Monday, July 12, 2010

The good news about today is that in 2007 I invested in a great rain suit for riding. The bad news is that I had to wear it all day.

I woke up before 7:00 in Airdrie and immediately discovered just how tired I was from my trip. It was a real struggle to get up but I forced myself off the couch and slowly put on my riding gear…I needed an early start for my ambitious goal to make it all the way to Kaslo- a beautiful little community right in the heart of the Kootenays.

After a short time at Starbucks to take advantage of their free wireless internet and a large coffee I hit the road. I rode straight west and immediately became excited as I could see the majestic Rocky Mountains in the distance. There is nothing like riding into the mountains. Every single time it makes me feel like a kid as they slowly get closer and closer, and then before you know it they are all around you. Suddenly it feels like you are in a different world. I look forward to that moment all year.

The day started out sunny and pleasant but by the time I reached Canmore I could tell that it was likely that rain was in my future as the clouds to the east were dark. I chose to ride up the Bow River Parkway and it was on this road that the first drops of rain came down. I quickly parked prepared for rain by wrapping my luggage in garbage bags and putting on my rainsuit.

The ride through Kootenay Park is breathtaking for no other reason than the scenery. Unfortunately I did not get to enjoy it because the rain came pouring down very hard. Raindrops on the face while riding over 100km/ hr are painful…even more so than bugs if they are large drops (and these were). However, I was not prepared for the immense pain that hail would bring. That’s right- hail. On the face. Damn it that hurts. I’m pretty sure I have a few new bruises.

I finally got to Radium at about 1pm and was just thankful to have made it through that high mountain pass and hail storm unscathed. The sun let up for a bit but there were dark clouds to the south. As I rode south through the Rocky Mountain Trench to Cranbrook I was unable to enjoy the scenery because the rain was fairly constant, although there were brief periods of sunshine here and there. The rain was taking its toll on me and was draining my energy, and I had to stop at a rest area north of Cranbrook and sleep for a while.

I reached Cranbrook with a renewed energy and roared down the Crowsnest to Creston. When I reached the valley the clouds parted and the sun began to shine. It was about 5:00 and I thought I had earned a little treat- a pint of Kokanee brewed right here in Creston. I enjoyed the sunshine and thought I was pretty lucky to have the weather cooperate for a while before Silver and I headed north on the best motorcycle road in British Columbia. Our next destination was the Kootenay Bay Ferry.

The road to the ferry is stellar. It has it all- twisties, good pavement, and great scenery as it winds back and forth high above Kootenay Lake. I reached the ferry just as the clouds got dark again, and by the time I was on the ferry the sun was setting. It was also on the ferry that I changed time zones.

After crossing the ferry I was in the dark, and it began to rain. I was only 35 km from Kaslo but the ride took a long time because the conditions were so poor. Wildlife is a real hazard on a bike and there were deer everywhere. I had a few close calls but was going slow enough that I could stop quickly.

I finally reached Kaslo at about 10pm local time and immediately put on my swim trunks and walked two blocks to the beach. I had spent the whole day getting wet in the rain and it was only 15 degrees out but I didn’t care. I wanted to swim in Kootenay Lake and nothing was going to stop me. The water was actually pleasant and warm (or perhaps I was just so cold).

It did not take long for me to fall asleep when I returned to the motel. It had been a very long day, and my body was exhausted. Despite the horrible weather I enjoyed every minute of the ride. You cannot control the weather- but you can control how you adapt to it. Tomorrow will be another marathon as I headed further west to Kelowna. I checked the forecast for tomorrow before falling asleep: rain. Goody.