The ride: 124 kilometers!

Well after a great rest day it was time to hit the road again. The goal yesterday was to reduce the overall weight I was carrying but with the added food I think I am heavier. By the time I got going it was starting to sprinkle a little rain. No matter this was now the norm!

I suited up and bid my new friends farewell. I grabbed a quick sub sandwich in town and ate half of it before heading back onto the Crow’s Nest highway. As many of you know it turns into a 16 kilometer climb out of Osoyoos and it is reasonably steep but thankfully consistent grade. There is one quick corner and then a long switchback that snakes up the side of the mountain. By now it was lightly raining but the views of the twin lakes were breathtaking. Little Osoyoos with a small town centre bridging between the twin lakes and Haines point a green oasis in the middle of the southern lake.

Up and up I went until I saw what was a mirage, no wait deja vu? Up ahead in the distance I saw a man walking up the road, who could it be but Pierre Paul who I had met in Princeton 2 days earlier. The bugger was ahead of me! I videoed my approach and surprised him a little bit on purpose. He was happy to see me and we chatted for quite a long time with the rain coming down and the cars and trucks swishing by. I was already impressed with his fortitude but this is really amazing. We talked a lot about steep nasty hills this time which we have both seen a few, me in Tibet and him in South America but I was getting a chill and it was time to bid adieu.

On I went up the steep switchbacks but the rest day really helped as I felt in total control and only stopped when I wanted a picture. As you get closer to the top there is a bit of land for sale and the views would be incredible. I only suppose that it would be quite cold most of the year and a hellish drive to simply pick up groceries! There was a small cafe up around the very top where I stopped in. I grabbed a hot chocolate and spoke with the three gentlemen there about my trip and places I could see along my journey. A few of them had some stories as well which were quite entertaining. One had also done some work in Haiti but I wasn’t sure what they did for a living.

I continued along up the hill which was a lesser grade now. There were a series of unpopulated sub divisions with roads but hardly and houses all along what is called Regal ridge. Each section had a statue at the entrance: bear, cougar, eagle and Sasquatch to name a few. As the road flattens out the view opens up into endless lush green grass fields with little farm houses dotting the landscape. These are all ranches which some you can stay at to ride horses and generally kick back. The road descends a kilometer or two before climbing up another pass. I stopped here to eat the other half of my sandwich and to gear up for a downhill. I was expecting a huge downhill but it was more gradual with rolling sections and of course a bit of wind. However the scenery up here is incredible as you are snaking back down into a valley where the southern side mountains have forest and the Northern side is grass covered rock all the while with ranch after ranch along the road.

Eventually you cross a span at rock creek and then make a steep descent into the town of Rock Creek which sits along the river of that name. I rode through but would stop once and while to take pictures. The road slowly makes it way back up over 1000 meters but over a very long distance of over 60 kilometers so it is hardly noticeable. I saw what I think was a copper winged eagle which I thought was an owl just the way it flew so magnificently – sort of like my cycling (waiting for comments on that!) and many other wild life including deer. After lunch in Midway I rode out through Greenwood which like Rock Creek is a very charming little town. At one time it was a very industrial town with a foundry. The side of the road still has left over iron slag which looks like a pile of black dirt!

There is one final climb but it really nothing for those heading East followed by a huge 14 kilometer downhill into Grand Forks. The valley opens up again here and it is very green with all of the farmland, orchards and green space.

I spent the night at Nancy’s who is a very friendly and thoughtful and done a lot of travel herself. She was working but gave me the key to go clean up and she had some dinner there for me to heat up. Totally awesome! I took a nap and when she came home we chatted for a few hours about our travels. I can’t say enough how she opened her home to a weary traveller which felt like a home away from home.

All in all the legs felt pretty good and though the longest ride so far I would say the easiest thanks to a day of rest and only one steep climb.