CCCT 2012 - June21/12 - Day 33

Cross Canada Cycling Tour - Thursday, June 21, 2012 - Day 33
Piapot to Swift Current, SK. Trip 111.72 Time 6 hrs 28 mins Max 42.6 kph
I managed to sleep through until 4:30 AM in spite of the "springy" mattress. I had to get up because of leg cramps. After a few minutes of "hopping" around they subsided and I was able to go back to bed. We got up at 7:00 AM. Bev was up first and warmed up the breakfast sandwiches of ham and eggs on a cheese bun that Glen had prepared for us the night before. They were very tasty. we were all packed and ready to go by 7:45 AM but couldn't figure out how to get out of the Guesthouse. The door to the "SALOON" was locked. The side entrance door at the bottom of the back stairs was alarmed and we were afraid to set it off. We could hear someone using a weed whacker out back. Finally I decided to ignore the alarm and opened the door. NO ALARM!!! I went around the front of the hotel, along the side and finally around the back and found our bikes leaning up against the back of the hotel. Glen was in the garage sorting things out. He was surprised I didn't know that we were supposed to leave by the side door. A small detail that they had neglected to tell us about the night before!!! They are new at this and still have a lot to learn.

Above 2 photos a Goshawk nest

Site of Goshawk nest along Hwy # 1

A nice painting in the WestWind Motel office

We loaded our gear on our bikes after Glen and I brought them around to the side entrance. We set off for SWIFT CURRENT at 7:50 AM. It was a beautiful, sunny and calm day (no tail wind). We stopped in Tompkins and Gull Lake, etc. We saw a little Prairie Dog doing back flips before scooting off into the tall weeds at the side of the highway. We stopped to take photos of a Goshawk nest which was about 20 yards from the side of the highway. Bev managed to start a cattle stampede. Not sure why they stampeded when they saw her coming on her bike??? While we were cycling we passed a bird's nesting area along the side of the highway. Suddenly a black bird (possibly a Grackle) started harassing us. She continued swooping and squawking at us for several hundred meters. Neither of us dared look up Then suddenly we heard a loud "SPLAT" between the 2 of us. We had been "bombed" but luckily he/she had missed or was it just a warning shot???
We arrived in Swift Current at 5:00 PM. We stopped at a DQ before checking in at the WestWind Motel. We walked to a nearby mall and bought some groceries at a CO-OP. Apparently you need a customer number in order to shop there but after we explained that we were just passing through on our cycle trip across Canada the cashier punched in a "guest code" and allowed us to pay for our groceries. There was a pub in the mall so we went in for a beer and the waitress brought over some "dry ribs" for snacking on.
We returned to our motel for a dinner of cold cuts, macaroni salad and mini cinnamon rolls. I checked my e-mail and FB and filled in my journal while Bev watched TV. She was very tired and off to bed by 9:30 PM. She was all packed and ready for an early morning departure.
Roly and Bev

CCCT 2012 - June 20/12 - Day 32

Cross Canada Cycling Tour - Wednesday, June 20, 2012 - Day 32
Medicine Hat, AB, to Piapot, SK. Trip 127.73 kms Time 6 hrs 16 mins Max 50.2 kph

Find Serbio. He is happy to be in SK

The Piapot Guesthouse & Saloon

Piapot Main St. looking West

We were up at 6:00 AM and did some packing before walking across the road to an A&W for breakfast. Afterwards we finished packing and loaded our gear on our bikes before setting off for WALSH, AB, at 7:45. Walsh is the last town in Alberta before crossing over into Saskatchewan. The motel manager, a Chinese fellow, came out to collect the room key and wish us a safe journey. He said he was "envious" of our cycling trip. It was a pleasant ride all morning. A bit overcast with a nice tail wind. We stopped along the highway at 11:00 AM for a snack before arriving at the Walsh Visitor's Center at 12:10 PM. A young guy working at the V.C. said he passed us on his way into work and he was quite impressed at how quickly we managed to cycle to the V.C. He didn't have any information on SK except to tell us there was an information center at Maple Creek 40 kms down the road. Bev went over to the nearby service station and came back with 2 delicious date squares. We sat at the picnic table outside the V.C. and ate them before setting off for MAPLE CREEK.
We stopped again after another 20 kms or so for a sandwich. There was nowhere to find shelter from the wind. We arrived at the V.C. at 1:45 PM. Bev paid $2.00 each for SK pins. We were told there were several motels in Maple Creek 10 kms south on Hwy 21 or a Guesthouse/Bar in PIAPOT 24 kms further along at $45/night. We decided to go on to Piapot. The V.C. lady called ahead to let them know we were on our way.
Just as we were about to set off for Piapot a terrific downpour started. We waited for about 15 minutes until it let up. Bev was smart to put her rain gear on. I had to stop a couple kms up the road to put my rain covers on my GPS/computer and handle bar bag. It started pouring down again with a strong tail wind. I was doing 30 + kph. Bev was having trouble keeping up. The rain stopped and Bev stopped to take her jacket off after climbing a long hill. The rain started again then stopped. We turned off the hwy for Piapot. It was a bit of a "ghost town"!!! WE found what appeared to be the Piapot Guesthouse and Saloon near a railway crossing. Nicole, the manager, came out to welcome us and help us with our bags and to put our bikes in the garage for the night.
Several people arrived just as we were checking in. Eventually Nicole was able to take us up the back stairs to show us our room. But first of all we had to get past the two dogs and the partially assembled motorcycle in the "living room/sewing room". There was no TV and the washroom was across the hall. After stowing our gear in our room we went back down to the "saloon" for a cold beer before returning to our room for a pre-dinner nap. We went back down at 6:00 PM. This time I brought my Notebook along with me as I noticed there was wi-fi. I just needed the security code to get logged on. Glen, Nicole's partner, was glad to provide me with the necessary code. I was able to check my e-mail and work on my blog while waiting for dinner. We both had delicious cheeseburgers with a BBQ sauce, fried onions, yam fries and onion rings. We had a nice chat with Nicole and Glen (who was originally from Stittsville) before going off to bed at 10:00. They usually close the bar at 8:00. The mattress was very "springy" so I found it difficult to get comfortable before finally falling asleep. Thank goodness there were no trains during the night - at least none that I heard.
Bev and Roly

CCCT 2012 - June 19/12 - Day 31

Cross Canada Cycling Tour - Tuesday, June 19, 2012 - Day 31
REST DAY
We decided to have a "Rest Day" and slept in until 8:30 AM at which time the maid came by and knocked on our door. We hadn't put out the "Do Not Disturb" sign and she didn't see our bikes outside the room so she assumed we were gone. We told her we were having a "Rest Day" because of the rain. I got up and started breakfast which was Greek yogurt, 1/2 a banana, oatmeal and hot chocolate that Bev prepared. I checked my e-mail and sent a note to Sam and Erika re arriving in Caronport in approximately 5 days. I worked on Day 20 of our blog. Sorted and packed my laundry. We had BBQ chicken sandwiches and a cookie for lunch. Worked on Day 21 of blog. Watched a movie with Cuba Gooding Jr. Had a nap from 3:30 to 5:00 PM. Checked my e-mail again and received a reply from Erika re our visit. We got ready to go out for dinner. It was overcast and spitting out. We walked over to the Country Restaurant near a PetroCan and McDs. It started pouring down with thunder and lightning while we ate our dinner. Bev had salmon with a Bearnaise sauce, baked potato and veggies. I had pot roast, red potatoes and veggies. We both asked for "Senior's Portions". There was pumpkin pie a la mode for dessert. Tea was extra. We waited half an hour until the skies cleared up and the rain stopped before walking back to our motel. There was a power failure so no TV, no wi-fi, etc. Fortunately the power came back on so after half an hour so we were able to watch TV. We packed our gear for an early morning departure. Bev made some PBJs for tomorrow's lunch before going to bed at 10:00. 
Bev and Roly

CCCT 2012 - June 18/12 - Day 30

Cross Canada Cycling Tour - Monday, June 18, 2012 - Day 30
Bow Island to Medicine Hat, AB. Trip 59.20 kms Time 3 hrs 10 mins Max 42.3 kph

