"If you can't build a robot, be a robot."
First, happy July!
Happy Canada Day!
Happy 4th of July's Eve'sEve'sEve! Headache.
It is very difficult to find the energy to find a computer or, once we've found a computer, to find more energy to update a blog, so let us apologize to our regular readers out there...It is our goal to get better at this.
With that said, we move into update mode!
Where did we leave off....Aha. We were resting in Banff, basking in the glamour of the mountain village lifestyle, living it up, hanging out in a hot spring, shocking the other tourists with the spectacular intensity of our tan lines. Good times. Time, it seems, has a very loose grip on the now, and tends to let it slip away.
Now is not the now we knew. That was then. This is now. Wonder how? I do too.
We left Banff for Calgary, which was a lovely and scenic 85 or so mile ride, mostly downhill, that took us officially out of the rockies; a transition that was both abrupt and emotional. The steep walls of the western american highlands gave way to the great plains, and the straightest roads on earth...which was exciting...at the time. Once in Calgary, we met up with our hosts, some couch-surfer students from the local university, and had some Vietamese cuisine at their recommendation. It is a beautiful city, especially from the saddle of your bicycle as you weave in and out of the large amount of pedestrian traffic. All of the houses there had such personality. Go visit sometime.
Then we left Calgary in a general east-northeast direction, en route to Hanna...The birthplace of the pseudo-band Nickelback...And how. We got 3/4 of the way there to our checkpoint in Drumheller, a thrilling dinosaur-themed town in the Canadian Badlands, where we had planned to visit the RoyalTyrell Dinosaur museum. The cheesy dino statues all over town had us very concerned for the legitimacy of the museum itself, but alas, it was fantastic. Ornithomimids, a pterosaur, plenty of ceratopsians, and a spectular re-creation of Dr. Jack Horner's T. Rex skeleton that had Eric captivated. Impressive stuff.
We left the museum and rode out straight into a beast of a wind storm...One so strong that when we made an attempt at the road out of town, we were virtually pushed backwards. We found a hotel that would put us up and decided to make up the distance the next day.
Which meant that the ride from Drumheller to Mantario would be 158 miles, and so it was.
We worked all day at pulling it off, surrounded by the most spectcularly mind-numbing scenery that you can possibly imagine, into a fairly harsh crosswind, only to discover that Mantario, despite being recognized on a national map, was one street and half-abandoned. We set up camp with heavy hearts and went to bed.
Mantario to Swift Current offered another long day at 137 miles, 30 or 40 of which were on gravel roads....For all you scholars out there, that is indeed 295 miles in two days. It was long, perhaps harder than the day before as a consequence of the day before, and hot. We did our best to stay positive and kept working until we finally arrived at dusk, which was too late to go door to door. With heavier hearts, we found the cheapest room we could, but at least that meant a shower.
Swift Current to Moose Jaw was a bit of a break at around 108 miles. Moose Jaw was the biggest city we've seen since Calgary, and quite a relief at that....It really is stressful being surrounded by nothing. Moose Jaw saw us feast like kings thanks to a generous sponsorship from the local Boston Pizza restaurant where, on top of his already stellar record of helping us out, the shift manager pulled some strings and got us into the local mineral spa for free. Fantastic. Best pizza ever. Great mineral spa. Camping in a stranger's backyard. Does it get any better? No need to answer that.
And now that brings us to today, when we rode from Moose Jaw to Indian Head, where we are set up at a camp ground and looking forward to heading on to Moosomin tomorrow, where we will celebrate our own version of Canada Day, likely by sleeping, although I am reminded of a tip from one of our friends in Calgary:
"What do you do on Canada Day?"
"Camp. Whatever. Go out into the woods. You can do whatever you want...And drink."
Sore bottoms up.
Notes:
Animal sightings - Two foxes, hundreds of ground squirrels (some dead), antelope, and deer.....Not to mention the many species of waterfowl, the occasional bird of prey, and this orange-winged black bird that intrigues me so deeply.
