chicken balls, noodles and veges. Jimmy's plate of noodles was big enough to feed a small family. We noticed everyone else would take the leftovers home in takeout containers. I was eating so fast I was almost forgetting to breathe. About 2/3 of the way through my stomach started hurting - actual pain! But I didn't stop eating. I really did not think Jimmy would be able to finish his; but he did - and then finished the rest of mine. I was still clutching my stomach when we arrived at the campground. We saw a black bear on the way to the campground and commented to the campground manager "oh yes, there are 3 of them that hang around; don't worry they haven't yet entered the campground".

The next day we rode a nice 40km to Nelson and pitched our tents in the cute City Campground, just seconds from the city centre. We're having a day off today. I went to the doctor and got antibiotics for the urine infection that I've been trying to ignore since I got to Canada (great patient, I know). It came to a head last night when my kidney started to ache...

Out West

It was a 30km climb up out of Osoyoos. We set off at 7:30am and had a tailwind (love the prevailing westerly); so it was a slow slog but my engine didn't overheat. I did need a couple of nectarines to get me to the top though.

The downhill was magic and 7km just melted away. We arrived in a small village called Rock Creek where there small Saturday Market was in full swing. We got a pack of 4 cinnamon rolls which we demolished while standing there - then Jimmy went back for more. There was a cute rustic coffee shop that used to be a school. Further down the road we met some cycle tourists heading in the opposite direction.

Now we are in a cute cute town called Greenwood; it is Western Themed; with nicely painted wooden buildings and hanging baskets spilling summer flowers. We're stopping for the free library internet before our last 40km to GrandForks where we are staying with some warmshowers hosts.

Summer Fruits!

We are in a bike shop - Jimmy has now broken 3 spokes in as many days - and they are letting me use their computer. We are in a border town called Osoyoos; and I had my first Tim Hortons Ice Cap (chocolate slushy drink; recommended by a warmshowers cyclist).
From Princeton we cycled Highway 3 towards increasingly dry land, with irrigators spraying water into the midday sun. At Keremeos (famous for it's summer fruit) we stopped and went crazy buying nectarines, apricots, peaches and apples. We've done 114km by 3pm today as Jimmy needed to get to the bike shop before the weekend. Tomorrow we will climb Anarchist Pass (1234m), heading for Grand Forks. I'll need a few bagels in my bag to keep my spirits up!
But I must say today I feel like I've found my stride; day 4 of cycling (we've covered big distances compared with what I'm used to) and I'm starting to feel good; though the bum hasn't gotten used to the saddle yet.

Cycling, camping, Canada...

We set off from Vancouver, me eager to try to follow the TransCanada cycle trail; Jimmy patiently following. Almost immediately we crossed a large bridge with a nice cycle lane and life was good. We then had to ask directions to get onto the coastal cycle path on the other side; we followed some of the guy's instructions then nipped down a steep walking track as a short cut. We arrived at a coastal walking/cycling path that was teeming with people. There were water parks with jets of water for the kids; Jimmy cycled through it to cool down. Then someone (and then another) yelled to us "wrong way!". It was then I realised all the cycling traffic (people on tandems; kids on bikes; rollerbladers; everyone) was heading in the opposite direction to us. By this stage we were close to the city so kept cycling against the flow; pretending to be ignorant tourists. We then got lost in the downtown Vancouver trying to follow other bike routes; then found the Adanac (Canada backwards to the observant); a cycle path across Vancouver. It went through the suburbs, past huge homes, with matching Dodge and Crysler 4WD trucks in the drive. I picked up my first bagels of the trip from a factory outlet we passed. I kept stopping to check the map book (Joy used to love that); whne we finally left the suburbs we ended up on a dike path which was nice until we got detoured back to the busy 4-lane highway. We were planning to cross a new bridge to an island to camp for the night; but it seemed the bridge would not take bikes; so we continued on to the ferry - which was no longer runny. Plan B: continue on to the next campground. It was a relief to arrive in Matsqui campground after 95km for the first day. It was a DOC style simple campsite with longdrop toilets and no showers. And cost $21 canadian for a pitch. Ouch. We were just about to set our tents up on a nice grassy patch when the guy next door told us we had to tent on the gravel - the ranger had moved him off his grassy patch. Jimmy had just gotten his tent out and sleeping bag out of it's bag when a lady beside us said "you can't camp here! Don't you know I have paid for this pitch and I have a large trailer arriving?" By this stage you can imagine we were a bit fed-up so we filled up our drink bottles and sloped off 50m down the trail - and freedom-camped for the night. I didn't sleep that well - I couldn't believe how noisy our site was; trains would pass in the night - must have been hundreds as it felt continuous; each blaring their horns.... and then my new insulmat air mattress decided to convert to a self-deflating one, requiring me to blow it up in the night (I had one that did the same thing before - should have learnt) I was a bit bleary-eyed the next day. I was still determined to follow the TransCanada trail so off we set (Jimmy suggested highway 7). We kept losing the trail (same od story) and ended up in a city with busy 4-landed highways and takeaway stores. We were in Abbotsford - totally off our route. By this stage I was fedup too; so we jumped on Highway One - actually the small road parallel to Highway One - and headed towards Chilliwack. After the stops and starts of trying to follow the cycle route it felt good to be on a road and getting somewhere! We stopped off at a warmshower host in Chilliwack; just to say hi as it was too early to stop for the night. I asked about the TransCanada trail from Chilliwack but she advised against it "there is no road! You will be on walking trails". That was all we needed to hear. So we followed her advice and took Highway 7/9 to Hope. The highways are wide, usually 4-laned (2 each way) with wide shoulders for us cyclists. So they are easy to cycle; just not so scenic just yet. But it was magic to arrive in Hope after a 111km day. I was exhausted (should have done some training!) and nearly fainted in the Information Centre. A Dairy Queen hot chocolate sundae soon fixed things. I think this tour will be a tour of Fastfood joints; I'm going to try something from each different one. There is A&Ws, Taco Bell, Boston Pizza, Red Rooster...
From Hope we climbed 1300m to Mannings Pass; a hard day of uphill slog in the heat. We quickly realised (after 13km) we were going to run out of water, with no guarantee of a place to refill. A car was pulled over so I asked for some water. "some what??" "Water" "What??". I had to piont to my water bottle. "oh, water, sure! I filtered it myself". He pulled out a 4L water bottle and started to fil ours. I couldn't help but notice large white floaties coming through "oh, that's lime. I squeeze lime juice in". Phew.
We arrived at the campground at 5pm. Same story as the other public campground - $21 and please camp on the gravel, and no showers. At least there were no trains going past this one. My sleep again wasn't the best - this time I dreamed of bears (we met some cyclists from up north and got all the stories); and my mattress self-deflated slowly overnight.
Today, after a breakfast of tasteless 'cooking 9 grains cereal' we hit the road. After some screaming downhill (punctuated by slogging uphill), we arrived in Princeton, where we are going to a private campground with showers and grass to camp on. Bliss.