Trying to outrun the storm

A view of the Alberta countryside

Clear skies again

I had to get up at 5:30 AM because of a cramp in my left outer shin. I shook it out and got back in bed. We got up at 7:00 and after breakfast I took my panniers off my bike and flipped it over so I could check my brakes. The rear disc was rubbing and needed some adjusting. I put my bike back on its wheels and re-loaded my panniers. We left at 8:30 AM for MEDICINE HAT. As we were crossing the loose gravel in the parking lot I found a Looney. Rather than cycle several hundred meters on the gravel road up to the highway we pushed our bikes across the ditch and up the grassy embankment. We hadn't gone very far (3-4 kms) when it started raining. We stopped to put our rain covers on our computers and handle bar bags. It was just a light shower which kept up for 25 + kms then cleared up and became sunny. There were no facilities in Seven Persons. As a matter of fact we only saw one person cutting his grass. His dog, a Saint Bernard Mix, decided to give chase. It came bounding down the highway and caught up to Bev who was yelling at me to stop as the dog kept coming after me. I stopped and so did the dog. It was quite friendly. By this time Bev had gotten the owner's attention and he ran to get on his Quad bike and came tearing out up onto the highway to rescue his dog named Lucy. He was quite concerned that she would get hit by a vehicle as his neighbours dog had recently suffered an unfortunate encounter on the highway. A bit we later we saw a coyote cross the highway. He stopped in the ditch to check us over. A trucker passed by and bliped his air brakes. The coyote shot off across the field like he had a rocket up his ass!!  It was like a scene out of the Road Runner. I guess this is what truckers do for entertainment!!! We certainly found it amusing. We stopped for a break at 10:00 AM and shared a banana and a granola bar. We stopped again at 11:00 for PBJs and arrived in Medicine Hat at 12:00 PM. There were several motels at the edge of town. While stopped at the side of the road discussing our options a guy in a city sweeper truck stopped to offer help. We decided to check in at the Sun-Dek Motel at $50 + taxes (reg $55). We had to wait 10-15 minutes while the maid finished cleaning the room. I walked over to a "Liquor Store" for some cold beers. By the time I got back our room was ready and Bev had already moved our bikes. After unloading our bikes I emptied one of my large rear panniers so Bev could go do some grocery shopping. I checked out the wi-fi and filled in my journal. While doing this I had the door open and a little mini ground hog came in the room. I told him to get lost as this room was already taken. He took off looking for another room. As he went along he checked out the cigarette butt pots. I later found out that he went into a room that the maid was cleaning and gave her quite a fright. Bev came back from getting groceries, put them away, showered and went off to start a load of laundry. I was feeling rather cold so got under the covers for a nap. I got up at 6:00 PM and showered. This helped to warm me up. We warmed up the BBQ chicken, that Bev had picked up at the grocery store, for dinner and had it with potato salad and a beer. I worked on Day 19 of my blog. I had trouble adding photos. Took 2 extra strength Tylenol and put some ICY/HOT cream on my shoulders and left knee. I did some reading while Bev watched TV until midnight.
Bev and Roly

CCCT 2012 - June 17/12 - Day 29

Cross Canada Cycling Tour - Sunday, June 17, 2012 - Day 29
Lethbridge to Bow Island, AB. Trip 113.94 kms Time 4 hrs 59 mins Max 37.6
In spite of yesterday's fall I was feeling much better. We were up at 6:00 AM and went over to the "OFFICE" for our free breakfast. There were only 2 other persons in the breakfast room besides the receptionist and her partner. I think they were also the new owners. I had a toasted bagel with cream cheese and jam, OJ and yogurt. I also took a carrot muffin and a hard boiled egg for later. Bev just had yogurt and a muffin and a small OJ and a hard boiled egg for later.
Once again we had a terrific tailwind, fantastic paved shoulder and perfect weather all the way to BOW ISLAND. We stopped in TABER at a McDs for egg and bacon McMuffin for me and breakfast burritos for Bev. I had to help Bev finish 1/2 a burrito. I put some salsa on it and ended up having heart burn for several hours afterwards. We passed through several small towns on the way to Bow Island but once again there were no facilities. We eventually stopped at a closed service station to get some shade and have lunch. We arrived at the Visitor's Centre in Bow Island at 2:00 PM and asked about motels, groceries, etc. There were only two motels to chose from, a convenience store and a restaurant. Not a hell of a lot going on in Bow Island. We chose the Silver Sage Motel as it also had a bar/restaurant. We could see a storm approaching from the West  so had to make a run for it. It started raining just as we arrived at the motel while we were checking in. We just managed to get our bikes in our room (without unloading our gear) before the skies let loose. It really thundered down for 15-20 minutes. Once the storm passed Bev walked back to the VC where there was a nearby convenience store but there was not much to choose from. I was able to get a wi-fi connection in spite of the motel manager telling me there was no wi-fi available. We went over to the bar for a pint of beer and asked the bar tender to put the US Open on which she obligingly did. We were the only two customers in the bar. We returned to our room and after getting cleaned up returned to the restaurant for dinner at 6:00 PM. We had been told that the restaurant closed at 8:00 PM. Bev ordered chicken with Feta cheese spinach stuffing and a wine sauce with a Greek salad, rice and  roasted potatoes. I had a garden salad and Fish and Chips with broccoli. We both had a glass of Sawmill Creek Merlot. Very nice. For dessert we shared some apple pie with a hot rum sauce and 2 scoops of vanilla ice cream. The restaurant was very busy but in spite of that we had excellent service and enjoyed our meal. We went back to our room and finished watching the US Open. It was very disappointing for Furyk who lost out to a very happy young Simpson. I was to tired to work on my blog. Also managed to get quite a sun burn on my arms and legs from being out in the sun and wind all day. Should have put some sun block on!!! Off to bed at 9:00 PM after taking my pills and putting some ICY/HOT cream on my shoulders and my left knee.
Bev and Roly

CCCT 2012 - June 16/12 - Day 28

Cross Canada Cycling Tour - Saturday, June 16, 2012 - Day 28
Fort Macleod to Lethbridge, AB, Trip 60.17 kms Time 3 hrs 7 mins Max 68 kph
I was up several times during the night because of leg cramps. Note to self: drink more water before going to bed. We were up at 7:00 AM and after a quick breakfast of Greek yogurt, oatmeal with nuts and raisins, 1/2  banana and hot chocolate we loaded our gear on our bikes and set off for LETHBRIDGE at 9:10 AM. We enjoyed a fantastic tail wind, a superb and very wide paved shoulder, etc for 40 + kms. I topped out at 68 kph on one of the downhills!!! The Alberta highways are very well maintained and free of any debris and/or road kill. The only complaint is the lack of facilities. At one point Bev had to go behind a parked semi trailer to relieve herself. I suppose if you are driving in a car this is not a problem but when cycling even a clump of trees would be helpful.
We arrived at the Visitor's Centre in Lethbridge at 11:30 AM and were able to get information on the route to Medicine Hat, motels in Lethbridge and where to find the nearest bicycle shop. My hands were quite sore so I convinced Bev that we should stop for the day and go to the bike shop and get our bikes sorted out. We ate our ham and cheese sandwiches and cinnamon rolls on the VC deck. It was quite windy and felt like it was shaking just a little to much so rather than linger we set off for Bert and Mac's Bike Shop at 12:00 PM. They agreed to replace my rear wheel broken spoke and Bev's worn brakes and clean both our drive trains (i.e. chain, rear derailleur, etc). But first we wanted to find a motel for the night and get rid of our gear. Some of the Alberta drivers are so polite that a lady unexpectedly stopped at an intersection to let us cross even though she had the right of way. I wasn't sure what her intentions were and while trying to balance on my bike I managed to topple over onto my right shoulder - the one that was almost healed!!! Let's just say that I was not amused even though she pulled over around the corner to make sure I was OK. We cycled to a  nearby Travel Lodge Motel and paid $96.++ which included the taxes, wi-fi and  a free continental breakfast. This was the "Senior's Rate". We unloaded our bikes and cycled back several blocks to the bike shop. This time we had to cycle into the wind. When you have a tailwind you don't appreciate how strong it is until you have to turn around and cycle into it. Thank goodness it was only for a few blocks.
We left our bikes for the necessary repairs/maintenance at 1:30 PM and walked over to a nearby mall. We were hoping to find an ice cream shop but found only a "food court". We had to settle for Orange Julius Smoothies. We sat near a Chinese food stall. The aromas coming from it were driving me crazy. I convinced Bev that we should get a Chinese takeout for dinner. We could re-heat it once we got back to the motel room using the microwave. She agreed. We walked back to the bike shop stopping in at a Dollar Giant store so Bev could get some new bungee cords as hers were beginning to fray. I got a birthday card for Stephanie. We went into the bike shop and could see that my bike was still on a bike stand so sat down on a nearby bench to wait for the bike mechanic to finish working on it. A short while later my cell phone rang. It was Arlyn, the mechanic who had worked on our bikes, calling to say our bikes were ready. Bev paid $41.99 for the repairs to both our bikes (I provided my own spoke) and Bev only needed her front brakes replaced. We cycled back to the motel. I put some ICY/HOT cream on my left shoulder and knee, checked my e-mail and FB and lay down for a nap at 4:00 PM. I got up at 5:00 and watched the US Open while working on my blog. Bev warmed up our Chinese takeout dinners in the microwave. I managed to get days 17 and 18 completed before going off to bed at 10:30 PM.
Bev and Roly