Total mileage - 1473 miles
Casualties - Eric (nearly...see below), Eric's butt, Eric's mind.
p.s. Eric almost got hit by a truck. The guy was a moron. More later.
Goodnight everyone! We miss you all!
Love,
Jason
Monday, June 30, 2008
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
"Dinosaurs AND Whales!!!"
Some Interesting Quotes and Statistics from Our Trip Thus Far:
{Listening to XM Kids Radio on plane from Chicago to Vancouver…}
Radio DJ: If it doesn’t need to be refrigerated, it isn’t cheese!
___________________________________
{Listening to XM Kids Radio on plane from Chicago to Vancouver…}
Radio DJ: If it doesn’t need to be refrigerated, it isn’t cheese!
___________________________________
{An old man gets out of his car at the visitor’s center on Paulson’s Summit, just north of Grand Forks, and approaches us…}
Man: You boys going on a bike trip or something?
Jason: Yep.
Man: How far are you going today?
Jason: Today our goal is to make it to New Denver.
Man: Oh, well, you are definitely not going to make it that far today. No way.
Jason: Um…yes, I think we will.
______________________
A sign on the side of a fish tank in SameSun hostel in Revelstoke:
Wildlife Report:(we have pictures of most of these animals, but have yet to remember to bring our camera to the internet café with us, so these illustrations will have to do…)
Elk (Cervus canadensis)
Big Horn Sheep (Ovis canadensis)
{Hanging out with Jonah and Finn, the sons of Todd and Janice in Golden, BC…}
Eric: Jonah, which do you like better, dinosaurs or whales?
Jonah: Um….hmmm…uhh….[thinks for about 15 seconds]…Dinosaurs AND Whales!!!!
[Eric and Jonah were instantly best friends]
Marmot (G. Marmota)
(very common along Hwy 3, the Crowsnest Hwy)
Moose (Alces alces)
(a juvenile moose walked across the road right in front of us. About halfway across, tripped over its own legs and faceplanted into the road! It just tripped! After a few seconds, it stood up again and kept going.)
Elk (Cervus canadensis)Columbian Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus columbianus)
(all over the place)
Big Horn Sheep (Ovis canadensis)(On the climb out of Golden)
Black bear (Ursus americanus)
(we were descending to the ferry between Nakusp and Revelstoke, and this black bear was eating dandelions along the side of the road. When it saw us, it freaked out and rambled into the woods). 
______________________
______________________{A couple of pre-teen kids pass by us in Castlegar, BC on BMX bikes...}
Kid: Are you two like, PROFESSIONAL bike riders?!
Jason: Um, sure!
Both kids: WOW!!!!
_______________
Kid: Are you two like, PROFESSIONAL bike riders?!
Jason: Um, sure!
Both kids: WOW!!!!
_______________
{Hanging out with Jonah and Finn, the sons of Todd and Janice in Golden, BC…}
Eric: Jonah, which do you like better, dinosaurs or whales?
Jonah: Um….hmmm…uhh….[thinks for about 15 seconds]…Dinosaurs AND Whales!!!!
[Eric and Jonah were instantly best friends]
-E
We Don't Know What We're Doing, Part II
We have made it over the continental divide!
Today is our rest day in Banff, Alberta, and our first legitimate chance at reflection, not too mention the much needed and therapeutic appreciation of the days, miles, and mountains now behind us.
When we last wrote, we were in Grand Forks, just north of the U.S. border, and about halfway through a topographical profile that was very much uphill, staying with Peter the carpenter. I think I can speak for Eric when I say that having experienced the days and moments since then, I feel a lifetime removed from what my watch tells me was just a few days ago. And now its time to fill you all in!
Buckle up! Or put your helmets on! Whatever is more appropriate.
From Grand Forks we made our turn north toward the Trans-Canada Highway via New Denver and Revelstoke, with a night's rest in each town. Each day had stellar scenery, and each day was almost entirely uphill.
