Today was a longer distance day but does contain proper roads, around 35 miles should see us there.

Up and away by 8.20, feeling quite cool (minimum last night 4.4 degrees), but not a cloud in the sky. We had an almost normal breakfast milk and everything, it made a nice change.

Peter (from the Netherlands who we met yesterday) will cycle with us today, we both have a date with Sparwood.

The route leaves Elkford and goes immediately into much steepness, in actual fact 2.5 miles of it at 8% (for those of you unfamiliar with 8% it is about the same strength as a super strong larger).

A view from the road.

At the top of this we took the Fording River Road Detour as there was a major washout of the original road making it impassable. The detour started well a nice track but soon changed into single track and a serious pushing frenzy to see follow link, plus a lift over a fallen tree. But soon we got the nice track back and all was well with the world again.

We did see quite a few wild hares at this point (no photographs as Janet said hers was too much of a mess), who scurried away very quickly.

Tarmac then appeared and would remain with us until we reached Sparwood (another 8 miles). This was the Lower Elk Road very quite and downhill, just perfect, if only we could find beer. Now we were passing a house which had what looked like a bar on the front of it, there was someone working on a car one the drive so we got talking. Rory, an ex coal miner of 36 years now retired was a star and suddenly we were sitting in the shade with a can of Bud Lite. This was just his house and his wife wanted a bar on the front.

Again the hospitality of the Canadians we meet never ceases to amaze me, many thanks to Rory and his father in law for the beer and fine conversation.

We carried on cycling easily arriving in Sparwood, we did stop by the big green coal truck an apparently major tourist attraction for the obligatory photograph (it is very impressive though).

Cycling down to the campground was on a main road not so nice, but the Mountain Shadows Campground  has very good facilities but a little too much road noise.
A walk back to town to experience a Root Beer Float as recommended by a very popular cycling book was certainly an experience, one which you only need once in your lifetime, try one yourself and see if you agree.

Finally we got a few things from the supermarket, including a £9.00 block of cheese (eek!). Failed to track down an open restaurant so cooked pasta surprise (it was spagetti). Then retired for the night.