Journey report by BestHike editor Rick McCharles
Out visiting pals in Kelowna and Vernon, my unique plan was to cycle again to Calgary on the Trans Canada (Nice) Path.
I’d cycled Vancouver to Calgary on this route in 2020 — so nicely knew the challenges.
Click on PLAY or watch 2 minutes of highlights on YouTube.
Vernon, Kelowna, Penticton
Right here I’m setting out from Vernon. Clear & eager.
I ended by Solar Nation Cycle in Vernon to have them high up air within the tires and look over the bike for any potential issues.
The Okanagan Rail Path leaving Vernon is implausible. This isn’t a part of the Trans Canada Path.
As you get nearer to Kelowna, the route is just not practically so good. I used to be hurting, as nicely, and will barely stroll after solely about 60km. I checked into the hostel in Kelowna questioning if I’d be capable of proceed. My muscle mass had been cramping badly.
BUT I did make it to Penticton. Nonetheless hurting, however much less and fewer.
AND was capable of cycle as much as the Myra Canon trailhead — although the 945-meter elevation achieve at by no means greater than 2% grade within the HEAT was robust!
I crashed that evening.
Myra Canyon Trestles & Tunnels
The 18 trestles and a couple of tunnels are one of many highlights of your complete Trans Canada Path. This was my third time right here and I loved them as a lot as ever.
Click on PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Kettle Valley Rail Path
Myra Canyon is one small a part of the 650 km Kettle Valley Rail Path.
I continued on the KVR in direction of Calgary.
Implausible views — although the floor close to Kelowna could be very sandy & rocky. These on eBikes had been a lot happier than me. mountain bike could be higher, as nicely, than my gravel bike.
However, I had the path to myself most of each mile.
I ended for espresso at Chute Lake, charging my electronics and filling up about 5 lites of water.
Up excessive on the path, this was my brightest fireplace purple sky at evening. I used to be fortunate to keep away from any worse smokey air.
Columbia and Western Rail Path
The KVR ends at Halfway B.C.
I continued on in direction of the Columbia and Western Rail Path. It’s about 162 km connecting Halfway, Grand Forks, Christina Lake, and Castlegar.
Nice sections, however not practically pretty much as good because the KVR.
Highlights for me had been sweeping views of the Granby Valley, Christina Lake, and Decrease Arrow Lake.
And it gives perfect wild tenting — although there will not be all that many water sources.
I loved dinner each evening, rehydrating meals frozen by my niece. A lot tastier than any business tenting dinners I’ve ever tried.
NEW for me is utilizing a toy drone routinely following my bicycle.
Additionally new for me whereas bikepacking, is carrying a transportable tenting chair.
I adore it!
Although rehydrating meals is right …
… I ultimately had an urge for strong meals.
Right here I’m saying goodbye to the Columbia and Western Rail Path.
To Nelson & Crawford Bay
As we had a home in Crawford Bay B.C., I used to be eager to proceed on to Nelson and the outdated homestead. However I used to be pressured on to highways and rural roadways with … HILLS.
Why didn’t somebody warn me there have been HILLS in British Columbia?
After flat rail trails, nearly each ascent appears daunting. And HOT.
I like Nelson and checked into the hostel for an evening. Fortunately, my buddy Tam occurred to be in Nelson on the identical time and we had been capable of catch up for espresso.
Relatively than cycle the damaging vacationer freeway out of Nelson, I put my bike on the native bus to the Kootenay Lake ferry.
In 2020 the home my Dad constructed was in tough form. Six years later it appears to be like even worse.
I’m questioning when anybody really final lived right here.
Like 2020, I ended for lunch on the implausible Kokanee Springs Golf Course.
Busy, Harmful 2-lane Highways
The freeway from Crawford Bay to Creston is a favorite of mine. To drive.
On the bicycle it’s harmful with very slim shoulders in locations.
I ended on the Grey Creek Basic Retailer to inquire whether or not or not cyclists had been taking the Trans Canada Path up and over the Grey Creek Cross — most likely essentially the most difficult part throughout the nation.
Not many, I used to be advised.
- Common of practically 9% grade for 17 km from Kootenay Lake as much as Grey Creek Cross
- Common of practically 6% grade for 12 km from Grey Creek Cross all the way down to Parker’s Creek
- No service
- Tough floor
- Not really useful
As I did in 2020, I chickened out and cycled the freeway to Creston.
My first flat tire EVER on this bike. After making an attempt so as to add air with my (crappy) hand pump, I noticed there was a bike store solely 4km distant. Rolling my bike there, the road was shut down by police.
This was a crime scene. Stabbing, I used to be advised. Probably homicide.
The bike store proprietor occurred to drive previous, informing me it was nonetheless potential to enter the store from the again. With no clients coming within the entrance door, they mounted the flat instantly and at low price. Whew.
Creston to Cranbrook
Largely freeway. No images.
Crawford Bay to Cranbook was the least attention-grabbing part.
Journey Ends in Fernie
I bought espresso in Cranbrook. After which tried to seek out the path out of city.
It’s complicated. And I by no means discovered even one good navigation app for the Trans Canada Path.
The finish of my journey on day 11. My rear rack broke off fully going over a type of bumpy cattle guards a couple of hours after leaving Cranbrook.
GMoney, a ski store proprietor in Fernie — who’s a punk musician in his spare time — picked me up whereas I used to be hitchhiking.
An enormous time hiker and bicycle owner, GMoney hosted me at his home and gave me recommendation on the place I’d get the bike mounted.
Seems not one of the 4 bike retailers in Fernie had the sort of instruments to restore the rear rack.
I stayed on the wonderful Offended Elk Hostel, as nicely, for a few nights — having fun with Fernie for the first time — till my brother & his spouse got here to my rescue.
(Identical day GMoney collected me, he and a girlfriend had been 2 yards away from an indignant Black Bear with cubs. Needed to bear spray to cease her. That’s the closest bear encounter of anybody I’ve ever recognized. )
In the long run, my biking distance over the 11 days was round 750 km.
I Missed Fernie to Calgary
I broke down on the finish of the worst freeway sections, and the start of among the best path & gravel highway elements of your complete Trans Canada Path.
Right here’s how Fernie to Calgary went for me in 2020.
I may need to return to Fernie and end the job.
As soon as completed, I experimented with completely different navigation apps. NONE are good.
Better of the worst …
Gaia GPS depends on structured map layers and community-recorded tracks.
Technique 1: Use the BRMB Canada Trails Overlay (Really helpful)
Open the Map Layers menu (the stacked squares icon).
Faucet Add Map Layers and navigate to the Canada class.
Choose and add the BRMB Canada Trails Overlay (requires a premium subscription).
This overlays your complete 11,635-mile Trans-Canada Path straight onto your base map in colour-coded paths.