Grand Forks to New Denver:
These rest towns are a double-edged sword. On the one hand, the fact that they are always in a valley offers us respite on the descents at the end of a long day, but on the other, such a setup invariably means a climb out of town in the morning. The road out of Grand Forks was no different. We both had tired legs, and various sore spots all over, so warming up and getting loose and comfortable is very important, however elusive when the road gets steep. We climbed up to Christina Lake on a moderate grade, not enough to hurt us, but enough to confirm that we were indeed tired. The lake was a glacial lake, a deep blue color inset in the high green hills, and quite a sight to behold. It was up in this region that we started to notice another climate shift, from the lower-altitude desert, to the higher evergreen mountains of the Rockies. We rode along the lake for a brief spell before the road turned up in earnest. A 37 km climb, and a comparatively steep one at that, took is higher still, up to the hilltops to continue making our way north. We moved away form the lake, and higher up on moderate, manageable grades, stopping were we could to top off water bottles, or replace the lost calories we had left strewn about on the lower slopes. The sun shown through, unobstructed for the first time, and gave the tan-lines some more definition, though I'm sure my mother would be the first to say that I didnt need that at all. Eric's are coming back nicely as well. An important badge of honor for any bike rider. Higher and higher we went, and up to another glacial lake, Slocan Lake, a long and deep resevoir, until we found ourselves in the closing kilometers. We climbed up along a sheer face on the east side of the lake, providing us with some of the most beautiful views of the trip, and taxing our legs further still, before descending through New Denver's neighboring town of Silverton, and finally into New Denver itself. We drank some chocolate milk and sat down for a moment before we made our way up to our host's home, high on a hill and, fittingly, only accessable by a very steep gravel road. The house was beautiful. Wooden, with a stone fireplace, and tall windows to allow one to look out over Slocan Lake and into the surrounding peaks...Certainly too nice for the likes of two smelly cyclists, and we were incredibly grateful for such an experience. Great people, great food, and great conversations offered us a valuable morale boost, and we set out from New Denver the next morning en route to Revelstoke.
New Denver to Revelstoke:
Again with the climbing! The road took us immediately up and out of town on what was to be a 95 some-odd mile day. We decided to split it into thirds, stopping in Nakusp, the hot spring/ferry accross the lake that was really just the dammed Columbia River, and the final push to Revelstoke itself. We had some food in Nakusp, and the Halcyon hot spring thirty miles or so up the road certainly felt refreshing. We took the highway north to the ferry crossing, scaring a young and extremely furry black bear from its foraging station at the roadside. It couldn't have been more than 25 feet from us, and we couldn't even see it until it bolted! Quite a sight indeed. The ride on the ferry was wind-blown and cold, but the sights were great, and I don't get to take rides of ferries that often, so it was a treat...Even though I was skeptical at first...After all, Eric's father had mentioned that there is no such thing as ferries, but no matter, I'm a believer now. The final 30 miles to Revelstoke were very tough, at first due to the headwind, and finally due the the mental strain of continuing uphill in cold rain for what always seems to be so much longer than it really is. We were relieved again when the road sloped downward into town, and we made our way to a great hostel to get some sleep.
Revelstoke to Golden:
Finally on the Trans-Canada, and finally turning East again! We headed out of Revelstoke and, you guessed it, up a hill. We were treated to a fleeting rainshower before the sun broke through, and a relatively short day at about 90 miles. We were finally pushing into the western slopes of the main ridge of the Rockies, with the brown peaks reaching abruptly above the tree lines, distinctively colored by the wonderful combinations of sandstones, limestones, and shale. The whole area feels so vibrant, young, and alive, and I think that such an atmosphere helped us maintain some composure as we continued to climb higher and higher toward the continental divide. We made our way into the first Rocky Mountain National Park of our journey, Glacier National Park, and over the famous Roger's Pass near the end of the day, and from there it was a fast and rolling ride into Golden. We got into town a little later than we would've liked, again, but still with plenty of sunlight left, and a little energy left over to put towards finding a place to stay. Todd Craig, a mountain guide, and his family put us up for the night. Todd is a jack-of-all-trades in the high hills, and a very nice guy, and Eric and I had a great time talking with him, his wife, and his two extremely energetic boys over breakfast. So much of this trip is dependent upon the goodwill of others, and without the amazing people we are lucky enough to meet, it just wouldn't be possible. So a special thanks to Todd and his family.
