May 30th, 2017, Day 9, Pritchard to Salmon Arm, 82kms

Thank you Doug for our safe and comfortable campsite last night. It was cooler this morning and the tent had to be rolled up and put away while it was still a bit wet. We still haven’t unfurled it to dry it out because it rained early this evening.

This was to be a fairly easy day today and it was in some ways. There was a lot of downhill with the exception of a long hill just east of Chase. I used to work one day a week in Chase  for a dentist I really liked and respected. I haven’t had any contact with him for maybe 6 years but I thought I’d look him up when we passed through. Maybe drop into the office and say hi. I looked him up and….he’s dead! Only 59, died of a heart attack or stroke 5 years ago. I could hardly see through my tears as I sped past the turn off I used to take to get to work. Dr Tom Williamson, you were a very good man.

The landscape has changed once again and the hills are greener, the foliage thicker. Much of our day was spent going , yes, up and down hills but with the lakes on our left. It was beautiful and it was also supposed to be an easier day. We planned on getting into Salmon Arm early, around 1pm and hanging out somewhere relaxing (maybe Tim’s with free wifi )until we went to our host home for the night. I say supposed to be because we both needed to go  to a bike shop. Charlie’s fix was easy; a loose gear. There, fixed up, right as rain! Mine, well,I’d been trying different things to try to ease the pressure on my hands. I’d had my hoods mounted lower than normal, and I’d put on aerobars . Useless things for me, as it turned out. I was having other concerns too like a stabbing pain at the nape of my neck, hands that I just couldn’t find the right spot to rest and pressure points on my sitz bones that I thought were going to cut right through the skin at anytime. So at this bike shop they redid all that and now the result is….. I can barely wrap my fingers around the brakes. There’s no adjustment with these brake levers either. I can use them from the top but on a long hill, I prefer to use the brakes lower down, And we are in the mountains tomorrow!

I need new brake levers that I  can get my hands around. I’m actually scared to ride  to Revelstoke  tomorrow as I’m not sure I’ll be able to stop. But no bike shops here or until Calgary have them in stock. And even then they may need to be ordered in.

We are staying with the Mason’s tonight. Terri, Mark, Finn their son and Cocoa , their dog. Terri and Mark are avid cyclists. We made them dinner and had a very nice evening together. Now I’m barely awake and it’s lights-out.

Goodnight!