CCCT 2012 - June 15/12 - Day 27

Cross Canada Cycling Tour - Friday, June 15, 2012 - Day 27
Pincher Creek to Fort Macleod, AB. Trip 54.37 kms Time 3 hrs 43 mins Max 35.8 kph

Leaving the Rockies behind and heading for Fort Macleod

Waiting for my TV Dinner to heat up!!!

After having been up a couple times during the night I finally got up at 7:10 AM. Bev was still asleep. I needed to pay my gardener for looking after my garden for the month of May. I logged on to the Internet and opened up my RBC account. It was a bit of a learning experience but after about a half an hour of trial and error I think I was finally able to transfer the funds to her. Meanwhile Bev had gotten up and was busy preparing oatmeal, hot chocolate, banana and Greek yogurt for breakfast.
We finished packing and loaded our gear on our bikes and set off for FORT MACLEOD at 9:15 AM. We took Hwy 6 to Hwy 3 and cycled for about 18 kms with a tail wind then the wind shifted to a strong crosswind. Bev almost got blown over a couple of times. We managed to get as far as BROCKET where there was a gas station/convenience store that had seen better days. There was no indoor toilet so Bev had to make use of the "Go-Hut" at the side of the building. I went in to see about getting us a hot chocolate. The lady behind the counter who was busy talking on her cellphone shouted to the guy catching a few Zzzzs in the over stuffed chair "Hey Doyle!!!" He woke up with a start and I asked him for hot chocolate. He said there was coffee in the back and went back to his interrupted siesta. Since neither of us drank coffee we gave it a miss and continued on to Fort Macleod. The wind shifted again and now we were pushing into a strong gusting head wind. At least it wasn't raining.
We arrived in Fort Macleod, after stopping at 12:00 PM for a snack of a hard boiled egg, 1/2 an orange and 1/2 a granola bar, at 1:30 PM. There was a Subway and an A&W at the edge of town. We chose to have a late lunch at the A&W. The frosty mugs of root beer really quenched our thirsts.
We looked for a Visitor's Center but had no luck. We went over to Main St and spotted 4-5 motels. We chose the DJ Motel at $60 per night. After unloading our gear Bev walked over to a nearby grocery store and came back with dinner (Hungry Man Turkey TV dinners). Meanwhile I had checked out the Wi-Fi and gotten into my PJs. I had a nap from 3:30 to 5:00 before getting up at 5:30 to work on my blog until dinner time. We were able to watch the US Open and Jays ballgame. We warmed up our TV dinners using the microwave provided by the motel. Very filling. We were both quite tired so it was off to bed at 10:00 PM
Bev and Roly

CCCT 2012 - June 14/12 - Day 26

Cross Canada Cycling Tour - Thursday, June 14, 2012 - Day 26
Coleman to Pincher Creek, AB - Trip 55:09 kms Time 3 hrs 10 mins Max 53.5 kph
I was up at 7:00 AM. In spite of my stomach still feeling a bit queasy I was determined to get back on the road again. Besides Bev was starting to get "cabin fever". We had a quick breakfast of  1/2 a banana each, some Greek yogurt and tea (2 cups for me). I got Tom to open up his workshop so we could get our bikes out while Bev finished tidying up the kitchenette. We loaded our panniers on our bikes and set off for PINCHER CREEK at 9:15. Thank goodness it was downhill most of the way, with a great paved shoulder and a tail wind all the way. We stopped in LUNDBRECK at 11:00 AM for a pit stop and a break. Not a very friendly place. The shop keeper was OK though.
We arrived in Pincher Creek at 2:30 PM after pushing into a southerly headwind for 3-4 kms. We stopped at a Timmy's for soup, a roll and chocolate milk before going to the Visitor's Centre to enquire about motels, etc. We found the Blue Mountain Motel was asking $65 but I talked him down to $60 + taxes. It had a nice large room with 2 double beds. We unpacked and put our bikes in the room. There was a problem with the taps for the bath/shower. I called reception and asked that they be fixed. The manager came by with his tool box and after fiddling with them for 1/2 an hour he had them working again. I set up the laptop on wi-fi and Bev let relatives know we were in Pincher Creek. I lay down for a nap at 3:30 PM and got up at 5:00 PM. My Bell-Sympatico e-mail was working OK once again. Must have been a wi-fi router problem back at the STOP Motel? I received an invoice from my gardener for $67.80. Bev managed to contact her cousins, who live in Cardston, and they agreed to meet us for dinner at 6:30 PM in Pincher Creek.

Sherry, Bev and Darlene

When Darlene and Sherry arrived we walked across the street to the Suisse restaurant. They had brought along a family photo album with photos of their visit to Hamilton back when Bev was in a High School Band. We took some photos. Back at the motel room I checked my e-mail and sent a reply to Keith thanking him for the copper oil cans that he got at Lee Valley Tools on special for my Father's Day present. I was still feeling a bit shaky so it was off to bed at 10:00 PM.
Bev and Roly

CCCT 2012 - June 10-13/12 Days 22-25

Cross Canada Cycling Tour - June 10-13/12 Sick Days
Feeling terrible!!! Also unable to open my Bell-Sympatico e-mail. Able to see contents of Inbox but when I try to open an e-mail I get "Error on Page" message. I managed to somehow get through the night and dragged my sorry ass out of bed Monday morning in order to go across the highway to the "Medical Clinic" which opened at 10:00 AM. After registering at the main desk and waited 1/2 an hour to see a doctor. After checking me over he said I needed to go to the hospital in Blairmore, about 4 kms further down the road. On the way back to the motel we ran into the manager, Tom, who offered to drive us to the hospital. I was admitted right away and after doing some blood work and getting some x-rays waited in Emergency for an hour or so before seeing an ER doctor. She recommended I be put on an IV for 8 hours as I was extremely dehydrated. It was now 1:00 PM so this meant I wouldn't be able to go home until 9:00 PM or so. There were several emergency cases for the ER staff to deal with including a guy who came in with a heart attack. They finally decided to take him to Calgary by road ambulance but about 20 minutes later told the ambulance crew to turn around and come back to the hospital as they now were going to transfer him by air ambulance. Anyway, after 8 hours on the IV I began to feel better. Bev had gone down to the cafeteria and got some tapiocca and some jello for me. I was finally discharged at 9:00 PM and we were able to get the one and only taxi that serviced all of the 5 nearby communities to come and pick us up and take us back to the motel for $12. On the plus side I was able to watch the Canadian F1 Grand Prix on Sunday. It turned out to be a terrific race with a surprise ending. I asked the doctor for some sort of medicine to help kill the flu bug but she said I would just have to let it run it course. She did give me some pills (2) to help ease the stomach cramps so I could a decent night's sleep. The next day I went back to the drug store and talked to the pharmacist who suggested I continue taking some Imodium and Kaopectate. The ER doctor also wanted me to take a liquid iron supplement as my "iron" count was low. The pharmacist said that I should wait until I get my diarrhea problem sorted out before taking an iron supplement as it would act as a further irritant. The pharmacist also recommended that I continue drinking Gatorade but to dilute it 50/50 with water. By Wednesday I was starting to feel much better but still very weak. We decided to wait on more day before setting off for Pincher Creek, AB.
Bev and Roly