Golden to Banff:
Another reasonably short day, this one just shy of 90 miles, had our focus not on the ride at hand, but on the rest that awaited, and for anyone who hasn't done something like this, the cardinal rule is to maintain focus on each moment, or you risk subjecting yourself to one of the most mentally-taxing endeavors you could ever hope to undertake. Minutes stretch to hours, and the day cannot ever go fast enough to fix it. We dragged ourselves up into a canyon out of Golden and right into an exciting encounter with three Big Horn Sheep, none of which had any regard for the schedules of the drivers they were inconveniencing. It was very amusing, and they looked so extremely unimpressed by all of the tourists' cameras. We climbed for about 17 km up and out of the canyon and into Yoho National Park. The park was gorgeous. After some ups and downs through Yoho, we came to Kicking Horse valley, and a town called Field. We stopped for some coffee and food before making our push up Kicking Horse Pass, over the continental divide, into the Mountain West timezone, and into Alberta. Having refueled, we set out, and as tired as I was, I was determined to make my last climb west of the divide a good one, so Eric and I flew up the pass and over the top into Alberta and onto the eastern slopes of the divide. We had crested the high point of our trip, and it was such a relief to be done with the constantly uphill riding. From there it was a downhill ride into Banff National Park, and our checkpoint at Lake Louise. Having visited the town three years ago, we spent a rather long time there, partly for the sentimental value, but also to take care of some logistical stuff during appropriate business hours. We got everything squared away and headed to Banff, 35 miles down the highway, and the base of our adventures here in 2005. We were so happy to be riding on roads that were headed down the slopes! We made great time and arrived at our host's house with just enough energy to shower and head out for some food before bed. After a good night's sleep, we are still here in Banff, enjoying our rest, saying hello to all of you, and looking forward to another stint in a hot spring. It is wonderful to see the town again, and to remind ourselves why we like it so much here.
Tomorrow it begins all over again, and we will do our best to keep you all updated as often as possible. Hope all is well. E-mail us and say hello!
Have a terrific Jason and Eric's Rest Day!
- J
Today is our rest day in Banff, Alberta, and our first legitimate chance at reflection, not too mention the much needed and therapeutic appreciation of the days, miles, and mountains now behind us.
When we last wrote, we were in Grand Forks, just north of the U.S. border, and about halfway through a topographical profile that was very much uphill, staying with Peter the carpenter. I think I can speak for Eric when I say that having experienced the days and moments since then, I feel a lifetime removed from what my watch tells me was just a few days ago. And now its time to fill you all in!
Buckle up! Or put your helmets on! Whatever is more appropriate.
From Grand Forks we made our turn north toward the Trans-Canada Highway via New Denver and Revelstoke, with a night's rest in each town. Each day had stellar scenery, and each day was almost entirely uphill.
