July 6, 2016
Clearwater - Blue River, BC
Blue sky this morning! I can tell already it's going to be a good day. Oatmeal and a quart of milk for breakfast with a V-8 chaser. I should be well hydrated today.
I slept very well until someone's phone started making alert noises. Jacinto says it was my phone, but I think my phone is too dumb to make noises. I think it was his phone getting notifications. Just often enough to wake me, the phone chirped.
It was very, very nice to start out in a shirt and shorts. No rain gear at all. Oren had on three shirts and a jacket, but he's from Arkansas. Jim and Genny both had jackets on also. I wore Earbags for the cold. That was good for me.
We had 67 miles with 3,300 feet of climbing today. An average day. Overall, it felt very fast as we had a great tailwind the last half of the day or so. I was busy thinking about what great legs I have and trying not to looking at how bent over the trees were. Feeling confident is a good thing? Even if it is slightly misplaced?
We followed the North Thompson River all day, going upstream. There were some lovely rapids where the Mad River joined in.
Traffic was still moving fast, but at least there wasn't quite as much today. We stopped at a rest area and spoke with a man from Edmonton, going back to work in the oilfields. At the motel at the end of the day I spoke with a couple driving a Volvo (my favorite car), also from Edmonton.
We saw a heavily loaded cyclist going the other direction. Jacinto spoke with him. A fellow from Germany who had started in Calgary and had a ticket home from Seattle. He was camping most nights, getting a hotel every 5th night or so.
I stayed right with Oren all day, contributing to my great legs happiness. Jim and Genny were either ahead or behind, depending on when they stopped. They were interested in eating at the pub in Avola which advertised delicious hamburgers. Ken Nickelson had also endorsed their burgers. I could see a big black cloud to our left. I thought a drink at the convenience store would be more prudent. Genny was very disappointed. She was snacked out. I told them to go ahead if they wanted, but I was going to try and beat that cloud to the top.
We had a climb coming up at mile 52- 600 feet of climbing to a total elevation of 2,500. Oren and I zipped down the road, tailwind aided. Heck - this is the life! Fantastic scenery, cruising along in the big chain ring in the sunshine. As long as I ignore the black cloud that was getting larger and larger, life was grand.
Mile 52 - here came the climb - but still in the middle chainring. 100 feet, 200 feet, the Garmin kept ticking the numbers off. Wooowwwweee - look at how good I am. Those Tour de France riders don't have anything on me!
350 feet of climbing in - it starts to rain. Oren has stopped to put rain gear on. I shouted that I was going to try and beat the rain to the top. Ha. I didn't get any distance down the road before the rain REALLY started coming down. I got my coat and pogies out and headed off. Still in the middle chainring. Had I known how close the top was, I would have just kept riding. Even though the rain was crazy strong, the top was just in front of me. I crested Monashee Pass (as the man in the motel says it's called, there wasn't a name) and started down the other side. I wasn't so excited about descending in this rain, but in no time at all the rain quit. I didn't have any trouble braking, or need to brake. I forgot to mention the brand new pavement. Smooth as a baby's cheeks.
Edit - Bill Smith informed me via the guestbook that the pass is Messiter Pass - which makes more sense. I wondered why there would be two Monashee Passes so close together.
Only a few miles to town. Oren and I agreed to get a snack after we found the motel. It was on Spruce Street - off of the main drag. Away from food - how did I make that mistake? I always locate us by food. It must have been the price. $70. for a nice little room with a complete kitchen. It was a bit small.
Jim and Genny pulled up when we were done checking in. We agree on showers, food, and laundry, in that order. Oren and I walked over to the Husky station - it was further than we thought it should be. They didn't really have anything in the convenience store, but Oren didn't like the restaurant. He said it smelled like old oil. It definitely wasn't going to win any awards for being attractively decorated.
Oren wanted to get something at the C store instead. He found a bunch of sandwiches and prepackaged snack cakes. Since I don't eat wheat, I found potato chips. That's not what I want after 67 miles of riding. Even 67 easy miles. I was VERY pouty.
Genny later said she bought beef jerky, why didn't I get that.
Jacinto showed up, he didn't leave until 10 AM and didn't get wet. He had snacks so I did get more than chips. But I"m still pouty. I need an attitude adjustment and for my stupid phone to work. Yes, I need an attitude adjustment. Or maybe an adult beverage.
Then I had computer trouble with the 404 thing and the computer completely freezing.
Now we are walking to dinner. It is too far away and I'm whiny about that.
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Today's ride: 67 miles (108 km)
Total: 897 miles (1,444 km)
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