Merritt to Golden

Some more climbing on this segment....some folks are happy...Jude is one. Rogers pass yesterday in the rain at a balmy 8 degrees. Glad to get to the rogers pass service center to dry out, warm up and get some hot grub. A nice waiter took a bunch of wet clothes and dried them out for us in a dryer. (he made some big tips).

From merritt (thurs morn) heading North we took a gravel cut across for 12 km which joined with a back road that came out east of Kamloops. There was a cut across however we had to take that was a steep downhill on a soft dirt road for about 1.75 km....Jude was in her glory, she is maniac....a few folks (me included) were scared and had some close calls, definitely not road bike terrain. Canada day in Prichard complete with a few fireworks. Some rain this day too.

Friday we met Mark and Eva for a hearty breakfast in a small town Sorento 1/2 way to Salmon Arm. Sure is Cool meeting friends along the way. Kids Lucas and Nicholas came armed with weapons.

Can't believe my appetite, can't stop eating! Jude is still being 'selective' and seems to be able to go with out eating when the food is not to her liking....not sure how.

Meeting lot of interesting folks along the way, and stopping lots for sites, shopping, and Food or Coffee. One such 'shopping' stop I could not resist a deal on a hand drill and pocket knife bundled for a deal of 7 dollars...picture attached...little extra weight on the bike.

We spent one night at Canyon Hot Springs, good to give some heat to tight muscles.

We Like Golden lots to see and do...that is where we are right now. Great restaurants, and we have friend Sanne that lives here who is going to show us some sites. Hopefully I will squeeze a little geocaching in too.

A few 'yankies' with us so we celebrated July 4th with them last night...pub with some more fire works, and of course we made them sing their anthem (didn't take much prompting)

days 3-5

Mission to Hope with side trip (112km)

Did the ole sneak peak from the tent...cloudy with showers...our turn to cook, rained the whole time. No rush while we packed up our soggy camp gear as it was our turn to Sweep...not the kitchen, but last riders out to help the stragglers. Weather got nicer as the day progressed. A nice side trip to Harrison Hot Springs, everyone ended up there in coffee shops. On the way out, we passed by a bearded chap with a parrot on his shoulder...had to double back for a photo. The days highlight was diverting off the hyway to take the kettle valley rail trail system through the othello tunnels to our camp. It is amazing how small an area you can squeeze 40 tents into (jude - absolutely no room to fart)! Supper was vegitarian shepards pie it was good! not sure what the hamburger substiute was...and a Bobs birthday complete with cake.


Hope to Merrit (111km)

Another chilly start with porridge and scrambled eggs. (jude would never eat that combo at home). And off to conquer the coquihallia summit over the coast mountains. Thanks goodness for a tail wind, but a cool 8 degress at the summit.
Thanks to 40 freezing cyclist a vendor selling hot dogs and Hot chocolate at the summit is that much closer to a very comfortable retirement. After lunch we began our decent, 20 kilometers later flying down the coquihallia we turned off on a beautiful windy hilly secondary hyway with no traffic and still a tail wind, nice way to finish off into merrit. Supper of bean burritos and 2 more birthdays...2 more cakes! Off to the local Pub for "one" with the group, which turned into many. Jude says a kareoke king was born (yeah there was enough peer pressure to get me up for one...but I have to admit I carried the group!) Jude belted one out too!


Rest day
One day off of the regimental regime....got to sleep in, last ones up at 830! Chance to clean our bikes, catch up on laundry, check out some local restaruants and stores, and do some geocaching, which helped us capture a slice of merrit that not everyone gets to see. Also a chance to catch up on our blog which we are sitting here doing together in the tent, everyone else is in bed for big day tomorrow.

Wooohooo day 2

1^st official ride day. Was really cool to see some familiar faces...got a send off from kellys cousin Brent and his lovely wife Heather. Group shots and off to Spanish banks for the traditional dipping of the wheels in the pacific.

Saddled with poor weather (rained the whole day) The pressure was on because we were 1^st up for galley duty for 42. On our supper menu was pan fried trout compliments of our campground / trout hatchery we are staying at. Then of course a tofu veggie stir fry for our vegetarian friends. Frying 42 fish..an amazing feat by kel considering the most fish he ever cooked at one time was 3. We have a 530 am wake up call for breakfast, and then we pack up the truck, and then continue on as sweeps for the day. (sweeps are the people that come along last to make sure everyone makes it.)

Day 1
just about have 40 names nailed....not bad! England, Australia, states and the rest from canada. Fun sharing the excitement with a bunch of diverse interesting folks.

Today was orientation day...lot of info on bike safety, protocol, galley duty, and basic trip logistic.

Regarding food so far: Jude trying to be polite as says "it is a very simple menu"...translation, she thinks the food sucks.

breakfast of cold cereal (bran flakes she does not like) with peanuts and raisins for topping (both of which she does not like) and for lunch peanut butter and jam sandwiches (which she does not like) and supper of spaghetti and plain sauce...(which she does not like) but the salad was very good!

Jude says: eating right now is just to sustain life...hopefully it becomes a pleasure

On a walk up town we found some berries ( ripe salmon berries, rasberries, and thimble berries!) to ad some variety to our very simple menu plan...as the trip goes on she might have to become a hunter / gatherer.

I love peanuts and raisins, love cold cereal, and love peanut butter and jam sandwiches...no hardship here!!

Looking forward to tomorrow....1st peddle day....

Wow, today is one week to go and we are off on the adventure of a life time!