Day 62: Last mountain

I woke up with achy muscles and little desire to tackle the mountain that lay in wait: 70km of mostly uphill. Oh god. 

But then I had a lovely skype chat with Dave, found a brilliant cafe and stocked up on breakfast and lunch and I felt like I might just be able to make it.

The initial ascent was steep, then I had a glorious undulating section before another crazy ascent. As is often the case along steep, winding sections of road, they hadn't bothered to put in a hard shoulder. So I hugged the white line as best I could (although it's pretty much impossible to ride in a straight line at 6kmh) and hoped all the drivers were paying attention. Traffic aside, it was a lovely ride; the river was amazing, sometimes meandering or braided with huge dead trees deposited on shale during flood, sometimes roaring through narrow gorges. And the ridiculous uphill was much easier psychologically than slowly riding along the almost flat into the wind. It was ridiculously steep! Around one hairpin, I would gain 50m!

I met a kiwi couple on their way down and we had a chat about routes and travel plans. They're planning to take the Kettle Valley Rail Trail on their mountain bikes. Should be very pretty but rather them than me on the rough stuff!

I got to the summit of the day (although there's a higher one tomorrow) and stopped for a sandwich and a chat with Walter the biker. Then I flew downhill at 50kmh for ages! Traffic slowly moving past me and beautiful views glimpsed then gone.

A few more ups and downs took me to East Gate and I had a muffin and another chat. I always get good reactions now. 

"So where are you riding from?" 
"New Brunswick." 
"Oh my goodness!"
And I can't help a smug little grin - I can't believe I rode all that way either!

Then I rode the last section to Manning Park Lodge - 15km of false downhill with a headwind, no shoulder and four lanes of traffic. It seemed to go on for ever! All day the traffic came in waves. I'd have the road to myself for a minute, then be subjected to a great long train of traffic, too close and too fast and too noisy. On this section it was worst because the speed limit was now 100kmh and the overtaking lane was getting a lot of use, so the vehicles right next to me couldn't move over. But when each traffic train had passed, I enjoyed views of the river and forested hills.

At Manning Park, I checked into the hostel and bumped into a parks worker on my way to it. We talked a bit and he asked if I wanted a job there! I'd love one, but I'm not on a work visa... maybe next year. It would be great to spend a year here, hiking and kayaking all summer, skiing and snowshoeing all winter. There are hummingbirds outside my window! What a cool place.