Day One - Mission

Today is the first official day of the tour.  I woke up early as usual even though I had got to bed late because I was too excited to sleep. 

At 7am breakfast was served at the truck that consisted of cold cereal and fruit.  After breakfast we are all responsible for making our own lunch which today for me consisted of 3 peanut butter and strawberry jam sandwiches and two bananas.

We rode to the Museum of Archeology at 8 am to take a group picture by the long house.  We then headed to Spanish banks so that those that hadn't dipped their wheels in Victoria had a chance to dip them in English Bay.  As I was waiting for the wheel dipping to be completed I saw an eagle flying closely to the water.

The route took us along NW Marine Dr, Broadway and Adanac streets in Vancouver.  I had never been on Adanac street before and found it to be a very quiet route.  However there was I very very long but not too steep of a hill as you approach Holdom Street at the foot of SFU.

We had a quick break in a local park to each a sandwich and get out of the sun for a while.  Most of the route through Burnaby, Port Moody, and Port Coquitlam was uneventful.  One of the hilites of the day was crossing the Pitt River bridge.  The route across the bridge was a designated walkway / bikeway that was very smooth.  As we crested the bridge walkway we got a great view of Mount Baker.

While riding on the Old Dewdney Trunk Rd we noticed a nice restaurant / fruit stand and pulled over for another sandwich and to refill out water bottles.  While there I pick up some nice blueberries that I stowed in my rack top bag to eat later.

The group that I was riding with that was lead by Duncan for most of the way pulled away from me and I wasn't able to catch up to them.  So for next hour I was left to navigate myself using the cue sheet that is provided the night before every day that we ride.  Even though I missed the turn to the camp ground I was pretty happy that I didn't get too lost today.  As I was approaching the camp I felt tired and hot and then I remembered that I had just finished the 1st day of my trip and them I smiled.

The temperature today peaked at 34 degrees and was really noticed as I was riding up hill and wasn't moving too fast.

As I am writing this blog Bud is giving an impromptu meeting, an eagle flew closely over our heads and the group oooh and ahed.  Day one complete.

13 cyclists + one driver at the Museum of Anthropology at UBC

Dipping wheels at Jerico Beach in Vancouver

Riding over the Pitt River Bridge

First night in the tents