Sunday, July 31, 2011

Holy smokin hot riding today; mid 30's and not a breath of fresh air as we tried to explore downtown Saskatoon; streets filled with canyon potholes and bike lanes would end with no further route directions. Connected with Eric from Saskatoon Bicycle rentals next to city market and river valley who provided us with cycling route map. Ended up on valley trails to get out of the heat and rode through some fun single track paths in the tall bushes and canopied trees of U of S Land Management area where the biggest dog park I've ever seen was located...lucky dogs:-) Worked our way through many green neighbourhoods and down to Fringe festival on Broadway where there was a complimentary bike valet by Sask cycling advocacy group. Lasted 20 min in heat and headed back to campground for some serious fluid replacement and a shady, lazy afternoon.

Circle drive cycle bridge

Saturday, July 30, 2011

Butterflies, dragonflies, bullrushes, black eyed susans, canola, wheat, and oatfields highlighted our 82 km  30 degree ride out country Valley road out to beautiful Pike Lake provincial park. The Berry Barn, nestled along the banks of the S. Sask river was a welcome stop from our constant crosswinds and a chance to pick up some saskatoon jam...mmmm. Shouldered roads, little traffic and gradual hills made this a very pleasant ride.

Mmmm...berry barn

Berry Barn gardens

Friday, July 29, 2011

30 degrees, what a concept! Cycled 50 km of the very beautiful green river valley of the South Saskatchewan river. This city has done an amazing job planning cycling paths and routes to get around different neighbourhoods as well; gorgeous streets canopied by huge trees. Got hit right between the brows by a bee who got tangled in my shades and proceeded to sting me...OWWWW!

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Last night's downpour made mosquitoes swell to dinosaur size...we're outta here...driving day, headed east and landed in Gordie Howe's campground in Saskatoon for a long weekend of cycling.

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Tyrannsaurus likes cycling

Alberta = Thunderstorms, gumbo mud and BMF mosquitoes! Washed out in the am with clearing skies around noon for a 55 km ride around Drumheller. Rode along Red Deer River Valley paths and through very picturesque, narrow, green valley of the badlands beside the Rosebud River on 11 Bridges road to the town of Wayne, where Last Chance Saloon is located in the Rosedeer Hotel. Must have beer...upon walking in establishment, a man calls out, "Where are you from?"....Vancouver Island...Canucks fans?...Yes...We're Ken & Phyllis Raymond, grandparents of Mason Raymond, of the Vancouver Canucks....well, well, well...sat together and had a great chat...turns out Grampa used to play hockey too...by the way, Mason is on the mend and should be back in line up in November. Later cruised out to town of Nacmine and through Drumheller as yet another thunderstorm approached and let down at dinner. Milestone day...finally reached 1000 km...yipeeeee annnnd Tom shaved off his hockey playoff beard...needed to be more streamlined to keep up with his amazing wife:-)

Rosedeer Beer

Ken, Phyllis Raymond

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Holy crap! What a difference a few hours makes...woke up to torrential downpours with a similar forecast for the next few days so packed up the unit and drove east. Drove scenic 1A into Cochrane to discover a flat tire on trailer...NICE! Just got fixed in time for major thunderstorm for drive into Calgary, got lost on freeway construction, couldn't see turnoffs and little miss Tom-Tom voice had no flippin idea where we were so it was frustrating and tiring. Finally got onto Hwy 762 and then 9 and landed late into Drumheller under semi sunny skies; now camped in Rosedale praying for some good cycling.

Monday, July 25, 2011

Warm 26 degrees and headed to Canmore for a 102 km ride today...megasoreass! Encountered 2 big horn sheep and a very fat bird that looked like a pheasant? Rode Hwy 1A trail to Banff, cycle routes around Banff busyness and then onto new part of Legacy trail and Paliser pathway into Canmore. Mountains are so majestic, roadside fragrance of wild flowers blanketed most of the way and man the beer at the end of the ride tasted mighty fine!

