Cycling the Kettle Valley Railway

 

News from the Kettle Valley Railway

January - December 2002

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December 18, 2002
Sonya Konig www.thewineloversclub.com
Tinhorn Creek Vineyards
Hi Dan,
I've been speaking with Don Foxgord from Tourism BC and he recommended I get in contact with you.
My name is Sonya Konig and I'm responsible for a new initiative at Tinhorn Creek Vineyards (in Oliver, the Wine Capital of Canada) called the WineLovers' Club. The WineLovers' Club is the first-of-its-kind in the Okanagan whereby we offer an opportunity to "Live the Total Wine Experience". We have created a sanctuary of relaxation in our luxury guest-suites nested among the vines on Tinhorn Creeks 160 acre estate. We take guests on an educational wine journey which includes 4 progressive workshops - vineyard & cellar experience led by our winemaker; a tutored wine tasting; wine & food workshop; and a visit to neighbouring South Okanagan wineries. We customize each guests itinerary based on their level of interest thereby including activities like biking, hiking, golf, art-in-the-vineyard, spa treatment, snowshoeing, ice-fishing to name a few.
We started this program this year and its proving to be very successful. The biking continues to be a popular request, our guests use the Kettle Valley for most of their rides - either Vasseau Lake to Osoyoos or Naramata bench. I would very much like to have an opportunity to link to your web-site if possible, also with the possibility of being published as a possible destination in future book publications. Please let me know what is involved.
For more information, please visit our web-site:www.thewineloversclub.com or I can be contacted directly on 1-888-484 6467 ext 204.
On a separate note, we've just established a new Trails committee in Oliver which I'm part of. The goal is to increase market awareness and signage of new and old biking/hiking trails. If you have any suggestions on the KVR trail in the Oliver area I would be very interested in hearing them and passing them on to the rest of the committee. Our next meeting is January 7th.
Thank you.
Regards,
Sonya Konig
Director, WineLovers' Club Phone: 1-888-484 6467 ext 204



December 16, 2002
Koen Smits and Hananja Hamelink hananjakoen@hotmail.com
 From Vancouver to the KVR and back
Hi, We would like to cycle the KVR next summer (2003). We come from the Netherlands. We will take our bicycles by plane to Vancouver. Due to the restricted time we have (about 4 weeks) we would like know if there is a possibility to take our bicycles on a bus from Vancouver to a place near Midway or Castlegar from where we would to like to start our tour. Do you also have suggestions for a nice route to cycle back to Vancouver after we have done the KVR? Thank you very much.



December 16, 2002
Jack Godwin kvbinfo@kvbrakemen.com
The Kettle Valley Brakemen http://www.kvbrakemen.com/
Thanks for the wonderful mention of The Kettle Valley Brakemen in the third edition of your book. I've already had a request for a concert next summer by a small group of cyclists.
The Brakemen are shut down for the winter. Next spring we start our season with a play that I wrote last year entitled "Kettle Valley Memories". It tells the history of the railway and--naturally--includes 12 Brakemen songs. This show will be put on in Penticton: March 20-22 and in Peachland Mar. 28 and 29th.



November 28, 2002
Nancy info@mccullochlakeresort.com
 McCulloch Lake Resort
Just a quick note to let you know that we finally have internet and email access.
Our website is:
www.mccullochlakeresort.com
email is:
info@mccullochlakeresort.com
We would greatly appreciate this information updated on your website.
Nancy
-- McCulloch Lake Resort
Phone & Fax: 250-862-7834
Email: info@mccullochlakeresort.com
On The Web: http://mccullochlakeresort.com



 October 28, 2002
Neil Anderson
KVR autumn photos

Hi there,

Just wanted to share some autumn sights from the KVR rail trail between Tulameen, Coalmont, and Princeton. Sharon and I were able to get out last weekend for a stunning bike ride along the emerald-green Tulameen River.

For full-size photos:
http://www.cyclelogicpress.com/Countries/kvrphotos.html

Cheers, Neil
http://www.cyclelogicpress.com



October 20, 2002
Michael Pahl & Jeanne-Marie Maher jm3xp@msn.com 
Midway to Grand Forks - loop trip

We recently (mid-September) took the trip from Midway to Grand Forks along the C&W.  Our recommendation would be to do this only on a true mountain bike, with full knobby tires, and super low tire pressure.  The trail condition was abysmal - lots of sand and rock.  We expected it to take 5 hours, but ended up taking well over 8 because of the conditions.  It was a very long, very difficult day.  Uphill from Midway to Eholt was the worst.  After Eholt, the next 10km or so were fine (breathtaking views!), but about half way down to Grand Forks the trail again turned to much sand and the riding was extremely difficult.  Be forewarned.

For the return (Grand Forks back to Midway) we heard about a much better option and decided to document it.  We cycled the paved roads back down through the USA via Curlew.  The scenery is great, the traffic is almost non-existent, it's basically flat and the border crossings are a non-issue.  There are a number of nice parks at which to stop all along the river.  Be sure to get your lunch in Curlew (either from the general store or the coffee shop) it's an experience!  Here are detailed directions:

km      Grand Forks to Midway (via Curlew, WA)

0.0     Grand Forks - head west on Hwy 3
7.0     LEFT onto Hwy 41 (becomes Hwy 21 in USA)
8.4     Customs/border crossing (open 0800-2359)
12.6    Lone Ranch Park
25.0    Curlew (200m across bridge to your left); general store and coffee shop
25.6    RIGHT onto Kettle River Rd
37.8    day use park (did not get the name - Bureau of Land Management?)
40.8    RIGHT to stay on Kettle River Rd (head toward Customs)
41.2    LEFT after bridge over the Kettle River (says "Customs Rd" on your right)
42.6    Ranald MacDonald gravesite
48.6    Customs/border crossing (open 0900-1700)
50.8    Midway / Mile 0 Motel / LEFT onto Hwy 3
51.8    Midway Museum


October 20, 2002
Michael Pahl & Jeanne-Marie Maher jm3xp@msn.com
Midway to Osoyoos - loop trip

On our recent KVR ride from Midway to Osoyoos we made a loop trip.  Rather than taking Hwy 3 and the Anarchist hill back, we came up with another option.  This route follows some of the V V & E trail in the USA and uses a mix of both paved and gravel roads.  It has a number of advantages over simply taking Hwy 3: much, much, much less traffic (basically non-existent), very scenic as you get to go through Circle City, Molson, Chesaw and some lovely canyons/lakes, and gives you an extra day to enjoy the wonderful Okanagan valley.  It unfortunately still involves a fairly good hill climb (but only about 1/2 as long as the Anarchist hill) and since the entire route is roughly 100km in length requires an overnight stay in Molson.

There are two choices for accommodations in Molson, but be aware that you must plan your meals in advance as there are no options once you get there.  We stayed at the Inn at Molson (509-485-2018,  http://www.theinnatmolson.com/).  A wonderful bed & breakfast right in the historic ghost town of Molson (lots of great railway memorabilia).  Sam and Sharon were lovely hosts and serve a spectacular dinner by advance reservation.  The other option is Eden Valley Ranch (509-485-4002, http://www.edenvalleyranch.net).  They have self-cook cabins and are a few kilometers outside of Molson, but easily on an alternate route.  As we didn't stay there we cannot say much about them other than they sounded very nice when we talked to them on the phone.

Note that all our distances and elevations are approximate (but should be close) as we had to route find and did this in a few pieces.  Enjoy this part of the trip - we found it just an enjoyable as anything else along the KVR.

