Riding the KVR trail

The morning started a bit on the wrong foot. When Mikkel tried to confirm our booking with the guy who was supposed to take us up to the beginning of the KVR trail the answer was: "No booking".

So we decided to rent bikes anyway and ride up the trail and back again. The weather was a bit cloudy but it was supposed to improve and by the time we got the bikes there was sunshine now and then.

Next small problem. The bikes had to come back when the shop closed since we were to leave early tomorrow morning. So only biking and wine tasting until 5 PM. We set of and biked the "false flat" - that is a slope that is so flat that it looks level even though there is a 2% gradient. The KVR trail is where the old Kettle Valley Railway used to run, so it is in the middle of the country side and the section we were about to ride went through the wine district. Excellent.

With a few stops on the way we managed to go around 25 kilometres up the trail before we decided that it was time to head back for a wine tasting or two. We had a stop at Langs winery and some samples there before we drove to Hillside and booked a table for dinner later in the evening. Just a few meters further we came across a place that did apple slushie - and naturally had to stop and enjoy the hot summer afternoon.

We grabbed the bikes again and Mikkel realised he had a flat tire. So while he tried to give it some first aid, Malene biked ahead to keep the bike shop open so we could hand in the bikes. Mission done.

Given that the peach festival was going there was the option to go and see the lumberjack/ chain saw show at the festival area. Mikkel and Steen went there and then we all went to Hillside Winery for the dinner. It was busy there so we sat in the garden and enjoyed the sunshine and some cold wine. Then we were lucky and got the best table on the patio. Full sunshine and lake view.

Great dinner, great wine and great company. What's more to like. A nice taxi driver took us back to the hostel. Getting ready for a long day tomorrow going to Vancouver Island.

Pentiction - here we come

We changed plans a bit. Based on Waynes input we decided to make our transit between Banff and Nanaimo a bit longer with a short stay in the Okanagan Valley. We originally wanted to stay in Kewlona but instead we were advised to go a bit further to Pentiction.

Long drive all day with a few breaks. First one at the spiral tunnels at Kicking horse pass. We could see the tunnel entrance from the car park, but no trains this morning. It would have been fun to see though.

Then a few more hours of driving and a nice lunch break at a lake before heading into wine country. Did stop at the first winery we came across - a tiny one with only a few wines to taste. There was lots more fun at Dave's Goat walk - a place like no others where there was packed with people and every imaginable piece of junk in all sorts and sizes - including fake dinosaurs. And of course you could feed the goats. Mikkel was a bit disappointed that the "World's largest goat walk" was still under construction.

We headed for our hostel in Penticton and had a few stops on the way to enjoy the scenery and buy some fresh fruits. This is after all fruit country. Arriving in Penticton we headed straight for the local tourist office where we planned tomorrow's activity - biking the KVR-trail and do wine tasting.

When we returned to the hostel there was fighter jets passing over at low altitude - the 2015 Peach Festival had begun. The Snowbirds did an amazing display - we still believe it was in honour of our arrival. The Peach Festival also meant that the town was packed with visitors and locals so we did spend a lot of time looking for a place where we could have some dinner. Got to ready for the long bike ride tomorrow.

Banff Sunshine Village - with rain

Mikkel joined Steen for a hostel breakfast, enjoying some bacon and eggs from the cafe on the patio. We had a quiet morning not really feeling like hurrying out on the trails. In the end we decided to drive to Sunshine village and hike up the mountain. Mikkel being a little disappointed not going up with the Banff cable car.

Arriving at the parking lot at Sunshine village it was clear that the long weekend was over. We passed by a couple of "overflow" parking lots on our way but the main parking lot was more or less empty.

Sunshine village is a bit up the mountain and the cable car was still under construction - Mikkel was now even more disappointed. Instead there was the option to take the shuttle bus up.  At CAD 30 per person we decided not to. So instead we hiked up the mountain road for about 1½ hours passing by a number of ski lifts and cable cars on our way up. They seem so much out of place when it is summer and all the hills are green.

The rain started just when we reached to top of the mountain, so we went for shelter in the cafe and waited for the weather to improve. It didn't happen. Instead we could see more and more soaked people entering and the rain pouring down outside. So much for Sunshine.

When the rain stopped we hiked back to the car, drove back to Banff, shopped for our own homemade BBQ and did good meat and veggies at the hostel. And then the sun was back again. Hope the next couple of days will be with lots of sunshine in Penticton.