CCCT 2012 - June 9, 2012 - Day 21

Cross Canada Cycling Tour - Saturday, June 9, 2012 - Day 21
Sparwood, BC, to Coleman, AB - Trip 37.81 kms Time 2 hrs 36 mins Max 55.9 kph

Leaving BC

I had trouble falling asleep. First of all there was the noise from the room next door then the FIREWORKS started at 11:00 PM and lasted until 11:30 PM. Bev merrily slept right through them!!! Then the train whistles started. Once again there were two crossings so the engineer had to lean on his horn at both. I got up at 6:00 AM. Bev had already been up at 4:30 AM and gone back to bed. Oh Oh some diarrhea!!! Not sure where that came from. Could be the rich food plus the reaction to the 4 black fly bites on my head and one on my right arm? Put some insect bite ointment on my bites and had 1/2 a banana, Greek yogurt, oatmeal and hot chocolate in our room for breakfast.

Serbio's happy to be in Alberta

We carried our bikes and gear downstairs to the front lobby. Met a German fellow cycling from Vancouver to Chicago via the States. He had been camping for the night and was just arriving for some breakfast. I asked him if he didn't find it a bit to cold to be camping. He said he had a good sleeping bag. It started spitting so we put our rain gear on before setting off for the BC/AB border. I took some photos of leaving BC and arriving in AB. We stopped in at the Visitor's Centre in AB and got AB pins at $3 each. We also asked about motels up ahead and had a granola bar and Nestea break before setting off again. We had the wind and rain in our faces as we left the V.C. before getting back on the highway and heading East. It was lashing down quite hard. We now had a nice paved shoulder and a very strong tail wind all the way to COLEMAN. The STOP Motel was advertising single rooms @ $63.30/night. I got a double for $69 including taxes. We put our gear in our room (heater on) and bikes in the "workshop" and walked across the highway to the drug store to get some Imodium for my diarrhea. Next we checked out the Mini Mart but found nothing suitable for making our own dinner. I was not feeling very well by the time we got back to our motel room so took 2 Imodium and lay down for a short nap. After cleaning up we went across the highway for dinner. The restaurant was celebrating their "Grand Opening" and had hired a young guitarist to entertain the clientele. He was just a bit to loud for me or maybe it was just that I wasn't feeling so great. I wasn't even feeling up to having a beer and turned down a FREE Sangria. I had Butternut Squash soup and Fettucine Alfredo but couldn't eat it all. Something very unusual for me. Bev had a veal snitzel "Senior's Portion" which covered her entire oversize plate. She had no trouble polishing it off on her own. It was very windy and bitterly cold getting back to our motel room. I tried to check my e-mail but was unable to open my Bell-Sympatico mail (something about "Error on the page") and was feeling much to poorly to work on my blog. We watched TV for awhile. I had another bout of diarrhea. Took some more Imodium. Had hot/cold sweats. Went to bed.
Bev and Roly

CCCT 2012 - June 8, 2012 - Day 20

Cross Canada Cycling Tour - Friday, June 20, 2012 - Day 20
Fernie to Sparwood, BC. Trip 32.11 Time 2:06 Max 42.3 kph

View from our hostel room in Fernie

My alarm went off at 6:00 AM. I was feeling a bit sore and quite tired from yesterday's 100 K + ride. Bev agreed to have a lie-in so I reset my alarm for 7:00 AM. We got up and packed our panniers. The hostel room was quite cold. We had a Greek yogurt and half a banana each before carrying some of our panniers down to the bike shed. We had to get the key from the front desk in order to get at our bikes so we could get some oatmeal and hot chocolate. We locked up and went down to the hostel kitchen where we met the manager and a young girl who was helping with the vacuuming. I put the kettle on after filling it up. The manager invited us to have pancakes! The griddle was already warmed up. I put some batter on it. My pancake quickly burnt and stuck to the griddle. I should have put some oil on first!!! The manager scraped my sorry looking pancake off the griddle and ditched it. After cleaning the griddle she oiled it and made a couple of pancakes for me. Bev was not very hungry and was complaining of a headache!!! I reminded her of her "home remedy" for curing headaches. After cleaning up our dirty dishes we went back up to our room to brush our teeth and finish packing. We checked out at 9:30 AM.
A local stopped and pulled over in his van as we were getting ready to leave. He wanted to know where we were from, where we were headed for, etc. He had cycled across Canada way back when before .... He just wanted to reminisce about his past cycling experiences and tell us what we could expect up ahead. We finally managed to get away and cycled to the Visitor's Centre and got information about the route and motels up ahead. We had to stop to put our rain covers/gear on. The paved shoulder was quite rough.
We arrived in Sparwood at 11:45 and went over to the RBC ATM to get some cash. RBC had FREE cup cakes and hot dogs. We waited for the wind and rain to let up but that wasn't happening. We went over to the Visitor's Centre and asked about accommodation. There were only 2 choices and the 2nd choice was not highly recommended. We chose the Causeway Bay Hotel. The V.C. staff told us the rooms started at $129. It was a bit more expensive than we were used to paying but because of the nasty weather we didn't have much choice. When checking in I gave the receptionist my usual sob story about being seniors on a tight budget, etc. She came up with a room for $85 plus taxes. It was just after noon and normal check-in time was 3:00 PM so we had to wait while our room was being cleaned. While waiting Bev asked about laundry facilities but there were none available in the hotel. A few minutes later the manager came over to us and offered us a $30 voucher for dinner and said we could do our laundry across the street. Bev went in to the restaurant to get us a hot chocolate and came back with 2 free hot chocolates!!! In spite of being a bit expensive I was beginning to like this hotel.
Many people, who were entering/leaving the restaurant, stopped to chat with us and ask about our cycling trip including a couple from Orleans who lived just around the corner from where Bev lived.
At last after a wait of 2 hours the receptionist informed us that our room was ready. We had to carry our gear and our bikes up to the 2nd floor as there was no elevator. It was a very large, very nice room. Well worth the wait. We gathered all our laundry and stuffed it into one of my large rear panniers. By this time I was feeling quite hungry so we had the ham and cheese sandwiches that Bev had prepared earlier. Bev showered and dressed and went out to do our laundry and look for some groceries while I worked on my blog. Managed to get Day 12 done.
I lay down for a short nap before going down to the restaurant for dinner. Had a cold beer and steak and spaghetti for dinner. It was excellent. The $30 voucher helped pay for our dinner. After dinner we went back up to our room. It was much to cold to go "walk about".  Watched a bit of TV and did some reading. Bev was quite tired and was off to bed at 8:30 PM. I put an ICY/HOT patch on my shoulder and took a couple Tylenol before retiring at 9:30 PM.

View from our hostel room in Fernie

Bev and Roly

CCCT 2012 - June 7, 2012 - Day 19

Cross Canada Cycling Tour - Thursday, June 7, 2012 - Day 19
Cranbrook to Fernie, BC. Trip 103.68 kms Time 6 hrs 30 mins Max 42.9 kph
We were up at 6:00 AM, packed and ready to leave at 7:00 AM. We had vouchers from the motel for breakfast at the Husky Truck Stop Cafe for up to $6.99 per person. We cycled to the cafe and chose the $4.99 Senior's Breakfast of eggs, bacon, hash browns and toast. We thought we would come out ahead by chosing the $4.99 special only the tea was extra at $2.50 each!!! We still ended up having to pay $2.33 and leave a 15% tip. So much for a "complimentary breakfast".
We set off for JARRAY at 7:50 AM. We had much better cycling conditions than yesterday except for a head wind. Bev spotted several large brown birds with white heads/necks and golden beaks (Bald Eagles?)waiting to feed on a carcass. Not sure what the carcass was? We arrived in Jarray  at 11:00 AM. I called the B&B to let them know that we were going on to FERNIE. While stopped at the service station in Jarray we both went in and used the facilities. Bev bought a chocolate milk, which we shared, to go with our sandwiches.
We continued on to Fernie. We had one very tough climb to 945 m at ELKO. Very scenic. The mountain tops were covered in fresh white snow. I took several photos.

