Day Three - Myra Canyon to Penticton

Day Three - Myra Canyon to Penticton
82 km

We awakened to a rousing chorus of coyotes howling in the wind.  They certainly put on a show!  We politely waited for the concert to finish and then rolled out of the tent to find the ground covered in frost.  It was a chilly start to the day, but not surprising as we were camping in the high alpine.  We decided to forgo breakfast and get moving, the Myra Canyon and trestles were only a short distance away and it was time to warm up.

Myra Canyon did not disappoint!  12 km of rail trail, 18 trestles, tunnels and scenic vistas that literally take your breath away.

We spent a long time in the Canyon marvelling at the ingenuity of the early railway surveyors.  What a feat of engineering!  The KVR opened on May 31, 1915.  Imagine surveying and building this corridor without the aid of today's modern technology and equipment.   We were also humbled as we imagined the fire of 2003 ravaging the area.  On this beautiful, peaceful day, it was difficult to comprehend the size and intensity of the inferno.  Looking across the rugged terrain gave us a better perspective on how difficult it must have been for the brave firefighters to wage battle in this type of rugged back country.  Leaving the Canyon, we felt gratitude to the many, many volunteers who worked tirelessly during the 1993 MCTRS Restoration Project to rebuild the trestles and keep this piece of history alive for all of us to enjoy.

Bidding farewell to the trestles, we set our sights on Chute Lake.  We were out of water and felt confident that we could refill there. We discovered this next section of trail to be similar to a downhill mogul course.  Lots of deep ruts, washboard sections and rocks to avoid.  Likely better suited for mountain bikes, but we managed just the same, with a few knicks and bruises to show for it.  Badges of honour, I suppose.

During our approach to Chute Lake we stumbled upon a solitary hiker.  Curious, we hopped off our bikes to hike and chat for a while.  This hardy soul was visiting from Aberdeen, Scotland.  He had been wanting to do an epic hike and during an Internet search, had stumbled upon the Trans Canada Trail.  Faithfully following his TCT Guidebook, step by step, he has been trekking since Calgary, on route to Vancouver.  We affectionately nicknamed him our Crazy Scot and since we were only a short distance from the Lodge we invited him to lunch!  Aye laddie that is quite a hike yer on!

Chute Lake Lodge is the destination of choice for many day trippers out of Naramata.  Fresh baked cinnamon buns are the menu item of choice, so of course we had to adhere to local advice and stop for a nibble or two.  Tummies full, it was time to hop on our bikes for the descent to Penticton.  We were excited as this section of trail is all DOWNHILL!!!!!   We imagined ourselves cruising in to town in time for an afternoon swim in Lake Okanagan.  Unfortunately, we soon found ourselves battling the sand demons.  Mountain bikes easily handle this type of terrain, but we found ourselves fighting to stay on the bike as our smaller tires frequently lost traction and constantly swerved out from under us.  On the bright side the views of the lake were breathtaking so it was not really hardship to take this section slowly.

At Naramata, the trail changed dramatically and for the better.  The final leg was a hard packed surface and we literally flew into town.  Cruising our way past wineries and orchards with dramatic lake views we delighted in the sights of the Okanagan Valley.  We were entering wine country.  I can't imagine a better way to end a day of cycle touring!

Giggle of the Day:

Although we had planned to camp tonight, we changed our mind for two very good reasons: