Merritt

July 15, 2018

We have a shorter, easier day today, but still a hot one - in the low 90’s again. Rachael is keen to get on the road by 6, until I point out that it will be 48 degrees. She doesn’t believe me, until she confirms it with her own look at the forecast. It’s hard to believe that the day will have almost a 50 degree temperature swing.

With that information, we decide to leave at 7. I’m delighted to find that there is a diner nearby that opens at 4:30, seven days a week (Cowboy Coffee - their early schedule is keyed to the early morning work shift at the nearby copper mine) and head over there at 5. It’s a great little place, with a good breakfast selection (including my choice, a traditional sausage, eggs and potatoes spread); and good options for lunch as well.

Rachael elects to sleep a bit longer and eat breakfast in our motel room, but shows up about six thirty to scrounge up a lunch. We need to take food with us, because there is nothing commercial between here and Merritt. Our selections: I got two multigrain bagels with peanut butter and a banana, and Rachael got a Thanksgiving sandwich (turkey, cranberry and stuffing!).

I’m sitting down enjoying my breakfast At Cowboy Coffee, when a tall dark stranger walks in wearing my bike jersey!

We were on the road by 7. It was still quite chilly -cold enough that Rachael wore an extra layer, and I considered it. It stayed cool until about 10, not really warming up until we got to a higher elevation and out of the shadows of the cliffs and trees.

In my book, today was the best ride of the circuit. Conditions had a lot to do with that - very low traffic for the first forty miles, cool, and a bit of a tailwind that gradually picked up as the day progressed. After yesterday, it almost felt like a rest day.

The ride itself was beautiful though, gradually climbing what I think was Allison Creek. It’s a gentle grade, alongside a wetland of alternating marshes, ponds and lakes. The road trends upwards for forty miles, but in an undulating pattern as it rises and falls between lakes. Very lovely, and much different country than we’ve been biking in before on this short tour.

Built in the 1930’s, the Brown Bridge is the third bridge built on this spot in Princeton.

Climbing north out of Princeton on the Princeton-Kamloops Highway. This early on a Sunday morning, we have the road to ourselves for the next several hours.

Looking east toward the Similkameen Valley. We really should get ourselves out the door early more often - it’s such a great time to ride.

I don’t know my farm implements, but this one’s a beaut.

Image not found :( — McCaffrey Lake. We’ll pass calm, mirror-like lakes all morning.

I wish I’d seen this loon on McKenzie Lake just a minute earlier, when he was very near the road. As soon as I pulled out the camera he dove, and resurfaced fifty yards further out.

I’m not sure what we’re seeing here. Goldeneye?

By about 11 we pulled away from Allison Creek and curved east, still climbing. The landscape opened up as we moved out of the forest into a beautiful green, subalpine terrain. With the loss of shade the day started warming quickly, but with a mild tailwind it was still pleasant. About forty miles into the ride we broke for lunch, sheltered under the only patch of shade we could find.

We took our lunch break about 30 miles in, snacking on bagels and treats from Cowboy Coffee. It was pleasant sitting here in the shade, listening to the birds and watching the aspens quake.

As we ate, the wind abruptly picked up noticeably. When we started up again we were delighted to find that we were being helped uphill by a 10-15 mph pusher. Before we knew it we reached the junction with 95C, a busy four lane highway; but with a smooth ten foot shoulder and a strong boost from behind we enjoyed a great ride to the summit of Hamilton Hill, where the highway begins a steep six mile drop to the valley floor and our destination in Merritt.

With six fast miles ahead of us we expected to reach our motel at about 1:30, and started fantasizing about a nice afternoon nap while we sat out the sun. It didn’t work out quite as hoped though. First off, the quality of the road shoulder degraded badly as soon as we began the descent, with the surface covered with sand, gravel and debris. Not the best conditions for flying down off the mountain. And next, about a mile and a half into the descent I noticed that the bike seemed squirrelly and so I stopped to check the tire. Flat, quite possibly from something I picked up on this rough shoulder.

By now the day was feeling seriously hot, and there was no shade anywhere between here and town. Rather than fix the flat I decided to try to limp home by pumping it up and riding until it flattened again. This worked fine - each pump bought me roughly another mile, so it really didn’t hold us up that long. This wouldn’t have worked as a plan if we weren’t coasting down a six percent grade though, of course - I wouldn’t have gotten nearly as far before flattening again.

We reached our motel a bit before two, but couldn’t check in yet because the room wouldn’t be ready for an hour. So, our plan for a nap would have had to wait anyway. Instead, I pumped the tire up again and we moved down the road to the gas station where we cooled off with drinks while I patched the flat. Then, back to our now prepared room, and to bed.

I don’t feel at all badly about the flat, by the way. Flats happen, and there are far worse circumstances than this for them - like yesterday when we were wasted at the end of a 70 mile day, for just one example. Being able to get to a bit of shade and a cold beverage before repairing it is enough to hope for.

After about 50 miles quiet Highway 5A merges in with busy 97C, the Okanagan Connector. It’s not as quiet, but still a beautiful ride through a steppe-like landscape. We have a nice tailwind and are making good time.

Corbett Lake. I could really learn to love this landscape.

Dropping in to Merritt, with visions of arriving soon and enjoying a nap at our motel.

The highway had other plans for us. Four miles from town I flattened. As hot as it was, I limped in by pumping it up about once per mile until we arrived.

A few hours later we got ready to leave for a pizza place about a mile away. Too far to walk in this heat so I proposed we bike. I checked the tire. Flat again.

It’s still too hot to walk, so I pumped the tire, biked hard, and we made it to the pizza house before it flattened again. An hour later I pumped it up again and we biked to the supermarket to get groceries for breakfast and lunch (tomorrow is another day with no services for the entire ride), and hopefully a beer to take back to the room to enjoy while I rerepair the flat (the pizza place is a dry joint). And then pumped up the tire again to go to the liquor store, since here at least they don’t sell alcohol in supermarkets. And then pumped up the tire again to make it back to the motel.

And the took a picture of the Coldwater Hotel, because we should have at least one photo of Merritt in here.

At the motel, I found the good news I hoped for - the tire had reflattened because I did a crappy job the first time and the patch failed, which is better than other alternatives. This time I just put in a new tube. I never did find the flattening agent though, so hopefully I won’t flatten again tomorrow on our long ride to Kamloops.

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Today's ride: 57 miles (92 km)
Total: 384 miles (618 km)

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