I think I can, I think I can, I think I can...all the way to Boston Bar

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Unfortunately, you the reader will get this latest post on a bit of a delay. Our location has no cellular signal, so this will come through at the next opportunity.

It's also long. Brace yourself.

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As engineering physics majors go, we tend to think we're the cream of the engineering crop. Studying quantum mechanics sometimes inflates your ego (insert your own joke about that here). We particularly like to rag on civil engineers.

Well, I've discovered a newfound respect for them.

The road out of Hope is a slow-winding highway through the Rocky Mountains, along the valley cut out by the Fraser River as it flows through central British Columbia. It's full of slow-rolling ups and downs as we climb our way into the Rockies along the Transcanada. What was most amazing was the work that must have gone into building the highway itself. It's chiseled right into the mountainside, sometimes even through it. Even more amazing were the railroad lines that run along the highway closer to the river. Pulling thousands and thousands of tonnes of weight, they can only handle the slightest grades, slowly making their way through the Fraser River Valley.

The ride today reminded me of those trains. The Rockies will be unforgiving, so we have to take our time, pacing ourselves appropriately so that we don't completely burn out. Being self-sufficient, we're carrying quite a lot of gear with us in trailers behind three of the five bikes, just like a train carries its cargo. The trains eventually reach their destination, as will we, but we will be unable to keep up the mileage we have covered on a daily basis thus far.

Today we took things as they came on an 85km ride to Boston Bar, which sits high above the Fraser Canyon. We kept a steady pace through the first 50km, feeling out the mountains and conserving our strength for later days. I was our first casualty of the trip, just catching a road sign at slow speed as we came out of a tunnel. Realistically, I should have gotten off my bike, but instead ate a fistful of dirt and got some good scrapes. No big deal, we just cleaned it up later.

After taking a picture outside of an Elvis-themed restaurant in the middle of nowhere, we headed into Boston Bar to pick up some groceries. We found out about a campsite about 15km past the town, and pushed on.

Let me tell you this, just getting to this campsite was the most physically challenging part of the day.

Once we got there, we had to get off the bikes and climb up a 1km dirt road, pushing everything up a steep hill to Blue Lake campground. Pat put his front brakes on by accident, and slid downhill, it was so bad. It was torture in the heat, after a day of climbing through the mountains. Thankfully, once we got there we were treated to a dip in the lake, and a nice meal in a nice quiet site.

Tomorrow we'll do more of the same, feeling out the road as we climb along the Transcanada.

...and the civil engineers can rest easy. I won't be making fun of them anymore.
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