Day 5. Worst day ever

Ok so first off the editing department has some mistakes to correct. This in it purple or white form

Is a fox glove not a fox tail. Also yesterday's speed was 77.58 not 57.58. 

Now that s out of the way about today's ride. Got up to the lovely aroma of instant coffee. How drinks that stuff 😖  I had some oatmeal , it was good. Loaded the truck and remembered all my stuff. Headed out last from camp with Ian and Harold. Barely got a couple km in and we stopped to take a picture.  

It kinda like a where's Waldo but u have to find the gear truck. That's our camp from last night.  We road another few kms and another time for a pic 

This cenery strait out of a western.  

Today I took over 70 pictures. I got to a point were I was thinking that it's a nice pic but I already have ten just like it. It's the worst problem ever. 

Hay fields. Streams mountains. 

A great 40 in ride on old headly Rd   

Pasture into mountains. 

Here's a panoramic shot. Ian taught me that one.  I hope it translates well. 

We saw lots of horses today. These we making dust clouds.  

As I'm writing this I'm frustrated by the fact I have to pick and choose as to witch pics I show. I have that problem every day but today is the worst day ever. I think they call that a first world problem.  

A couple of old cars. 

So I'm real excited to see some long horn sheep. 

How's that for one. 

This pic is for sandy. 

Sometimes a picture looking back is nice too

Went through a little town that was like an oasis   Local fruit and cherries. 

Carrie had picked some up and the riders got to enjoy fresh cherries. 

Just outside of pinticton  we biked about 130 km today. It took 6 hrs of seat time. What a butt workout. 

Carrie passing us on the way to the camp ground. 

Tonight atpeleton we received some canadian flags and a sweet jersey   Pics of that will come tomorrow 

I'm running out of steam  this time change is still not fully in me. See you tomorrow   Happy Canada day. 

Len 

Day 4. Best ride ever

So got up this morning and thought I had everthing under control. I mean I got my s@$& together. Had breakfast , filled my water bottles, check my bike, socialized with people it was going great. Then I realized I'm an idiot. I left my helmet in the RV and Carrie was on her way to the first pit stop. Ever have that when you go from way high to way low. That was me.  

After realizing that my phone was utterly useless I negotiated a solution. We finished packing the kitchen truck just in time for my helmet to arrive. On the road we went.  After a sweet decent we made it to the first rest stop. 

 

The opposite enterance to the park. 

 

We got to a section of road construction so Ruben and Paul handed out seatosea cards to the drivers. Talk about a captive audience. Riding the new pavement was a treat.  

 

What a way to start the day. New road, mountains, streams. How did a Big Bang make all this. This whole place screams creator. It's awesome. 

 

Well all descents end up in a climb. But it was a nice climb on a great new road.  

So most everyone stopped to take pictures at the top. I would climb every day to get these veiws. 

 

 Seems like a bit of a dream. I caught myself thinking that I don't take a picture of that because it's not as spectacular as another shot. How crazy is that. 

 

We finally reached the summit. But by the looks of it we got here on the wrong day. Now the best part of reaching a summit is the downhill after. I may have let loose a little. 

 

This was the starting point of the race, I mean safe decent. 57.58 kms an hour. So far undisputed fastest. 

To all u moms of course it was done safely. It was censored awesome. Of course their are no pics of the decent. 

 

This was the start. 

 

Heading into princeton   

 

I took this pic just  before town on a pretty quick decent. In the distance u can see the top of the mountain we descended from. 

 

What an awesome day. Not sure how my body would react to yesterday's workout but it worked out great. Feeling high as a kite. Naturally of course. 

Len. 

Day 3. Baptism by fire

Hey all. We set up camp in Hope. Completely surrounded by mountains. 

 So it was so amazing to see all the snow on the tops of the peaks. What an awesome place to camp. 

 

Supper  was great. Salad and tacos. In the morning we packed up the kitchen truck and headed out. Today's ride was going to be the second toughest for elevation in the whole ride. 

 

Last night at peloton a lot of talk about the amount of climbing on the ride made a lot of people real nervous. As you can see I'm wearing the same jersey I was wearing when I crashed in 2013. I figure what are the chances it happens again.   

 

Into the climb we go. Slow and steady. 

It was a day of not a lot of talking. But the beauty around us didn't need words 

 

 The first pit stop was 18 km in and it took us just under 2 hrs. It was a welctome sight. Off we went again    

 

The second mahout climb of the day seemed to have false flats. It looked like a we were about to have a nice little down hill reprieve but it was still a4% grade. Crazy. I'm like these down hills suck  

 

A stream was running beside,under and below us all day. Awesome to hear the birds , the water running and the whistling of the wind. 

 

I took about 50 pics today. Can't show them all but they are all amazing. 

 

Another pit stop. 

 

How could I bike past this view and not take a picture. 

 

This is a shot looking back after a climb. It looks way steeper when you look back. You do not notice it as much when your going forward. What I also saw a lot of today was people that were struggling getting help and encouragement from riders that selflessly stuck with them till the end of the ride. Hats off to Larry stehower.   . 

 

We reached the big summit and hit the last pit stop. 

Once we made it into camp. I had to wait for Carrie and my clothes to get to camp cause she was last stop. So I decided to go for a swim in a mountain lake. After about 45 seconds my toes and fingers started to cramp up. It was very refreshing 

People had already started cooking supper. 

 

The food was great. After supper we had a nice camp fire. 

 

Guess who piled that fire up. It was great. 

No cell service all day so this will be published in the morning. 

Off to bed. Len 

Day 2. Abbotsford to Hope

This morning I woke up still in a food coma from all the great food we were served last night. Tent city was being packed up. 

 

After our team loaded the food truck we were off. Today I rode with Harold and Ian mostly. We also rode with Paul and bob for a while. 

 

Riding in the mountains never gets old. The pictures don't do it Justice   But I'll post them anyways 

 

 We were spoiled with great stops from local churches. Such good food and hospitality. 

 

Billy was riding along all day keeping an eye on us. 

 

After some more great kms we stopped for lunch at a school and were treated to quite the spread. 

 

Here's a Pi of all the bikes outside at the lunch stop. 

We climbed a great little hill and were rewarded with a nice view. 

 

 Lots of people were cheering us on. 

 

One more stop and we're home free

 

The last bridge we went over before camp had an awesome view. 

 

93.5 km later and we made it to hope. 

Time for a little power nap before supper. 

Tomorrow s another day. 

Len