Me cycling on the Matsqui Trail portion of the larger Trans Canada Trail.
This summer my husband and I have begun to
ride our bikes with more purpose. It all started when I heard a story on
CBC radio about the Kettle Valley Railway
trail which winds east from Hope BC along the Coquihalla River, into
the Okanagan valley. We are not road riders so discovering trails like
this old railroad are real finds. One can ride along for miles and never
encounter a car or a brutal hill. Because these trails were designed
for railways, the grades are gentle and in some cases it's barely
noticable that you are gaining elevation.
Our
first hurdle was finding a good bike rack. We settled on a tray-style, hitch
mounted design that allows for quick loading of bikes that are of different
sizes. We chose a BC made product and bought it from Lifecycles
in Abbotsford. The store owner Harv, was helpful and encouraging. He's a
way more extreme rider than we are but he did not mock us or anything
so that was good.
Our
first outing was to the famed Othello Tunnels near Hope BC. The drive
there takes about 90 minutes and the ride itself was only 8km return, so
as my husband pointed out, the ratio of drive time to biking time was a
bit out of whack. The trip to Hope and the relatively short ride were
still a lot of fun and we felt our maiden voyage was a success. The path
through the woods above the steep canyon of the Coquihalla River was
like a dream ride from childhood.
This
weekend we rode the Matsqui Trail near our place in Abbotsford. It was a
much better drive to ride ratio. 15 minutes there and 2 hours riding.
We rode about 14km with little stops along the way to check out the
river and pick a few blackberries to eat. The trail sits atop the dyke
that protects farmland from the river. The views are beautiful on both
sides. The Mission Abby bell tower is visible from the Page Road
trailhead, we didn't hear the chimes, maybe next time. The weather was
quite gray but still suitable for riding. We left the dog at home and
enjoyed racing eachother on the way back. We're both a bit competitive.
View through Othello Tunnels on the Kettle Valley Railway also part of the Trans Canada Trail.
Dramatic views of the Coquihalla River canyon from the Kettle Valley Railway along the Trans Canada Trail.
