August 18: Savona to Kamloops, British Columbia

Happiness is a cup of morning coffee and a bite of breakfast: Steph isn't at her liveliest at dawn.

CANADA IS THE LOUDEST PLACE we have ever been in, Jürgen grumbled when I met him this morning. He pointed to scarlet plugs in his ears. He had become resigned to using them day and night.

Part of the problem was that he and Marianne had camped as close to Savona`s two freight lines as they could. We and the Germans were as far away as we could. The other problem was that Jürgen and Marianne had taken the Trans-Canada Highway to and through Revelstoke. That is the route we have been following but folk say it is at its worst in the Revelstoke area, a maelstrom of unrestricted trucks. They run from there to Kamloops but then they turn off on the faster road to the east instead of going down the Fraser Canyon. We have finished with that road. Having it taken away could turn a man to religion.

Yesterday we met a rider from Calgary proud to have logged 1,001km. He had just come from Kamloops. He told us that for us it would be downhill all the way. His memory must have been faulty. In less than 50km we clocked more than 700m of climbing.

Forget the road in the foreground: that's the modern Trans-Canadian Highway. Look up on the hill. Could that be the original road from a century back?
(Answer: No, it's not. Al Gordon, who is a stickler for historical accuracy but nevertheless has not a romantic bone in his body, writes to say that it is a failed plan to bring water down the mountain to the thirsty masses below. I ask you? Is that half as romantic?)

The old road followed us for an hour, always keeping the higher ground, crossing dips on sagging wooden bridges.

It is getting that this ride is a job rather than a pleasure. We have a task to do and we set about doing it with no expectation that we shall enjoy it. The scenery is less dry but it is far from beautiful. We shall look back at pictures and remember not how splendid it looked but how hot and dry it was. And how busy. And how noisy.

We are staying tonight with Linda Kehoe, a Warm Showers host, camping in her garden. Kamloops, being a road and rail junction, is a busy and seemingly prosperous place. We shall explore it tomorrow for this afternoon Steph made it easier to keep cool and well-mannered by having her hair cut and thinned.

There are people kind enough to read this journal who take an unusual interest in the frequency and quality of Steph haircuts. I add this information for their benefit.

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