It was a grizzly day on the road

Almost at Canmore

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Drive day..270 km, made it through Golden slide to Johnston Canyon outside Banff. Now in Alberta...cycled 800 km so far. Saw momma bear and 2 cubs just before campground. Fabulous late afternoon ride; 53 km into Banff along new Banff Legacy Trail, a mix of paved trails and roadways, Hwy 1A. Breathtaking views of Rockies, meadows, Vermillion Lakes and rolling hill climbs. Saw 5 mule deer, 2 bighorn sheep and many Columbian ground squirrels. Soooo much more to explore in the sun:-)
 <><>

Roadside snacking

This guy was across from our campsite.

Crossed in front of us

Saturday, July 23, 2011

Lousy panorama attempt!!

Stunning riverside ride along east side of Upper Arrow lake to pavement end. Returned and took back road up to Mt Revelstoke ski resort...quite the $development wayyyyyyy up there. Picnic lunch in the SUN...wooo whoo! Spent afternoon sunning back at lake with a short after dinner ride to take in some local entertainment at Grizzly square. Distance 44 km

Thinking of buying....NOT

It's only a mountain!

Friday, July 22, 2011

Headed out in sprinkly, cool conditions with winter riding gear in tow. Discovered 3km of cycling path on the dike of Columbia River after crossing the Big Eddy bridge. Connected to fairly quiet Hwy 23 south towards Nakusp...can anyone tell me how you get sooo many uphills heading south? Everyone knows that north is up? Cycled to Blanket Creek provincial park, 2km of switchback downhill to beautiful green waters of Arrow Lake where we had picnic lunch and saw the sun. Later rode through a village of gopher holes, viewed Mulvehill Creek falls and ski runs of Mt McPherson. Skies cleared somewhat for a great ride back...actually got to see all the snow capped peaks surrounding us...Tom and Kubla loved all the climbing:-)
Distance: 78 km

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Rainout, washout, downpour, soaking, flippin ugly day turned into a rest day of working on course, reading and crocheting. The floods stopped around dinner and the sun finally came out for a few short hours which allowed us to do a 24 km neighbourhood cruise around campground. Went through new housing developments at base of Mt Revelstoke and original heritage homes on river's north side. As sun set mountain valleys were clear and snow capped peaks in all directions were majestically displayed. Did you know that Tom tried to kill me? Yes, he says let's go this way and then turns his bike and proceeds to run into me...his handlebars slammed into my right forearm...thank god I'm Southern stock...no broken bones, only the makings of a good bruise. He's a keeper!

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Had to change RV spots and wait for the rain to stop so did not get out on the bikes till noon. Found a gem of a cycle path hugging the shores of the Illecillewaet and Columbia Rivers. Gorgeous green mountain valleys with snow capped mountains. Fragrant wild bachelor buttons, roses, baby's breath and indian paint brush blanketed the path as well as the town's railway and logging history intermittently placed at varying view points. Toured the many streets of interesting brick homes and ventured out to the very headwindy Revelstoke Dam on Hwy 23. Very little traffic and lucked out with frequent sunny spots only to finish up 32 km ride in a torrential downpour.

Tuesday July 19, 2011

Time to leave beautiful Kelowna and the kids:-( Drove a whole 45 km to Vernon, parked the trailer at the arena and decided to tour. Tom picked up a cable at the bike shop, got some riding route tips and headed out for 47.50 km to Ellison Provincial Park on lake Okanagan. Great paved cycling paths for many kms, then cycling lanes. Lots of hill climbing today, up, up, up...down, down, down. Does the street name "Bella Vista" give you a hint....we overlooked the lake, valley, airport...yes, planes were below us:-) Tailgate lunch completed just as the rains came so back in the truck and drove 193 km to Revelstoke where rains were extremely heavy. Picked up cycling maps at visitor info and hoping for sun.

Monday, July 18, 2011

Woke up to thunderstorms crashing around us so no morning ride. Late afternoon clouds loomed but we managed to get out for a very short 24 km ride through the rolling hills of Glenmore district. Extremely busy industrial traffic with lots of cement trucks and trailers made riding in bike lanes a tad scary. Gorgeous hillside homes. Tom's thinking of putting an offer in on the 9 car garage, poor orchard farmer's abode for all our bikes. His bike cable broke so we hobbled back to RV site.

Sunday, July 17, 2011

6:30 am start took me through many quail families everywhere as well deer, badgers?, and cherry steeling magpies. Ride was short due to a chilly 11 degrees with some wind around the lake only warming up to 17 by end. Thunderstorms looming everywhere. Distance 43.12 kms Met up with kids for Bry's day off and played tourist to the Goat Cheese factory (mmmm ice cream) and waterfront baby strolling.

