Hills, Thrills and More Hills

On the road again and what roads! Four days of stunning roads, spectacular landscape, thigh searing climbs and eye-watering descents. In particular the road over to New Denver from Kaslo couldn't have been a better start; quiet, winding, and i later found out it's a favourite amongst touring motorcyclists for the same reasons.

Clear lakes galore invited afternoon swims to cool off from the midday heat, rocky beaches to myself to warm back up on. At the end of the day, why would you need a shower when there's a lake to jump into!

Strangers continued to be surprisingly generous. Rick and Elaine couldn't have been kinder campsite neighbours at Summit Lake, offering me tea (with milk in it!), chicken, garlic bread, fruit salad, great conversation and even a hot cup of coffee at six the next morning!





The only blimp was an interesting animal encounter wild camping a few miles from the Fauquier ferry. Finding all the campsites closed in the area, i found a great spot by the lake and settled down for the night. I was awoken at one o'clock in the morning to the bear bell set on my tent ringing, snapping twigs, crunching leaves and a inquisitive nose outside. I confess my heart was beating like a rocket, eyes wide open and i couldn't sleep a wink as this animal continued to shuffle around the area until dawn broke at five. Needless to say i was out of the area in a shot and glad to be feeling the cool morning wind whistling past.

So I had to tackle the Monashee Mountain Range that day on little sleep and the 10% climbing started immediately as i left the ferry. It was a long, hot, hot day of classic mountain roads, twisting their way around craggy cliff edges and much primal cursing. The ferry thankfully broke up the traffic, but every creek i found, i plunged my head into and rode with my cap soaked with icy mountain water to stave off the unrelenting sun. I ate ALL the food i was carrying that day and glad for a characterful campground with a hot shower at the end of the day.







I slept like a baby, for once glad other campers were around. The mornings ride was the reward for the efforts of the day before, over 800 metres of continuous descending and the fresh smell of baking drew me to a coffee and danish treat at Lumby.

The mind still boggles to the actual possibility of this chance encounter but i bumped into another friend from Vancouver, Justin, as i was enjoying my morning pastry, hitch-hiking his way to Nelson for a festival. Holy cow this trip is nuts!





The rest of the day took me to Kelowna, via the fantastic lake shore road which turned out to be horrendously hilly. I did longest day in the saddle and arrived to another 'warmshowers' stop off with Jacqui and Rob, sweating profusely and a right mess. Maybe it was good i slept in their bus that evening...