After months of planning and preparation I've finally got going. Part of my meticulous preparation meant never fully loading the bike before. The first few miles pedalling out of Vancouver were tentative at best, the frame of my poor bike flexing furiously below me. Soon man and machine were in harmony and we covered 78 miles in day one. First stop was the dairy farm of Anna Gouwenberg.
(by the way, I'm writing this blog with my iPhone, so fiddly! I hope to hone my skills in the coming weeks)
I camped in her orchard but, otherwise, was treated like one of the family; I could have been her eleventh child. Learnt lots on the farm, highlight was the artificial insemination demonstration, a much more hands-on process than I'd realised.
Further meticulous planning meant I had no idea that I was tackling this mighty pass until my burning legs and wheezing lungs told me. At some points I could hardly shift a mile without pausing for breath. What goes up must come down and, on the other side, I cruised the next 20 miles effortlessly. 
I got off the highway to join the Kettle Valley Railway, now disused and opened up to cyclists and hikers. Can't get the picture to upload but I spent the night in a cabin if some locals who took pity on poor, beleaguered me. The hospitality of Canadians had been astonishing so far and any fears of loneliness have been dispelled by their friendliness. Just be aware that, when you embark on a conversation with a Canadian, you may need to fight to get a word in edgeways.
I camped by the aptly named Osprey Lake, adjacent to the KVR. There were ospreys fishing and, more excitingly, my sleep was broken by the distant howling of what must of been coyotes. Though they must have been miles away their cries echoed off the valley walls to create an eerie sensation. Spending time in the hills you feel close to nature.
No comments:
Post a Comment