The summer of 2021 is coming to a close and I never thought I would say this but, Hallelujah!. Not that I don’t enjoy the endless dog days of summer where everything slows to a crawl, including the traffic, patios are in full swing and the beaches are layered with suntanned tourists and scavenging marine fowl; I embrace all of these things. It’s just lately, what used to be the main attraction: our hot, dry, sunny weather, has now become cause of an increasingly invasive tormentor: the devastating forest fire. Most years, the fires would hold back and allow us, at least, to enjoy a clear June and July, but this summer, we experienced record breaking temperatures in late June which translated into our first major wild fire, Thomas creek, at the tail end of the July week one. Then it seemed fires began popping up everywhere which lead to the inevitable heat dome of smoke and falling ash, so for the rest of July and August we are living in an ashtray with no visible signs of the surrounding landscape. The sun becomes a glowing orange speck hanging somewhere beyond the outer reaches of the earths stratosphere and you can feel the effect of the smoke on your lungs as you continuously inhale microscopic particles of emissions from surrounding fires. Not fun.

It’s September 10, most of the fires, I think, have been extinguished and I have decided to go for a long ride;170 km to be exact and wouldn’t you know it, after three months of almost continuous dry conditions, rain would decide to make appearance in the forecast, like an unwanted accomplice, exactly today and Saturday, the two days I have booked for the duration of my little journey.

My ride will shadow the Ironman bike route, but in reverse. Starting in Penticton, I have a slow climb up the 97 to where the junction meets Highway 3, then along towards Keremeos where I will stop and have lunch. From Keremeos, I take the Crowsnest down through Cawston toward Richters pass which crests at around 775 meters and then a beautiful descent into Osoyoos, then to Haynes point where I can pitch my tent, cook up some noodles and enjoy a Naramata Pear cider I have wrapped in a towel in my knapsack. Overall, with breaks, it should take around 7 hours pending I am not thwarted by rain or mechanical issues. I have planned well for my little trip, so I have a spare tube and a patch kit, two phones and lots of fluids and a well rested body, so all should be okay.

Saturday, after my oatmeal, my plan is to pack up and then bike up along along the 97, stop at a few wineries along the way and make it back home again by mid afternoon.

I’m pretty excited about this little detour and I have been planning it for most of the summer, focusing my cycling agenda mainly on graduating hills. Recently I have mastered the dreaded Peach Orchard hill and I’m impressed with my lung capacity; what used to almost kill me, is now a challenging but enjoyable ride up a long climb and then, the reward: an exhilarating descent, reaching speeds up to 60 km/hour!

I will refrain from speeds like this today. Carrying a load, my bike weighs twice what it normally would. My goal is simply to go for a long, enjoyable ride in the country, away from the clutter of the world, to a place where life boils down to a tent, a bike and a few odds and ends to keep me moving forward…

I

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