A bit about biking

It occurred to me today that I haven't really spent any time talking about the biking element of this adventure. So let me start (by the way, it may be a cool thing to give GoogleEarth a try here) by giving you my trip so far:

Victoria Airport - Nanimo
Nanimo-Port Alberni
Port Alberni (thanks for the lift over the 'hump', Gilbert)-South of Powell River
Powell River- Gibson
Gibson-Harrison Hot Springs
HHS-Lytton
Lytton-32km shy Kamloops
Kamloops

I am in Kamloops now visiting with my ol' buddy Clarence. He and I worked together for the MOF in Hazelton (the now defunct Kispiox Forest District). He has offered me his house - and a beer- and I have chosen this opportunity to rest and recover and eat and avoid the blazing sun (we will have >33 degrees until Tuesday, plenty of time to cross into Alta. Glorious!). So I get to catch up on the news around the globe.

Generally I wake without an alarm around 0600 and then I begin to pack my bags. When the bags are packed and all the odds and ends tied onto the bike, I sit down and eat my bfst. Breakfast usually consists of one packet serving, dry, of Quaker's Oats flavored oatmeal with a water chaser. This way there are no dishes... I try to load up on water and guzzle 1 litre to start the day.

I poke along in the morning. It takes me more than 1 hour to 'warm up' to the load, but then my neck is not sore and neither is my butt. Eventually my legs come to life and we are on our way. I take many breaks, mostly for water stopping at gas stations or restaurants along the way. Often, get this, I am told to get my water "out back". Wonder what that is about? Every stop for water, I try to guzzle another litre as the bike only has room to carry two litres.

I peddle and I muse. I muse and I complain. And by noon, I often have 80-90 km under my belt. So I figure, anything accomplished in the afternoon is bonus. I have estimated an average of 100 km per day and so far I have achieved in the neighbourhood of 140-170 km.

Afternoons are slow. While the mornings are quite cold (I sometimes wear my fleece and am quite chilled) the afternoon sun comes on large. I feel heavier and slower yet I seem to continue making about 15kmh. The wind changes around to give me a bit of a push and so it goes. By around 1700 or 1800 hrs I am ready to quit (my butt is in true agony) and then it becomes a hunting expedition for finding just the right nook for my tent. So far the views have been spectacular.

I do try to stop one last time to load up on water and ichiban noodles (salt content/carbs) before quitting for the night to make sure I have enuf water to support the night. BC is full of pullouts for the truckers and some of them are equipped with biffies and tables, voila!

Food:

I try to snack every 2 hours or so...I have some leftover meal-replacement shakes from the body building era and I munch on them. I also have some gorp and I eat the nuts and dried fruits too - but they seem too heavy and make me feel sick. I try not to eat large thru the day but sometimes if I happen to go thru a town and the pizza shack is open, well a point or two of pizza is 'the bomb'. Seems that I have purchased one meal a day, for example yesterday in Cash Creek I settled in for a whole foot-long sub. Strange, that was a cheaper meal then the pita, cheeze and olives I purchased at the superstore today. The fresh cherries yesterday purchased on the roadside did make my day and did help me climb out of the Fraser canyon.

Losing Weight:
Maybe. It seems that i begin losing weight with my toes and then my calves. You might be surprised to see all the wiggles and worms of veins beneath my skin there. And my butt has shrunk again as is tradition. Now sitting on a park bench (or a highway abutment) is painful as it is butt-bones and skin and it all slides around without purchase.

Headwind:
painful. makes me want to quit.

Tailwind:
May god forgive me - makes it hard to dry the sweat on your face.

Sunstroke:
My forearms are burnt and so is my face. My face is looking like it is going to peal; too bad about that. My legs are coloring nicely. The problem is this: I have burnt my back.

While waiting for one of the ferries I decided to amend my t-shirt. The t-shirt, an old and used shirt, looked 80's chic (if I was a girl) hanging down to my knees. With my handy Red-Green multi-tool I trimmed off a few inches. Except, get this, when you trim t-shirt material the freeking end rolls up. What was once perfect is now 90's chic (if I was a girl) belly exposing. So now the area between my shorts and the newly amended t-shirt got burnt. Can't sleep on my back.