The route:
km      Osoyoos to Molson, WA to Midway (option #1 - uses V V & E)     
               
0.0     Osoyoos - follow Hwy 97 south out of town (elevation 275m)
2.8     Customs/border crossing (24 hr)
10.5    LEFT onto Chesaw Rd (at the "76" gas station; follow signs toward Molson as the main road zig zags)
12.7    intersection - 5% uphill grade starts here     
21.0    LEFT onto Nine Mile Rd (gravel) - 7.4% (yikes!) uphill grade starts here (but it is short, only 1.5km)
22.5    junction with actual V V & E grade (and a nice gentle 2% climb from here)
22.7    Circle City
32.5    Sidley, BC     
33.3    "1905" rock cut
34.8    lake - road becomes paved      
35.8    Sidley Lake    
36.6    Molson Lake    
38.3    Ye Old Molson - the original town site 
38.7    LEFT onto Mary Ann Creek Rd (gravel) - 5% uphill grade starts here (for 2.5km)
39.2    Inn at Molson B&B
41.2    summit (elevation 1265m) - mostly downhill from here to Midway
43.7    LEFT to stay on Mary Ann Creek Rd (Fields Rd goes straight)
46.1    Ignore China Poland Rd
52.0    LEFT onto Chesaw Rd (paved)
55.4    Chesaw (elevation 900m)
55.6    RIGHT onto Chesaw Rd
57.9    Chesaw Cemetery
59.6    start of 1km steep uphill - then great ride downhill through a canyon to the lakes
69.2    Beth Lake
70.7    Beaver Lake (elevation 840m)
77.7    LEFT at STOP (onto Toroda Creek Rd, but no sign) (this is the end of Chesaw Rd)
93.8    RIGHT onto Kettle River Rd
94.3    LEFT first opportunity towards Customs
94.7    LEFT after bridge over Kettle River (sign to your right says "Customs Rd")
96.2    Ranald MacDonald gravesite
102.2   Customs/border crossing (open 0900-1700)
104.4   Midway / Mile 0 Motel /  LEFT onto Hwy 3
105.4   KVR Museum (elevation 580m)


There is an alternate route to Molson that goes via the other accommodation option.  It does not go along the V V & E grade at all and has a longer 5% grade, but is all paved, somewhat shorter and avoids the one short steep hill just before Circle City.  The final distances along Molson Rd are very rough approximations.

0.0     Osoyoos - follow Hwy 97 south out of town (elevation 275m)
2.8     Customs/border crossing (24 hr)
7.7     LEFT onto Chesaw Rd (at the "76" gas station; follow signs toward Molson as the main road zig zags)
12.7    intersection - 5% uphill grade starts here     
21.0    STRAIGHT past Nine Mile Rd
26.0    LEFT onto Molson Rd - grade changes to 2.5% uphill
        (Note: continue past Molson Rd approx 1km and make a R onto Dry Gulch Rd
        to find the other lodging option: Eden Valley Ranch)
34.0    RIGHT onto Mary Ann Creek Rd (gravel) and join up with the route described above.  The town of Molson is just   0.5km ahead.

(Note - you can bypass Molson and save roughly 15km of distance by just staying on Chesaw Rd and joining up with the main route at the 52km mark).


October 20, 2002
Michael Pahl & Jeanne-Marie Maher jm3xp@msn.com  
Carmi/Osoyoos - Trip Report

We made our grand trek along the Kettle Valley in mid-September and had a great time.  Couldn't have done it without "Cycling the KVR".  Here are a few updates to the 3rd edition of the book, hope you find them useful.  We were also able to make a loop trip out of it and will post directions to get from Osoyoos back to Midway, and also an alternate route between Midway and Grand Forks.

A few observations on our part:

Paul's rest stop is an absolute "must do".  He is an incredible wealth of knowledge and simply a wonderful person.
Many have found the accommodations/food at McCulloch Lake Resort to be mediocre.  We had the opposite reaction.  Our upstairs chalet was spectacular, and the food and wine were quite good.  We really liked the place.

Chute Lake Resort is very rustic - be prepared.  It got down to freezing that night and we found the rooms very, very uncomfortable (both the bed and the lack of heat).  The place does have a lot of charm, very friendly owners and they did great with the burgers. 

Route updates:

KM 8.7 Bubar Rd - this is an easy turn off to miss as the gate is behind you and the road is 50m uphill.  Note this is a private road and so not open for public travel.  The route along the railbed looked passable, albeit with some walking.  We managed to run into the owner (drives a large blue semi-truck for Kokanee and lives at the far end of Bubar) and were able to get permission to continue.  If you do take Bubar Rd, trust it and stay on the road for the full 5km or so even though it appears to be leading you quite aways away from the river and railbed.  We turned off way too early, at the first gate in 0.5km or so, and while passable, we ended up biking through a number of farmer's working fields.  The gravel road would have been easier (but with more hills).

KM 68 Beaverdell - Tamarack Lodge is closed and no longer open for business.  Another great lodging option is "Highlands Cabins", 250-484-5505.  Note that the Beaverdell Hotel does not serve meals on weekdays after the end of the "season" (we were there Sept 17th, and Our Place Café serves only until 7PM.  There is also a little bakery for breakfast.

KM 92.4 - there are a number of rock slides in this section

KM 96.4 - major rock slide

KM 160 - the railbed is in poor condition from here to Chute Lake; much sand and washboard - lower your tire pressure

KM 213.7 Penticton - we were able to follow the trail to this point, but then got lost in Penticton (trying to head south to Okanagan Falls).  No real advice other than use the map on pg 83 and do whatever you can to end up on Fairview heading south out of town.  Once you cross Channel Parkway, make a LEFT onto the paved Jaycees bicycle trail.

(next set of distances are for the Osoyoos Subdivision)

KM 3.4 Skaha - once the Jaycees bicycle trail ends, make a RIGHT and follow highway 97 for a one or two kilometer detour (sorry didn't get exact measurements).  Go past the RV campground and once the highway starts going uphill, look for a Paintball facility.  Make a LEFT into the Paintball parking lot and you will find a trail on the north side of the parking lot that goes down to the water.  Follow it all the way down to meet up with the KVR railbed.

KM 8.7 - major sand wash (just after the Banbury Green RV park)

KM 9.8 - another sand wash



October 11, 2002
Léon Lebrun Southwest Region Director, Trails BC southwest@trailsbc.ca
Improvements In The Coldwater/Coquihalla Corridor

Hi Dan, I just had a look at your latest edition of Cycling the KVR at Chapters. You will be pleased to know that in the last few weeks we have made improvements in the Coldwater/Coquihalla corridor.

We've used a small machine to improve the trail across the two Juliet slides and a temporary trail track to the gate in the animal fence to get around the locked gate.

We are presently looking at ways of improving the trail along the Coldwater River to Coquihalla Lakes.

We now have our license to operate in the Trans Mountain Pipe Line corridor in the summit and will officially make that public next spring. We will leave information at the Information Tourist Bureau in Hope and at the Coquihalla Lakes Lodge. If there is dangerous work going on in the summit it will be temporarily closed and signs to that effect will be put up. The 3 km section of the KVR as we near Portia and gets off the TMPL road is now completely cleaned up and for the most part is more than a single track trail. The whole section feels like a park and is sure to become a feature on the Trail. Further to this, by the end of next week we will have built a trail on the other side of the bridge crossing Boston Bar Creek paralleling the east side highway to Shylock. This will make a great connection to the pipeline service road to Carolin Mines.

Soon we will have the permission to travel on the Jessica section of the rail grade. This means that we will reestablish the rail grade for a couple of km past the gated area from Carolin Mines Road and will build a cyclable trail back down and under the Highway in line with Sowaqua Creek. From there we will be building a trail to a spot where we will require a way to cross the Coquihalla River. We are looking at the possibility of installing a cable car capable of carrying a bicycle. This will allow the trail to continue on a service road to Othello Road.

One day we will look at the possibility of reestablishing much of the rail grade from Corolin Mines Road over the Ladner Creek rail bridge and over to Shylock.

As you can see, our agreement with Trans Mountain Pipe Line has now made it possible for us to work in this corridor.