Scenery on the way to Fernie, BC

Bev & Roly with a price on their heads

Scenery on the way to Fernie (note tunnel on the right)

We arrived in Fernie at 4:00 PM. We stopped at a DQ to use the washroom and treated ourselves to an well deserved ice cream before cycling on to the Visitor's Centre. It turned out to be on the other side of town. OK if you're in a car or coming from the other direction!!! We decided to get some groceries instead. While waiting for Bev to come out I was approached by several people who were curious about our cycling trip including a "free lance journalist" who took our photos for a local publication. Also got a tip on a nearby hostel. We cycled to the hostel and paid $50 cash for a private room with bathroom on the 2nd floor. We only took the essential panniers up to our room and locked our bikes up in a shed. Our leg muscles were quite sore. They were not used to climbing stairs!!!
We cleaned up and walked over to the nearby PUB for Baby Back Ribs in a great BBQ Sauce. They went down real well with 2 cold beers. We finished the evening off with a date cake for dessert. Very yummy!!!
Before going back up to our room we checked out the hostel kitchen facilities. Very neat and well equipped. When I was checking in I asked the hostel manager about breakfast in the morning. He said they usually had pancakes but wouldn't be offering them until July when the busy season started. We decided we would make our own breakfast of oatmeal, tea, etc. The room was a bit cold so Bev quickly got under the covers and was soon off to sleep while I worked on my e-mail, etc.

Bald Eagle and carrion

Bev and Roly

CCCT 2012 - June 6, 2012 - Day 18

Cross Canada Cycling Tour - Wednesday, June 6, 2012 - Day 18
Yahk to Cranbrook, BC. Trip 69.96 Time 3 hrs 59 mins Max 47.3 kph
We got up at 6:00 AM. It was still raining. I had a banana, blueberry muffin and hot chocolate for breakfast. We put our rain gear on and set off for CRANBROOK at 8:00 AM. It was quite cold. Felt like around +2C.  We had a nice paved shoulder most of the way but had to watch out for the rumble strip. I had to stop and take my glasses off. They were all fogged up. We arrived in MOYIE at 11:00 AM very soaked and very cold. We went into the gas station convenience store for a pit stop. It was $1:00 to use the toilet but the manager waved the fee for us since we were cyclists. We both had a hot chocolate and tried to thaw out our hands and feet. We continued on to Cranbrook. Our spirits got a lift when we saw a sign for Timmy's at 11 kms. We arrived at the Visitor's Centre at 1:00 PM and went in to ask about motels and what to expect on the way to Fernie. Not much in the way of facilities. Just a B&B in Jaffray. I got the address and phone no. in case we needed to call them.  Also, the weather should be much better tomorrow. The VC staff told us there was a motel about 1 km further down the road with laundromat facilities so we headed there. It turned out to be more like 2 kms further down the road. By the time we arrived at the Kootenay Country Inn we were both "bivering" to borrow an expression from Bev. Although it was +8C with the wind chill it felt more like -2C. Managed to get a room for $55 (reg. $ 65) with free breakfast and wi-fi. We quickly unloaded our bikes but had to change rooms as the bed had a broken leg. I was already in the shower trying to thaw out when Bev came back with the key to the room next door which was much larger. We were able to easily get our bikes in the new room. After transferring all our gear Bev quickly got into the shower and tried to warm up. She then went off to a nearby grocery store while I hooked up to the Internet. I had a chat with Shirley Gillette in Ottawa and my sister Marie-Jeanne in Oakville on FB. Worked on blog Day 19. After gathering all our laundry and putting it in one of my rear panniers, Bev went off to the laundromat. I lay down for a nap at 5:00 PM. Bev joined me after finishing laundry. I got up at 6:00 PM. My left shoulder was quite sore so I put an ICY/HOT patch on it. We walked over to the OFFICE and got vouchers for our "FREE" breakfast at a nearby Husky Truck Stop Restaurant. We must pay 15% gratuity!!!  Walked over to East Side Marios for dinner. We both had beers and spaghetti and meat balls @ $53.27 + tip. We returned to our motel room and watched game 4 NJ vs LA. NJ won 3-1 in O/T. Off to bed at 10:00 PM. Noisy couple in room above us with dog who kept thumping his tail on the floor!!! What a carry on. Creaking floor boards, banging doors, scraping furniture, TV blaring, etc. Didn't seem to bother Bev. I was awake until midnight!!!
Bev and Roly

CCCT 2012 - June 5, 2012 - Day 17

Cross Canada Cycling Tour - Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Rest Day
Several Trains passed during the night starting at midnight and hourly after that. Two crossings so horn blarring at each. Reminded me of the trailer park in Jensen Beach, FL, where Barrie and I stayed for several days a few winters ago. My alarm went off at 6:00 AM. It was pissing down rain which it had been doing all night. Bev moaned something about having a day off. I quickly agreed not being one that enjoys cycling in the rain. We slept in until 9:30 AM!!! It was still raining, very windy and quite cold. We had our usual oatmeal, banana and hot chocolate for breakfast. I worked on my blog while Bev watched TV. Sam, the motel manager, came by to see if we were OK and asked if we needed fresh towels. I told her there was a leak in the bathroom and there was some water on the floor. She said the shower sometimes leaked but I'm pretty sure it was coming from the toilet tank. She came back a few minutes later with a stack of fresh towels. The rain let up a bit so we decided to go out for a walk to the nearby grocery store. While paying for our groceries I remarked I could feel quite a draft coming through the doors. The cashier said they'd had a break in last night. The thieves were after the money in the ATM in spite of the ATM door being wide open to indicate there was no money in it!!! Alarms and dogs scared them off. We returned to our motel room and had sandwiches and date squares, diet coke and tea for lunch. Lay down for a nap at 1:40 PM. Sam came by again and knocked on the door and asked about paying for the extra day. I was still dressed so went to the office to pay. She took $10 off as she didn't have to come in and clean our room. I went back for my nap. Got up at 5:00 PM. Still raining. I worked on blog Day 10. I walked to gas station for some beers. Bev used microwave to warm up some Chinese food for me and a Hungry Man Turkey Dinner for herself. We watched TV. Local time appeared to be one hour ahead so I checked out time changes. I found out that Yahk is on Mountain Time i.e. 1 hour ahead. Set both our watches ahead 1 hour. We packed up our panniers for an early morning departure. Bev made ham and cheese sandwiches for tomorrows lunch. There wasn't a hell of a lot to do or see in Yahk especially when it's raining.
Bev and Roly

