Hope to Merritt / Happiness to Frustration

John and I camped out just outside of Hope last night. When we initially set up tent, it was really warm. As the night progressed, it became bone chillingly cold. As a result, I got maybe 3 hours of sleep and John got none. As you can probably predict, our day was exhausting.

The day started off with a glowing and inspiring sunrise that temporarily gave us bountiful energy. As we cycled the Coquihalla highway, came to an extremely steep hill that climbed one kilometer over six kilometers of cycling. It may not sound bad, but for a cyclist, the slope was huge! We were so high there was literally still snow on the ground. We assumed there couldn't be many more hills than the initial huge one, but were very wrong. Most of the day was a literal uphill battle. With such little sleep, it was really rough.

We saw a couple deer today which is cool I guess... I'd much rather have seen a bear or a dragon but I'm not sure bears are real. We also had a toast to Annie who helped support us by supplying us with protein bars. Thanks Annie, enjoy the pictures!

Now we're in Merritt and John and I both ate a large pizza each which didn't fill us. Fun fact: Merritt has dubbed itself the "County Capital of Canada". It's got many murals of famous musical artists including Uncle Sloth and the Machines and some guy I've never heard of. Country music is stupid, but I'm sure our coworker Eden would love this place! (Her opinions are clearly wrong.)

The quote of the day is, "you guys are crazy!" Which was hollered by a guy in a car as we climbed that steep hill. Maybe it's not the best quote but it really pumped us up and gave us an extra boost of energy. People are really awesome and supportive and we constantly hear friendly honks and see friendly waves as we cycle through. Let's see if this kindness holds up in other provinces...

I wasn't lying: there was snow...

A toast to Annie!

Go John Go!

John Goes Slow!

Pretty high up...

Hope = Rambo

Sorry for the delay in posting this. I drafted it last night but didn't have a connection to post it. It was meant for the 19th...

What's interesting about Hope B.C. your ask? Well, it's where Rambo with Silvester Stallone was filmed! (Kailen, I'm bringing you back a sweet souvenir from this place!) Back in the 80s, Rambo helped put Hope on the map and really increased tourism to the area. Sadly, the locals have become disenchanted because the bridge that Rambo walked across at the beginning of the film was demolished a couple years ago. This was apparently because it costed too much to maintain and also because river floods constantly threatened to sweep it away anyways.

The cycling today was absolutely breathtaking. The pictures at the bottom don't do it justice. We're sounded by majestic mountains and sweet woody air. As we cycled we met a gentleman named Dan who is cycling North to the Yukon in support of Alzheimers disease. He offered us some advice and Lindt chocolate and so we took to him instantly. We wish him happy travels to the Yukon. Please check out his blog at http://north2yukon.tumblr.com (it's funny because his last name is North).

Mom, I think you'll love these pictures of wooden sculptures that literally line the streets of Hope. There are literally hundreds of them, all carved by the same artist. I hope someday in Toronto that wooden sculptures and prostitutes will coexist peacefully on street corners. Maybe sculptures of prostitutes? Whatever the case, get me some wooden sculptures, dammit!

I'm currently drinking another local beer: Cutthroat Pale Ale from Kelowna. Its from the same maker as Thirsty Beaver Amber Ale, and tastes similar.

John and I are currently at a campground just outside a little known landmark called the Othello Tunnels which were apparently a setting in Rambo. It's full of gentle old people who are meters away playing cards in a quiet little lodge. It's a very peaceful campground and John and I are watching Louis CK. Brilliant man he is (Louis CK, not John).

Tomorrow we set sail for Merritt. Thanks for your continued support, readership, and donations. Please spread the word. Also, if you know of any potential hosts living in any of the places we're heading, please let us know (see a few posts below for our tentative route).

Abandoned gas station

A real Swiss Chalet

Amazing detail

They tasted gross...

Now in Chilliwack

John and I just made it to Chilliwack and I thought I'd update the blog while I wait for my pizza. John is off at some other restaurant touching himself. I just really wanted pizza.

Today was our first day on the Trans Canada highway and it now officially feels as though our adventure has begun. British Columbia is as beautiful as you'd expect it to be. We are surrounded by beautiful mountains that scrape the clouds. So far it's been really cloudy, but it hasn't rained yet and so we're quite content.

Half way through the day John realized he had a flat back tire. It was tricky to change, but we think we did a good job. We're still learning.

Tomorrow we camp out in Hope. I sure hope we don't get eaten by a bear! (Now that I've gotten the obligatory pun off my chest we can move on...)

Chilliwack > Burnaby.

Scarborough > nothing.

Santa > Satan.

Everybody > John.

The quote of the day was screamed by a lady as we approached a bridge. She yelled, "for Denver!" John swears she yelled, "...for cancer!" But what does John know?

That's all for today  folks...

I look 10!

KATIE NEUFELD!

Approaching the mountains

**** Burnaby!

So it has begun... Our epic quest across this beautiful land.

It started off crappy because everything John touches breaks. I guess he just doesn't know to treat things with tenderness. This ended up being a blessing in disguise though because we now know how to change tires, take wheels off, change break pads, etc. John apparently has a real knack for messing things up. Oh bother.

