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Ashcroft sits downhill from the Transcanada, along the Thompson River. After a longer-than-expected day yesterday, the climb out of Ashcroft was tough on stiff, tired legs.
We've been keeping a hard pace, a bit too hard for the start of the trip, and were expecting a relatively easy day to Kamloops. Everyone we had talked to didn't mention any difficult road, and it was less than 100km away.
The winds decided to change things up on us.
Battling a headwind is like trying to scale an escalator in the wrong direction. Sure you'll make some progress, but you have to work hard for it. You feel like you're expending energy for nothing, but you have no choice but to keep going. It's a defeating feeling, and completely drains you.
We were also told the road was relatively flat.
While the climbs were not very steep, they were long grades, especially against the wind. Our highest climb was up to 731m just short of Kamloops. We were met by Dave Sprague who was heading back towards Calgary, and headed downhill into town.
After stopping at a Tim Horton's, we began looking at our options. There were few campsites close to town, and were in no mood to travel any great distance to settle down. We tried phoning hotels pretending to be "assistants" looking for a discounted rate, with no luck.
Finally we called Ian Schimpf, a friend of the Vancouver boys, who we knew lived in Kamloops. While he wasn't in Kamloops, he talked to his parents who have taken us in for the night. Furthermore, they have set us up in a house-boat Wednesday night in Sicamous after a phone call to a friend of theirs. Amazing!
Given our exhaustion, we are taking three days to our rest day in Revelstoke instead of two. Tomorrow we will have a shorter day to Sorrento, then to Sicamous for the house-boat stay, and finally into Revelstoke to rest at Pat's aunt's.
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Monday, May 19, 2008
Fighting headwinds to Kamloops
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5 comments:
Boys - we are exhausted just reading the blog - and we haven't cycled one minute. Good luck in the next day or so and enjoy your well deserved rest days. We are following you all the way, every day and enjoying every minute of it.
xoxox
Shushie and Uncle Ritchie
Les Boys
All we can say in Ottawa is WOW. This is great thing that you are doing and we are all so proud of you. I hope that once you get through the mountains the trip settles down for you and that the winds and weather cooperate with you. It has been great to be able to read how the trip is going and I know it is probably the last thing you want to do but please keep it up as we are living through you all. Have a great day of rest and remember that this is a great cause and we are all proud.
John, Odile, Matt and Sam
Good morning boys - so glad that a well earned rest is in sight. Feel like a teenager hanging on every word you send us. Keep that up please, but otherwise rest and enjoy what you have already accomplished which is awesome. xxxx's to all
Have a well deserved rest day, you still have a long way to go and I have people in London waiting for you. Hope the weather improves as I see you have had everyrthing except snow. Take care, Aunt Lovey
We caught you on the news last week and have been reading your news daily - what an accomplishment! Keep up the amazing work!
The Clarks
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