Saturday, July 16, 2011

I had Tom out of bed at 5:30 am so that we could cycle downtown to take in the start of Kelowna's 118 km RBC GranFondo race. He's not a morning man however, if one suggests he could see pro cyclists with very expensive bikes and fancy pants, then he's out of bed like a shot. Spent the entire morning cruising downtown streets taking in the cycling and swimming across the lake events...I tell ya, this Kelowna is a happening place annnnnnddddd, the sun is out with 26 degrees. We are looking very tanned complete with white wrist strap marks.
Distance: 38 kms...50 more kms till I catch up to Tom.

Tom discussing race route with Canucks Trevor Linden

Friday, July 15, 2011

Working my way through Mission streets, east and west Kelowna. Found a fabulous (not) hill today on Sundridge Drive overlooking the city at even a higher spot than yesterday. I was up in the tree line of a previous forest fire and now a potential new housing development...some guy in a manhole had to give me some directions back to real pavement:-)  Enjoyed the extremely fast ride downhill venturing to waterfront streets of Kelowna winding back to Quails Gate RV park via newly found bike paths. Tom later joined me for afternoon ride exploring Benvoulin, KLO roads and Mission Creek Greenway...what a gem...hard packed gravel paths following the creek and staying out of the warm 28 degree heat of the day. Had to finish day with a ride up McCurdy hill....Tom's idea!
Today's distance = 90 kms

 A small lakefront home on quiet cycling, beautiful  Hobson Street

Wed. July 13,2011

Kelowna  is one of the best places to cycle as there is such variety and committment to cyclists with cycling routes everywhere, I just love it. I am enjoying exploring the city each morning trying out different routes each time out. Rutland to Springfield and along Lakeshore drive are especially enjoyable. Best massive hill is to the top of Gordon connecting to Frost Ave..in reverse is an amazingly fast ride down..wooooooo, whoooooo!
Distance today: 51 kms 

Top of Frost looking down to Okanagan Lake

Monday, July 11, 2011

Hillary (my bike) woke up at 6am and so we headed out for an absolutely stunning ride around Skaha Lake and up the Kettle Valley Railway back to campground while little baby Travis and Tom slept. Many deer, birds, bear droppings, wild baby's breath and roses. Played tourist rest of day.

Sunday, July 10, 2011

 7 am start for a 160 km GranFondo day for Tom with 2000+ other riders through the Penticton, Naramata, Osoyoos and Skaha lake. Tom loved the ride with his buds Bill, Ahren and Troy and was very pleased with his results and Travis’ (his bike’s) performance. Highlights was all the variety of the high end bikes, riders, beautiful scenery, rolling hills and smooth pavement for the entire ride annnnnnnnnd of course the beer gardens (GranFondo ale) at the end! Sag bag Glenda waited till evening to clock 40 kms around Penticton and KVR trail. Darrell Roy dropped in for dinner on his return to the Island.

Saturday, July 9, 2011

Saturday, July 9, 2011

Family Day- Bryan, Veronica & grandbaby Addy along with their friends Jesse, Danielle, Lauren and Kyle joined us for big pre event steak dinner…mmmmmmm

Friday July 8th 2011

Wet, rainy, windy day in Agassiz...we're outta here as the mosquitoes are now the size of our trailer. Heading to Penticton to make up kms:-)

Thursday, July 8/11

I HATE Hope! Always rains and blows! In fact it blows the big one! Started flat 50 km ride with nice paved road, large shoulders from Agassiz to Hope. Then Mother Nature rains with a vengeance on our great day. Tom decides to ride back in midst of storm; Glenda waits it out and tries 3x to make trip home...gets wet, cold and almost blown off bridge into Fraser River. Tom saves me with truck, now I have some mileage to make up in Penticton:-(

Distance: 50.83km   Total Distance 153.10 km

Wed July 6/11

AM scenic ride through historic farmland Kilby and Erroch; much flooding of Harrison River and huge, mother mosquitoes with carnivorous teeth! Weather smokin:-) PM ride around farmlands of Agassiz and Kent district.

Distance 78.70 km   Total Distance 102.27 km