As we finally exited the terminal after an hour and a half of repairs, we were struck by how much more awesome British Columbia is than southern Ontario. Everything is so fresh, so green, and almost every road has dedicated cycling lanes. In Scarborough it is dangerous to cycle on the shoulders of main roads in because of those god forsaken potholes. In British Columbia, everything is pristine. Even the traffic lights change when you press the buttons... Imagine that!

As we cycled forward to Burnaby, we stopped off at this remarkable restaurant called Heidi's Cafe for lunch. This establishment had a really spunky, charismatic waitress who frowned when we told her we were from Toronto and who told us, "even the pigeons in Toronto have lost all hope" and went on about a story about how in BC, when you try and kick pigeons they actually try and fly away; in Toronto if you try and kick a pigeon, the pigeon gets hurt. The place got a great Yelp review. 

John is an idiot and forgot his helmet and so had to buy a new one in Vancouver (we tried to find a Power Puffs Girls one, or one with Hot Wheels or a dragon on it but they were too small). I'm just finishing a great beer from Kelowna BC. It's called "Thirsty Beaver Amber Ale" and has a really unique, foresty flavour. I'm going to have a few beers from each province we visit in the quest for the greatest Canadian beer.

John has an amazingly awesome souvenir for our mutual coworker Joe. He will be very happy. I'm sure Joe will cherish it for years to come, and probably ask to be buried with it when he dies. Ask him about it.

I'm tired as all hell. I'm probably not making much sense anymore. John is really starting to cactus.

I can't stop touching my head.

Restaurant #1

The John shrug #1

Ugly picture #1

Seriously what was I thinking when I took this

It begins with a shaved head and 50 Shades of Grey

We're here in Vancouver. Leaving for Burnaby soon. My head is shaved. Let's see how much it grows:

Rogers Gave me Unlimited Data

I called up Rogers yesterday and explained what John and I were doing and they agreed to give me unlimited data for our entire trip. Now I can update this God forsaken blog quite regularly throughout the trip!

They even said they may donate if we visit the offices downtown. Mad props Rogers. Thank you!

Biking schedule

Here is our tentative biking route, the distances and the dates.

Vancouver to Burnaby 13km June 17

Burnaby to Chilliwak: 96 km June 18

Chilliwak to Hope : 52 Km June 19

Hope to Merritt : 120 km June 20

Merritt to Kamloops: 85 km June 21

Kamloops to salmon arm: 109 km June 22

Salmon arm to Revelstoke:  103 km June 23

Revelstoke to Golden : 149 km June 24

Golden to Banff : 139 km (Alberta) June 25

Banff to Calgary : 145 km June 26

Day off June 27

Calgary to Strathmore: 64 km June 28

Strathmore to Brooks: 143 km June 29

Brooks to Medicine Hat: 108 km June 30

Medicine Hat to Tompkins : 152 km (Saskatchewan) July 1

Tompkins to Swift Current: 82 km July 2

Swift Current to Chaplin: 92 km July 3

Chaplin to Moose Jaw: 88 km July 4

Moose Jaw to Regina: 72 km July 5

Regina to Broadview : 156 km July 6

Broadview to Elkhorn: 114 km (Manitoba) July 7

Elkhorn to Brandon : 104 km July 8

Brandon to Portage La Prarie : 130 km July 9

Portage La Prarie to Winnipeg: 86 km July 10

Day Off July 11

Winnipeg to Prawda: 108 km July 12

Prawda to Kenora: 106 km (Ontario) July 13

Kenora to Dryden:  147 km July 14

Dryden to Martin: 150 km July 15

Martin to Raith: 112 km July 16

Raith to Thunderbay: 94 km July 17

Day off July 18

Thunderbay to Nipigon: 114 km July 19

Nipigon to Terrace Bay: 104 Km July 20

Terrace Bay to Marathon: 81 km July 21

Marathon to Wawa:  188 km July 22

Wawa to Sault St.Marie : 235 km July 23

Sault St.Marie to Blind river: 154 km July 24

Blind River to Sudbury: 172 km July 25

Sudbury to North Bay: 130 km July 26

North bay to deep River: 166 km July 27

Deep River to Renfrew: 104 km July 28

Renfrew to Ottawa : 100 km July 29

Ottawa to Rigaud: 118km (Quebec) July 30

Rigaud to Laval: 74 km July 31

Laval to Trois-Riviere: 153 km August 1

Trois-Riviere to Quebec city: 148 km August 2

Day off August 3

Quebec city to Montmagny: 82 km August 4

Montmagny to St.Pascal: 97 km August 5

St.Pascal to Rivere du Loup: 43km August 6

Rivere du Loup to Edmunston: 132 km (New Brunswick) August 7

Edmunston to Florenceville: 142 km August 8

Florenceville to Fredericton: 116 km August 9

Fredericton to Moncton : 196km August 10

Moncton to Summerside : 135 km  (PEI) August 11

Summerside to Charlottetown: 76 km August 12

Charlottetown to Woods islands: 60 km August 13

Woods Island to Caribou ferry : August 14

Caribou Ferry to Pictou: 9km (Nova Soctia) August 14

Pictou to Port Hawkesbury: 129 km August 14

Port Hawkesbury to North Sydney : 135 km August 15

North Sydney to Argentia: August 16, August 17 (Ferry only comes 3 days a week)

Argentia to St.John’s : 142 km August 18