Wednesday, July 14, 2010

I learned earlier this season that the La Mission Motor Inn was closed.  I was devastated.  It was a modest place, but it was my place- my little sanctuary in Kelowna where I could stay at a reasonable price away from the congestion downtown and close to the beaches and wineries I liked.  After making a bunch of calls I discovered that the City of Kelowna bought the motel because it was right next to the La Mission Creek and the bridge that crossed it.  They intended to widen the street and the bridge, and to do that they’d need to demolish the motel.  In the meantime it was being used as a housing project for families.

I was able to book a room at a hotel right next door..  It was actually an apartment complex converted to a hotel called the Hotel Enigma.  I wanted to preserve what I could of my usual Kelowna routines, and location is a big part of that.  After five years of visiting the same place you look forward to the little things.

I woke up feeling completely fatigued. After three very long days of riding in the cold and the rain my body and mind needed a rest. The weather was perfect- it was expected to be sunny and 30 degrees. I was elated to see the sun after the past three days of cold and rain. I forced myself up to start my day of Ryan Kelowna routines:

Routine #1: Walk from my motel to Starbuck’s. This is an hour long round trip walk and is one of the most delicious things to do. Nothing beats an early morning walk along the beach for coffee and back. It was also nice to soak in some sun and get the blood flowin’ with some exercise. Riding Silver is a physical strain but it’s not what I’d called exercise.

Routine #2: Lay on the beach. Self explanatory…did that for a few hours. I keep going to that same nude beach I found on Ryan & Silver’s Excellent Adventure 2007.  It is nice and secluded.

Routine #3: Lunch at Summerhill Winery. This is one of my favourite places to eat in Kelowna. I have come so regularly in the past (often 2 or 3 times during my stay) that my server remembered me! I had a cold melon soup with a green salad with goat cheese and a glass of Baco Noir. Stellar lunch and spectacular view! Wrong wine though…should’ve went with something lighter.

Routine #4: Give Silver a bath. After riding through the rain for 3 days it was nice to shine him up so he could enjoy the sun too…plus I like to show him off and his chrome shines real well in the Okanagan sun.

The fifth and sixth routines would have to wait until tomorrow. I spent most of the afternoon resting at my motel, and in the evening I met with my cousin Lara and her boyfriend Shane at the Creekside Pub. They just moved out here last summer and it was great to visit with them again. Lara currently holds the record as the western-most cousin in my maternal Ewanchuk clan.

I walked back to the motel and fell asleep early. I was still fatigued and would need my rest. Tomorrow would be the beginning of a marathon 3 days of wine touring.