Grand Forks to New Denver:
These rest towns are a double-edged sword. On the one hand, the fact that they are always in a valley offers us respite on the descents at the end of a long day, but on the other, such a setup invariably means a climb out of town in the morning. The road out of Grand Forks was no different. We both had tired legs, and various sore spots all over, so warming up and getting loose and comfortable is very important, however elusive when the road gets steep. We climbed up to Christina Lake on a moderate grade, not enough to hurt us, but enough to confirm that we were indeed tired. The lake was a glacial lake, a deep blue color inset in the high green hills, and quite a sight to behold. It was up in this region that we started to notice another climate shift, from the lower-altitude desert, to the higher evergreen mountains of the Rockies. We rode along the lake for a brief spell before the road turned up in earnest. A 37 km climb, and a comparatively steep one at that, took is higher still, up to the hilltops to continue making our way north. We moved away form the lake, and higher up on moderate, manageable grades, stopping were we could to top off water bottles, or replace the lost calories we had left strewn about on the lower slopes. The sun shown through, unobstructed for the first time, and gave the tan-lines some more definition, though I'm sure my mother would be the first to say that I didnt need that at all. Eric's are coming back nicely as well. An important badge of honor for any bike rider. Higher and higher we went, and up to another glacial lake, Slocan Lake, a long and deep resevoir, until we found ourselves in the closing kilometers. We climbed up along a sheer face on the east side of the lake, providing us with some of the most beautiful views of the trip, and taxing our legs further still, before descending through New Denver's neighboring town of Silverton, and finally into New Denver itself. We drank some chocolate milk and sat down for a moment before we made our way up to our host's home, high on a hill and, fittingly, only accessable by a very steep gravel road. The house was beautiful. Wooden, with a stone fireplace, and tall windows to allow one to look out over Slocan Lake and into the surrounding peaks...Certainly too nice for the likes of two smelly cyclists, and we were incredibly grateful for such an experience. Great people, great food, and great conversations offered us a valuable morale boost, and we set out from New Denver the next morning en route to Revelstoke.
New Denver to Revelstoke:
Again with the climbing! The road took us immediately up and out of town on what was to be a 95 some-odd mile day. We decided to split it into thirds, stopping in Nakusp, the hot spring/ferry accross the lake that was really just the dammed Columbia River, and the final push to Revelstoke itself. We had some food in Nakusp, and the Halcyon hot spring thirty miles or so up the road certainly felt refreshing. We took the highway north to the ferry crossing, scaring a young and extremely furry black bear from its foraging station at the roadside. It couldn't have been more than 25 feet from us, and we couldn't even see it until it bolted! Quite a sight indeed. The ride on the ferry was wind-blown and cold, but the sights were great, and I don't get to take rides of ferries that often, so it was a treat...Even though I was skeptical at first...After all, Eric's father had mentioned that there is no such thing as ferries, but no matter, I'm a believer now. The final 30 miles to Revelstoke were very tough, at first due to the headwind, and finally due the the mental strain of continuing uphill in cold rain for what always seems to be so much longer than it really is. We were relieved again when the road sloped downward into town, and we made our way to a great hostel to get some sleep.
Revelstoke to Golden:
Finally on the Trans-Canada, and finally turning East again! We headed out of Revelstoke and, you guessed it, up a hill. We were treated to a fleeting rainshower before the sun broke through, and a relatively short day at about 90 miles. We were finally pushing into the western slopes of the main ridge of the Rockies, with the brown peaks reaching abruptly above the tree lines, distinctively colored by the wonderful combinations of sandstones, limestones, and shale. The whole area feels so vibrant, young, and alive, and I think that such an atmosphere helped us maintain some composure as we continued to climb higher and higher toward the continental divide. We made our way into the first Rocky Mountain National Park of our journey, Glacier National Park, and over the famous Roger's Pass near the end of the day, and from there it was a fast and rolling ride into Golden. We got into town a little later than we would've liked, again, but still with plenty of sunlight left, and a little energy left over to put towards finding a place to stay. Todd Craig, a mountain guide, and his family put us up for the night. Todd is a jack-of-all-trades in the high hills, and a very nice guy, and Eric and I had a great time talking with him, his wife, and his two extremely energetic boys over breakfast. So much of this trip is dependent upon the goodwill of others, and without the amazing people we are lucky enough to meet, it just wouldn't be possible. So a special thanks to Todd and his family.