Vancouver

It was a night flight and I slept OK, considering I was stuck at 90 degrees for 12 hours...

My luggage and bike arrived with me, which was a relief. I did start to worry just a little that my luggage in a black garden sack might end up in a skip rather than on the luggage conveyor belt; and my bike similarly wrapped in black rubbish sacks might meet a similar fate...

Jimmy met me at the airport and I gave him 3 blocks of Whittakers chocolates; I'm hoping he might share some with me!

We are staying with a warmshowers host in North Vancouver. Her name is Jane and she is a bubbly, welcoming woman. I'm quickly realising most canadians are like that. We went for a stroll around her neighbourhood - it's mid-late summer; warm (hot!); the gardens are perfectly kept with flowers spilling out of hanging baskets - and there are the huge american Dodge vehicles in every driveway. We visited some other Warmshowers hosts in the area - because Jane was curious to meet them - and had a great discussion about cycle touring. They showed me their steel-framed touring bikes, and their tan-lines from a recent tour. I am inspired by the break-points they had added to their bikes - so they can break their touring bikes in half and place in a travelcase. Brilliant.

It's now 7pm and still warm and sunny. we are having barbecued whole fish for dinner. Jimmy is helping Jane in the kitchen; by the sounds of things I'm best staying right here out of the way!

Tomorrow we will hit the road and start our cycle tour; hopefully finding the TransCanada trail along the way. We expect to make it to Chilliwack.

Forecast NZ: rain. Forecast Vancouver: Sunny 28 degrees

About December 2009 the feet got itchy again and I decided I was due for another cycle tour overseas.  I decided Canada might be nice.  And everyone I have spoken to raves about it.

I tried to rope somebody else into coming with me; but Joy is busy (some excuse about now having a boyfriend and she'd rather spend time with him); and various girlfriends were unavailable or indecisive.

Jimmy, who lives in Nelson, phoned to wish me Happy New Year - and when he heard of my plans he said 'Can I come?'

So my travel buddy this trip is Jimmy, a hostel owner in Nelson who also loves cycling.  He left NZ in June and flew to San Francisco; and has cycled his way up to Vancouver to meet me.

Meanwhile back in New Zealand I have been distracted by a charming chap called James, so preparations for this trip have been a little more patchy than in the past.  Breaking my little finger (playing volleyball of all things) 3 weeks ago also hasn't helped the cycle training.  I am hopeful Jimmy is not expecting 100km days into headwinds right at the start!

The vague plan (as Jimmy says, no plan is the best plan - allowing plenty of flexibility and spontaneity) is to head East along the British Columbia portion of the TransCanada trail (a biking/walking trail in various stages of completeness); then head north to the famous Icefields Parkway, then turn west towards Whistler and roll back to Vancouver along the Sea to Sky Highway.  

We have six weeks.

I have retired my beloved green cycle shirt (edition 2) as even I started to notice how thin it was getting.  I think it lost a whole layer of fibre...  so for this trip I have splashed out on not one but TWO new cycle shirts.  Actually, I bought 3 but left one at home.  I have bought a colourful New Zealand-emblazoned shirt; with scenes of the southern alps and other NZ icons.  My other shirt is a bit of an experiment, a Ground Effect part-merino long sleeved shirt, this time in a more subtle silver and purple colour.  Nice enough to even wear off the bike!  Other new purchases for the trip are an orange jacket; and a new Domex sleeping bag.  I'm sure I saw the exact bag in the shop 3 years before; and the shop owner thanked me profusely for buying it (I was in a 'buy NZ-made' mood that day). My very faithful bike shoes were not replaced; they have a few more kilometres left (nearly 6 years old, over 23,000km - after seeing the state of a couple of french cyclists shoes mine looked practically new); as do my 'go anywhere' black Keen shoes; and the same successful combo of Down jacket, touring pants, blue merino top, blue denim-look skirt....  in years to come I might confuse my different trip photos as i'll be wearing the same clothes in all of them!  Joy will be pleased to hear I did buy new bike tyres.

We are staying with a warmshowers host in Vancouver; I arrive 2:15pm Sunday, Vancouver time; about half an hour before I left Rotorua the same day!  I've built up plenty of good karma hosting cyclists this year, so am looking forward to meeting the Canadian hosts.  Unfortunately they seem a very active holiday-loving bunch, as I struggled to find a host in Vanouver who was not off touring themselves!

Jetting off to Summer...

Cycle Tour British Columbia 2010 is about to begin!!