Aggassiz to Boston Bar

First the stats (and for the quilters among you - read on - there is a HUGE surprise)

Stats - Day 2


I think the maximum speed is INCORRECT. No we were never going that fast!!!!

I was pretty tired yesterday afternoon after I blogged. No wonder - I had NOT slept well the last three nights and the first day of riding pretty much did me in. Ever have one of those days when you are so tired you cannot sleep. That was me - I was trying to read in my newly acquired lawn chair. I wasn't comfortable so I moved to the picnic table so I could lay my head on the table and try to sleep. Didn't want to hit the tent just yet!!!!! I may have dozed, but not for long.

And this fashion show was happening right beside me!!!   Have a look at this cool sleeping bag.

Bernice and her cool sleeping bag with an open bottom and arms (all zip shut), but should you need to go potty in the night - this is the sleeping bag to have!!!!

Ev trying out Bernice's air mattress.

Dinner was interesting. Rainbow trout! Now while most people would appreciate a nice fresh trout, I was a tad leery. Why you ask??? Well I don't like to see fish with the head still on and yup - these fish had the head still on. So Steve ripped the head off and ate the cheeks??? and I got a yummy tasty fish.

Is the head still on??????

Oh yeah!!!!   Where is Jeffrey when you need him!!!!! 

After dinner it started to rain on and off and eventually everyone was in bed by NINE PM. Not much partying going on!!!! Then it rained and rained and rained some more all night. Even though there was the ubitiquious train tracks close by - there was no need for them to TOOT the horn so we had a very peaceful sleep, although I was awake very early. Still adjusting to the time I think.  Since it was still raining - I was NOT going to get out of the tent until I absolutely had to.

Up - got dressed, tent down and it wasn't raining much - more mist. Then we started and yup - it was raining. What a pain. But I had chosen my rain gear right and I was nice and comfy all day except for the wet feet. And the dirty legs.

Just waiting for the rest of our group to assemble

Riding in the rain - oh joy!!!!!

Clouds in the moutains - very low!!!

Rain hat - I meant to purchase one of these BEFORE I left and forgot, so I slogged it out in the rain.

How dirty do you think that leg really is?????

Yep - that dirty!!!!!!

We stopped in Hope for coffee and I had a hot chocolate. Not a Tim's hot chocolate but a great one with whip cream on top. Then back on the road. Lots of climbing today. The steepest grade was 8% so very manageable. I have to say that I am EXTREMELY happy with my riding so far. Good speed on the down hills, good speed on the uphills and I'm not tired or sore. Thank you BROOKS SADDLES.

Hope - the chainsaw carving capital of the world. Here I am with a "buddy". Yes - my arms look very fat - the vents in my sleeves were open!!!!

We went through a number of tunnels today. The first one we followed the rules and walked on the sidewalk, but good grief that was a sissy way to ride through. The next couple were fairly short and you could see right through them - so I poured on the gas and looked for traffic (mostly big trucks and RVs) and hustled my little (Oh how I wish) butt through those babies!!!! I was riding with Anna, Larry, Ev and Diane. They all pushed through as well.

One of the SEVEN tunnels we rode through this day

Then we hit a couple of smaller tunnels and rode right through. A couple of the longer ones had a button that you push and that set off flashing lights that notified motorists that cyclists were in the tunnel. No problem. That last one - China Bar was fairly long, curved and a tad uphill. Diane and I sprinted through that one - glad when we got to the end with an RV and two cars hot on our tail!!!!!

Lunch - there are few towns around to stop. Anna and Ev were doing a few stretches at lunch.

All the highway signs are hanging and they creak in the wind!!!!

Duct tape - very useful for anything. Here it is protecting Diane's leg from rubbing!!

Hell's Gate - we stopped to look, but did NOT go down the tram. We were on a mission to get to camp!!!!

Lots of climbing, lots of downhills. It was a great day. And now we are enscouned at Green Canyon Motel where we are camping. I'm hungry since I forgot to take extra food with me - only had that peanut butter sandwich and the hot chocolate. I've already eaten THREE apples since we arrived.

Settling into a routine - arrive in camp - set up tent (in this case - make sure tent is completely dry BEFORE setting up), get clothes organized (OK - so I haven't quite got that part down yet), clean the bike, get food and THEN you can have a shower.

Oh yes - I meant to take video of the ride through the tunnels and for some reason my camera wasn't working. I don't know whether when I tested it that I ran the battery down????? I am going to plug it in and see what happens.

And the world is small. Do you want to know what Jim's wife does??????? Why she owns a quilt store!!!!!! And where is said quilt store?????? Why in Moose Jaw where Jim lives. And this is one of my favourite quilt stores!!!!!! The Quilt Patch - oh yes - I am planning to get there when we are back in the prairies (well that's much later!!!!) I need to ask for a BIG discount with having to put up with Jim!!!  Then as we got chatting after dinner - it turns out that Bernice is also a quilter!!!!!   What are the chances!!!!!!!!   OK - that was my big quilting surprise.

Dinner should be ready soon - I CAN'T wait. No internet tonight, no cell service. I mean we are in the middle of the mountains. It is beautiful, but no services????? Well how can one survive without communication.

Oh yes - the weather the rest of the day - it rained fairly hard for the first two hours, then it sort of cleared up, then the sun would shine briefly at which time we could still feel rain drops. Then it got warm and the sun actually came out for a bit. All in all - it was a pretty decent ride weather wise!

It was BIG Larry's birthday today and we had a delicious black forest cake. He did an excellent job of cutting it.

Big Larry cutting his birthday cake

Big Larry's birthday cake

The campfire on the banks of the Fraser River

Remember the gadgets????  Well we had NO internet this evening and we were trying to figure out the weather for the next day. Turns out Travis brought a short wave radio!!!   GO figure. Here is Big Larry attempting to find the weather. Looks more like he is playing video games.

Tarn Avenue - remember I said that there were other tents like mine, only the 3 person version. Turns out there are THREE of the bigger tents (same colour as mine) and one other tent (same as mine - just different colour). My tent is the second from the left. Jim managed to get on our street (that imposter yellow one in the back). The Tarn must be a popular model!!!!!

We used two rooms in the motel as our shower/toilet facilities so wasn't so bad until we ran out of toilet paper. That is NOT good. But I had brought my own private stash so I was fine!!!!!  Hey - you only get burned once - then you come prepared!!!!

Have a great day!!!!

Ciao!!!