Day Nine - Albert Canyon to Golden

I woke up after an AWESOME sleep to hear PITTER PATTER on my tent. NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I HATE HATE HATE packing up the tent in the rain. So I read for a bit and then a MIRACLE happened. While I was getting myself organized in the tent - it STOPPED raining. And by the time, I got out of tent - the sun was out. OH MY GOD- the sun!!!!

However I carefully packed my big rain coat, hat and knee warmers in a bag and bungied it to the rack. Covering my flender, but what are you going to do!!!!!

Dinner at camp or maybe this was breakfast - Canyon Hot Springs

Today is the day we hit Roger's Pass. It was about 34 K to the pass and although we spent a good part of that climbing, it really wasn't that difficult of a climb. The grade of the road was kind and we made decent time coming up the pass. I must admit that sometimes I am lazy and don't push myself as hard as I could, but then we aren't in a race - we just want to get to the camp ground.

Yeah - the SUMMIT. And when you are cycling, you never ask how high is the mountain, but how high is the mountain pass!!!!!!

Michel, Danny, me, Neal

Once we took pictures, we were off and had a wonderful descent. Actually we had TWO major descents today. On one of them, I had a bit of a scare. My wheels got in a rut in the shoulder of the road and I wasn't able to control the bike. Not a good thing. I was going fast and clipped in, so I just sort of hopped that bike out of the rut and I was good. I swore rather loudly - more in surprise than anything else. Let's just say that I was lucky - cause it wouldn't have been pretty. But don't worry  - I am careful and I wasn't going as fast as some of them because I chose to stay on the shoulder and I was following Neal and Michel.

This was taken the day before - forgot to post it

We also had to go through a series of snow sheds. The first three were before Roger's Pass. They weren't long and there were windows on the sides. Unlike the snow sheds on the more northern route (did those on Tour Pacific), there was no lights to alert motorists that cyclists were in the tunnel, but the shoulders were good and clean and there was light.

The first snow tunnel

After Roger's Pass, there were four more tunnels. The first one was long and DARK. Neal had his little flashing light on the bike and I followed that. I didn't have my glasses on either and I could NOT see the road. A bit of panic, but I figured that if I was following Neal, I was OK. Then the rest of the tunnels were on the dark hill and we zoomed through them. But there was light in them so we didn't have to worry about that. But I didn't have my glasses on, so had to be careful.


Then the map indicated that there was a SERIES of hills that we would find challenging. So the question of the day became - how many hills are in a SERIES????   Turns out there are THREE!!!!!   None of them were that difficult, but just made for slow slogging, although I am feeling stronger and stronger every day. I think I need to do a bit of massage on one of my quads though - it is protesting a bit.

I was worried about getting into Golden. I couldn't remember if there was a climb to get in because I know there is a heck of a climb to get out, but we were in a nice valley for the last 30 K or so and it was awesome. I remember the last time I was in Golden (two years ago), we stayed overnight and there was some construction on THAT HILL and overnight, the electricity was cut and there was NO power that morning. We had to go to Revelstoke for breakfast

Arrived in Golden with a sense of great satisfaction. It was an awesome day of riding. The sun was out, the temperature was warm, little wind, good company, NO RAIN. I mean it was just a perfect day. We stopped at Dairy Queen and I had a slushy - I really can't eat much during the day. Well not in big quantities and I am not a big ice cream fan.

Dairy Queen stop before getting into camp

I got my tent and sleeping bag all dried once I arrived in camp. So nice to have everything DRY!!!!!!!    We don't have to get up tomorrow - it is a rest day. YEAH!!!!!!!   So looking forward to doing NOTHING the entire day - well I must clean my bike.

Just had an awesome dinner again. Kudos to Margo (Tour du Canada) for organizing and providing some yummy recipes which are easy for the groups to follow. Yes - we are taking a few liberties here and there - but we are eating well!!!!!!


On that note - I am going to edit some pictures that I took today so you can see me at Roger's Pass. Oh yes - and the scenery was AWESOME today.

Neal and Michel - look at those mountains

Been seeing a lot of this sign

Here are the stats for yesterday

Total Riding time: 6 hours 30 minutes
Distance - 130.7 KM
Average speed - 20.1 KPH
Calories 3,932
Max speed - 48.5 KPH
Elevation gain - 1,047 M
Elevation loss - 762 M
Min Elevation - 260  M
Max Elevation - 577 M



Here are the stats for today
Total Riding time:   5 hours 52 minutes
Distance - 117.6 KM
Average speed - 20.0 KPH
Calories - 3,687
Max speed - 54.6 KPH
Elevation gain - 1,222 M
Elevation loss - 1,091 M
Min Elevation - 664 M
Max Elevation - 1,325 M


The total KM to date (not counting Victoria) is 768 KM. That is about 1/10 distance which would make sense since we are 10 days into the trip.


I see it is getting dark so I am going to upload the photos tomorrow.

We had a campfire last night and roasted marshmallows. I stuck it out as long as I could and then the mosquitoes got the best of me.

However I could NOT sleep. I read my book, then I lay there, then I read some more and then lay there. Finally around midnight I fell asleep. Thank goodness I could sleep in this morning.

Had fun listening to the trains last night. There is an area where they hook up the trains and what a sound when they get connected. Like a speeding bullet as the connections pull tight along the entire train!!!!!


Well - got the entire day ahead of me. Not sure what to do, but I am going to enjoy it.


Have a great day!!!!!!!!!!


Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!