The mountains that cradled us last night were our ride today. Savoring the last bit of the Northern Cascades before they crossed the border, Rascal took us on a morning flight, to be long remembered. An artist's sky surrounded us as we scaled Route 3, the Crowsnest Highway. Chilled in the morning air, we climbed significant passes between Hope and Princeton, still being overwhelmed by the generosity of this province.
After reaching the Allison pass, we geared down and rode through Princeton a town dominated by Weyerhaeuser and the logging industry. Logs were stacked for blocks along the highway and the smell of raw wood permeated the air.
We lunched by a sandy beach on the Okanagan River and listened to the screams of bathers as they jumped in to cool off. The heat was definitely rising and as the elevation changed, so did the temperature and the scenery
Okanagan Valley is a dry, fertile and very hot stretch of land. Fruit and vegetable farmers sell crops from their irrigated fields at dozens of large stands along the road. Grape vines, planted from the macadam to the mountains, lined the highway. Wineries and wine tasting venues cropped up periodically. Jules and I were in awe as to how this hot, parched land could produce so much agriculture.
As we sweated through the valley, our heat endurance was tested to the max. Lake Osoyoos, an oasis in this desert, beckoned us with its promises of beachfront accommodations. Our travels up to this point had not prepared us for this intense temperature, so we succumbed, took an early exit from the road and dove into the air conditioning and then the lake. I also used this down time to do a wash and reorganize my life.
Other residents of the resort sat out, bathing in full sun for hours, while we cowered in our cool room or floated on the water. We have been softened by weeks of cool cloudy days with cold nights and our heat tolerance is very low.
When the wind blowing in your face is as hot as the heat coming from Rascal's pipes, it's time to take a break. Thinking longingly about days of leather and drizzle we wondered which weather made the better ride. But, short days or long, wet and cold or hot and dry, the hours spent together on the bike always present the possibility of new stories and exceptional rides. A mountain climb with switchbacks and curves was our memoir of today. Tomorrow we will get an early start to beat the heat and open the book to a new page.
The Crowsnest
Fascinating clouds
Dryer mountains
Irrigated valley
Espalier style of growing fruit trees
Grapes to the mountains
An oasis
Ahhh!
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