CCCT 2012 - June 4, 2012 - Day 16

Cross Canada Cycling Tour - Monday, June 4, 2012 - Day 16

Creston to Yahk, BC. Trip 47.10 kms Time 3 hrs 35 mins Max 44.6 kph
We were up at 7:00 AM, had our fresh laundry packed and ready to go. We walked over to the A&W for breakfast. I had an egg, sausage muffin. Bev had hers with ham and chocolate milk. Back at the room we loaded our panniers on our bikes and put our rain covers on. It was overcast and starting to spit. We cycled over to a nearby Dollar Store where I got some new bungee cords. The ones Bev had loaned me were starting to fray. I got rid of them. We cycled to the Visitor's Centre, went in and got our BC passports stamped for the 6th time and collected a collapsible plastic water bottle with carabiner.
We cycled to Yahk, BC. It was tough going - mostly uphill and a nasty head wind. The skies cleared up and the sun came out. We met Kim and Deb from Grand Forks, BC. They were travelling somewhat lighter than we were and looked to be in much better shape. They caught up to us and stopped to chat with us. They were also on their way to St. Johns but mostly camping "off road". We went our separate ways and met up again in Yahk where they had stopped for a smoke!!! and to fill up their water bottles and where we planned to spend the night. We had another lengthy chat. I checked out Kim's front pannier SURLY racks and BIG EARL pedals. I liked the idea that his front handlebar bag sat on top of his front rack similar to a rear trunk bag thus freeing up the handlebars for aero bars.
Checked into Yahk Motel at $65 + taxes per night. After unloading our bikes we cycled to a nearby grocery store to look for something to cook up for dinner, etc. We cycled back to the motel and dropped off our groceries and went in the opposite direction for ice cream. The ice cream shop had a map of the world on the outside wall and visitors/customers were invited to place a pin on it to indicate where they were from. We saw a pin stuck in the Czech Replubic so assumed it was the young couple we had met earlier on their way to Vancouver. Someone had already stuck a pin in Ottawa. On the way back to our room we stopped at the gas station and picked up a couple of beers. I checked out the wi-fi. It was kinda flaky. We managed to get the motel BBQ fired up and cleaned up and cooked our bratwurst weiners for dinner and had them with some cheese and bread. I worked on my blog while Bev watched TV. She was asleep by 9:15. I was off to bed at 10:00 PM

Bev and Roly

CCCT 2012 - June 3, 2012 - Day 15

Cross Canada Cycling Tour - Sunday, June 3, 2012

Balfour Beach Inn Motel (our room bottom right)

Day 15 - Balfour to Creston, BC. Trip 88.19 kms Time 5 hrs 57 mins Max 56.8 kph

Early morning view of Kootenay Bay

We were up at 6:00 AM and after a quick breakfast of instant oatmeal, Greek yogurt and Hot Chocolate we checked out at 7:30 AM. We cycled to the nearby ferry terminal and went into the bakery. I thought I'd died and gone to heaven. I remarked to Bev that if I lived nearby I'd be dead in a week. We got some date squares and a sausage roll for me. We went outside and met Pascal who had just arrived and was also waiting for the ferry. He was still camping and had taken a "rest day" hence the reason we had caught up to him. I took a photo of him. He took a photo of us and our bikes.
There was no charge for the 35 minute ferry crossing. Once we arrived in Kootenay Bay we faced a 3 km climb. We had to get off our bikes several times and do some walking while pushing our bikes up the steep uphill. The sun came out making our climb even more difficult. The entire 85 km ride to CRESTON was one hill after another. The first "Rest Area" was at 54 kms. Bev had to go in the woods to relieve herself. About 5 kms and several hills later I cycled right past the "Rest Area". I got shit for not stopping as Bev informed me she needed to go again!!! I guess I still have a lot to learn???
About 10 kms from Creston we came upon a roadside ice cream shack. I decided I needed to treat Bev to make up for my "faut pas". We both needed a break and the ice cream was delicious.

Scenery on the way to Creston

We arrived in Creston at 4:30 PM and checked in to the Hacienda Motel. I emptied one of my large rear panniers and stuffed all of our laundry in it and took Bev's sleeping bag out to let it "breathe" while she had gone over to the shopping centre to get some groceries.
We cycled into town to a laundromat and did a load of laundry. I went over to the nearby Broaster and got a cheese burger for Bev and some fried chicken for myself. I was quite thirsty and had a Brisk while waiting and a diet Pepsi to go. After folding our laundry we cycled back to the motel. Had our showers and went over to the motel bar for a beer and food. Bev was still hungry. I ordered a Pad-Thai and Bev had a noodle and veggie dish recommended by the waiter. It was very good.
It had been quite a long and difficult day. We were both exhausted and were soon off to bed at 10:00 PM

Pascal on his way to Montreal

Bev and Roly

CCCT 2012 - June 2/12

Cross Canada Cycling Tour - Saturday, June 2, 2012
Day 14 - Castlegar to Balfour, BC. Trip 82.31 kms Time 5 hrs 11 mins Max 48.3
We were up early and dressed for a rainy day. Bev made tea and instant oatmeal. I added 1/2 banana and mixed nuts and raisins to my oatmeal. We also had the muffins provided by Frank, our motel manager for breakfast. They were rather bland. We finished packing and loaded our gear on our bikes and set off for NELSON, BC, at 7:50 AM. It was overcast and just spitting a bit. My bike felt very heavy. I had touble going up inclines. After about 6 kms I stopped and checked my rear tire. It was low!!! I got my pump out and pumped it up. I went for another 10 kms and had to stop again as my rear tire was soft again. I had a slow leak!!! This was a new tire and tube which I had purchased in Christina Lake the previous day!!! I pumped it up again. At 12 kms Bev saw a sign for "Bike & Lawnmower Repair". We stopped and went up to the house and rang the door bell. A big dog started barking. Thank goodness it was inside. I was just about to give up when the "repairman" came out of the side door with his large black dog. I explained my problem and asked if he could help me fix it. He agreed to fix my flat for $10!!! I thought this was a bit excessive but under the circumstances I agreed. I had a feeling that I would end up doing most of the "fixing" myself. Once we got my rear tire off and the tube out and inflated he used the fish pond in the front yard to find the "slow" leak. I marked the spot with some chalk that came with my patch kit. I scraped the tube, put rubber cement on it, waited until it dried and applied a patch. Once again he did the water test only to find out that we had missed the hole by a cm. Took that patch off and proceeded to apply my last patch. Did the water test again. Still leaking!!! but on the opposite side of the patch this time. It was then I realized I was dealing with a "SNAKE BITE". Bev loaned me a patch from her kit and after the 3rd water test it was OK. My "Mr. Tuffy Strip" that goes between the tire and tube had a bit of a tear in it so I decided to leave it out. The tube seemed a bit oversized for the new tire but we managed to get it stuffed in and re-inflated once we got the tire back on the rim. The tire wall indicated Max PSI 88. I pumped it up and checked the PSI with my Zéfal pressure gauge. It read 90 psi. Close enough. Larry, the Russian, agreed not to charge me for the repair as I had done most of the work. He said we should look up his son, Michael, in Montreal!!!
We set off for Nelson again at 11:10 AM. We hadn't gone very far before Bev had to stop for "nature's call" and so we had a snack. We set off again. I began to feel a "thump, thump" coming from the rear tire at 32 kms. Then a BIG BANG!!! My rear tire had blown right off the rim. I pulled over to the side of the road at a driveway entrance. Fortunately there was a large sheet of plywood lying on the ground off to the side. It came in handy for placing all my gear on and flipping my bike over so I could work on my rear tire. I had to put one of my new thinner tubes in my new tire and pumped it up to 80 psi. It was now 12:30 PM so we decided to have lunch before setting off again. Bev had prepared PBJs the night before plus a hard boiled egg and an orange. We re-loaded my panniers and set off for Nelson and 1:30 PM.

Scenery on the way to Balfour, BC

We arrived in Nelson at 2:00 PM and stopped in at the Visitor's Centre to get our BC passports stamped and to get information on the Balfour/Kootenay Bay Ferry, etc. We cycled to a nearby mall and Bev went into Save On Foods for groceries for snacks, breakfast and lunch. We cycled to the edge of town where we saw a DQ. It was a hot day so we decided to treat ourselves to an icecream cone. We cycled along the river to BALFOUR, BC, another 34 kms of quite hilly, winding, light traffic road. Very scenic. We arrived at the Balfour Beach Inn at 5:30 PM just ahead of a huge thunder and lightning storm.

