1998 - The Big Rockies Cycle Part 1

 The Rockies Cycle (or) Shuswap to Radium to Jasper to Barriere to Shuswap
Ken and I did the trip in the reverse direction in 1996. If you want to read about that trip go to the blog for 1996.
My Flickr site for more pictures - 

Done anti clockwise this time.

We included Golden to Radium Hot Springs to Lake Louise.  We didn't camp at Mt. Robson but went on to Valemount from Jasper.

Day 1 (Celista to Sicamous - 107km, 20 km/hr)

The campsite in Golden

We started on August 2, 1998 and knew that our first days would be hot. Terry prepared us coffee and muffins and were away by 6:30, but by Salmon Arm it was very hot. Cycling up the hill on the east side of town was no fun at all. The cycle to Sicamous would be very enjoyable if it were cool, but the heat made it something to just get over with. We stayed at the Homestead campground about 6 km east of town and listened to loud music in the heat and humidity until the wee hours of the morning. It was days later that we found out about the small forest fire south of Salmon Arm that had become an inferno that threatened the whole town.  Day 2 (Sicamous to Revelstoke - 75 km 20 km/hr) Dale, Chuck, Keith Headwinds greeted us on our way to Revelstoke, especially from Three Valley Gap. On crossing the bridge at Revelstoke, I noticed a sidewalk, but then thought a bridge support blocked it in mid span. In disgust and haste, I dropped my heavily laden bike back down on the roadway and immediately I broke a spoke on my rear wheel. After walking my bike a short distance across the bridge, I saw that the bridge support did not block the sidewalk, and went back to go across the bridge on it, rather than walk on the narrow bridge! After replacing my spoke, we found out that the municipal campsite was back on the opposite side of the bridge anyway, and we went back, pitched our tents, and tried to relax in the shade. The incident with the broken spoke shook my complacency about breakdowns and made me realize how quickly and easily things can happen that stop your cycling cold. I wondered if everybody had replacement spokes for their bike. I had one spare left! Day 3 (Revelstoke to Roger's Pass to Donald Station/Golden) Up at 4:15, breakfast at Denney's, and we were on the road by 6:00! Within 20 kilometers, I heard another "Ping!" Another broken spoke - on the freewheel side of my rear wheel no less. With Ken's help we replaced it with my last spare spoke and carried on to Canyon Hotsprings with a very big worry that there was something seriously wrong with my back wheel, regardless of the fact that I was able to true it reasonably well. We had a break at Canyon Hotsprings and stood in the shade of the "restaurant" getting hydrated for the big climbs to come. Right after Canyon Hotsprings we had a major climb. It went up and up in the increasing heat of the day. After that it wasn't too bad. We climbed, certainly, but no major hills until just before Roger's Pass. I crossed a number of bumps, gaps in bridge surfaces, and I began to think that my back wheel was going to be all right. Ken and Chuck with Sir Donald in the distance. About 8 km below the pass, as I was cycling up a smooth section of pavement, you guessed it "PING", went another spoke! I had no spares. I was furious and frustrated. I was ready to go back and get a car and pack it in. Cooler heads other prevailed. The guys took my rear panniers to take some weight off the wheel and it was decided that what we should do was cycle up to the pass and take the bike to Golden to get the wheel repaired. The cycle up the last 2 or 3 km to the pass was awful. It was stinking hot, I was upset and felt betrayed by my new bike, and I was still not sure of how we were going to solve this problem of mine. At the gas station on the summit of the pass, Ken and Dale found half the yellow pages for Golden and they had me phone a bike store there. The could fix it! How to get there? Before I knew it Dale had arranged with a family from Alberta to take me to Golden. My bike went in the parent's pickup truck, and I collapsed in the air conditioned comfort of their daughter's car. I even failed to wave goodbye to my fellow lobsters. I plead exhaustion. I got to Golden, found the bike shop, and decided with the mechanic there that the best thing to do was rebuild my wheel with a stronger rim. Meanwhile, my friend up on Roger's Pass were having a large meal, and unknown to them, were about to have what was to become an infamous descent. Dale (Lickety Split) as he was to be called in the coming days, careened his way through the snow sheds at break neck speeds, closely followed by Ken (The Brown Hornet) and Chuck. Well, unknown to them, the objects that were only a dark blur at their entry speeds inside the snow sheds ranged from large pieces of metal and glass to junks of wood. The Lobster Gods must have been looking after them, for they all emerged from the sheds to continue their downward rush towards the bottom of the hill. Guess what? Before they could say "clarified butter" they had a series of flat tires. Yes, a series, as they couldn't find the source of the first ones, and when they proceeded after repairing the first one, it naturally proceeded to create another hole in the tube! To top this off, the "rolling highway" that the Brown Hornet had described to his fellow lobsters had some fairly big climbs, and if that weren't enough, they had a headwind. Late twilight found the tired souls crossing the Columbia River and finding a campground 130 km after leaving Revelstoke. They had a sumptuous meal of sardines and potato chips! Day 4 (Golden "Rest" and Bike Maintenance Day) After spending what was to become the only night any of us spent in a motel, I had a relaxing breakfast, checked on my new wheel at "Summit Cycle" and sipped on some juice while relaxing in the shade while my friends cycled into Golden and found me. Being by myself felt strange. I had phoned Lynn the previous night and explained my situation. I found that it took some time to put things in perspective: my bike problem should be solved now and I should be trouble free as far as the rear spokes are concerned. The guys cruised into town and I introduced them to Summit Cycle. It was amazing how much maintenance was done on all the bikes. The heavy loads were giving us and our equipment a real test. Ken found himself getting work done that was supposed to be done by the shop in Haney, Chuck got a new chain and cables, and Dale got a raised stem to help alleviate his sore wrists. What with doing laundry as well, it was late in the afternoon before we could get to the Mad Trapper Pub! At the pub we met a couple from New Zealand, except that the wife was originally from Port Coquitlam. She turned out to be Alex Steida's mom. They were very gregarious and we saw them later in Jasper. After some rain, we went to an Italian restaurant and had lasagna along with a great green salad with raspberry vinaigrette dressing. Walking back to our tent, we watched big horn sheep on the far banks of the Kicking Horse River. For a rest day, we really didn't get much true rest. .. to part 2