Tom and Ross Bike Across Canada

hello from BC,June second, what a country!Where else in the world do they make a SPECIAL bike traillike this?We call it hwy #5, and it runs from picturesque Hope through the costal mountains to Kellowna. Meritt is the half way point and is our stop for today. This bike trail is so wonderful it must be from the LANARK HIGHLANDS. The first 56 km climb continuously through some of God's bestwork.Awesome forests, roaring mountain rivers,majestic mountains, and beyond the road no humans around, lots of deer, bears, racoons, eagles and other animals that we missed.
Our day starts at 0400 hours, on the road at first light at 0500, sunrise 0515, today it was 11 degrees, and raining yet is was beautiful, or as David would say beautifulll.
After 50 KM of climbing we cycled through a snow shed designed to protect the road in certain areas where avalanches are common. Sharing this road with the large transports is unnerving to say the least. Then the serious climbimg begins for 6 km to the summit, biking speed is governed by your motor and can often be calculated by multipling your age by 4 and subtracting the product from 100. My children are not mathematically inclined, so for them that means a 20 year old gets 20 miles an hour, Trent gets 9, and a grandfather has to borrow from the bank to get over the top.
At the summit, 1244 meters, the clouds were below us and it was 6 degrees. Are we having fun?Did we mention the rain for the whole run? Wonerful to see Valerie and Jenny there with dry clothing and food!
Down hill run for many km's at speeds of 60-70 km's on the slow bike, and more with the Bowesmobile. Great fun and thrills except keeping an eye on the truckers, now streaming bye at full highway speeds. 99% are wonderful, give us lots of space, and a fresh shower as they pass. When we have only inches clearance the worry wart comes out in me.
Arrived at Merritt at 1115 hours, a 5 hour journey, that wil be part of us all for days. Confidence is boosting, strength is returning, determination was always there,and the sense of adventure is building. Thia is a simple bike ride that we hope to weave into our lives and our families lives, friends both old and new are invited along for the ride.
Special hello to Abby, Evan, Cate, Lilly,Graham, and Charlotte.Remember your turn is coming. Your Mothers all biked the Gaspe Bay. We will plan something really special for you.
I would like to blame al speling errors and grammer errors on typing skills. Those that know me know that is nonsense, I am a master at free style writing and have been since great grandpa grilled me for spelling during suppers. However I wish to report I always won the arithmatic lesson, sorry Bonnie but in this discipline you are outgunned.
Tom and I will be under way at 0500 hours tomorrow and will have more to share.