Léon Lebrun Southwest Region Director, Trails BC

For updated information check out;
http://www.trailsbc.ca/southwest_region/coquihalla.asp



Oct 1, 2002
Michael Crombie
Bike/Passenger Service - Naramata to Chute Lake
Website shows an incorrect?no longer valid email address for a Mark Humbke in Naramata. Does anyone have it before I have to try and reach him by phone. Thanks. Mike Crombie



Sept. 24, 2002
Brenda Matas
Nooaitch Policy - Nicola, Kamloops & Similkameen Railway
I am responding to your fax to our office dated September 23, 2002. I have reviewed your request to travel through Nooaitch land on the old CPR railway and must regretfully decline your request. We have had to make some drastic changes to those passing through our reserve. My membership have given us Chief & Council, a clear mandate that no traffic other than local traffic shall pass through our lands. Several years ago we stopped some cyclists who were taking ornaments and other objects from our cemetery and we've also had some who stopped by at an abandoned home and was using a metal detector to look for whatever. Last Spring we have had extreme flooding that has washed out several areas near the lower end of our reserve and it is almost impassable. We also have liability issues with bears and other wildlife in the vicinity of our boundaries. Your safety would be a major concern for me while you & your guests were on our reserve lands, I would not want you attacked verbally or physically. I hope that your experience is a pleasant & memorable one. I would encourage you to bypass our reserve by following along the highway adjacent to our reserve and I would like to thank you in advance for communicating your interest. Sincerely, Chief Dewey Shackelly



Sept 13, 2002
Werner & Elisabeth
Rock Creek to Naramata
Hello Dan and Sandra, we just came back from a four day trip from Rockcreek to Naramata. Your excellent researched book was a big help. Everything was wonderful. We stayed in 'Beverdell Hotel' and enjoyed the 'Honey Moon' suite. But after riding a bake for the whole day, you do not feel like 'honey moon' .... The food in the 'Beverdell Hotel' was excellent! She is a great cook! We enjoyed the whole trip. The only thing to complain about ... the food at McCulloch Resort is a disaster! I suggest, that these people make a bigger effort! Thanks for listening. Werner & Elisabeth



Sept 6, 2002
Wayne Gannon
Portia to Coquihalla Lakes
Well, Dan, I've done it.  What a challenge.  The entire trip from Portia to the Lakes on the railbed took 3 days.  There were washouts & cave ins & slides.  We traveled up & down & over & under.  Here's the story...
 
After my e-mail back in late July, when I contacted you in regard to the old railbed above Iago to the Coquihalla summit, I continued to try to find someone who would be interested in and willing to take on the challenge of traveling the old railbed with me.  After a few contacts, I was able to touch base with someone and, even though we each had our own reasons, we shared the objective of making the journey and traveled together all the way from Portia right to the Coquihalla Summit.  
 
Before I describe the adventure, there is something I must say right up front.  This is not a journey to be taken by the faint of heart.  Nor is it a simple walk.  This was hard work.  A challenge to body, mind, & spirit.  It took every ounce of courage and energy we had to meet the demands of the trail.  Do not take this trip lightly.  It is rewarding but you must be fit & you must be willing to challenge your fears in some points.  My climbing partner was experienced in the trail, having been there before, and an excellent guide.  He had good judgment and excellent skills. 
 
There has been little documentation on actual travel along the old railbed in the Coquihalla Canyon.  The passage of time has inevitably dimmed much of the detail and taken its toll over the years.  I stood in silence pondering the destination and the goals to be achieved as we entered the railbed with bicycles over our shoulders, not that you could ride them but because you didn't want to leave them on the roadside.  Just up the trail they were secured to a tree and for a brief moment I stared at the impressive route ahead.  My exploration was about to begin.
 
Our journey was spread over 3 days. 
 
Day 1 we started at Portia.  We cycled along pipeline road until we reached the railbed about 1/2 a mile up.  Here the travel was not too difficult because there has been some trail work along railbed.  A path has been cleared around the first abandoned bridge at km 51.5.  Shortly after, we discovered an old concrete drainage system that was used to divert water from the railbed.  A short distance later we left the trail as that is where the pipeline road travels along the railbed toward Iago.  At Iago, we were able to explore the old foundations and the remains of the buildings.  The travel on the road at this point was fairly easy riding.  Shortly after Iago, we passed over the old frame trestle that was reconstructed in 1956 and traveled east to Snowshed 15.  Next we came to Tunnel 7 which has been completely reconstructed, reinforced, and PAVED.  Continuing east we passed over the old bailey bridge where the water tunnel comes out of the mountain.  Just past there, we left the road to begin our true adventure.  It was there we had to abandon our bikes and set off on foot onto the virtually unknown path ahead.
 
You're no sooner on the railbed and you're confronted with rockslides and overgrowth.  However, we were assisted for a distance prior to Snowshed 14.  Someone has gone up and has done some clearing.  Throughout the journey I discovered that every creek at some time or other has washed out or become a slide / avalanche area.   We were able to travel, on this day, right through to Slide Creek passing by all the Snowsheds from 14 to 10.  In this area, Snowshed 14 was in the best shape although it was all laying on the ground.  It gave you a good idea of the structure of the Snowsheds and the demands that the builders faced.   When we reached Slide Creek we found the most amazing site - concrete pillars that stand 10 stories at its deepest point.  A major washout has occurred here so we had to work our way down to the creekbed.  We returned to the road & that was the end of
Day  1. 
 
Day 2 found us climbing up the other side of Slide Creek to start our journey east again.  We traveled from Snowshed 9 right through to a major washout & obstacle on the west side of Tunnel 6.  The travel on the railbed was the same as what we had encountered in the previous section;  ie, washouts, slides, and overgrowth.  However, the challenges and demands were more intense so we covered less ground on this day than we had managed to the day before.  The majority of the snowsheds have disappeared.  At Snowshed 5, 430 ft long, you can still find the concrete retaining wall on the inside of the railbed and the concrete blocks along the outside that were the base of the snowshed walls.  Much to my amazement when we arrived at Romeo it was completely covered in overgrowth.  However, we were able to find the odd remnant of the old station; ie, a broken shovel, some bricks, an old metal bedframe, and a small concrete foundation.  After Romeo we passed by what is left of Snowshed 1 and carried on east until we reached a washout containing the remains of a wood frame trestle.  Here we had to make a challenging descent to the creek bottom and then climb back up the other side.  However, we were then able to carry on until just before tunnel 6, probably less than a hundred yards distant to us.  We had met our match in washouts.  We had to once again descend to the road and return home.  So ended Day 2.
 
Day 3 saw us starting from the other end of the Section.  We started at Coquihalla Lakes and traveled west passing by Tunnels 1 and 2 on the pipeline road.  On the west side of Tunnel 2 we climbed back up to the railbed, parked our transportation, and again set off on foot.  Our first challenge was met immediately - we had to climb through Tunnel 3, over the debris from the cave in that was piled up on the Tunnel floor.  We breathed a sigh of relief upon reaching the other end.  From there we worked our way past a small collapsed trestle and went on to Dry Gulch.  Yes.  Back down and back up we went.  We proceeded from there to Falls Creek and the Bridal Veil Trestle.  Back down and back up we went.  We were able to explore what is left of the trestle, even getting to stand on the piece that's left at the west side of the creek.  Railbed travel continued to be difficult.  We went through Hayden's Cut and over a major slide that has occurred there.  Then westward to Tack Creek.  Just before we reached Tack Creek we came upon the only building still standing in this section of the railbed, an old hut used by the rail workers for protection from the elements.  There was an old bench inside with a pile of coal still in the corner.  How it's survived when all else has fallen is a mystery.  Then we reached Tack Creek.  Down & up, again... . After Tack Creek, Tunnel 4 was next but is now gone.  It was covered in a landslide but there was a diversion built around it in 1959.  Onward to Cultus Creek.  Yes, you guessed it.  Down and up but this one was very rough.  It was very challenging and very hard going.  But then we met Tunnel 5.  Up and over.  It was completely caved in and we had to climb over the mountain beside it to continue our journey.  It was very unnerving in a few places but we made it.  Then we made a wonderful discovery.  The only remaining trestle in this section of the KVR - the trestle between Tunnel 5 and Tunnel 6.  As we knew we couldn't get out the other end of Tunnel 6, having seen the washout there the day before, here is where we finished.  We headed down just west of the trestle and headed back to our bikes on the pipeline road. 
 
One of the positive aspects of this journey was the incredible scenery.  The valley below, the river running through it, the mountains of rock combined with the clear air and the sunny days led to many breath taking vistas along the way.  However, I will repeat.  I would not recommend this trip to anyone who is out for an easy walk or a gentle hike.  You must be prepared.  There are physical challenges and demands.  There are bears (although we didn't see any).  And you must have the permission of the Pipeline Company to proceed. 
 
I don't know if I'd ever do it again.  However, when I first finished I said Never so I guess you never know.   


Sept 5, 2002
Lois Brymer jmbrymer@axion.net
 Man's Jewellery Found on the KVR
On August 28th, 2002, between Lois and Carmi Stations of the KVR, I found what looks like a valuable and sentimental piece of jewellery that would belong to a man. Hopefully, the owner will see this. To claim (with a description), please e-mail me.



Sept 3, 2002
Ludwig Beil and Barbara Werner
Tandem on the Trail
We've made it!!!
What? We've made the Kettle Valley Railway Trail last month with our tandem. Well, to say it shortly - we biked from Vancouver to Edmonton and wherever possible we took the KVR trail. It took us 5 weeks with biking every day with distances from 45 to 140 km. It has been our fourth time to Canada, so we had no problems. Dan's book has been a great help (3rd edition). It's very clear and for those people who are just looking at there odometer it's a must. We only had some problems because we did the trail the other way round, so we oven had to read the book form the back to the front.

What we did:
We cycled like people with a lot of time (means: we took all our luggage, tent, food, cooking, bike repair, radio, books, ... with us on our trip). Because we have done this some times before we knew what to take with us and so we had 'only' 40 kg of luggage. Sorry, no, we had no axe, no cooler, no firewood with us. We cycled all the way along - Yes, we did some downhilling, but only after uphilling.
No, we had no van, no pickup waiting at the end of the day, bringing us to a nice and cosy rest.

Where we went:
Vancouver-Hope Coquihalla-Brookmere-Coalmont-Princeton-Osprey Lake-Penticton-Chute Lake-Myra-Beaverdell-Rock Creek-Midway-Eholt-Grand Forks-Castlegar Nelson-New Dever- Nakusk-Revelstoke-Golden-Lake Louise-Jasper-Hinton-Edmonton

What we liked:
We met a lot of interested people, who asked us many, many questions. We got invitations, people went after us in shops and restaurants, were really interested. Car drivers on the road behaved respectful and showed us they liked our driving. Many thanks to the bike shops in Princeton, Penticton and Golden, who helped us with our little problems.

Our problems with the bike:
We have a Santana Tandem with mountainbike tyres (Schwalbe Marathon XR, the best brand I've ever seen and used) and 48 spokes. We made 500 km on the trail with bumping, with sandy parts, with gravel parts. We had two(!) flats: the first came in a rain stopping after biking 20 km on a bumpy road (so we changed the tube in Princeton), the second came after having a break in Pentiction at the Tourist Info. When we wanted to start again we saw we had a flat. There we noticed why we have had these flats: we had lost a braking pad, fixed it with a metal pin, but did it wrong so there was this little pin between the metall and the gum part of the brake. When our braking was very strong - pfff - , we had the flat. So for all those interested doing the trail with a tandem - it's no problem at all, if you have a good bike and good tyres. We later had a problem with a chain falling from the chainrings, twisting the chain little, causing mishifting. As a result we had some brocken screws on our Shimano HG cassette, which had to been replaced.

Our problems with Dan's book (or the trail):
The book is great. 1. We only had a problem finding the start of the trail near Hope. We came to the trail, went on it, it was a small path and after 500m there where some steep ups and downs and a fence. After looking in the book and round the next corner we turned and took the next entry. 2. Our second problem came when we tried Dan's description of km 16,2 on Coquihalla Highway. We left the road to the left, passed through a gate and tried to find our way through some very dense trees. After struggeling, pushing, lifting the tandem through this we noticed our fault and passed the bike partly loeaded under a fence back to the road. 3. From Rosebery ot Hills (NSR) we also took the trail. It was nice, flat, but only one lane could be used and the grass and the green is very lively on the trail. 4. After Rosebery (must have been after Hills, km 21.3) the trail gets lost in the bushes, then there is a steep up and down and the trail gets very small. There were no signs left, a lot of mess and we decided to push the bike back to the raod and leave the trail.

After all:
We made 2300 km biking in Canada, we made some great summits (for Canadians), we lost some kg, some sweat, had great fun. At the end of a day we often said: 'Why are we doing this.' Sometimes we said this even in the morning. But we liked it. Ludwig Beil and Barbara Werner



August 28, 2002
Karen baycofee@hotmail.com
8/18-8/22 Rock Creek to Penticton
Myself, from Delta, BC, and my 2 friends from California arrived at the Ingram Mountain Cabin, east of Rock Creek, on 8/17th. It was raining, windy, an earlier wind storm had toppled many trees, caused power outages Hostess Wendy offered us a glass of wine, host Mark helped us park our truck. The cabin is situated about 2 kms up a windy hill, but well worth the drive. By prearrangement, Wendy said we could leave our truck there. Mark dropped us off the next day at St. Mary's Anglican Church, east of Rock Creek. Wendy and Mark said that they would be happy to pick cyclists up, and drop them off nearby by request RECOMMENDED: self contained cabin sleeps 6, 2 queen, 1 double, non smoking, kitchen, comfortable, very clean...bring your own food or drive to Cheshire's Restaurant, Edelweiss Inn (250) 449-2884 Ingram Cabin, Wendy or Mark Tossavainen
From St. Mary's Anglican Church to Beaverdell 8/18/02
The trail was sandy in parts. My hybrid bike didn't do as well as my friends' mountain bikes. Then we encountered four sets of trees over the trail. Hopefully they will be cleared by now, but they were quite a difficult obstacle at the time. We decided to lift our fully loaded bikes over them, 2 on each bike. One time we removed our panniers, as the trees were too high and branches too dangerous.When we finally reached Paul's rest stop, we were very ready for the shade and hospitality. Paul turns 80 on Sept. 28th, 2002. I think that all appreciative cyclists should send him a card Paul Lautard, Rhone, BC We arrived at Beaverdell and had the Sunday turkey buffet with strawberry rhubarb pie for dessert. Very yum! Accommodation is limited in Beaverdell, so book ahead. Rooms are extremely basic, showers and toilets down the hall. The pub shut down around 10:30 pm on Sunday after a karioke session. We drifted off to sleep serenaded by wantabe Canadian Idols. Good thing we were exhausted. When in Beaverdell for breakfast at Our Place, fire warden, George told us he saw a black bear about 100 meters after us. Great breakie!
Beaverdell to McCulloch 8/19/02
The leg from Beaverdell to McCulloch was long and gradually up most of the way. This day my bike was the star. With it's larger tire circumference, I worked far less than my American counterparts. McCulloch Lake, a peaceful setting, the resort not happiness. We stayed in an upper chalet, lovely view of the lake. The bathroom had a 'water not potable' warning. Bottled water was in the hallway between the 2 upper chalets, about 3/4 empty. When booking in great pressure was put on us to take the 'meal plan'. The sense we all got was that this resort was disorganized, understaffed, (many workers were complaining of this), and that the customer was definitely not put first. The poached salmon was dry that evening. When our bottled water ran out, we asked at breakfast if we could have some more. An employee snapped, "It's a dollar a litre." I thought this rather strange as we had just paid $135.00 plus taxes and $35 each for the meal package. When we told the employee that our water was 3/4 empty upon arrival, she said she'd see if she could do something. We were also advised by cyclists who stayed in a cabin that they had mice for company.
McCulloch to Chute Lake 8/20/02
A cruise of a ride, all downhill. Just one big wheeeeeeeeee. Chute Lake Lodge is another very rustic accommodation. The food was tasty and the staff were friendly. Chute Lake to Naramata/Penticton 8/21/02
Wonderful, wonderful...the tressles do not disappoint. Once again, after the tressles, I encountered a little sand which forced me to concentrate a little harder than my friends, but on the whole it was minor. We stayed at Canyon Falls Bed and Breakfast right off Smethurst Road, which intersects the KVR trail. Jill let us leave our panniers there and we continued on to Hillside Estate Wineries for a delightful lunch. (book ahead, we phoned from Chute Lake and left a message)...After lunch, we continued on to Penticton, a memorable ride through the orchards. I had prebooked a rental car at Best Choice car and truck rentals. Doug and Myles let us stow our bikes in one of their closed trailers and gave us the key to the lock. We drove back to Rock Creek to pick up the truck 232 kms/3 hrs round trip. Cost of rental with 100 free kms, under $80. It was just before the Penticton Ironman competition, and a highlight of the trip was being mistaken for Ironman competitors when asking for directions to Best Choice. That's what cycling does for you, I guess. (If you saw us 3-50 something ladies, you'd understand the humour). I bought the 2nd edition to begin planning the trip and then bought the 3rd edition ebook, (very reasonable), to further detail any changes. Thanks for your thoroughly researched book. Following the kms with my cycle computer worked really well.
Happy Cycling All!
Karen


August 24, 2002
John Q Gregg, jqgregg@oberon.ark.com
NK&S: Spences Bridge to Nicola
Has anyone -- anyone at all -- ridden this section this season? Was it passable? Any land use issues or obstructions? New and obnoxious fences? Any advice?



