Free breakfast at the Days Inn Day 7 was our toughest day yet - perhaps our toughest day ever. We cycled 153.8 kms (just about double Day 2) and we climbed a mile of elevation - with constant climbing for the first 70 kms to the summit of Rogers Pass. We got an early start at 7:55AM and were in the saddle riding for over 8 hours! We rode for some of the day in cold rain which started right as we were approaching the Rogers Pass Summit and continued through the descent after the Pass until we started to climb again at around 80 kms.
Rogers Pass Summit - Photography by Barb
Our Good Samaritan of the Day - Barb! Once we finally reached the Rogers Pass Summit, we needed some help to commemorate the very difficult climb. We were fortunate to find Barb from Vancouver Island shivering as she checked out the historical plaques at the Summit on her way to warm up in the hot springs at Radium. After checking our a few more plaques with us (did you know the TransCanada Highway was finished in 1962 at that very spot?), she took an awesome picture for us! Thanks for the help Barb!
Hero of the Day - Sydney Our riding objective for the first half of the day was the 24 hour cafeteria at the Summit that we saw advertised the day before near 3 Valley Gap. After taking the commemorative picture, we headed to find the cafeteria, but found only the Parks Canada Rogers Pass Centre, next to a boarded up lodge with faded signs for a restaurant and lounge.... we guess that when you go out of business, you don't necessarily remember to go and take your billboards down?!?!?! This could have been very bad given how challenging the day was, but fortunately, we met Sydney in the Parks Canada Centre. We had brought along our left-over pizza from the night before which we thought might serve as a snack. Although you can clearly see the "no food or drink" sign on the desk in front of her, Sydney microwaved our pizza for us (using the staff microwave), and we enjoyed a very nice lunch on the bench in the Centre (don't tell her boss!).
We also directed her to our website on her desk computer, but Parks Canada has a slow internet connection and her computer doesn't have speakers so the trailer wasn't all that impressive! Good luck Sydney as you start Pre-Med, and if we could have, we would have cast votes for you as Parks Canada Employee of the Month! Unfortunately, being Cam & Ken's Hero of the Day is going to have to do!
We arrived at the Econolodge in Golden at about 6:30PM looking forward to our daily hot tub (a most critical part of each riding day so far...) and called down to reception to find out where the hot tub was but were met with "sorry, but it's out of service"....! To understand how devastating this was, you have to understand that we have very strict hotel criteria:
(1) price (it's gotta meet Cam's budget),
(2) hot tub (it's gotta have one), and
(3) free breakfast (free makes Cam happy).
Unfortunately, by the point of the phone call, it was too late. Ken had to settle for a hot bathtub - which turned out to be surprisingly adequate, apart from a very extensive list of bathroom construction defects that he compiled while soaking... Cam passed on a bath, very surprised to feel so good after the tough day.
In closing today's entry, we wanted our readers to have a little fun, so we have put together a little puzzle/game. What is wrong with this picture of Ken, taken during our delicious dinner at the Eleven 22 Restaurant in beautiful downtown Golden?
We also directed her to our website on her desk computer, but Parks Canada has a slow internet connection and her computer doesn't have speakers so the trailer wasn't all that impressive! Good luck Sydney as you start Pre-Med, and if we could have, we would have cast votes for you as Parks Canada Employee of the Month! Unfortunately, being Cam & Ken's Hero of the Day is going to have to do!
We arrived at the Econolodge in Golden at about 6:30PM looking forward to our daily hot tub (a most critical part of each riding day so far...) and called down to reception to find out where the hot tub was but were met with "sorry, but it's out of service"....! To understand how devastating this was, you have to understand that we have very strict hotel criteria:
(1) price (it's gotta meet Cam's budget),
(2) hot tub (it's gotta have one), and
(3) free breakfast (free makes Cam happy).
Unfortunately, by the point of the phone call, it was too late. Ken had to settle for a hot bathtub - which turned out to be surprisingly adequate, apart from a very extensive list of bathroom construction defects that he compiled while soaking... Cam passed on a bath, very surprised to feel so good after the tough day.
In closing today's entry, we wanted our readers to have a little fun, so we have put together a little puzzle/game. What is wrong with this picture of Ken, taken during our delicious dinner at the Eleven 22 Restaurant in beautiful downtown Golden?
What is wrong with this picture?
Ride Details:
- Distance: 153.8 kms
- Riding time: 8:03 minutes
- Average speed: 19.1 kms/hour
- Climbing: 5,143 feet
For more ride details, see Strava and check out today's riding pictures in the Photo Gallery.
See you tomorrow!
- Distance: 153.8 kms
- Riding time: 8:03 minutes
- Average speed: 19.1 kms/hour
- Climbing: 5,143 feet
For more ride details, see Strava and check out today's riding pictures in the Photo Gallery.
See you tomorrow!