Up Over: 8/15/16 Surprises

Every day we walk out of the door, we are dazed by the possibilities that lay before us.

Focusing on the heat and not our run for the day, we hustled to get out into the morning chill. Then, climbing up a switch-backed incline and away from the lake, we were shocked by how quickly the road became the ride and we were totally immersed in the moment. From a valley, irrigated in the baking sun, we rolled into a maze of curves that elevated us above Osoyoos. Breathless, we leaned over open rock face to glory in the view below. Acres of farmland spread across the valley. Vineyards climbed up the sun kissed slopes, the grapes bursting with the dry heat. Deeply blue, the lake lounged in the middle, providing sustenance in this desert.

Route 3 continued to twist us upward as we sliced through Anarchist Mountain, skirted farms and dodged lumber trucks. Every switchback was a crapshoot as loaded trucks, filled with wood for processing, screamed up and down the mountains, competing for the most loads of the day. Farms nestled in the valleys, prolific with crops suckled by irrigation. Our steadfast dragon followed Jules' commands and took every incline and descent with pride and honor. I cheered from the back seat.

Our early start deceived us. A shaded, quiet lunch continued the deception. Then, the oven door opened when we turned back onto the road. The US border happened quickly and we rode through easily down into Washington. Glad to be "home" we looked for some solace from the heat and found it in Coleville.

Once again the extreme temperature had ended our ride. At 100 degrees, prudence outweighed pride. As we settled into our very cool American motel, a calm descended on us. After weeks in Canada, one of the least "foreign" countries in which we have traveled, riding on our own turf empowered us. With blinders on to all the news that now unfortunately defines our country, there is still an aura of liberty, diversity and magnitude. With this as my blanket, I fell asleep free.