The mileage for today depends on who you talk to. I did the official route and came in with a total distance of 67.26 kilometres and 562 meters of elevation gain. 3 people took the taxi route for 0 kilometres. Everyone else took a bit of a short-cut off the official route for approximately 62 kilometres. Conditions varied between wet and very wet. But that is okay because the cold took your mind off the wet part – between 8° and 11°.
Schliersee was one of our attractions for the day. The northern shore is pictured below.
From there we rode south along the western edge of the lake. Below is a shot of the beautiful little village at the south end of the lake.
The planned lunch stop was in the little village of Fischbachau famous for its pilgrimage chapel.
Below is one of the many idyllic farmsteads that we passed along the way.
Again we are hoping for a dry day tomorrow — but it doesn’t look that promising.
It was good to get on the road. And it was a perfect day 10°C start and intermittent sun. We did a total of 59.76 kilometres and 367 meters of elevation gain for the day.
Final briefing in Munich before the first ride.
We had a small amount of time on busy 2 lane roads, but most of our time was on bike paths (about half of it gravel). A very pleasant day. Below is some of the beautiful country scenery that we saw most of the day. We spent a lot of the day along the river.
One of our stops at the historic Grunwald museum and historic site below.
Beautiful weather today. We are all hoping that the rain predicted for tomorrow doesn’t materialise.
The first day of the tour is an organisation day. Check into the hotel. Get the bikes setup then introductions and meeting before the actual riding starts tomorrow at the crack of 9:00.
A little more sightseeing around Munich before we get underway. A beautiful park along the Isar river:
One of the locals surfing a standing wave on the stream in English Gardens. Yes the streams were flowing heavy because of the considerable rain today:
Finally the get together meeting is over and everyone is ready to ride.
This is our opening blog entry for the 2017 Munich to Venice tour. The tour doesn’t start for a couple of days yet (14 September to be exact). However the troops are starting to gather here in Munich. The riders for this tour are: Daniel Carey, Charlene Dorward, Ray Duggan, Bill Eberlein, Charlotte Eberlein, Delores Franz Los, Andrew Hind, Robin Howe, David Kolic, Barbara Mathias, Rick Mathias, Richard Morris, Bob Myrick, Allen Olsen, Larry Wilson, Trish Wilson, and Max McClanahan (your author).
The flight over was the usual ordeal. One of my tools was confiscated because it had a 3 cm. serrated blade. I’ve flown with that tool a number of times before, but not this time. Fortunately I was able to break the set apart and save the other tools – some of which are essential for assembling the bike. Later in the flight when dinner was served I could only laugh when I was presented with a metal knife with a serrated blade at least 3 times larger and sharper than the one that had been confiscated before I could board. Obviously there are some subtleties of the security business that I just don’t grasp. But all in all it has to be classified as a good trip since the bike actually arrived on the same plane that I did! Waahoo!
I arrived in the early afternoon to intermittent rain. I took the train from the airport to within a few hundred meters of my hotel. They seem to have a very nice mass transit system here. I didn’t get to see much of the city yet, but they do have some beautiful architecture. Below is a quick shot of the downtown market square.
Here are a couple of photos from yesterday on the Kananaskis highway. that’s mt Kidd behind those smiling faces who are having coffee after 30 km of descending grade and tail wind.
Amazing scenery, exceeded my expectations. Really good mountains.
The nightly accordion sessions at the campfire have expanded to a guitarist as well and tellers of tales and jokes. Bruce
We elected to do this ride as the road is very quiet. It involved a long climb out of Merritt with the Coqohala high above us on the left and the Coldwater River on the right. The country side was forest and ranch land.
an abandoned farmhouse
At the end there was a great long swooping descent as we came back down into Merritt. A farewell coffee stop at Brambles in Merritt and most of the riders were on their way home.
I had a couple of dogs come out and try to bite me but I yelled SIT! and they did. Max did me one better. He had a coyote come out of the woods and chase him. Scary!
This ride was 70 km from the hotel and total ascent was 840 M.
Well that was the Glaciers to Grasslands Hub and Spoke. If you ever get a chance to go on an event hosted and planned by the Zorns…………..DO IT!! You won’t regret it.
