Finished a year long project at work recently and decided to take a week off to reset. With a potential weather window opening, I headed out for a 3 1/2 day jaunt
around the interior of BC.
Travel Day - Mission Harbour to Ashcroft.
Booked a ticket on the Via Rail train for $65. All they require is a bike in a bag if the car doesn't have bike racks. I picked up a mattress bag from CT for $10. They also have a $25 bike fee they collect on the train but twice now they have forgotten about it. The train was supposed to arrive at 4:35pm but was delayed until 6:30. This reminded me of that old army expression: Hurry up and wait.
The delay meant I arrived in Ashcroft at midnight and it was quiet as a ghost town. I had arranged to get into the Legacy Campground, even though it was not yet officially open (thanks Barry) and set up my tent by 12:30am. Again, I didn't have to pay so that made me $35 in the black on the first day.
Day 1: Ashcroft to Kamloops - 120km's.
Awoke at 6:30 and was packed up by 7am. I rode into town and looked around but the only thing open was a gas station so I had a preservative laced danish and coffee for breakfast. Ashcroft was an important pioneer town from the Caribou gold rush days but now is just a sleepy little place like so many interior communities.
The Ol' Opera House.
My horse for the ride.
7am Ashcroft.
What I hadn't expected was the climb out of Ashcroft towards Logan Lake on the 97c. It was about 20km non stop and quite a grind first thing in the morning.
Looking back down at Ashcroft.
Looking up at the hill ahead.
A convenient two dimensional representation.
...to be continued next post.