Vavenby to Valemount - Day 8

Here are the stats for Day 8

Daily Stats


Today is the BIG day - 100 MILES through the mountains. Actually our legs are getting strong and we are admiring everyone's calves. It is more our BUTTS that people are concerned about. I put on a better pair of shorts today and with my Brooks Saddle, I was still hurting until lunch. Then I seemed to get a second wind and I was fine for the rest of the day. Don't get me wrong - I was VERY HAPPY to get off my bike though.

One of the many railroad bridges we passed

Well what can I say - today was a LONG slog. There is no other way to say it, but a LONG slog. Over 100 miles. The hills were pretty gentle though and I finally had a good sleep the night before so I have to say that I did pretty well over the course of the day. If you think we ate a lot yesterday - we ate even more today!

Again our little group rode together yet apart. I think we made 3 major stops - the first at Avola where there is a "quaint" little gas station with a wack job for an attendent. I think he was trying to pick Anna up as he was asking how old she was. He looked at me and told me "Yes - I could use the LADIES room". What did he think - I was going for the mens???????   Then we were off again and stopped in Blue River at the Husky, where we met up with the faster members of our group. It was important to stop here as there was NO SERVICES for the rest of the trip. The tables seemed to revolve because as one small group arrived, the previous one was leaving!!!!  

This does not BODE well. Translated to ENGLISH - it means BIG HILLS

Pretty roadside flowers

These signs did NOT change fast enough!!!!!

Nice scenery - look at those snow capped mountains we had yet to get over

Did you know that those machines would actually register OUR speed.  Although I was going much faster than this, by the time I got my camera out - I had to slow right down or miss the picture!!!!!!!

We had a great sandwich and then we were on our way as well.

Turns out this was a bad day for the girls. Ev made it to the Husky - then hitched a ride to camp. Bernice got a ride part way today as well as did Prisca who was suffering from saddle sores. The rest of us slogged it out.

Jim getting ready to leave the Husky from lunch

Fred and Travis at lunch

Mike at lunch

Larry arriving at lunch

Anna arriving at lunch

Anna, Dianne, Steve and Larry at lunch

At one point, I passed the time by trying to list the Top Ten Reasons why we were doing this trip. Hmmmmm - I thought about it for 40 K, but I still couldn't come up with any reasons. That was pretty funny - of course there are lots of reasons why we want to do this. Because we can!!!!   Because we want a challenge!!!!!   Because we are INSANE!!!!!   Well the list goes on and on.

I made pretty good time today - I was happy considering the distance. We arrived to a beautiful camp ground. Really really nice and just in time to get the tent up and then it was time to eat. Finally got time to get a shower after dinner. Now I am sitting in the shelter where we have Wi-Fi. So weird way out in the boonies to have cell service and internet.

More scenery

Gorgeous mountains

OK - so I got scenery happy today!!!!

Dinner at the campground

Anna and Ev at dinner

Steve pumping up his HUGE air mattress

My "desk" for the evening

I think at one point I even started to sing "The Wheels on the Bike Go Round and Round"  just for something to do!!!!!   We were out for 10 hours today and when you spend part of that by yourself - well you have to have something for entertainment.

Sorry - if this sounds discombobulated, but hard to focus with everyone talking and this is the only place there is a table.

I think several times today (OK - maybe more than that) Anna was ready to kill me since I had talked her into do this trip. But she made it in and I think she should be proud of her accomplishment. About 15 K from camp, I ran into Mike and we got a lot of speed as we made the descent into camp. It was awesome even though I don't like riding with someone!!!!!!  

But here are other reasons why you would want to ride through the mountains on a bike
1. Did you realize how much the temperature drops when we ride past a mountain stream? It is like walking past an open freezer door. I was amazed at how much the tempertature drops.
2. You can hear the small streams running in the trees even though you may not know they are there. There are times when you hear this rushing sound and think "oh oh - here comes the wind" and it is only a stream.
3. You can pick up road trash on a moment's notice - Guess what I found today??????   A small stuffed horse which I put on my pannier in the back so I now had additional HORSE power for the rest of the day!!!!  OK - so the group thinks I am a lunatic, but it keeps me amused as I search the road side for something interesting. Then you have to think up a story about it.
4. You can stop pretty much anywhere and take a picture and there are several places where we got amazing photos today. Again I don't think the pictures will do justice to the scenery, but hopefully they will be enough for me to remember the trip by.

Steve and his white socks. Let's just say that Steve was an interesting fellow. He was a tad unprepared and forgot to bring sun screen. He got a BAD burn on his legs and had to wear these long white socks to protect his ankles from any further damage.

Hard to see the burn here, but it was BAD

Another butt shot of our group - Larry and Anna

Hard to read the sign - but it says High Mountain Road - Sudden Weather Changes - Be Cautious.
Thank god we had NO sudden weather changes!!!!!

5. You can stop to eat, pee and basically do whatever you want wherever you want. There is total freedom from the outside world. You could basically loss yourself in the beauty of the moment.

Oh yes - we had a pretty good day today as far as the wind goes. Yeah - a bit of a head wind, but not too much.

Well that is enough philosophizing (how the hell do you spell that????)  for today.

OK - I am going to try and edit pictures and get them loaded in Jasper where we have a rest day. I do not have access to electricity and I think the computer won't last much longer on the battery.
At least you know where I am and that I am ALIVE and WELL. It will be an early bed tonight again and I am OK with that. I think most people have already gone to bed.

Have a great day!!!!!

Ciao!!!!!!