Sergio enjoying a "mini-pint" or two

I went in to the Pub/Rest to ask about a room. A guy at the bar said the rooms were around $100. I asked for something around $80??? He went off to check with the owner and came back with $75  for a nice room overlooking the Bay. We unloaded our bikes and no sooner did we have our gear and bikes in the room did the skies open up. What a terrific storm over the Bay. It was over in 1/2 an hour so we were able to walk back over to the Pub/Rest for a cold beer and dinner. I asked the waitress "Marguarita" what was on draft. I didn't recognize any of the beers so she came back with a couple of mini-pint samplers. We both chose the lighter lager and Fettucini Alfredo with Chicken. We watched the hockey game LA 2 vs NJ 1 in O/T. We had a nice chat with a couple at the next table who assured us we would have a nice ride down to Creston tomorrow once we managed to get up the 3 km climb after getting off the ferry. Also it promised to be a nice sunny day with calm winds. They planned to go out on the Bay to do some fishing.
We returned to our room where I worked on my blog before going off to bed at 10:00.
Bev and Roly

CCCT 2012 - June 1, 2012

Cross Canada Cycling Tour - Friday, June 1, 2012
Christina Lake - Paulson Summit - Castlegar, BC. Trip 41.25 kms Time  1:33:55 hrs Max 52.2 kph

Bob of Wild Ways in Christina Lake, BC

Since we weren't being picked up until after lunch we slept in until 8:30 AM. I had tea, oatmeal, Greek yogurt with nuts and raisins and 1/2 a banana for breakfast. Did some packing and checked e-mail. I called Doris using my cellphone to appoint her as my representative for the "reading of the will". I left a voice mail on her cellphone. I then  called home and spoke to MJ. I told her I would like to have Doris represent me. She said I should confirm this in an email which I did.
I worked on my blog. Re-did May 24th and added 2 photos. We had warmed up quiche for lunch. Bob, from Wild Rides, called at 12:15 PM to say he would be around to pick us up in 1/2 an hour. We finished packing and put all our gear and bikes out front ready to be loaded in Bob's large 12 passenger van.

When Bob arrived, Peter the motel manager, helped lift our bikes up onto the large roof rack while Bev and I loaded our gear in the back of the van. Bob then drove us up to the PAULSON PASS (El. 1535m) and dropped us off. We were only to happy to pay him $50. After unloading our bikes and our gear and loading our bikes Bob wanted a photo for his Website. We were glad to oblige. I also took photos of Bob and his Van and the Paulson Summit sign.
We put our warm gear on and set off for CASTLEGAR. It was pretty well downhill all the way. I noticed a slight wobble coming from my rear tire!!! Not sure what that was all about. Our average speed was 26.35 kph usually it's in the low teens!!! We still had to stop a couple times to get the blood flowing in our hands and butts because of the constant braking.
I got a little ahead of myself when last working on my blog so am having to backtrack a bit.
We arrived in Castlegar at the Visitor's Centre at 3:00 PM and went in to get out BC passports stamped and to ask about the route to the BALFOUR FERRY and motels, etc. We cycled to the Flamingo Motel after picking up Bev's bike which had fallen over in the parking lot. We also had to put her chain back on. We managed to get a nice room at $75 (reg $85). After settling in and changing we walked 3 + kms to the "FAIR". We had to ask for directions as there were no signs to point us in the right direction!!! It was just out of sight around the corner a couple blocks away.
We had both worked up quite an appetite from the ride down from the Paulson Summit and the walk. There were all sorts of vendor carts selling a variety of fast foods from A to Z. I chose roast beef, cheese and tomato on a bun with Yam fries. Bev just had Yam fries. There was a concert about to start but we were more interested in getting back to our motel room. We were facing a long uphill walk and there didn't seem to be much in the way of public transportation. We asked a few people about the bus schedule and one person even looked it up on her i-phone. It seems we had just missed the last bus at 6:30 PM. She offered to drop us off at our motel. We gratefully accepted but asked to be dropped off at a nearby Pub as we wanted to get a pint of beer before retiring for the evening.
I've forgotten the name of the Pub but it sure had an interesting collage of T-shirts and Jerseys from the 4 corners of the world decorating every inch of available space on the walls and ceiling. I took a couple photos. We then walked a short distance back to our motel where I was able to check my email and FB.
Frank, the manager, came by with 2 rather pathetic looking muffins for our breakfast. We watched a 2 hour episode of "TOUCH" while I worked on DAY 25 of our journey. Then it was off to bed at 10:30. Had trouble falling asleep. The bed was quite uncomfortable.

Pub in Castlegar

Bev and Roly

CCCT 2012 - May 31st

Cross Canada Cycling Tour - Thursday, May 31st
Day 12 - Greenwood to Christina Lake, BC. Trip 74.65 kms Time 4 hrs 22 mins Max 55.9 kph

This picture needs no explanation!!!

The Bakery in Greenwood with a cool 55 Chevy out front

I woke up at 2:30 AM and suddenly realized that I hadn't turned off my GPS and plugged it in to charge it before going to bed last night. I got up to go to the bathroom and turned off my GPS and plugged it in. When I went back to bed it was raining steadily. I thought, let it rain, as long as it stops before we set off in the morning. We were up at 6:00 AM and since we didn't have anything for breakfast decided to cycle into town to the bakery for our breakfast. I had hot chocolate and ham and scrambled eggs on a toasted Kaiser bun. Bev had the same. We also got a rather large cinnamon/pecan/honey glazed bun to go. Bev put it in her handle bar bag. We cycled back to the motel and finished packing, loaded our gear on our bikes and set off at 8:00 AM for Grand Forks. We hadn't gone very far before Bev wanted to stop. Without asking she got the cinnamon bun out and started eating. It was still warm from the oven and the smell of it was driving her crazy!!! Very unlike Bev to just have finished eating breakfast and to want to have something else to eat so soon afterwards.
It took us 1 hour and 20 minutes to reach the EHOLT summit at 1033m or to cycle 15 kms. Afterwards it was a steady decent all the way into GRAND FORKS. I took the time to mount my camera on my handle bars using my Gorilla Pod and shot a video part way of our decent. We arrived in G. F. at 11:00 AM and stopped at the Visitor's Centre to ask about the route and what sort of facilities we could expect on the next climb. We were told that the PAULSON summit was a very difficult climb and that we could get a ride to the summit from Bob who ran a company called Wild Ways in Christina Lake. We called Bob and he said he would drive us up to the summit for $50. We both agreed that this was a rather good deal and would definitely be better than killing ourselves trying to cycle up the 1535m Paulson Pass.
When we came out of the Visitor's Centre we met Pascal from Montreal who was also cycling as far as Montreal and possibly on to Newfoundland. He was on his own and mainly staying at camp sites. He asked about our cycling experiences so far and was amazed that we had managed to cycle up the Anarchist Pass. We had a picnic lunch before setting off for Christina Lake where we would contact Bob at his shop there.
We arrived in C.L. at 2:00 PM and rather than go up to the summit so late in the afternoon decided to spend the night in C.L. Bob offered to do any necessary "maintenance" on our bikes. Since I was still having trouble with my rear derailleur I asked him to check it out. I also needed to replace my rear tire as I was very uncomfortable riding on my skinny spare tire which had a small split in the side wall.
We went off to check in to a motel just around the corner that Bob had recommended which was a bit more expensive than I preferred at $74. I managed to talk him down from $84 I think. We quickly unloaded our panniers and stored them in our room. It was a very nice room with full kitchen facilities. We then cycled back to Wild Ways and Bob took my bike down to the basement workshop to work on it. He put it up on a bike stand and spun the front wheel. He informed me that my front hub also needed attention as he could feel a rumbling coming from it. When I put my hand on the frame of my bike I to could feel a slight rumbling. So now it was the rear derailleur, front hub, rear tire and a cleaning of the chain. By the time this trip is over I'm going to have a fully rebuilt bike.
Bev and I left my bike in the capable hands of Bob and went off to do some grocery shopping. We walked for 15-20 minutes to the nearest grocery store, bought some food for our supper and for breakfast, etc. It was now time to go for a cold beer. It was pouring rain!!! A lady, standing in line behind us, at the check out counter offered to give us a lift. Like an idiot I said we were just going up the road a bit to the pub for a beer and it wasn't really necessary to give us a lift. We got thoroughly soaked!!! Oh well, all the more reason to have a second beer while we dried off and waited for the rain to let up.
Eventually the rain stopped, the sun came out, and so we walked back to the bike shop. My bike was ready. It only cost $143.25 for the repairs and a new tire and tube. Bob agreed to pick us up after lunch tomorrow and take us up to the Paulson Summit. We would have preferred earlier in the day but he had a couple of meetings to go to.
I cycled back to the motel while Bev walked. On the way she stopped at the corner ice cream stand and got some ice cream to go with the strawberry/rhubarb pie which she had bought earlier at the bakery shop across from the bike shop. Once back in our motel room I helped Bev prepare dinner. We had pork chops done up in fried onions with mushroom soup and mashed potatoes and, of course, you already know what we had for dessert.
After cleaning up I worked on my blog. My notebook froze when I tried to add a photo. Lost everything!!! I was not a happy camper. To frustrated to start over. Watched TV until 11 PM and then was off to bed.
Bev and Roly