Our hosts George and Jeanetta
They get 5 out of 5 on all categories as far as I am concerned.
Well we woke up this morning and it was pouring rain. We had decided to leave an hour earlier to try and beat the headwinds and it wasn’t windy but boy was it raining! So we sat around and waited for a bit and then everyone got in their cars and drove to Spences Bridge and did the trip in reverse. Everyone except me. I decided to take a rain day as my legs were pretty sore from the previous day’s wind fest. It turned out to be a good decision for the rest, as it was dry in Spences Bridge and by the time they got back towards Lower Nicola it had stopped raining.
I could include a picture of me watching TV. George has promised to send me some pictures and when he does I’ll include some here.
The ride followed the Nicola River from Spences Bridge towards Lower Nicola although nobody made the whole trip. A spur of the Kettle Valley Railway runs along this route with the railbed intact although some of the trestles have been removed. Maybe someday a new trail?
The longest ride was 65 km and around 740 total ascent.
Day 5. We get up, pack and head out by car to Merrit. Lovely drive with a lunch stop in Ashcroft. Meet the others at the hotel and get settled in. Subway for supper. Yummmm.
Day 6. The Douglas Lake Grasslands ride. A beautiful ride on a mostly flat, smooth and empty for the most part, road. This is 5a, the old road from Merritt to Kamloops. We had a nice tail wind heading out and the weather although forecast to be wet was perfect.
The ride was supposed to go down 5a for 25 kms. and then turn up the Douglas Lake road which climbed up into ranch country. Max and I went ahead as we often do and missed the turn so we ended up going to the east end of Stump lake for lunch all the way on 5a.
Rolling grasslands and lakes for beautiful scenery.
a ducks unlimited wetland. full of birds.
Once we turned around for the trip home we discovered why it had been such easy sailing outbound. The headwind was strong and relentless and we were struggling. Luckily we met up with two other riders and the four of us took turns pulling the line to get home. Hard work.
Crazy Gary went all the way to Kamloops 90 k. one way without a clear idea how to get back. Maybe bus? Maybe hitch hike? Maybe ride the whole thing. Yikes!
It turned out Gary parked his bike behind a weigh scale and took the front wheel off to get sympathy for hitch hiking. He didn’t even get his thumb out before a fellow cyclist stopped and gave him a ride back to Merritt. Then he drove the 180 km round trip back to Kamloops to get his bike. But he had a beautiful ride with a big tailwind all the way.
Max and I did 108 km with 650 total elevation gain.
A little confusing. Today is the third day of the H&S as I included the travelling day in the blog.
We rode south today on highway towards Lytton along the canyon walls and beautiful ranch lands. There were a series of climbs with grades up to 12% and lots of 8 to 10%.
The views along this road were spectacular yet again and I have to say that this is the most beautiful area I have cycled in to date. Lots of WOW factor around here. The past three days have been amazing!
The weather was perfect for riding. A little cool in the morning and quite warm on the trip home. The pavement was a bit rough in places but completely doable. I really enjoyed the long decent back into town.
Ron, Deb, Max and Alex.
As with every one of these rides it was straight out and back so you could make it as long or short as you want. I went 60 km as my legs were feeling the effects of the past two days and most of the rest of the group did the same. Max did 80 and Gary (to be known as crazy Gary from now on) did 120.
We had supper at the Fort Berens winery and it was fine dining at its best.
We drove this morning up the first 24 km of the Duffy lake road to start the ride. It was a very steep ascent on a rough road so we decided to pass on the wall .
We all headed out from the Cottonwood rec area heading west on the road. It was a very steady climb up to Duffy lake and beyond.
Some stopped at the 25 km point for lunch at the lake and returned to the cars and some of us continued to climb to around the 40 km mark for a total 80 km ride.
The weather was perfect and the scenery was stunning. Waterfalls along one side of the road and Cayoosh creek bubbling on the other side.
pictures to follow but suffice to say lots of glaciers.
A spectacular decent on the way back to the car which reminded me how much work it had been getting up there. It was about 25 km of down.
My ride was 82 km with around 1000 M of total ascent.
Max Maclanahan and I drive to Lillooet via the Duffy Lake Road. Slow but scenic. We arrive just in time for the orientation and Happy Hour.
