Vernon-Squilax Store and Hostel

July 3, 2016

It has been an interesting day. The manager at the motel said he would open breakfast 45 minutes early for us, at 6:15. Nope. Despite knocking on his private door and ringing the doorbell, no response. I had oatmeal to eat in the room. Oren went across to Tim Hortons and came back with a very good looking breakfast sandwich. By the time we left at 7:30, there were any number of people looking for breakfast. The manager must have had a good time celebrating Canada Day?

Even Jacinto was up by then and said he would be along behind us.

We took the Old Kamloops Road out of town. It was right behind the motel and much nicer than our ride in on Highway 97. There were a number of apple orchards and two honey farms in this area.It was five miles of happiness before we were back on 97. Whew. Traffic was heavy already. I could tell it was Sunday of the holiday weekend. People were heading back to . . . Kamloops? Who knows.

Our next turn was a right onto Salmon River. Hermann Kerr was very helpful with routing through here. We had three choices of routes - Turtle Valley (has some dirt), Chase-Falkland Road, Salmon River Road. That's three. I suppose going up 97A would be a choice. That's four. Hermann gave us the insider scoop. Which was a very, very good thing with the busy roads.

Salmon River Road was delightful. We saw any number of local cyclists out for a spin. This area continued to look like Colorado. Pine trees, mountains, dried grass, hay fields, and orchards. Oren said this is the Okanagan Valley and it has it's own climate. Up into the 100's in the summer and seldom below zero in the winter.

Just before we reached the Trans Canadian Highway at mile 36, we passed a Mennonite Church. Services were just finishing and a number of young girls were exiting, dressed in modest dresses and bonnets. I saw all automobiles, no buggies. Just after the church, we had a few sprinkles. Given how dark the sky was, Oren and I both put on rain coats and covered our electronics. We hadn't gone a half mile before we hit the intersection. It was CRAZY busy with cars. I didn't think we would ever get across, but we ran across with our bicycles. In that amount of time it had quit raining and I felt silly wearing a coat. I took my rain stuff off.

We were happy with our efforts so far and felt we would get to town in no time. We had seven hectic miles on #1 before reaching Tappen Valley - this is another road Hermann told us about. Just when we turned, here came Jacinto right behind us to make the turn. Somewhere in there, I did something wrong with either with ridewithgps or with the Yugo phone. The result was, Bertha was no longer talking. But she was talking to Jacinto. I asked him to stick with us, since he was the only one with directions for this backroad. He seemed surprised that I thought he wouldn't stick with us. But I know I'm way slower than Jacinto.

I had very carefully mapped out both the Tappen Valley Road and staying on #1. Interestingly the Tappen Road was nine feet less elevation gain. Since our directions also included a road named Notch Hill, I expected the back road to have more gain. I mapped both out and went to Oren's room to give him the talk. He was already planning on the Tappen Road, so I didn't need to use my salesmanship. Here we were - at the lesser climbing road. What does it do? Straight up? Bottom of the granny. Even thought Jacinto and Oren gave me a head start, I was soon way off the back. There was no going faster, it was a survive the climb kind of hill. There were several very steep climbs and a couple of turns we had to consult the map just to confirm what Bertha was saying.

At our last intersection, I could feel my energy fading. Two packets of oatmeal aren't quite enough for 50 miles. Jacinto still had Chinese food leftovers. I dug it out of his rack pack while he was talking to Oren. Of course there were bananas and an apple on top. The apple fell on the ground, but I was to the point I didn't care. Both men looked at me shoveling food in my mouth and wisely said nothing. Oren estimated we were six miles from Sorrento, where we planned to eat at a restaurant and buy groceries for the night.

We were stopped for a good five minutes by a very slow train. We could see rain across the valley, but we had only the occasional sprinkle. Our luck is holding out.

Clouds were still threatening when we got to Sorrento. I could tell Jacinto didn't want to stop and eat, he mentioned that he still had Chinese food. I wanted to eat and I'm the birthday girl. 54 years, but who's counting. We decided to turn right and see what the town of Sorrento amounted to. Busy, busy. Subway wasn't busy. Jacinto doesn't much like Subway, no tortillas are involved. But he didn't say anything and we went in. Since I'm not eating wheat, my fallback item to order at Subway is a salad with meatballs. I realize the meatballs probably have breadcrumbs . . . you just can't win.

Oren asked the friendly guy at the counter about the forest service road to Barriere. The guy was quick to answer that it wasn't a good road to bicycle, it's gravel. Oren came back to the table, horrified. I reminded him that we had discussed this via email several times over the winter. Oren is very sure he didn't agree to a dirt road, even 14 kilometers of dirt. I assured him, he did. Oren is not happy. I can't believe he doesn't remember . . . sigh.

