The first day. I rode too much...
Woke up at 6:30. Though I woke up a couple of times, I slept pretty well. (For the last 3 nights I couldn't sleep because of jet lag) After packing for the last time, I finally left Vince's place at 8:05.
The road was crowded from Clarke Road to Highway 7. There was a nice shoulder as soon as I got on highway 7, but there were so many gravel I tried to ride along the white line. There was nothing much between Port Coquitlam to Maple Ridge, and after passing Maple Ridge, I didn't see any town till I got to Mission. I've heard some Japanese cyclist say you will be terrified when there is nothing around, but I didn't feel like that. I got a little bit scared for sure, but I was rather happy to get out of artificiality. That was the feeling you don't have around my hometown.
Took my first big break at Mission. I bought some food and Gatorade at Seven Eleven. I felt strange... It was just like Japan!
After passing Mission, there was nothing! I saw some lumber mills and cowsheds, but that was it. Traffic got lighter too.
When I rode about 70 km, I found a small restaurant in Deroche, where I took my first lunch. It tasted pretty good, but people there looked a little bit cold. They seemed to wonder where I am from and what I am doing.
Everything went well till I got to Aggassiz. I got spring water on the way. From there to Hope the terrain was completely flat. Then I was getting a sore butt. (I found out later it was skinned.)
As soon as I got out of Highway 7 and got on Highway 1, there was a big hill. Two guys in a convertible honked me when I was climbing the hill. At first I thought it was "get out of my way" honk, but I understood it when they waved at me. I got really touched, because that was unthinkable in Japan!
But when I was climbing up the hill, my knee started to hurt. I managed to ride on, but I almost cried. I found a gas stand just before Emory Creek, and I got some food for dinner.
Got to Emory Creek at 5. When I got off my bike, I could hardly walk because of sore knee. I tried every way to relieve the pain, but nothing worked.
Called Carolyn at 10:30. It was nice she remembered me. She said she is going to Victoria and coming back home Saturday morning. I went to bed at 11, wondering if I should go on or stay in Kamloops to see her.
Woke up at 5:30, but eventually got up at 6:30.
Left Emory Creek at 8:10. My knee seemed to have gotten better, but it didn't. Especially after pedaling for 10 km, it hurt even more. Got water at Yale. After leaving Yale, things were really miserable. Sore knee, sore butt, rain... I wondered what I was doing this stupid trip for, and I really wanted to quit it and go back to Vancouver. But I still have 42 days, so I tried not to think about it.
After a while, I met tunnels. Though I'm used to going through tunnels, but they were really scary. There wasn't any shoulder in it, and lots of big trucks passed me by. I got some "get outta my way!" honks too.
I came across road construction too. It slowed me down, but it was a nice "excuse" to have a break.
I arrived at Hell's Gate around 11, and saw lots of tourists. I wanted to stop there, but as I couldn't go fast because of sore knee, I kept on going.
I took lunch at Boston Bar. My knee hurts so much I took a painkiller for the first time, and decided to see what would happen. It didn't work soon, but as I pedaled, it worked like a miracle! My average speed went up to more than 20 km/h, while it was around 16 km/h before I took a pill.
Today was a day of hills. I haven't climbed so many hills in one day in my life. (I found later it was the hardest part in this trip. Climes were actually more than that of the Rockies!) To make matters worse, my front deraileur didn't work well and I got off my bike every time I put the gear into the inner. It made my hand black, needless to say.
At about 20 km after Boston Bar, there was a biggest hill of this trip, or I should say, in my life. The ascent was around 10 % or even more and it lasted for 2.5 km. I usually try not to get off my bike during going uphill, but this time I did. After this uphill, there wasn't any big uphill like this.
Got in Lytton around 3:00. I went to Visitor info, and then bought some food in a supermarket. The clerk was embarrassed when I tried to pay by traveler's check, but she accepted it.
The girl in the visitor info said the road is mainly downhill, but there were some hills. But generally they were nothing serious. A train driver honked me and waved at me. I don't know how much I got inspired by him. When I started the trip, I thought I would do this on my own, but he reminded me of the fact that I'm supported by many people, financially, physically and mentally.
It cleared up after I left Lytton. It was the first sun I saw since I came to Canada. I got to campground around 5:30. There was nothing except for beautiful river, pit toilet and a pump. But that was I had expected for Canada. I went to sleep around 10. I can't wait to get to Kamloops!
Woke up at 5:25. Left the campground at 7:25.
