Day 8 – June 25th 2018 Vernon to Sicamous

 

So today was our shortest day since Day 1 taking us from Vernon to Sicamous.  It is a ride that anyone can do with about 70 km and almost no vertical.  You ride out of Vernon through beautiful farm land with mountains on either side of the valley.  The orchards are behind us so the farms are dairy, beef, and sheep with associated corn and hay.  I did see one field of grain but it was too early for me to know the crop.

As we rode North, we crossed the Shuswap River which to my surprise flows North into Mara lake.  The water was high, though only half way up the boats and ducks.  As we headed along, we cycled up Mara Lake which provides longer views on a bike compared to car.  The shoulders seem better than I remember 25 years ago but there is still that one section where it disappears and you ride just in the belief that no driver wants to have to clean a cyclist out of the grill.  That section is a couple hundred meters and then the shoulder returns.  It was poor condition in others but this creates a cobblestone impression which reminds us of cycling in Europe again.

 

We made it in to Sicamous by 11:30 and had checked in and cycled to Subway by 12:00.  It was the first time we ate so late and had to queue up.  We then cycled to Dutchman Dairy for dessert.  Being practical, we purchased a litre of ice cream for $5.75 instead of a 250 ml cone for $4.00 and cycled back to the room to eat it.  It is the best approach because for $2.875, you get all the ice cream I could want but RJD finished the container after me and I don't know if he got enough.  If you know RJD and I well enough, you can surmise the answer but RJD would not complain if I asked.

 

So as I sit on the balcony of our motel, my laundry dries on the rail and the sky is turning from ominous clouds to some blue so I guess I will send this note and walk down to the river which is at the end of the parking lot but obscured by trees from where I sit.  Looking North is the Trans Canada Highway (TCH) and the Shuswap Lake while the other direction looks towards Mara Lake and Vernon.