August 23 2019, We leave the port of Prince Rupert in Canada and, as usual, it is through torrential rain that our first legs take place. We’re getting used to it now, and patience is the order of the day. Besides, we have anticipated these wet conditions by contacting locals who could host us, through the “Warmshowers” community (see anecdote). We now alternate two nights of free camping, with 1 night at a local’s place, which has the advantage of being dry and encountering interesting people. Blue skies gradually show up, letting the sun break through the fog, which brings us great pleasure. We’ve been on the road for over a month now; we’re developed our own little rituals and habits. We are faster setting up camp, remembering every night before going to bed to take care to put any food and scented products (toothpaste, soap, etc.) away from our tent to avoid attracting any bears in the night. Yet despite all our efforts, there is one sole drawback: it is almost impossible to break camp before 10am! We tried. Even on high amounts of caffeine, we are clearly not morning people. However, once on the road, we cycle at a steady pace and spend a lot of time on our saddles. We enjoy it, and swallow up an average of 100km a day. For now through fields, towards the rockies.

Time for a break

We took a break in Vanderhoof, 12km after this small town to be precise. We were expected by Felicity on her farm. We contacted her a few days earlier and in exchange for bed and board, we agreed to help her on the farm. It was a vital part of our journey: volunteering our time and energy, while helping, learning and feeling useful. And we certainly won’t run out of things to do at this farm: winter is coming and everything has to be harvested before the ground freezes. We are quite impressed by Felicity; the young farmer spreads her passion and enthusiasm despite managing the farm independently. We spent two days helping; removing irrigation pipes, digging up potatoes and cleaning dozens of garlic cloves. All interspersed with pizza and crumble breaks. Felicity even organised a big potluck to celebrate Labor Day. Unfortunately, we had to leave with very short notice, as Daisy had ongoing difficulties with her back . We reached Prince George hitchhiking, where we rested, this time with health care and real recovery.

We embark on this new challenge, with a bouncy rhythm, and heavy bags of food. We weren’t disappointed. We advance, captivated by these landscapes, skirting turquoise blue lakes reflecting the mountains. We cross our first mountain pass at over 2000m high and then roll from valley to valley, perched at over 1500m above sea level, surrounded by high peaks and eternal snow. We are even lucky enough to see the early autumn colors, it’s magic. The added bonus: trucks are prohibited on this stretch.

Anecdote

• We have not mentioned it yet, but we use the Warmshowers community for a dry bed, to meet locals and rest between the stages. As described on their website, “The Warmshowers Community is a free worldwide hospitality exchange for touring cyclists. People who are willing to host touring cyclists sign up and provide their contact information, and may occasionally have someone stay with them and share great stories and a drink “This community is incredibly responsive here in Canada”.
• Contrary to what one might think, we came in contact with very few wild animals through Jasper and Banff National Parks. It might be linked to the fact that we often ride with music on and that the animals have time to flee before we reach them.
• Record day; 121 k