Fort Langley to Aggassis

We congregated at the train station in Fort Langley.

Tour Pacific Group 2011
(me - front row - third from right)

 We had to wait for a couple of people, I think someone had a technical problem. At last we all arrive and Fred's wife took the group shot. Then in a light mist we were off!!!!!!   Lots of nerves, although no one said much (but we all compared notes later to find that a lot of us were experiencing the same feelings!!!!)




Larry - telling jokes while we waited for the pictures taking before we started on DAY ONE



Data from Day 1


Have a look at the elevation chart. That first hump was in fact that STEEP. The grade went as high as 25% - it was an icky hill to say the least and many of us walked part of the way and even then, my heart was pounding so hard it was a good thing my heart rate monitor wasn't working  - I am sure it would have blown a fuse!!!!



Bernice AFTER the BIG hill - everyone was SWEATING a tad



Have a look at the SECOND bump - going up that was much more gradual and very nice indeed. That descent was something else - I hit 62.6 KM a hour. Yikes - I meant to video tape that descent and I completely forgot about it. I will try to remember for another day.

Anyway - things are going well despite the fact that BC seems to be governed by the railroads. Not a bad thing except that the railroads are RIGHT BESIDE the camp grounds. Have you ever tried to sleep with a freight train TOOTING its' horn at all hours of the night????????   And how many freight trains can there be in one day anyway???????   There are a LOT!!!!!!   And how long are those damn things?????

And did I mention the snoring??????   I seemed to have gotten stuck between two snorers last night - snoring in stero - YEAH!!!!   Just what I wanted. But it was fine - I did have ear plugs and used them, but they didn't seem to make much difference.

Did I mention the mosquitos???????   Holy cow - it is like there is a mosquito convention happening and EVERY mosquito in Canada got invited!!!!!!  I put the DEET on - I don't care if I die - I'd rather die in comfort than to be eaten alive!!!!!!!

Despite all those issues - we are having a great time - well I am at least. The group is excellent - lots of friendly people and once we got out of Mission - 6 of us set up a pretty good pace line and we booted along. Didn't stop to take many pictures, but I did get some "action" shots from the bike.



Anna


 

Anna - coming



Anna - going!!!



Anna - going again!!!!

Oh yes - what about that construction on the bridge at Mission. The sidewalk on our side of the bridge was closed so we made a quick detour back and took the sidewalk on the opposite side of the bridge. But then the fun began as we tried to get back on the road going in the right direction. A tad of a challenge, but it worked out OK.

Ev suggested we stop for coffee and look what was right there - TIM'S. What a welcome sight and I DID NOT have a hot chocolate. Instead I had an apple juice and a peanut butter cookie. You would think knowing that I was going to have a peanut butter sandwich for lunch that I would have something else, but I like peanut butter.

Then back on the road and this is where we got our pace line going. Gosh - I think we were averaging about 27 K an hour for a while. Then my leg was getting tired and it was time for lunch so we stopped at this small store just because there was a parking lot there. The owner came out and chatted with us - totally amazed that we were biking all the way to Calgary. She went in and brought back some apples that she had sliced up. Hit the spot.


Right now - I am sitting at an outdoor desk!!!!!   A huge tree stump and a smaller stump for a chair and internet access. How cool is that!!!!!!!! 



My "desk" at camp


I am not sure how someone can enjoy camping for just a night or two. Me - it takes several days to get the bugs worked out as to what to bring into the tent. How to get organized is VERY important. But I am in much better shape this year than last. While I don't need the extra room of the three person tent, you have to be organized otherwise there is not space in the two person tent. And how could two people sleep in this tent anyway. Absolutely NO gear in the tent if a second person gets in. Here is a picture of ME in my tent.

Inside my tent - how cozy!!!!   I can't even take the picture without me being in it!!!!!!

So while I FORGOT to take video today - Lynn remembered.

Check this out (Lynn is a very strong cyclist - watch the entire video - and turn up the volume!!!!!)



Climbing the steep hill

She also took video of the descent which I will try and find the link to.


Have a great day!!!!!

Ciao!!!!!!