Golden to Banff:
Another reasonably short day, this one just shy of 90 miles, had our focus not on the ride at hand, but on the rest that awaited, and for anyone who hasn't done something like this, the cardinal rule is to maintain focus on each moment, or you risk subjecting yourself to one of the most mentally-taxing endeavors you could ever hope to undertake. Minutes stretch to hours, and the day cannot ever go fast enough to fix it. We dragged ourselves up into a canyon out of Golden and right into an exciting encounter with three Big Horn Sheep, none of which had any regard for the schedules of the drivers they were inconveniencing. It was very amusing, and they looked so extremely unimpressed by all of the tourists' cameras. We climbed for about 17 km up and out of the canyon and into Yoho National Park. The park was gorgeous. After some ups and downs through Yoho, we came to Kicking Horse valley, and a town called Field. We stopped for some coffee and food before making our push up Kicking Horse Pass, over the continental divide, into the Mountain West timezone, and into Alberta. Having refueled, we set out, and as tired as I was, I was determined to make my last climb west of the divide a good one, so Eric and I flew up the pass and over the top into Alberta and onto the eastern slopes of the divide. We had crested the high point of our trip, and it was such a relief to be done with the constantly uphill riding. From there it was a downhill ride into Banff National Park, and our checkpoint at Lake Louise. Having visited the town three years ago, we spent a rather long time there, partly for the sentimental value, but also to take care of some logistical stuff during appropriate business hours. We got everything squared away and headed to Banff, 35 miles down the highway, and the base of our adventures here in 2005. We were so happy to be riding on roads that were headed down the slopes! We made great time and arrived at our host's house with just enough energy to shower and head out for some food before bed. After a good night's sleep, we are still here in Banff, enjoying our rest, saying hello to all of you, and looking forward to another stint in a hot spring. It is wonderful to see the town again, and to remind ourselves why we like it so much here.
Tomorrow it begins all over again, and we will do our best to keep you all updated as often as possible. Hope all is well. E-mail us and say hello!
Have a terrific Jason and Eric's Rest Day!
- J
Thursday, June 19, 2008
We Don't Know What We are Doing, Part I
Well everyone, thats three days down. We left Vancouver two days ago and knocked out a flat 96 miles to Hope, British Columbia, at an extremely healthy pace, especially considering the lengthy stop at the Sasquatch Cafe, a delightful establishment conveniently tucked into the forest along highway 7. We were there, but nobody seems to believe that it exists, and my blurry photograph has led people to conclude that its a hoax...But hear me now, the size of that basket of french fries was no joke.
A friendly man who owns a BBQ in town was kind enough to let us set up camp out back, and so, surrounded by the lush greens of the Canadian rain forest and distant snow-capped peaks, camp we did. Sleep was tough to come by as the precipitation commonly associated with a rain forest made itself known in the night, but we woke up rested enough...just a little soggier than we might have wished. We packed up camp and headed east into what we thought would be a mildly-rolling 120 mile day. 56 km and 5 hours later we were two mountain passes in and 4,000 ft higher, scratching our heads. Those 65 pound bikes are rather tough to pull up a hill. We ate some food and pressed on all the same, despite what was a profoundly discouraging morning. We made it into Keremeos, British Columbia, our destination, with just an hour or so of daylight left, cutting it a little closer than we would like, but we were pleased with conquering such a long, extraordinarily hard day (there were more mountains than just those first two passes). On the lighter side of yesterday's happenings, we did see a juvenile moose cross the road from right to left, inexplicably fall down in the left lane, gather itself, and then continue off into the forest to pursue what looked to be a very clumsy life. Ah, the wonder of nature.
We awoke in Keremeos this morning with a 107 mile day in front of us (in the end it actually turned out to be closer to 115), and a revived zest for conquering challenges after having completed the day before. Rolling hills led us out of the town and up toward the first pass. No big deal. We descended into Osoyoos, a beautiful lakeside city surrounded by stunning mountains. So far so good. We ate some food, and were told that there was a climb out of Osoyoos, but from there it was mostly flat into Grand Forks, today's endpoint. Optimistic, we mounted our heavy steeds and headed to the hill. Here's were it gets crazy. We went up for about 15 fairly steep kilometers, sweating underneath the northern desert sun, and the mountain appeared to be at its highest. A tourist's lookout added to the feeling of completion. We joked around a bit, snapped some fantastic pictures, put on some warmers for what had to be an upcoming descent, and headed out again. Just around a turn, the road kicked up, and the mountain revealed another very large section that we simply couldn't see before. It seemed like it would not end. At least four more times (the whole memory is rather blurred) we were sure that there was no more sky for that mountain to fill, when it swept to the right or left, and kicked again. Eric estimated it to be nearly 30 km, and my legs did not disagree.
