They have hills here!

Who knew? Well, I'm here to tell you that there are real hills out here. We did one of them today.

We left Christina Lake about 8 AM, after a visit to the local (good) coffee shop. (Everyplace here advertises free trade organic coffee, and of course has the full latte-cappuccino-mocchaccino-etc. menu; how can you tell you're in BC?). Initially, there was not too much in the was of climbing, since it went up the lake. But once we started to leave the lake, we were met with an 8% grade

 upwards for some time, then a bit less grade, then another 8% grade. It went on for over thirty kilometres, to the summit which is called Paulsen Summit. I don't mind saying that, even though I am now in better shape than before, I was pretty tired when I got there. As was Barry. We posed by the signs to prove we had actually done this, and then set off again.

We had been met along the way by a trio of bikers from the States, on  a three-day circuit up from Washington State and back. they left us in the dust, damn it. This work is humbling, if nothing else.

Nancy, bless her, had gone ahead, found a room, and came back to find us. She let us know that it was an easy remaining thirty or so kilometres. Even better, she was right. What goes up does indeed come down, and we coasted for over 15 km at one point. There was one or two inclines of small degree, but mostly all down, and some of it quite fun. Past forests, clear cut areas, some meadows, some streams, a lake named after Nancy Green. On into Castlegar we went.

They even have an overpass in this town. Mind you, that seems to be about all they have, it really seems a bit run down. And the motel was like that two. Built in the Fifties, renovated in the Sixties, and resting on its past vainglorious achievements; too bad, but it did for the night.

Supper at a local quite good Indian Food restaurant, back to our room for some wine and food with the friends we had met at Christina Lake, then to bed.