August 21, 2002
Don & Pat Chisholm Calgary
Great Book - Trip a success
Hi Dan, Your new edition is great. 4 of us cycled from Castlegar to Merritt in early July and had no problems at all. We used our truck and camper as a support vehicle and basically cycled 3 out of each 4 days. The off day one lucky biker got to drive the truck to the next stop. The trip was so good that my wife and I are going to do the entire route again, starting about Sep 4th. This time will be real simple, just bikes and camping grear with no support vehicle. Hope to see you on the trail.



August 21, 2002
Myrna Hart
Roseberry to Nakusp
Would like to let you know. we tried to cycle the old railway bed from Roseberry to Nakusp, but soon ran into a real mess. Someone has started logging and is using the old railbed for a road to take the trees out. He has done irrepairable damage to the trail as well as ruined the beautiful scenery. Myrna Hart



August 19, 2002
Steve Webb c-swebb@telus.net
Alternate ride through Curlew, Wash. from Grand Forks or Midway.
Hello all, just so you all know, the ride via USA south from Grand Forks to Midway (should be renamed StewartTown!) is a wonderful alternative...close to the river, no hills except minor ones towards Midway, small town called Curlew, Wash, (Riverside Cappucino and bakery....yes, apple pockets to die for if you didn't eat enough in Greenwood..)No traffic, hardly. Takes 'bout 2-3 hours easy ride. This is not a Purist KVR route, but a good plan B in case of heat or bad weather. Jim Crawford uses this route, tries to keep it secret....happy ridin'



August 19, 2002
Steve in Vancouver c_swebb@telus.com
The Hegemans
Thank you for the nice comments regarding our scenery and people along the KVR....sometimes it's taken for granted, it keeps us coming back. Glad you had a great ride...please post a note if you come back this way again...happy trails!!



August 19, 2002
Doug doug_brown_7121@hotmail.com
McCulloch Lake to Penticton
Hi! I am planning on cycling the Carmi and Osoyoos subdivisions the first week of September. Ideally, I would like to break the trip up as follows
Day 1- Midway to Beaverdell
Day 2- Beaverdell to McCulloch
Day 3- McColloch to Pentiction
Day 4- Pentiction to Osoyoos
Questions- Is it feasible to cycle to ~90KM from McCulloch to Pentiction in 1 day (it is mostly downhill)-What is the best way to get back to Midway from Osoyoos- I was thinking Greyhound.



August 16, 2002
Scott kidpedal@telus.net
Water
Learned a bit about water on the KVR this summer McCulloch Lodge does charge an outrageous price for it by the bottle but if you provide your own container they will charge $1/litre.
The Brookmere Experience... want water, ask a local because there is no other source. Talked with the lady who looks after the 'lodge' (more like 3 small cabins), there is no campground but if you want to get cleaned up they only charge $10 for a shower!!



August 15, 2002
Hanneke and Johan Hegeman jhhegeman@che.nl
Travelling the KVR from West to East
Hanneke and Johan Hegeman from Ede, the Netherlands cycled the Kettle Valley Railway July 23 to August 24 from West to East, and we want to thank the Langfords for their excellent book guide and also all the wonderful Canadians we met whom helped us along the way and gave us invaluable advice on doing the stretches with difficult surface conditions and pointing out the good campgrounds. The KVR not only provides such splendid scenery - it's the great Canadian friendliness that really moved us during the last weeks. Thank you all for helping us to a superb vacation. We have already trekked in Europe and the USA for many a kilometre, but nowhere was the empathy with the environment (aka local folks and bikers) so great. To give just one example of many, one of my aluminium panniers came apart riding into Midway and Mr. Steve Stewart, proprietor of the local Riverfront park was so very kind to have it welded at the local pulp mill that evening. Splendid, such helpfulness and there was much more. Such kept us going as 50+ers, even though starting in Hope is not recommended (see below). We do have a few suggestions, particularly users of trekking bikes for doing the KVR. We rode Giant Expedition Travel bikes, specifically designed for long distance hauling, but with 28 inch wheels. That we noticed because the trail actually requires a mountain bike with 26 inchers, but I had chanced using a wider bicycle tire, a 28x1.6 (42-622) with a new Continental tire just out, the Country Ride, which has a very good profile for gravel. Added to that, I used Michelins A3 Air-+titanium inner tube, a very thick one, which allowed me to deflate the tyres to 2 psi (and that with loaded bikes!) to negotiate the bad sandy stretches at Crump, Arawanna and Eholt. Also the soft tyre proved good suspension on the washboard between Brookmere to Manning and around Rock Creek. So, cheer up all ye 28 inch wheelers, it can be done, but with a fully loaded bike (35 kg excl. fluids) it was a tough grind. But if 50+ers can do it, so can you. Still, there was a real disappointment, I do need to share with potential trekkers on the KVR. We started the KRV off at Hope (going East) and took the Transmountain Pipeline Road from Portia Station to Coquihalla. That proved to be brutal punishment due to very steep grades, bad surface conditions and also to the fact that a landslide near IAGO covered the trail. Fascinating to witness such natural violence, including snow and lots of bear dung over which we had to carry our bags and bikes, but that stretch only took us 8 hours! Totally exhausted we reached Coquihalla lakes. We were genuinely puzzled that the Langford book had not warned us (no, I don't blame them for the landslide), but then a Canadian may intuitively know that a Transmountain pipleline road will be rough - we did not. If it had not been for the very fine Canadian gentleman camping next to us, whom had ridden that bad part of the trail himself, whom convinced us that the rest of the Langford book was very accurate and the lack of information on that stretch was not indicative of the condition of the rest of info on the trail, that we decided to give the KVR another try. And we are glad we did, the KVR (from Brodie on East) is a magnificent experience and deserves worldwide renown. Finally, we advise everyone doing the KVR to carry enough fluids. We luckily had iodine with us to disinfect natural water, but it is just amazing how much dry mountain air demands you drink on a hot day. And taking fluids on a regular basis together with carbohydrate and fruit snacks will allow to bike long days and continue the next. We also discovered that one must be flexible in making a trip itinerary, because not all sections are as easy as, for instance, the stretch from Beaverdell to Mcculloch Lake, and you may be well advised to rest well. Perhaps we may in the future continue our bike-quest from Castlegar going East to Lethbridge or down into Idaho, USA. Can anybody advise me on biking routes, or whether the Trans Canada Trail going East is a good route to bike? E-mail: jhhegeman@che.nl



August 14, 2002
Dezzie donthaveone@shaw
KVRing on a Tandem
First off, I would like to express my thanks to the people involved in establishing this web site, what a great resource! Looking to cycle from Midway to Penticton at the end of August on our off road tandem. Any fellow tandem riders (or anybody period)think that there are any concerns about riding this section on a tandem. ps Anybody know of a good place to leave a vehicle in Penticton for a few days?