The descent was virtually non-existent as we stayed atop the hills, rolling our way toward Grand Forks. Small climb after small climb drained us little by little, until there were 14 kilometers to go, and we felt like we might have 10 more in us. I was in rare form, unsure in those moments whether or not I was even there. And then I felt something odd. Wind! Wind sweeping rapidly over my face! We were on a descent! Mercy! The road twisted and turned downhill until we swept around the side of the mountain to reveal the town of Grand Forks below. I can't even express that feeling of satisfaction.
We arrived at sunset at the home of our host, Peter, a Carpenter, to find that he had prepared a meal for us. His hospitality has been a tremendous boost.
Tomorrow is a new day, and a new challenge. Will we conquer it again? Will it conquer us? Tune in next time to find out!
Goodnight everyone.
- Jason
A friendly man who owns a BBQ in town was kind enough to let us set up camp out back, and so, surrounded by the lush greens of the Canadian rain forest and distant snow-capped peaks, camp we did. Sleep was tough to come by as the precipitation commonly associated with a rain forest made itself known in the night, but we woke up rested enough...just a little soggier than we might have wished. We packed up camp and headed east into what we thought would be a mildly-rolling 120 mile day. 56 km and 5 hours later we were two mountain passes in and 4,000 ft higher, scratching our heads. Those 65 pound bikes are rather tough to pull up a hill. We ate some food and pressed on all the same, despite what was a profoundly discouraging morning. We made it into Keremeos, British Columbia, our destination, with just an hour or so of daylight left, cutting it a little closer than we would like, but we were pleased with conquering such a long, extraordinarily hard day (there were more mountains than just those first two passes). On the lighter side of yesterday's happenings, we did see a juvenile moose cross the road from right to left, inexplicably fall down in the left lane, gather itself, and then continue off into the forest to pursue what looked to be a very clumsy life. Ah, the wonder of nature.
We awoke in Keremeos this morning with a 107 mile day in front of us (in the end it actually turned out to be closer to 115), and a revived zest for conquering challenges after having completed the day before. Rolling hills led us out of the town and up toward the first pass. No big deal. We descended into Osoyoos, a beautiful lakeside city surrounded by stunning mountains. So far so good. We ate some food, and were told that there was a climb out of Osoyoos, but from there it was mostly flat into Grand Forks, today's endpoint. Optimistic, we mounted our heavy steeds and headed to the hill. Here's were it gets crazy. We went up for about 15 fairly steep kilometers, sweating underneath the northern desert sun, and the mountain appeared to be at its highest. A tourist's lookout added to the feeling of completion. We joked around a bit, snapped some fantastic pictures, put on some warmers for what had to be an upcoming descent, and headed out again. Just around a turn, the road kicked up, and the mountain revealed another very large section that we simply couldn't see before. It seemed like it would not end. At least four more times (the whole memory is rather blurred) we were sure that there was no more sky for that mountain to fill, when it swept to the right or left, and kicked again. Eric estimated it to be nearly 30 km, and my legs did not disagree.
The descent was virtually non-existent as we stayed atop the hills, rolling our way toward Grand Forks. Small climb after small climb drained us little by little, until there were 14 kilometers to go, and we felt like we might have 10 more in us. I was in rare form, unsure in those moments whether or not I was even there. And then I felt something odd. Wind! Wind sweeping rapidly over my face! We were on a descent! Mercy! The road twisted and turned downhill until we swept around the side of the mountain to reveal the town of Grand Forks below. I can't even express that feeling of satisfaction.
