A new Hope

Leaving Sorrento a few days ago I wondered if I could make it to Vancouver in 4 days doing over 500 km. Then battling that 50s kmh head wind and only making it to Kamloops meant that the remaining days would be long ones.  I have been up at 5am and on the road till 9pm both days with a nap in the middle of the day on both.

Talking with the owner at the campground last night I have been lucky as the temp is usually 38 C at this time of year and its not uncommon for it to hit 48 C there. I have to say that I never knew that and would have been dead by now if it had been.

So I have had another flat tire making it 4 now and have seen 2 snakes. Just for those keeping score.

So today I had a really tough day as the road was never just flat. It was either going up at 8% grade or down.  Now going up was tough but I had another windy day which added to it. And downs can be challenging with a trailer, but throw in the wind and I had to go down pretty slowly.  So it took me nearly 7 hours to do 75km and I arrived at Bostan Bar about 1.  I went to a restaurant and nearly fell asleep while waiting for my food to arrive.  So yes I had a great nap outside under a big cedar tree once I had finished lunch/breakie. Oh I have been trying to find a fruitstand but either they were closed last night and this evening or they didn't exist like the rest of the day. So tomorrow morning I am going to go get lots of fruit alas from Coopers and not a local stand but fruit I will enjoy.  I so wanted to sink my teeth into a peach today. I biked along day dreaming of all the local fruits I could eat... Mmmmmmm.

Oh the posted picture is of Hells gate. Yes I did enter and yes I did make it through alive.  I liked this shot as I am in one tunnel and you can see the next one.

After Boston Bar the road slowly calmed down and so did the wind.  It was a whole and an utter joy when the road became flat and I could actually bike at more then a snails pace. If you include the Sorrento to Kamloops day which the road was most gentle rolling but had brutal winds. It would be 3 days since I last had a level gentle ride, I was very elated.

Today I did 140 km, and tomorrow I think will be about the same if I want to hit the coast. But I am sleeping in till 8, having a warm breakie perhaps and buy some fruit before going on hwy 7 to Vancouver.

Oh! The 2 guys I met in Salmon ARM, they had just arrived at Bostan Bar as I was leaving, I found that quite funny.  I also ran out of water about 30 min from BB. So I was glad to get there, although I had to buy water as the town is on a boil advisory.

So I have my tent right next to the Fraser River which I will photo tomorrow. I also have 2 neighbours who are biking. One has come from the states and is more touring then biking and another who has flown in from Europe and has done a variation of my trip but he did the Kettle Creek trail.  I will have to do some research on that one, but I already know my bike would die quickly on that trail.

Well time for sleep.


Location : 63405-64273 Tom Berry Rd, Hope, BC V0X 1L2,