Day 4

Leaving Fort Langley today felt different; for once, the sun was out, and we were finally putting some real distance behind us. Our attempt to follow the Trans Canada Trail led us to another dead end, but a kindly rail worker pointed us toward a way around that spared us from the worst climbs. I remember being the first one up the hill that day—'slow and steady' was becoming my mantra, and it worked.

As we cycled past the Abbotsford airport, we saw some old Canadian jets getting a makeover, which was a neat distraction from the service road monotony. However, I started to feel the first twinges of knee trouble toward the end of the day—something I was desperately hoping I could keep in check. We eventually pulled into the Vedder River Campgrounds and made the most of the sun, drying out all the gear that was still damp from the coast. There's nothing quite like the feeling of knowing everything in your pack is finally dry.

I wake at 7:00a and take a luxurious warm shower. I ride back into Langley City to the bike shop, but they still do not have time to examine my bike. Instead, I buy extra pads, cable, lube, and another tube to replace the one we used to fix our friend's flat earlier. It rains on me during the ride back, but luckily it doesn't even drip in Fort Langley.

We leave Fort Langley heading east on River Road. We’re excited to see Trans Canada Trail signs, but a gentleman warns us that the trail hasn't been maintained for a decade. We backtrack and meet a CN Rail employee who gives us excellent directions through the area. We begin to push our bikes up the gravel switch-backs of the Pemberton Hills. Blue shows his amazing determination and makes it to the top first. On the plateau, the dips are so steep my speed hits 57kph—well over the trailer's recommended limit!

We stop for a picnic in a field of buttercups. As we continue, we are surrounded by mountains on the horizon. At 3:30p, my rear tire instantly goes flat; Wendy and I quickly replace it. We bike together in a tight pack, and I manage to take a picture of the others while riding! We decide on a campground near the Vedder River, where I get another flat just minutes away. Blue and our friend ride ahead to set up camp while Wendy and I fix it. I’ve added electrical tape to my rim in hopes it stops the spokes from popping more tubes. We plan to reach Hope tomorrow.