Our hosts, George and Jeanetta Zorn provided a very through briefing and explained that these would be mostly self guided rides. Different people riding for different distances and speeds. I like that. Everyone in charge of their own happiness and no one feeling like they are holding others up.
After a nice happy hour we all had a delicious lasagna dinner put on by the United hurch ladies, friends of the Zorns from when they lived here
Day 2.
We elect to do the Marble Canyon ride on Highway 99 towards Cache Creek. Some of the riders decided to drive the first 18 km since that section is pretty steep. Others rode all the way from town for a very hilly 100km.
The scenery along the Frazier River was absolutely stunning.
We stopped for lunch at Marble Canyon and then headed back. The wind was brutal on the way home I guess we were getting a push heading up hill bit we sure paid for it on the trip back.
The whole group.
On the way home a few of us stopped at the Fort Berens Winery for a tasting. Very refreshing and the wine was excellent. Happy hour will be even happier tonight.
Carmen and I signed up for the Snohomish Hub and Spoke which started on May 24th. It was capped at 24 people, had one ride per day and we were expected to navigate ourselves rather than be led. Very good cue sheets,maps and gps files were supplied.
Day 1:
Carmen and I ride to the Anacortes ferry and on back roads to La Conner, a beautiful little town south east of Anacortes which I can highly recommend for a visit. We took the back road which is called Reservation road. Not as flat but much more scenic and no highway riding. Along the way we passed a street called “Pull or be Damned road”. I decided not to go down there just in case it was named by a cyclist.
The causeway on the trail out of Anacortes
Day 2:
After a night in La Conner at the Hotel Planter (highly recommended) we set off for Snohomish. Mostly back roads although 9 miles on highway 9 was less than pleasant. About the time I was getting fed up with the traffic we came to the trail head of the Centennial trail. 50 km of beautiful paved trail which took us all the way to Snohomish. I can say that the department in charge of making this trail did a fantastic job.
We met Dick and Elaine and the rest of the riders and had supper at Fred’s Riverhouse Pub. Great beer and great food.
The Centennial trail
Day 3: First day of the Hub and Spoke. Right back north on the Centennial trail and back to Snonhomish for a 100 km jaunt. Carmen’s first metric century. the trail is very flat and there is a 23 km speed limit on it so it was a relaxed ride with a picnic at the trail head.
The Centennial trail head
Day 4: This ride started int he town of Monroe which is about 10 km south of Snohomish. We caught a ride with Dick and Elaine and rode the Index loop which took us right into the mountains to the village of Index. Lots of hills and quiet back roads. A very pleasant if somewhat challenging 80 km.
17 of the 24 participants on the Index Loop. It was a hilly ride.
Pictured Above: Alex Laird,Dick Carpenter,Bill Campbell,Jenny McIndoe,Andrew McIndoe,Vanessa Van Sickle, Beverly Wagner, Lynn Merlino, Dorothy Schedvin, Sandy Gray, Paul Westmattelman, Hamish Kerr, Niel Moroney.
Missing from the Photo: Elaine Carpenter (taking the shot), Anne Carpenter, Dolores Franz Los, Bern Koppe, Susan Moroney, Whitney Laughlin, Brian Estes, Carmen Burnay, Sheila Kerr, Dawn Ens.
Day 5: Ride number three. We head south to Monroe and then swing north up to the city of Everett. Carmen had trouble with her bike so we ended up doing the whole ride by ourselves. Another lovely ride on the country roads of Washington. Another 80 km.
Dolores fixes a flat.
Day 6. A ride to Granite Falls which due to bad weather and very sore legs we declined. So did almost everyone else.
Day 7: We rode from Snohomish to Downtown Seattle to catch the Victoria Clipper home. This ride included the Burke-Gilman trail which is pretty spectacular. Like the Goose only paved all the way. Seattle seems to have bike lanes on every street downtown.
So that was the Snohomish Hub and Spoke. It was a very fun week for Carmen and I and we made some new friends. The Carpenters planned it very well and gave great directions and maps. All in all I give it 5 stars and if you ever get a chance to go on a ride they have organized I highly recommend it.
