Life Keeps Getting Better

While relaxing in Kelowna I was wondering why I don't live there. Both tents set up backyard styles. Justin, our gracious host, gone for the weekend. We lounged on the "shitty" beach. Played 27 holes of Frolf. Life is going just fine, what a province.

We have seen more bears then we can shake a stick at, some even in stick range. Eagles, fish, marmots( a.k.a. Giant Gophers!), snakes (some with rattles), smelt many a skunk but have yet to see one...hmmm and several infestations. Taking the road less traveled is usually slower, but offers far more then any highway will give you.

Kelowna

We are in Kelowna, we spent the weekend here as we had a free place to stay in the Okanagan with one of Joe's Good friends. It is really hard to turn down free accommodations in a place like this. That and we came down a huge hill to get here and the climb back up to the Trans Canada Trail on our bikes isn't very appealing. We will be leaving tomorrow though. We should be picking up the pace from this point on. A month and a half in BC is amazing, but it is depleting our money quickly and we need to get out of here and plow through the prairies to make up some time. Physically we have gotten a lot stronger so I believe we should be able to do it. Anyways, PICTURES! people love pictures!!

Climbing a summit in the rain, seems to be a trend with us

Tunnel on The Kettle Valley Railway

The smaller summit

John and his wife Marcie hosted us for a night, amazing people!

Trestles on the KVR

View of the Okanagan

Pierre and Caroline, also awesome people. Have been on a year long cycling honeymoon

Okanagan again

We arrived in Summerland............ barely. After a game of chicken on a dirt/gravel road going downhill I found out that using the brakes on my bike is a terriffic idea! Too much speed and the lack of using said brakes ended up with me meeting the edge of a cliff and finding out that even a weighted down bike can catch some pretty good air! The bike faired a little better than myself, although the right side of my body is scratched up pretty good our spirits remained through the roof and we had an amazing day of riding. I found a great hiding spot behind a bushy tree, enough so Joe and Cody could only see my bike at the crash sight...........hahaha. We ran into some pretty amazing people in front of the local ice cream shop who offered us their basement for the evening so we ended up celebrating my survival at the local pub. Summerland, it seems is the capital of amazing people in BC and we would like to thank John and Marcie for all of their fabulous hospitality! Great ride, great people, great fun. Much more to come stay tuned for more exciting adventures..........................please. haha

Pictures!

Sums up the last week

Service road at Chilliwack Lake

We've crossed way too much water on this trip

!?

Hostel in Victoria

Camping along the river

Spent a day going up the pass and had to turn around

Hope or Die!

At the moment Hope seems unattainable. A vortex has opened in Chilliwack that refuses to let us go. Spent three days, covering some 140 km of pure hell, just to arrive back in The Wack. All because of an impassable Pale Face Pass. Your intrepid heroes decided to bunker down and dig up a bit more info on this so called "Trans Canada Trail". The promise of no greater than 2.2% grades is enticing. The day long pushing loaded bikes up a dried creek bed on the other hand is a mean prank.

Pro Tip: Always enlist the knowledge of locals and more importantly, listen.

After resupplying, food, maps, hockey, beer, we were set for Hope. Bobby's foot on the other hand had other ideas. 1 low curb, 2 over corrects, a splash of sandal, stir for a blink of an eye and you got a two day delay. Don't worry! He's on the mend. A toe/heel injury is more unfortunate then fatal.

I also want to thank everyone who has helped along the way. Truly amazing people to meet in this country. A special shout out to The Vedder River Inn. Amazing people. I have never been treated so well.

Joe

We are Okay

Having computer issues. Just thought we would try and let everyone know why we haven't been updating. Now to try and figure this out before it crashes again.

Vancouver must have an evil power, expected to be here a night and it has progressed into 3. I can't wait to leave the city of Canuckle heads and there silly hockey team.(GO BRUINS GO!) Greater adventure awaits in the vast BC wilderness. We have finally decided to take the Trans Canada Trail and it should be a promising early exit from a hockey crazy city

After a tough start in Nanaimo, horrible rains on the way to Tofino, there have been a lot of bright spots on the trip thus far. A great hill climb coming into Port Alberni.......... then my back rack falling off on the downhill on our way to Timmy's, which is still yet to be properly repaired (I did my best with zap straps), not great but manageable The highways were frightening on the way to Tofino, but the gelato in Ucluelet more than made up for the traffic that seemed to be mostly made up of porsches. The ocean waves were incredible on the Tofino beaches......... the wind however made playing Frisbee there a challenge.

Victory!

We have conquered the island! With our training ground finished we will head for the mainland. I now feel comfortable on the road and with the added weight to my ride. Mountains on the other hand, still suck. We have spent two days in Victoria. Enjoying some rare sun and the last we will see of the coast for the next 5 months.

Interesting note. Vancouver Island has gotten the most rainfall in recorded history this year.

A quick shout out to Sally and Mike who opened up their homes to us. We stayed in an awesome cabin overlooking a beautiful bay loaded with eagles and herons. Amazing and gracious.

Next stop. Van City and a butt load of mountains. Whoo mountains!