August 12, 2002
Karen and Dave
KVR Trip Report Rock Creek to Osoyoos - with kids
 7 of us, 5 adults, plus a 5 year old on a trail-a-bike and an 8 year old on his own 5 speed started out from Rock Creek on July 29th. Spent the previous night at the Edelweiss Inn in Rock Creek and they allowed us to leave our cars parked in their parking lot for the week while we were cycling, no charge.

Day 1 went smoothly, weather was thankfully cooler than previous weeks (about 24 and overcast) and we easily made it to our first night stop at Zack's Campground in Beaverdell (about 50km). Along the way we stopped at Rhone and chatted with Paul Lautard who filled us in on A LOT of local history, plus provided us with some cold fresh water for our water bottles. In Beaverdell, Zack proved to be one heck of a nice guy - even laughed when my 67 year old Dad told him he should charge more than the 7 dollars a head (kids free) that he did. If he raises his prices next year, you know who to blame!

Day 2, Beaverdell to McCulloch Lake Resort was a bit tougher for my 8 year old and my Dad (a strong marathon runner) who was pulling a Burley trailer full of camping gear but both made it to the campground, a bit tired, but in one piece. About 15km out of McCullock we came across one cyclist (Ron from Vancouver) who hadn't brought enough water and was just about done in. We shared the water what we had and were glad to see him pull in to McCulloch about an hour behind our group. Ron hadn't bothered to purchase Dan and Sandra Langford's book and had taken a wrong turn at Wilkinson Creek, cycling uphill on the fire road, missing the railbed completely, then realizing that his 'shortcut' had added several extra kms to his trip! (Note to others - Get the Book and save yourself some hassles!) We were a bit disappointed with the price gauging on water and food at McCulloch Lake, as well as the shoddy communal bathroom and shower building. The staff was extremely disorganized and weren't sure wich campsites were reserved and which were not. A large cycling group of 15 was checking out ahead of us and we had to stand in line 30 minutes at 8am in order to 'check out. They take a credit card imprint (even for campers) and we wanted to be sure we got ours back. They are supposedly working on a new shower building but my dad was there 3 years ago and says they haven't progressed past the concrete pad that still stands in the campground. Note to others - stay at the Forest service camground next to the resort and save yourself some hassle.

Day 3 - McCulloch to Chute Lake. What can I say - Myra canyon was fabulous and even the bit of rain we had did not dampen our enthusiasm of the views. Chute Lake resort was sold out of their famous home made pie by 6:30pm but that was the only disappointment of the day.

Day 4- Chute Lake to Okanagan Falls. Left Chute Lake by 7:45ma and arrived in Penticton at about 11:30. It was nice to have a 'Fast Food' lunch instead of the trail mix, dried fruit, tortillas and peanut butter that we'd been subsisting on for the past 3 days. The mention of 'Happy Meals' certainly made the kids pedal a bit harder through the sandy sections of this part of the trail. My Dad (pulling the trailer) and my husband (pulling the trail a bike and 5 year old) had to walk through some of the sandiest sections. Somehow missed the turn off onto to the KVR right of way heading out of Penticton and wound up cycling up the big hill south of Penticton but managed to re-access the trail through the Banbury Green RV Park. Pulled into the Provincial Park in OK Falls only to discover that they were 'full' but the kindly campground host took pity on us (or maybe it was the exhausted kids) and allowed us to set up our tents on a grassy patch near the park entrance. She even brought over a portable fire pit, a lawn chair and a collapsible camp table for us to use- nice lady!

Day 5- OK Falls to Osoyoos. The kids decided that they'd had enough bike riding (sore bums!) So my husband stayed behind while me, my dad, sister and sister-in-law cycled HWY 97 to Osoyoos - ending at the Windwmill for ice cream. We did the 48 km's in about 2.5 hours, and that included a stop for coffee and fresh baked apple fritters at a bakery in Oliver. We were on the road by 8am and were able to miss a lot of traffic. Early starts definitely recommended to avoid the road-hogging RV's.

All in all - a fabulous trip. Averaged about 50 k per day which didn't seem too much for my hyper active 8 1/2 year old. Had others tell us it would be too much for the kids or for pulling a Burley full of gear but we proved 'em wrong. We're already planning next year's trip - Summerland to Hope!



August 8, 2002
Steve Webb in Vancouver c-swebb@telus.net
Anyone know what trail this is......
While cyclin' along the ol' KVR one snappin' hot day the other week, looking across the Coquahalla River (south bank), more precicely, between Portia and Iago stations,I noticed sections of a vintage, well engineered trail made of fitted rocks. Can anyone tell me what trail this was APS If anyone is ridin' south of Romeo (Coquahalla Sub.), jucey remnants of an avalanche.... Be prepared to carry gear approx. 1000ft. But doable!.



August 7, 2002
Joe Smuin
Re Columbia & Western Trail - Urgent
news release
 
 
 
 
For Immediate Release
August 6, 2002
[Name of organisation here]
 
HIGHER LEVEL PLAN THREATENS PRIME RECREATIONAL AREA – PUBLIC ASKED TO SPEAK OUT
BEFORE ITS TOO LATE 
 
CASTLEGAR – Proposed changes to the Kootenay Boundary Higher Level Plan threaten to destroy recreational opportunities on the Rails To Trails segment between the Paulson Bridge and Castlegar, says the [put organisation name here].
The [name of organisation or pronoun for them] asks Kootenay-Boundary residents and stakeholders in recreation to request a high Scenic Value designation for the popular route, and to voice their written objection to proposed amendments to the Higher Level Plan that would see the Dog Creek Valley open to logging.  The deadline for public comments is August 14th, 2002.
 “This area has among the finest recreational and tourism potential in the Boundary area,” says [name/title] of the [organisation].  International tourists, travel writers, and many locals cycle the route regularly, says [last name only].  “The word is out that this segment of the rails-to-trails route is spectacular.  It would a real blow to tourism in the Kootenay-Boundary area and local communities to loose the scenic value of the Dog Creek Valley.”
 
The Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management has proposed changes to the Higher Level Plan that would allow increased logging in areas designated “mature.”  The Rails-to-Trails corridor from Farron to Bulldog tunnel (Dog Creek Valley) has been designated "mature management" and is currently without any designation protecting its scenic value for tourism and backcountry recreation. This means the entire area is open to logging on both sides of the valley where the Rails-to-Trails right-of-way exists if the proposed amendments to the Higher Level Plan are approved. 
While timber volumes in the valley are of marginal value to the forest industry, the visual impact of logging cutblocks would seriously damage economic opportunities for recreation in the area, affecting businesses in Castlegar, Trail, Christina Lake Grand Forks and the entire Kootenay-Boundary region. 
“Anyone who relies on recreation for their livelihood or who recreates in the area would be affected,” says [name and organisation here]. “Hikers, cyclists, cycle tour companies, skiers, snowmobilers, hoteliers, restaurateurs and businesses that benefit from local tourism need to act now or risk the demise of an invaluable recreation area for Kootenay-Boundary residents.”
Mt. Gladstone, Peter Lake, Faith Lake, and the kilometre-long Bulldog Tunnel are located on the trail route. Historic sites directly accessible from the trail include a memorial for Peter the Lordly Verigin, spiritual leader of the Doukhobour community, and access to former community of Brooklyn on Lower Arrow Lake.  In addition, trestles and high points along the route provide stunning vistas of Deer Park, Syringa, and the Arrow Lakes.
All correspondence to the ministries of Sustainable Resource Management and Forests should object to proposed amendments to the Kootenay Boundary Higher Level Plan for this area, and request  a  Level 1 scenic designation for the Dog Creek Valley.
 
Send written comments to Garry Darychuk, Planning Manager, Ministry of Forests, Nelson Forest Region, 518 Lake St., Nelson BC, V1L 4C6; deliver to any Ministry of Forests regional or district office; or e-mail KB.HLP@gems4.gov.bc.ca before August 14, 2002. 
  
 The Higher Level Plan can be viewed online at srmrpdwww.env.gov.bc.ca/regional/kootenay/index.htm.
 
 
-30-
 
This information bulletin is online at [put URL, if any, here]
 
Contact:
Put primary contact name and phone number here.  
Put secondary contact name and phone number here. 
 
