October 12
Year 1 Day 73

End the day in Osoyoos, British Columbia

92km (-16km from daily target of 108km)
Moving Average 22.5km/hr & Cycling Time 4hrs 05min
35,970km Total

The Climb from Creston.  I am excited about it!  And I end up doing it in about 1 hour and half.  At 1774 meters above sea level, the Crowsnest Kootenay Pass is the highest highway mountain pass in Canada.  It was a fun challenge but not quite the slog up into the Andes.

Nothing, nothing compares to climbing a massive mountain on bike and reaching the summit.  Maybe hiking up a mountain?  But for me it’s the bike climb.  For example, I like it when I climb at about the same pace as loaded big rigs.  It lets me know it is steep and that I’m working hard.  It’s also nice to be able to wave or even say hi to a trucker as he moves parallel with me up the slope.

As usual Lorne was amazing.  He touched base with me several times up the pass and was waiting for me at the summit.  We rested and chatted and took a pic or tow, but for the life of me I can’t find the pics?

The descent was a 20km massive grin and singing along to The Killers and Kings of Leon session.

The descent to Salmo on the Crowsnest Kootenay Pass on Hwy. 3. The pass is the highest mountian pass in Canada.

The day of cycling is cut short due to a phone conference with the CMHA team in regards to a BCTF teacher’s conference  I am speaking to next week.

Tonight in Osoyoos was my first stay with the Coast Hotel sponsorship.  Thank you!

October 11
Year 1 Day 72

End the day in Creston, British Columbia

91km (-17km from daily target of 108km)
Moving Average 30.0km/hr & Cycling Time 3hrs 44min
35,878km Total

A very late start.   Making the pledge asks via Facebook delays things.  Meanwhile Lorne takes the rear tire to a local shop, Gerick Sports, and gets the flat fixed.  Is that the second or third flat on the German rocket?

We drive back east and I get dropped of where I finished yesterday.  No skipping over Rockies for me.

I lose my water proof riding mitts somewhere along the highway when stopping to take a picture.  I had just bought them in at the MEC in Winnipeg and loved them!  I waste an hour trying to find them .   No luck.

I finally make it back to Cranbrook (where I slept last night). I go back to Gerick Sports right at closing to get some new cold weather gloves.  They give me a great deal!  I drive 2 km away and notice the rear tire wall is bulging and shredded and is about to explode.

Back to the shop, now way after closing , they again give a major discount on the new tire and the labour to put it on.  I pick up an extra tire just in case. I now have two brand new tires and four tubes on standby.

Pouring cold rain, we drive to Creston but miss the turn and find ourselves at the American border.  We do a u-turn but still have to go through Canadian customs!  The Canadian border patrol saw us approach in the deserted and dark crossing, she knew that we were not coming in from the States, she even said so.  Yet she asks about fruits, alcohol, and guns, and whether we are bringing over anything illegal etc.  I have no picture ID, the passport and drivers license have both been lost for awhile now.  So off we go inside where they do a computer check on us and my two pieces of other ID (Care Card and Birth Certificate) save my butt.  How ironic it would it have been if I wouldn’t have been allowed back into our beloved Canada?

Southern BC beauty.

Our turbulent future.

October 10
Year 1 Day 71

End the day in Cranbrook, British Columbia

75km (-33km from daily target of 108km)
Moving Average 21.4km/hr & Cycling Time 3hrs 30min
35,803km Total

Wet and cold but majestic.

I got rear flat late in the day and then pinched the new tire while installing it.  Done.  The day was over.

I made a note as to where I was being picked up and hitched-hiked with a fellow named Jason (I hope that’s his name).  Great guy.

You know, Canadians in general are great people, especially when you get us out of the big cities.  And it seems to me the more rural you go the more generous and helpful the people.

While was trying to repair the rear tire two people stopped and pulled over to offer assistance.  And then later when I blew the 2^nd and last tube Jason was only the fourth or fifth car that passed me and stopped.  Unbelievable.  (Jason if you are reading this, I hope I got your name right and I hope that if I didn’t, you’ll write to me and correct me if I am wrong.)

Lorne’s wife, Donna, phoned ahead and got us a simple but clean and friendly in the hotel.  Much appreciated!

Valley Motel owner Ruby and her bulldogs. So cute it was painful!

A Mr. Mike’s Restaurant!  Amazing.  I had heard that the brand had been revived and there it was, after a twenty year absence, the steak house of my childhood, the steak house of small town BC.

As usual I gorged and ate half a cow.