Well, my solo road trip is nearing its end. I'm currently in Penticton, and early tomorrow morning I will make a beeline for Red Deer, after enjoying a lovely week of traveling through beautiful interior BC. Quite some time ago I had booked the days off, for an Alpine Club trip which unfortunately was cancelled at the last minute. I opted to take the opportunity and head west anyhow, so this past Monday I loaded up the 4-Runner and made Rogers Pass my first stop - at a place called Heather Mountain Lodge.
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| The view as I rolled into what is pretty much my favorite place - Canmore! |
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| Lots of road construction - will it ever end!! |
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| Heather Mountain Lodge |
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| Heather Mountain Lodge |
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| Coolest sauna ever! |
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| A room with not a bad view! |
The lodge is quite nice, with very friendly staff, a restaurant with absolutely delicious food, and rooms with really comfy beds. And the mountain views are decent as well! The highway noise was a bit of a bummer, as it made hanging out at the firepit or sitting out on the restaurant deck less than pleasant, however for just one night it was an awesome place to stay.
Tuesday was a day of lollygagging. I meandered along the Trans Canada, stopping at places that I've driven past a hundred times while wondering what they were like.
Hemlock Grove:
Giant Cedars:
Meadows in the Sky:
I spent Tuesday night in Lake Country, where I visited some friends I met on the Bugaboos trip last month. Wendy was kind enough to invite me for supper, and on Wednesday morning she and I went for a great wander along the east shore of Lake Okanagan.
Wednesday eve I caught up with Nichole in Kelowna, after which I made my way down to Penticton. I've wanted to pedal the historic Kettle Valley Railway ever since I first heard about it, so today that is what I did. And it did not disappoint! I rode the 85km section from Myra Station to Penticton, which sounds like a lot but isn't actually that bad. The old railbed is rocky and bumpy in some places and rutted and muddy in others, with the odd patch of loose sand thrown in, however the first half of the trail is virtually flat, and the final stretch is slightly down hill.... so it is not overly strenuous. Plus the scenery is stunning, which trumps everything!
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| Chute Lake - almost the halfway point. |
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| The only wildlife we saw on the ride! |
The weather was perfect for the ride and I would highly recommend waiting until this time of year if you ever consider doing it. Fall colors and later season trail conditions (meaning not dry and dusty!) made the day incredibly enjoyable.
Cheers!