Though the road was not very easy and there were some prolonged hills, it was very comfortable. I had a nice tailwind, and the landscape was just beyond description! In addition, it was my first day to start with the sun!
It took me only 30 minutes to get to Spences Bridge, where I bought and Halls. (it played an important part later in the Rockies!) There were nothing much till I got to Cache Creek. I was happy when I first got out of artificiality, but now I feel fine every time I see a town.
I got to Cache Creek around 10:30, and bought some food and coke. As soon as I left there, there were long uphill, and the wind turned into cross wind. The terrain was not bad after then, though I got bored with the landscape. Yesterday all I saw was trees, river and cars, but now all I see is only farm and cars. Will Saskatchewan and Manitoba be like this?
I stopped at a nice place called "Ghost of Walhachin." I put on sunscreen for the second time today, but by that time the sunlight was so strong I've gotten a NICE suntan.
It was already 1 O'clock when I got to Savona. I ate a hamburger, and bought a bottle of Coke.
From Savona to Kamloops, it was as hard as yesterday, or even harder. There was an uphill that last for about 3 km, and after then there were lots of smaller hills.
After a while, I noticed something important --- I had only half a bottle of water! There were still more than 20 km to go, and in addition hills got steeper! Also the heat was incredible for Canada. Then I found I had half a bottle of Coke I bought in Savona. I drank some only to get thirstier. Only hope I had was some houses along the way, but I decided not to rely on them. Just before I drank up all the water, a miracle happened. There was a gas stand in the middle of nothing! It was just a gas stand, but it looked like heaven for me! I don't really believe in the presence of the God, but this time I did. Anyway, I bought 2 bottles of water, and I drank up half a bottle.
I finally got to Kamloops around 4. I went to visitor info and got a map of the city. (It was one of the nicest visitor info during my trip.) After then I went to a cycle shop called Spoke 'n Motion to look for a bike flag. I couldn't find one, but instead I bought a cycling shorts.
I arrived at Brown's around 5. It was nice they recognized me. I took shower for the first time. I haven't taken such a nice shower in my life! I drank a beer for the first time too, but it made me fall asleep while watching a video. I guess I was really tired. I went to bed, not sleeping bag at 11:30.
Woke up at 7:30. It seems like my lifestyle has changed.
I was so bored I thought about my trip plan. I've decided to stop at Salmon Arm, Revelstoke, Glacier National Park, and Golden, but I'm not sure if I can go like that.
I studied accountancy till 10:30 (because I would have exams as soon as I got back home) and then went to Riverside Park to see an e-mail friend of mine. I got back to Brown's around noon.
I talked to Carolyn's sister, Leslie for a while, and followed her to her friend's place. We watched a video there, but I fell asleep again.
I got back around 4, but it's still outrageously hot outside. I just can't believe I biked in this heat yesterday.
My knee still hurts, but the pain has moved from knee muscle to knee joint. I hope this will soon go away.
Carolyn came back this night. It was nice seeing her again.
We went to Boston Pizza, and she treated me. I didn't feel good about that, because I drank two beers...
Woke up at 7:30. After breakfast, I studied accountancy again.
Carolyn gave me a ride to downtown, where I tried to look for bar tapes. I bought a pair at Java cycle. It seems like road bikes are not really popular around here.
Got back to Brown's around noon. I talked with her youngest sister, Jennifer. I wished I could become younger!
Carolyn got back home around 4:30, and I talked with her father over beer.
After dinner we went to see a soccer game. Unfortunately Carolyn's boyfriend's team didn't win.
We went back home and stayed there for a couple of hours, drinking beer and stuff. At 11:30, we went to night club. By that time I was tipsy. Carolyn's boyfriend, Dylan paid for the admission for me, and her friend Joey treated me a beer. They were really nice. I met a guy called Kevin when I was drinking, and he kept saying I should pick up a girl. I wished I could, but I must leave tomorrow.
We got back home around 2:00. I'm not sure if I can really leave tomorrow. I feel like staying here, but I must go on...
Got up at 6:30. Thanks to alcohol, I slept really well. I tried to eat breakfast, I couldn't eat a lot. I guess it's because I'm sad about leaving deep in my heart. I could have left there by 7:30, but I tried to make excuse to stay there for my self. I finally left there 8:50. Last time I came here, I didn't feel really sad when leaving, but this time I feel really sad. It was partly because I was going into the tough world, and I'm not sure if I will ever come back to Kamloops. (I'd very like to, though) When I come back to Japan, I have only a year and a half at my university, and after then I won't have any vacation as long as this. I hate Japanese society, where you should work, work and work all the time, but I know I should accept it. That's how Japan has grown to be one of the economically biggest countries, and otherwise I wouldn't be able to do this trip.