We arrived at sunset at the home of our host, Peter, a Carpenter, to find that he had prepared a meal for us. His hospitality has been a tremendous boost.
Tomorrow is a new day, and a new challenge. Will we conquer it again? Will it conquer us? Tune in next time to find out!
Goodnight everyone.
- Jason
Monday, June 16, 2008
The Race Is On
Well, when we were walking off our plane into Vancouver, Eric realized he had forgotten his bike shorts.
June 16, 9:39pm: 8 hours and counting...
Eric found some bike shorts. Preparing to go to sleep, then to wake up and do the first 94 miles of our cross-Canada cycling trip!
The first day will take us out of Vancouver, BC, following a fjord and a braided river up Frasier Valley to the small mountain town of Hope (what a name!)
We are looking at our bikes, packed with gear, and we are reflecting on the year of planning that went into this trip.
Our bikes are heavy.
Already, in our two days in the Vancouver, we have been stunned moreso by the hospitality of strangers than by the beautiful scenery. It's the people in the places, not the places themselves that make an adventure meaningful. We predict that we'll remember the people we meet and tell about the Guatemala School Project more vividly than the mountain passes we pedal over.
A reminder: 3,950 miles in 40 days. $10,000 more to reach our goal.
Wanna race?
We challenge you to spread the word and help us reach this goal before we reach the Atlantic.
On your marks..
love,
Eric and Jason
June 16, 9:39pm: 8 hours and counting...
Eric found some bike shorts. Preparing to go to sleep, then to wake up and do the first 94 miles of our cross-Canada cycling trip!
The first day will take us out of Vancouver, BC, following a fjord and a braided river up Frasier Valley to the small mountain town of Hope (what a name!)
We are looking at our bikes, packed with gear, and we are reflecting on the year of planning that went into this trip.
Our bikes are heavy.
Already, in our two days in the Vancouver, we have been stunned moreso by the hospitality of strangers than by the beautiful scenery. It's the people in the places, not the places themselves that make an adventure meaningful. We predict that we'll remember the people we meet and tell about the Guatemala School Project more vividly than the mountain passes we pedal over.
A reminder: 3,950 miles in 40 days. $10,000 more to reach our goal.
Wanna race?
We challenge you to spread the word and help us reach this goal before we reach the Atlantic.
On your marks..
love,
Eric and Jason
Monday, June 9, 2008
9 Days and Counting!!!!
Howdy folks,
We leave for Vancouver, BC in 6 days, and on the 18th, w e r i d e .
I am running out the door right now to go on a training right on the miserably hot, flat, straight roads of the Florida coast (back home). The goal today: ride a bunch, and find sponsors for food along the way for our trip.
We are currently very close to the halfway point for our fundraising: $9,400!!!
A very exciting place to be as we head into the actual ride. Construction of the retaining wall in Chacaya is underway, the wheels are all in motion (ha!). We still have a long way to go, both in terms of distance and fundraising, so any ideas for support on this project are of course still welcomed.
As I've said before, the route and itinerary for our trip is available on our website, please peruse it and see if you think we're crazy. The gear is acculumated, the bikes are ready, our bodies are getting trained up for the century-a-day pace we will try to maintain. More updates soon!
Love,
E
We leave for Vancouver, BC in 6 days, and on the 18th, w e r i d e .
I am running out the door right now to go on a training right on the miserably hot, flat, straight roads of the Florida coast (back home). The goal today: ride a bunch, and find sponsors for food along the way for our trip.
We are currently very close to the halfway point for our fundraising: $9,400!!!
A very exciting place to be as we head into the actual ride. Construction of the retaining wall in Chacaya is underway, the wheels are all in motion (ha!). We still have a long way to go, both in terms of distance and fundraising, so any ideas for support on this project are of course still welcomed.
As I've said before, the route and itinerary for our trip is available on our website, please peruse it and see if you think we're crazy. The gear is acculumated, the bikes are ready, our bodies are getting trained up for the century-a-day pace we will try to maintain. More updates soon!
Love,
E
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