The grocery store is next door. I decided I didn't need anything but a V-8, presuming I could buy milk at the hostel. She emphasized several times that the store at the hostel had what we needed for dinner. Yea. We've heard that story before in Fort Klamath about the natural foods grocery there. Now we take such assurances with caution.

I decided to get started, since I'm slow. The guys went shopping. Highway 1 has plenty of shoulder for the most part. But this is a heck of a lot of traffic. I'm glad it is only a few more miles to the hostel. I knew to pay attention, that I might pass it. Of course, at bicycle speed, it's easier to see things.

I was looking across the lake at the rain clouds, so happy they weren't over here with me. We had excellent luck today, with just a couple of little sprinkles. Tomorrow doesn't look as hopeful.

The hostel was easy to see. I pulled in. I was some concerned about talking to the lady here. I had called to confirm our reservation and to ask again about food. It sounded like she had an edge to her voice, I had asked my share of questions. I was hoping to send the guys in to register, but they weren't here yet. In I went. She was serving high tea to a family with a gaggle of girls, could I wait. No problem. I looked around. There were two shelves of groceries and no refrigerated items. I wouldn't be getting milk tonight. I should have asked for some from the store in Sorrento.

I got all of the directions on how to do things and where to go. We were supposed to have our own towels. I was supposed to know that. Oops. She found towels for us. That was nice.We were in the first car out of four. I went outside to wait for the guys.

We walked around back. First impressions weren't positive. The train cars looked very old and rusty. The yard was overgrown. Inside . . . well . . . old doesn't bother me. But . . . I need to take some photos to share.

Remember back in Ronan when the locals had wrinkled their nose at where we were staying and it was just fine? Jacinto said it took a lot more than that to scare him. I asked if he was scared now. He said yes. We discussed our options. Because our Nelson hostel experience wasn't positive, I had looked at what was available here. Further down the road, but off route is a golf course resort. Rooms are $209, according to google. If they are available. Here we paid $18. a bed for 6 beds to have the entire caboose to ourselves. I thought it would be fun and interesting. Plus, it's my birthday! What a choice. We have one more hostel coming up. I think I'd better find something else. I guess we aren't hostel material.

Oren told the lady this car wasn't good, it had dirt on the beds. It did. She was very apologetic and said perhaps the cleaning ladies hadn't noticed the sand. We didn't mention the many, many other things the cleaning ladies missed. Such as the nasty used drink cup in the holder in the bathroom.

Oren decided the next car over would be fine. We moved there. Got our towels and went to the bath house. That seemed pretty clean. The water was hot. Pressure was good.

Wifi was an extra $10. a day. I paid for me. I think we are all going to bed early tonight. I have that can of chili Jacinto bought back in Fauquier to eat for dinner tonight. Oren offered to buy me Subway for my birthday, but I told him to wait until we get some place good and he could buy me an ice cream.

The weather here tomorrow looks rainy in the morning and some better later in the morning. The rain drops from 70% chance of rain at 8 AM to 45% at 9 AM and going down slightly all day to 25% chance. We are heading to Barriere, where the chance of rain appears to be about 40% all day. Let's see if I can talk Oren into delaying departure. It's only 44 miles tomorrow. The later we ride, the friendlier it looks. Not completely good, but some better.

So . . . here we are at my fun caboose hostel that has turned out to be not so fun. Jacinto likes a pop to drink after the ride. Here she has homemade soda. Jacinto was quite skeptical, but tried a lavender flavor and then a ginger. I had a sample of both and thought they were quite tasty.

We saw trees pruned in this manner last year also. Wayne Estes knew what they were called. Wayne, are you reading? Please? These are fuller than the trees last year, but they are tied up on strings like grape vines. Edit: Wayne answered - These are espalier trees trained to climb on a V shaped trellis.

This old church is at a ranch right outside of Salmon Arm that has a billboard for cowboy chuckwagon dinners.

There were many cool old barns today. Huge barns. The style in this area seems to be having the roof line come down lower with the curved roof line.

I circled back around to take this photo. How long would it take to collect that many different license plates? This is too creative.

Jacinto with the train. They don't stack storage containers double in Colorado - it's all the train can do to get up the pass with one container per car.

This is the Little River, according to Blair at the hostel. We thought it was part of Sushwap Lake.
Admire the falling down house in the foreground.

My happy birthday from my dear friend, Cathy.

The birthday girl on the caboose. It sounded like a great idea, but the caboose stay was a total bust.

Today's ride: 61 miles (98 km)
Total: 748 miles (1,204 km)

Rate this entry's writing	Heart	1
Comment on this entry	Comment	0