Day 5

So much for the weather forecast's promise of bright sunshine; instead, we were greeted by a persistent, heavy rain. We detoured into Chilliwack to visit a bike shop—a lucky move, as it turned out Shayne’s rear tire bearings were shot. From there, we pushed up the Trans Canada Highway to Bridal Veil Falls for lunch. The falls were spectacular, far outshining the ones we’d glimpsed from the train.

The forest there felt like a true temperate rainforest, lush with ferns and moss-draped trees, though I remember being surprised by the lack of any visible fungi. As we continued along the highway, I encountered my first real taste of the mountain "optical illusion"—where the road looks like a gentle downhill but your screaming leg muscles tell you a very different story. Eventually, the sky just completely opened up on us.

By the time we rolled into Hope, we were soaked, shivering, and pretty miserable. We knew camping was out of the question if we wanted to avoid pneumonia, so we headed to the Tourist Information booth. They were incredibly helpful, finding us a detailed guide to the Kettle Valley Railroad—our main link for the Trans Canada Trail—and recommending the Holiday Motel. The owners even came to pick us up in their truck, bikes and all. It’s that kind of kindness that truly defines a trip like this.

We wake up to overcast conditions and cheer ourselves up by singing Christmas carols while cooking our standard oatmeal breakfast. We stop in Vedder Crossing for groceries. While Blue and Wendy shop, our friend and I talk to a chiropractor who highly recommends a bike shop in Chilliwack called Pedal Sport. We decide to visit the shop to have my bike checked out.

The mechanics at Pedal Sport are extremely nice and immediately put my bike on the rack. They determine my rear axle is not properly sealed, clean it, and give the rest of my bike a quick tune-up. They even offer to look at the others' bikes! To top it off, a very nice cyclist in the shop covers our entire bill—the hospitality in B.C. is outstanding!

As we leave Chilliwack, we get onto the Trans Canada Highway. It is lovely and flat, and we ride two abreast on the wide shoulder. We stop for a picnic at Bridal Veil Falls. Blue and I hike up to the base of the falls; we are totally enveloped in a lush canopy covered in moss and lichen. It is a beautiful cascade of water. Wendy and her friend go up to look while we watch the gear.

By the time we arrive in Hope, we are cold and soaked. We purchase a book on the Kettle Valley Railway at the Visitor Centre and stay at a motel where the owners even use their personal dryer to dry our soaked clothing. Blue, Wendy, and their friend are all suffering from a cold they have dubbed "the Sickness," but so far I have managed to stay healthy with my vitamins. Both Blue and our friend have sore knees, but are doing fine.