**********************************************************


August 7, 2002
Michael Pahl & Jeanne-Marie Maher jm3xp@msn.com
Midway to Osoyoos via V V & E
We are looking to cycle the KVR from Midway to Osoyoos next month and were trying to see if we could make it a loop trip. We would continue down to Oroville, then take the V V & E trail back via Molson, Bridesville and finally to Midway. Has anyone done it? How passable is it? From reading the book (3rd edition - looks great!) we get two impressions. In the narrative, the V V & E trail sounds relatively overgrown, private, blocked and not very passable (except in short sections). However from the mileage log no mention is made of any detours off the trail - it all just seems to go through (albeit with some missing bridges). There are no notes about how to bypass any unusable sections of trail. What is the best (most scenic, least traffic) way to get back from Osoyoos to Midway? Taking roads would be OK, but we would like to avoid major highways and the associated traffic.

Another question regards crossing the border. Can one simply stay on the V V & E and cross the border between Molson and Bridesville? Or must you go through one of the official border crossing stations (and so having to cross at either the Osoyoos or Midway ends)? Thank you in advance for your advice and recommendations.



August 6, 2002
Jason Tryssenaar jtry@telus.net
Need Info about KVR biking from McCulloch to Naramata
I am looking to do the KVR Railway from approx.McCulloch Lake to Naramata. I am cycling with my father and want to break the trip into day trips (two??). Basically my wife and mother want to drop us off and pick us up for the day trips. Any advice on how many days it would take to ride comfortable for approx. 5 hours ??? to do that route. My wife, mom, and kids want to camp or stay in the area --- any suggestions?? Any other advice that can be give would be terrific. Thanks -- Jason



August 6, 2002
Alison Farquhar
Cycling the Columbia and Western
We have just finished riding the section between Castlegar and Midway. We had a great trip and just wanted to share a bit of information. The Castlegar RV Park & Campground were great to us. Dale & Liz let us leave our van there, dropped us off at the trailhead and even offered to pick us up at the bus station. Can't recommend them enough.

Water was a concern but there was plenty at Bull Dog Tunnel and at Fisherman Creek Road on the way up to Eholt. We saw a baby cougar on the section of trail between Fisherman Creek Road 121.2 and the red tuscan shed 122.9. Never saw the mother but be wary. By the way, don't sleep in the red shed, the noise of the mice is mind bending!

Christina Lake is less than hospitable to bikers. I guess they are always so full they don't need to cater to us. If we had only known that just a few more kms of downhill from Christina Lake at the trestles at 89.1 km and also at 91.7, there were 2 beautiful wilderness campsites.

The KVR is a treasure! We have now completed the entire trail from Castlegar to Hope and look forward to tackling it a second time!


August 5, 2002
steve & Lori slbaril@shaw.ca
Coquihalla and myra sections
We would like to do a day trip on bikes between portia/shylock, and falls lake, on the rail bed. Has anyone done this and could offer some advice??? How long, detours, rail bed condition, etc... just a trip up and down for the afternoon. I know that I will be on the pipeline road for a portion, is it totally steep or anything??? Also....we are planning a three day thing from beaverdell to penticton, with stops at McCulloch lake and chute lake for nights. Is this rail bed a difficult path??? How long to do 50 km a day on this stretch?? 2 hours,?, 4 hours?? Any advice again is much appreciated



August 4, 2002
Ken and Pam McCutcheon
Trip Report: Princeton to Brodie Loop
Mileages used are from "Cycling the Kettle Valley Railway" by Dan and Sandra Langford. This book,incidently is a must requirement when cycling the KVR.

North (west) out of Princeton the trail is in excellent riding condition. However, watch for glass and foreign objects (pieces of wood) in the tunnel at KM 114.8. All the washout area's along Tulameen Rvr to Coalmont are easily negotiable. Between KM 122, Parr Tunnel, and KM 125, encountered a black bear and cub. We saw them first so were able to stop and not surprise them. They ran off once the momma bear heard us.

From the bridge at KM 128.4 to Coalmont the railbed is used by vehicles to access a campground making it washboardy.

The detour at KM 164.7 to KM 165.6 to bypass the burnt trestle at Aspen Grove Road has been repaired sufficiently to allow passage on the rail grade without having to leave it.

DANGER: The green coloured outhouse on the north side (west) of Aspen Grove road where the path up to the railbed, has a hornets/wasp nest on the right wall. Beware!!!!
The railbed from here to Brookmere is very very washboardy, to the point of being a terrible nuisance. It certainly hinders a nice drift downgrade when coming east out of Brookmere. From Brookmere to Brodie Loop and then toward Merrit, to KM 12.4 Coldwater road crossing. Good roadbed, washout area's easily negotiable. Coquihalla Hwy noise was not noticeable.

Side Notes: Princeton. the Belair resturant just up from the railway station offers a great lunch menu reasonably priced. For a taste of small town BC in a rural setting, Coalmont Hotel adds a lot of character to your cycling experience.

Stillwaters B&B.Clean and comfortable accomodation. Len and Jean Roberts are wonderful hosts. It is on west side of lake, so you have to leave KVR in Tulameen or cut away at Km 147 where road and railway are parallel. I have no financial interest in above business'.



August 3, 2002
Dave & Brenda kelowna_bc@hotmail.com
 Myra - Naramata On average, how long does it take to cycle from Myra to Naramata?


August 2, 2002
Scott kidpedal@telus.net
Princeton parking
Does anybody know of a safe place to park a vehicle in Princeton. Would like to return to my truck and find all four tires still there?



August 1, 2002
Cam Campbell Calgary AB wacampbell@shaw.ca
Myra FSR
I plan to enter the line, for a two day run down to Penticton, using the Myra Forest Service Rd out of Kelowna. I have a minivan that will drop me and my bike at the entry to the line. Can anyone advise whether that service road is navigable with a minivan? Are there any restrictions on use of the road? Are logging trucks using the road during daylight hours? Current experience would be greatly appreciated. Cam Campbell Calgary AB wacampbell@shaw.ca


August 1, 2002
Nola
Re: WILDERNESS-RUSTIC; camp site at CHRISTINA LAKE
I have just had the most wonderful time camping on the lake at Christina. Returned July 31. From what I can see you should have no problems finding a spot at Texas Creek, at no time over the fifteen days we were there was in crowded. There are also may spots on both east and west as you go north but these arewater access only. If you look at the map on the home page of Christina http://www.christinalake.com/cap/index.htm you will see Trapper Creek, there will find a spot on the east shore it's Deer Creek, we were just south of that, Deer Creek has a out house as the only luxury. The locals frown upon using area that are un-designated no doubt due to the health risks. The lake is prestine! The eagles abondent! Good Luck, the weather will get better.



July 13, 2002
Eric Bickle
Lader Creek Trestle and Tunnels
I realize this is 4 years after the original post - but heres some more info about the Ladner Creek location I heard that the KVR collapsed the tunnel next to the trestle bridge on purpose for liability reasons - very unfortinate! Todd Barker created the new hiking trail (Ladner Creek Trail), cleaned out most of the railbed, and created a path over the collapsed tunnel to the trestle bridge. There is only one tunnel, not two. It's a long tunnel and he's not close to getting through yet, the light at the end is just near the top where the landslide(?) was (I think? mabye I should go back and check..hmmm). I haven't explored much on the other side but I probably should.... mabye it would be nice to create a connecting trail over there!



July 30, 2002
Mark W mweston@uvic.ca
Recent ride on Nakusp & Slocan Railway, Nelson & Fort Sheppard Railway, and KVR from Castlegar to Hope, late July 2002
Having just completed a long tour including the above-mentioned railways, here's some information for others hoping to do similar trips. The book was very helpful, especially the maps! Three of us did the trip with fully loaded touring bikes (averaging 100 lbs each), with largish hybrid tires (ranging from 700/32c-40) as we also did a lot of riding on the road before the KVR portion. I'll split up my comments with a section for each rail trail.

