EVCC Rail Barons, Cattle Barons and Fruit Growers Cycle Tour - Home Page

1999 August 06 - 14..........Friday through Saturday
9 Days .......... 568 km

Tour Co-Ordinator: Peter LaGrandeur
(403) 228-0269...... lagrandeurp@techworld.ca

Click here to go to the wrapup page for the tour with trip account and photos.

Overview

• Day 0, Aug 5, Thurs: arrive at Penticton
• Day 1, Aug 6, Fri: Penticton to Thirsk Lake 58km
• Day 2, Aug 7, Sat: Thirsk Lake to Princeton 55km
• Day 3, Aug 8, Sun: Princeton to Burt's Horse Motel 59km
• Day 4, Aug 9, Mon: Burt's to Coquihalla Lakes Campsite 36km
• Day 5, Aug 10, Tues: Coquihalla Lakes to Hope 56km
• Day 6, Aug 11, Wed: bus shuttle back to Brookmere, then ride to Merritt 47km
• Day 7, Aug 12, Thurs: Merritt to Salmon Lake Resort (Douglas Lake Ranch) 72km
• Day 8, Aug 13, Fri: Salmon Lk to Okanagon Lake 78km
• Day 9, Aug 14, Sat: Okanagon Lake to Penticton 98km

Our nine day self supported cycle tour will see us riding over a former rail bed, good quality loose surface roads, and pavement. The rail bed segment will be portions of the former Kettle Valley Railroad between Penticton and Hope. We will also do the spur from Brookmere to Merritt. From Merritt we ride east a short way on Hwy 5A to the access road to Douglas Lake Ranch. We continue our journey on a well maintained hard packed gravel road all the way to Hwy 97 by Westwold. A short hop on the pavement brings us to the access road to more back country paradise. We journey through the forest on forestry roads to Okanagon Lake. From there, it is pavement all the way back to Penticton via Kelowna, Peachland and Summerland.

Highlights of the trip include

• panoramic views of the world famous Okanagon orchard country above Penticton

• riding the heritage steam train in Summerland for 16km (yes they take bikes in the baggage car)
• spectacular ruins of a former cement plant Princton
• preserved railroad buildings in Brookmere
• awesome Coquihalla valley enroute to Hope
• Othello and Quintette Tunnels at Hope
• aquatic center in Merritt
• Douglas Lake Ranch with general store and original horse drawn delivery van from Woodward's Store in Vancouver
• breathtaking vistas of Okanagon valley between Kelowna and Penticton

Riders must be prepared to carry everything they require ON their bicycles. A "hybrid" or mountain bike would be the ideal style of bicycle for this trip and must be capable of carrying panniers (unless the rider is keen to carry a back pack the entire length of the route ---> NOT recommended!). There is no luggage vehicle or sag wagon available for this tour.

Bring clothes for ALL types of weather. It could be +30 every day or there could be rain and cold temperatures, especially in locales like Hope and Douglas Lake.

It goes without saying that everyone should have first aid skills. This is a basic life skill that all persons should have. All participants should make up their own first aid kits according to their own needs.

Never forget the bug dope in the great outdoors. And the bear repelling spray. And the sun block with the sun glasses.

All participants are required to wear approved bicycle helmets, properly fastened, while operating a bicycle on this EVCC Club tour.

Participants would be wise to have some means of filtering and purifying water with them on their bikes. There will be lakes and streams along the way, but not always sources of tap water when needed.

"Risk Acknowledgement & Acceptance of Self Responsibility"

The Elbow Valley Cycle Club offers this trip on the understanding it is a Common Adventure where each participant conducts him/herself independently, makes his/her own judgements about safety and well being, takes full responsibility for his/her own actions, and contributes whatever he/she can towards the success of the trip. The Tour Co-Ordinator is not a leader or professional guide of any type and acts only to provide basic logistical arrangements for initiating and running the trip. The route, itinerary and all other aspects of this trip are only suggested and, as responsible tourists, each participant is expected to research everything prior to the trip to whatever extent he/she feels is necessary to determine that all is safe and suitable. Each participant is expected to possess any skills, equipment, fitness, common sense, etiquette, knowledge of applicable legislations, etc., to enjoyably and safely be involved in th is activity. Each participant is the sole and final judge about his/her capability to safely proceed with this tour. All participants recognize financial loss, physical injuries and death to be real possibities facing anyone in the sport of bicycling and related activities and agree to assume all risks and consequences. All participants agree to absolve the Elbow Valley Cycle Club, its organizers, administrators and agents of any liability arising from Club activities. Any person who does not feel confident or self reliant about their abilities or who does not agree with this philisophy should not participate on this tour.

Web Design: Tech World Communications, Calgary, AB Canada
Last Update 2005 Jan 29