Preamble
It seems my computer time will be limited to rest days, and since those are not that frequent, this blog will of necessity contain rather brief descriptions of what transpired between posts. This is partly to save time, and partly because on a journey like this it's hard to remember what happened this morning, let alone several days ago! And uploading these images is very, very, slooooow.
All 40 of us, posing at the start
Four days ago we had an all-day orientation that saw us claim our cubby-holes in the truck and practice cooking in our portable 'kitchen'. Prior to that, we had a free night at UBC, where someone gave me a fortune cookie that read "Your labours will bear sweet fruit"!
It's not much but I will call it home for the next 10 weeks. We each get a shelf that holds two plastic tubs with all our personal gear.
Practising outdoor cooking for 40
A final bit of civilization (and sunshine, as it turned out) before heading off
The Voyage Begins
We left Vancouver June 27. Rain had fallen overnight, but the skies were merely cloudy when we ceremoniously dipped our wheels in the Pacific and headed eastward. Alas, that meteorological benevolence was not to last, and by Burnaby things were decidedly soggy and getting wetter. Given the conditions, I pressed on and soon reached our campsite at a trout farm in Mission.
What riding inthe rain will do: these socks started out white
That turned out to be Not So Good An Idea, as not only had the truck with our gear (i.e. dry clothes) not yet arrived, but the campsite TV wasn't connected to anything but a VCR (which, it turned out, emitted only sound and a scrambly image) and my efforts to arrive in time to catch the second half of the World Cup match were in vain. The dinner that night of fresh trout, however, set the meal bar very high. The toilet facilities were equally extreme, albeit in the opposite direction.
Our first Tent City. Nice truck, too
Alas, the facilities were rather primitive (but at least dry!)
Day Two
Our trip to Hope was similar to the first day's, except that the rain was already falling when we set out. By the time I reached Agassiz, however, it had abated, which made for a much more pleasant ride. It still made us wonder why the BC coat of arms features the sun so prominently.
Having fun in the sun - NOT!
My first stint on galley crew
Day Three
Although the day started off with foreboding clouds, today's moisture came more from within, as we struggled up the 8% grade of the Coquihalla Highway en route to Merritt (in whose library I am typing and sending this). Once over the summitt, however, temperatures dropped considerably and the wind increased dramatically. To add ironic insult to injury, after two days of riding in the rain we were now passing sagebrush and irrigation units.
It's always hard to capture a steep climb in a photo. For some perspective, see if you can spot the 3 cyclists in the photo
It may not have been that high (by Rockies standards) but it was steep enough. Cold, too!
Somewhat drier conditions in the rain shadow on the other side
Rest Day in Merritt
"Canada's country music capital" - and they have country music playing in the bathroom so you won't forget it (or perhaps to keep people from lingering??)
Just one of many country music-themed murals in Merritt
