Canada’s only desert

We woke up to rain, so geared up accordingly. The first part of the highway followed along the Silkameen River and was pleasantly flat. What a nice change! We rolled through the old gold mining town of Hedley and could still see abandoned mine shaft entrances high above the roadside in the mountains.

Eventually, Crowsnest Pass ran between two mountains ~ the Snowy Mountain and Mount Kobau. Both protected areas. As the road began to rise toward the sky, we entered the grasslands. We could feel the change in the air, it was an extremely dry and hot as we were approaching Osoyoos, Canada’s desert.

We climbed and climbed before cresting the top of the mountain and found a couple of triathletes unloading their tri-bikes from a van. They were going to practice their downhill descents for their upcoming Ironman in Penticton. Ryan and Doug raced these two athletes down the mountain, the girls on their tri-bikes ~ the boys pulling their trailers. What a sight!

After resting in the center of town by the desert flower welcome sign, we grabbed a bite to eat and began our 18 km. climb out of the valley. The road wound back and forth, back and forth, zig zagging all the way to the top reaching a final elevation of 685 m. It was a spectacular close to the top when we looked back to see where we had come from on the other side of the valley where the sun was shining, behind Mount Kobau . . . . down, down, down, then up, up, up to where we were. We made it up that daunting climb!

: Rainy day ready!

: Thank goodness . . . a nice break to have flat roads.

: Just about at Hedley

: Hedley was famous for gold mining back in the early 1900s. Also, the Canadian band Hedley is named after this town.

: ~ lunch stop, we needed to get out of some wet clothes.

: Some pretty mean climbs to get to Osoyoos ~ grasslands and

: I made it!

: The triathlete that was practicing for Penticton Ironman. Ryan and Doug raced her down the mountain . . . . . with their trailers.

: Osoyoos ~ Canada’s only true dessert! Located at the bottom of Osoyoos Lake, in the Okanagan Valley.

: If you want to buy peanut butter ~ “You have to carry it!”

: We came from waayyyy down there! “A significant ascent out of the Okanagan Valley in either direction. The Crowsnest headed east begins with an 18 km (11 mi) switchback up the flank of the Okanagan Highland with a 685 m (2,247 ft) climb in elevation.” Wiipedia

: Okanagan Valley

: This part of the highway is also known as Anarchist Mountain.

: We came from the far side of this picture where there is a wee bit of sunshine in the clouds. That’s the mountain the boys raced the triathlete down the mountain.