Anyway, everything went well after I left. Though the terrain is flat for a while, I met road construction. There were only 2 lanes, and no shoulder at all. And traffic was pretty heavy for Sunday. There were fewer trucks, but more personal vehicles instead.
I took a break at Pritchard, and after then I didn't eat anything till Sorrento. I still had sore knee, and today my left knee has started hurting.
Around 11:30, when I climbed up a pretty big hill just outside of Chase, I saw two girls running down the hill. I wondered who they were, but it was Leslie and Pam. I was really happy to see them again, and my knee pain went away when I got off my bike to talk to them. I met two other girls on the top. They said they were going to Scotch Creek. We talked about meeting up there, but I gave up going there when I went off the highway for 5 km. Now I think I should have gone there.
After Surrento there were many hills, but they were better than those between Hope and Kamloops.
Around 3, I got to Salmon Arm. I tried to find visitor info, but I couldn't. I went to Canadian Tire, and finally found a bike flag. I hope this will work. I bought food at Safeway, and I went on. There was a tough hill just after the city center, but soon I found a campground for tonight. It cost me as much as 16 dollars and it totally sucked except for a nice shower. People around looked weird, and I didn't have anything to do around here. Maybe I should study but I don't feel like it.
I met a couple in the next site, and the girl was Japanese! She was the first Japanese person I met in person on my bike trip. We talked for a while, and went to bet around 11.
Woke up at 6:25. I took shower to get money's worth. I left there at 8:25.
Since I climbed lots of hills around Salmon Arm, I was prepared for bigger climbs. But it turned out there were no serious hills, and most of those hills were less than 5%. I was even able to keep 15 km/h.
My knee started hurting after a while, but my pain went away soon. I really wonder what this pain is.
When I pedaled about 30 km, I got to Sicamous. I went to a grocery store and bought bananas. To my surprise the manager was Korean. I hadn't expected to see any Asian out of Vancouver and Kamloops. I asked him everything, like what the road is like. He also said he had seen some people running across Canada, and one of them had been Japanese. I don't think I could ever do that!
From Sicamous the terrain was mainly flat. In some part there were four lanes, and the landscape was beautiful. Around 11:30, I stopped at a tourist attraction, where I met a guy from Argentina with a big cart. He was the one I saw in a newspaper in Kamloops who was running across Canada. It was really inspiring to see him. He left there soon, but I stayed there for half an hour. I bought a patch of BC, and decided to collect ones of every province.
Soon after I left there, I found a restaurant, where I ate lunch. It tasted not bad. Just then I saw a couple getting out of a car, who turned out to be the couple I met last night! We promised to meet up at KOA in Revelstoke.
When I went for an hour or so, I met the Argentine guy again. He said he was going to check out the tourist attraction there. Since I had lots of free time, I followed him. The place is called Enchanted Forest, and there were lots of characters in fairy tales. It was really interesting, especially three monkeys saying no seeing no listening no saying. It was just the same with the ones I saw in Japan.
I left there around 2:30. From there were some hills, but generally they were not as hard as yesterday. It got a little bit cold too. I guess I got some elevation.
I got in Revelstoke before 5. I went to A&W, where I ate dinner. I'm not a big fan of junk food, but sometimes it's good. After dinner I went to visitor info, and I asked if there was any internet cafe. Fortunately there was one, and I checked e-mails for the first time on my trip. Also I checked out some homepages about cross country bike trip, and I found I'm going on the same pace with Tour du Canada despite the 2 rest days . If I keep this pace, I might be able to get to Montreal!
I went to grocery store to buy some food for breakfast, and left for KOA. I took a wrong way, and it took me some kilometers until I notice that. When I got into KOA, it was full of campers. It looked different from campsites I have stayed before. Swimming pool, grocery store--- it was just like a hotel without rooms. I found Dee and Minako (the couple I met last night) after a while, and we stayed in one site. They gave me dinner, and it was great though I was a little bit full.
Tomorrow is the first day to go over the Rockies. I'm not sure if I can, but I'll give it a try anyway.
Day 8, Tuesday, July 21st
Revelstoke (8:25)---Golden (8:30 mountain time)
148 km + 6.8 km extra ride in Golden, total 816.8 km