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The mountains play tricks with the eyes.
False flats are stretches of road that appear perfectly straight, but are actually climbs, sometimes steep. The highway in these parts is full of them, and the only way you can really see them is by looking backwards. Your only hope is to grind it out until you're done. The downhills are never as downhill as you hoped, the straights are uphill, and the climbs are long and arduous. It's a mind game.
Today we left the Blue Bay campground back down the steep hill, and took off down the Transcanada. After a quick stop in Lytton, we pressed on until we finally pulled in to an RV camp to fill up on water and ask about the road ahead. Here we met Don, the owner, who entertained us with stories, gave us some cold Pepsi in iced mason jar glasses, and offered insight on the road as we rested up and refuelled. He was something else.
He told us we could find groceries in a small convenience store behind a cafe in Spence's Bridge. The cafe itself was fantastic. It had a great atmosphere with a folk band playing, and beautiful hardwood floors that we were afraid to walk on with our cycling shoes for fear of damaging it. Thankfully they were very accomodating and filled us up with water before going on our way with some groceries for the next few meals.
As I believe I've said before, this area is remote. We lost cell phone coverage for about a day and a half, the towns are small and spaced apart, and there are few good campsites. It's essentially a desert. Because of this, we had to push on in the heat, all the way to Ashcroft for a 110km up and down day. Thankfully we've been maintaining a manageable pace, so we're not tiring ourselves out too much.
Right now, we're resting at a random campsite in town, along the Thompson River. Unfortunately the currents are too strong to swim in, but we've got some shade and some grass, so have done pretty well given the circumstances.
Tomorrow we'll move on to the Kamloops area, before hitting Salmon Arm on our way to Revelstoke where we'll take our first rest day of the trip, at Pat's aunt's place. It will be well-deserved indeed.
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device
3 comments:
Keep up the good work, lads. You have support from coast to coast, and when you get back to Ontario, we'll be looking for you! Thanks for including us in your journey with the daily blog reports ... rest well, when you can.
Love, the Kennedys in Alliston
Gentlemen,
You are really galloping along! Sounds like you are also managing to pause and smell the roses too. Beautiful part of the country, is it not?
You commented on the few campsites. Don't forget that in country like that, you can often camp off the road. Only problems, need to take water and dig a latrine. For example, we have often camped by the North Thompson on Hat Creek Road which you passed. We just went up in the hills a little way and camped in the sage brush.
By the way, you are not yet in the Rockies. You have passed the Coast Mountains, are now on the Fraser Plateau, and still to come are the Columbia Mts and Rocky Mts.
Brian, your dad got in 2 afternoons of sailing and one of drifting and is going home Monday.
Lois and John
I love reading about your daily adventures! You guys are having the trip of a lifetime...
Keep it up and take care.
Love, Kate Lockhart
(Mike's cousin)
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