Could have used some of this "Singer" power while going up the hills

Posted in Sparwood, BC on Friday, June 8th, from the Causeway Bay Hotel

CCCT 2012 - May 30th

Cross Canada Cycling Tour - Wednesday, May 30th
 Day 11 - Rock Creek to Greenwood, BC. Trip 36.44 kms Time 2 hrs 11 mins Max 43.5 kph
We were both very tired from yesterday's ride over the Anarchist Pass so when the alarm went off at 6:00 AM I reset it for 7:00 AM and promptly went back to sleep. When I finally got up at 7:00 AM every joint and muscle in my body was aching. Bev boiled some water using a camp stove which she set up on a stool outside our room and made us a cup of tea and some instant oatmeal for breakfast. We shared a banana. I put some mixed nuts and raisins in my oatmeal to pad it out a bit and also had a Greek yogurt. I made myself a PBJ while Bev made a ham and cheese sandwich for lunch. We finished packing our panniers and loaded them on our bikes. We then set off for Greenwood, BC, at 9:00 AM.
On our way to Greenwood, we met a young couple from Czech Rep, Philip and Irena, who were cycling in the opposite direction to Vancouver. They were on mountain bikes and Philip was pulling a 2-wheel trailer behind his bike. They were worried about cycling over the ANARCHIST pass!!! Of course we had to boast about how we had managed to do it in 7 hrs and were still alive to tell about it.
We made a pit stop in Midway and treated ourselves to a cold drink and a granola bar. We met a few "old timers" sitting outside the General Store and one of them remarked that he had passed us on the highway. Bev asked him "Why didn't you stop and pick us up?" To which he replied "I was going the other way!!!" After some very encouraging words we continued on our way to Greenwood. We saw a large deer at the side of the road. I slowed down just in case it decided to run in front of us which it did. It ran across the highway and gracefully jumped over a 4 ft (1 m) high fence. As we approached the outskirts of Greenwood we saw hat after hat on the fence post. There must have been over a hundred of them!!! We asked at the VC what the meaning of all the baseball caps on the fence post was? She said they belonged to the person who bought the property and that he was using them to "mark his property". Very strange!!! While in the VC we also got our BC passport stamped and asked about motels, etc.
We sat outside at a picnic table and had lunch before going on to check out the motels. The 1st motel was $69, the 2nd motel was $60 and the 3rd motel was $55 plus $5 to do our laundry (no folding) and wi-fi. We gathered our laundry and gave it to the motel manager. I checked out the wi-fi. It was then that I learned that my Mom had passed away the previous day at 9:30 AM on Tuesday, May 29th with my sister Theresa at her side. The motel manager had told us that if we needed to make any long distance calls in Canada we should dial 82 plus the number and it was free. I was able to call home to let my brothers and sisters know that I was aware that our mother had passed away. It was sad moment but fortunately Bev was there to lend me some moral support.
We waited some time for the motel manager to return our laundry. Finally when it still hadn't arrived Bev went to check on it and found that it was still going around in the dryer. The manager had stepped out to give someone a lift into town and hadn't told his wife about it. After folding and putting our laundry away we cycled back into town to have a beer at the SALOON then dinner next door at the Pacific Grill. We had an excellent meal. We cycled back to our motel instead of going back to the saloon to play some pool as I wanted to work on my blog. I put an ICY/HOT patch on my left shoulder and Bev put some antibiotic cream on her knee and put a gauze bandage over  it. Took a couple of Tylenol and was off to bed at 10:00 PM.

Restaurant deck back at Rock Creek

When we returned to the motel we went in to the little store by the office to buy some groceries for tomorrow's lunch. Bev picked a couple of mandarin oranges from a basket in the fruit section. When she went to pay for them the manager said there was no charge as they were the children's for school. He just kept them in the fridge.

CCCT 2012 - May 29th

Cross Canada Cycling Tour - Tuesday, May 29th
Day 10 - Osoyoos, BC, to Rock Creek, BC. Trip 55 kms Time 4 hrs 46 mins Max 63.1 kph
We were up at 6:00 AM in order to tackle the ANARCHIST pass which has a summit of 1233m. We had instant oatmeal with fruit & nuts and banana and Greek yogurt for breakfast. After cleaning up and packing our gear on our bikes we set off for Rock Creek at 7:45 AM. Again there were no facilities on the way just a lot of great scenery but when you are climbing at 5 to 6 kph it's hard to appreciate the beauty of nature all around us. We had to stop many times to rest and walked quite a bit. The first 8 kms was an 8% grade! Many people stopped to talk to us and encourage us. Once we reached the summit after 7 hrs of climbing for 30 kms we had to put on our jackets and warm gloves for the descent.
A resident of Bridesville, BC, must have heard about us coming up the Anarchist and drove out in his VW Rabbit to invite us to stop by at the "red barn" in Bridesville for coffee. We had to get off the highway to pass through Bridesville (pop. around 46). I think there were more dogs than people as we managed to get everyone of them barking as we passed by. He was there waiting for us and came out to the street to greet us. We stopped and chatted for awhile but in the end politely declined his invitation to come in for coffee and see his new born baby. He even offered us accommodation for the night!!! Just a very friendly former Ontario resident.
We pushed on to Rock Creek and arrived at 3:00 PM very exhausted but quite satisfied that we had managed to conquer the Anarchist pass. I went into the Trading Post to ask about accommodations. The manager was busy serving customers lattes or some such concoctions. A customer suggested the Goldpan Motel which was part of the "truck stop" service station. We went over to the Goldpan and asked about the cost of a room for the night which was $65 - no wi-fi. The only wi-fi available in town was at the Trading Post. There was another hotel across the street and down a lane called the Rock Creek Hotel. It looked like it had been there since the "gold rush" days. I went in to ask about a double room for the night. It was $44.60/night with no TV and shared washroom down the hall. We decided we'd already had a rough enough day so returned to the Goldpan and checked in there for the night. I managed to talk the manager down to $60.
While I got settled in Bev walked up the highway to the PetroCan for some groceries for breakfast and lunch tomorrow. I was quite fascinated by the Rock Creek Hotel and convinced Bev that she should walk back over there for a cold beer. We found a quiet sheltered spot to sit out on the rear deck by the river side. There were multi-flower baskets and bird feeders hanging from the open roof. There were numerous species of birds at the feeders including GrossBeaks, Finches, Sparrows, Humming Birds, etc and a couple Lewis Woodpeckers which according to the hotel manager are quite rare. They were nesting in a tall tree that had been hit by lightning and was partially dead. We both ordered mushroom bacon cheese burgers with lettuce and tomato and mayo and the best home cut fries plus a couple of pints of beer for $42.50. Suddenly all the birds disappeared. The hotel cat was on the prowl. He certainly looked well fed!!!
After dinner we walked to the PetroCan for icecream. Ah but the icecream shop was closed!!! We ended up getting a "drumstick" out of the freezer in the gas station convenience store. On the way back to the motel we passed by the Trading Post which was already closed so no wi-fi.

Damn that hill!!!

Should have packed a bit lighter???

Rare Lewis Woodpecker

Grosbeak(sp)

Back in our room Bev wanted to watch TV but there was "no signal". Bev went over and got the manager who came over and checked the outdoor cable connections then came in the room and using a 2nd remote which was still on the bedside table she turned on the TV and voila we now had a "signal". Bev was very tired and was off to sleep by 8:00 PM!!! I did some reading and was soon off to bed myself at 9:00 PM.