Nakusp & Slocan Railway ( Nakusp to Three Forks)

We rode this West to East, in reverse from the book's point of view, but I'll give kilometre markings as the book does (so we started at km 58.6, Old Nakusp, and continued to 0.0). The book's coverage of the three East Kootenay railways (this one, the Columbia & Kootenay from Slocan to South Slocan, and the Nelson & Fort Sheppard Railway from Salmo to Nelson) seemed to be sometimes incomplete and lacking some important information, like parks immediately adjacent to the railbed, and accomodations and supply points. A fun trail, hopefully the section from Rosebery to Nakusp will start seeing more non-motorized use and publicity as it is quite enjoyable and remote.

- the condition of the trail was not so great coming out of Nakusp, and we took to the road at about km 49 or so and rejoined where the grade comes very close to the highway at around kilometre 40. Sandy and rocky for much of the trail coming out of Nakusp but better further up.
- trail from Summit Lake to Hills was in mostly decent condition, though lots of undergrowth hemming in the trail. A few sections were underwater due to culverts being washed out. Most are easily forded except for one stretch of about 100 m that is all underwater up to about 1/2 m deep, and not easily bypassed as it is very grown in. So prepare to get your feet wet! - just before, or near, Hills there is a large cut in the grade due to either a trestle being out or fill being washed out. A steep trail on the west side and a shallower trail on the east allows one to cross it. Immediately east of this point the grade seems to be obliterated due to a gravel pit and we had a bit of difficulty finding it to the east, as there seem to be two possibilities. Either way will likely get you to a road which is quite near to the east and leads back to highway 6 to the north.
- there are a couple of small pile trestles near Hill that don't seem to be mentioned in the book.
- there is a great provincial park that we stayed in at Rosebery on the north side of highway 6 immediately adjacent to Wilson Creek. It is not mentioned in the book. Also there is a great Mexican restaurant at Rosebery right near the grade that serves great marguaritas (though they are overpriced)!
- at around kilometre 12 there is a bit of detouring you have to do to follow the Galena trail from Rosebery towards New Denver (or vice versa) due to a lumber yard taking over the trail. There are little signs directing travellers through the detours. Also immediately closer to Rosebery the trail does a few wiggles to avoid a 20 m section of trail that appears to be unneccesarily fenced. The Galena Trail past the lumber yard from Rosebery to Three Forks is in great shape and we quite enjoyed it. The Carpenter Creek crossing by railcar is great fun - though slow, as we had to take most of our gear off our bikes to get everything across!

Nelson & Fort Sheppard Railway (Salmo to Nelson)

We rode this south to north, following the book. One question I have is this: why does the coverage in the book stop at Salmo? The rail grade appears to be in good shape and carry on west of Salmo, and one can only speculate as to how far it is rideable. Please Dan and Sandra could you expand coverage in future editions of this rail trail? - rail grade out of Salmo appears to be in worse shape than the book indicates (all it says is "good cycling condition"). It is sandy and quite rocky near Salmo, though it improved slowly going towards Nelson. Once the trail passes Cottonwood Lake near Nelson it becomes an excellent surface and gave us a speedy downhill run into Nelson. As we did it on fully loaded hybrid bikes, it is definitely rideable, but don't expect to make good time! Even on the shallow uphills we were fairly slow for the entire uphill portion and some of the downhill.

- km 32.6: access to Cottonwood Lake Regional Park is only possible (it appeared to us) by taking the road from the highway, which is 50 m or so north of where the grade crosses the highway. So if you are coming North you pass by the lake, proceed to the highway, and then 50m down the highway turn left onto the access road to the park and proceed south to the park. If there is a more direct access we missed it...

Columbia and Western, from Castlegar to Midway

- a piece of advice for those planning to do Castlegar to Christina Lake in two days (due to the long distance): keep topped up with water! If the map shows a stream crossing the grade it is not necessarily accessible! We cycled from Nelson to Shields station our first day on the grade and expected to find water as there was a stream crossing, but we couldn't access it and ended up taking a 4x4 road down to the lake to get water (a long way down and back up)! The water situation appeared similar at Cokyendahl. In general the major streams along the hillside ascending up from the lake are far below the railgrade due to a high trestle or fill and are very hard to reach, but there are small water sources right along the rail grade at several points between stations and major trestles. These would thus make better camping spots.
- km 82.2: the pedestrian walkthroughs at Fife have had the outer sections removed so that they are now just thin gaps in the fence, wide enough to squeeze a fully loaded bike through, without having to toss bikes over the fence. (we were very pleased to see this!)
- the campsite in Christina Lake at the end of Johnson Street on the lake is unremarkable and overpriced ($30 for a small site with zero privacy: the sites are a subdivided field with nothing between sites, not even a line!). The only reason to stay there would be free showers and the beachfront location.
- km 112.4 outside Grand Forks: the railgrade was indeed horribly sandy, but not for 6 km: more like 1.5 to 2 km, and it improved after this. - the condition of the grade between Eholt and Greenwood we only found to be "weedy" (as the book suggested) for a few sections, noteably crossing fields from one side of the valley to the other. Mostly it was fast and in good condition, though not wide (often only single-track).
- km 150.3: we didn't find the trail to be very weedy, mostly quite fast into Midway.

KVR from Midway to Penticton

- the detours west of Midway through the lumber yard seem to be in a constant state of flux and the directions in the book didn't seem to entirely match up with what we had to do. Parts of the detour were in very poor shape, sandy and rocky. Hopefully the lumber yard is contributing to fixing this up!
- km 42.8 - 44.4 We found the directions in this section of the book confusing and thought we had to ford the river to get to the Little Dipper Campground from the road, as it is not too clear when the book is distinguishing between the Blythe-Rhone Rd and the highway across the river. Most cyclists will probably just take the road for 2 km instead of trying to find the river fordings, so maybe this could be made clearer. The Little Dipper campground is on the east side of the road, on the west side of the river.
- much of the railgrade (possibly all) between McCulloch and Chute Lake is used as a road and as such is washboardy and dusty. We were passed by cars on this section and passed several groups having trouble with the poor surface.
- 205.3 At this point we didn't find the trail to be much more "loose" (as the book says) than it was for most of the descent from Chute Lake to Penticton: most of it is quite sandy and fairly rocky so we didn't notice an appreciable difference. This descent was the longest consistently bad surface we rode on the entire trip (Castlegar to Hope).

KVR from Penticton to Brookmere

- while I agree with the book that the surface was overall in better shape on this subdivision, there were long sections that were not in such great shape and possibly should be mentioned, such as Penticton to Summerland and Osprey Lake to near Erris Tunnel (the former is rough and a bit sandy and rocky and the latter is a bit sandy due to ATV and horse use).
- a tip about accomodations that could be mentioned: most of the camping in Summerland is on the lake, which is inconvenient for cyclists on the grade as it entails going down to the lake and then back up again to continue the trip. However, the hostel in downtown Summerland has camping spots for a reasonable price. It is the Essex Travel Hostel, located at the corner of Peach Orchard Rd and Rosedale Ave; their website is www.summerlandhostel.com .
- there appears to be some camping at Faulder: while on the road detour to Faulder we passed a "Camping" sign on our left (going west) immediately before reaching the road junction that leads down to the grade. Possibly needs further investigation?
- it is not too easy to access the Thirsk Lake recreation area at km 55.0 from the grade; you either have to go about 1 km past the recreation area to where there is a connection between the old highway and the grade, or at km 53.7 turn onto the old highway 40 and follow it along the lake.
- between km 109.1 and past Princeton Castle Resort the railbed is chewed up due to the horse traffic from the resort. - the section of trail between km 165.6 (where the road joins the railbed) and km 173.6 (entering Brookmere) are used as a road and it is VERY poor washboard and quite jarring to cycle. Please can we get motorized vehicles off the railgrade once and for all, and especially on this painful section!!! KVR from Brookmere to Hope
- advice to people with loaded bikes: don't take the trail from Juliet to the summit; we did this and found the river fordings (in late July no less) quite challenging; it took three people to carry each bike across the river. Also the pipeline "trail" (more a cow path) and trail along the highway to km 22.2 were quite slow (also less interesting as we weren't even on the original grade). The section from Brodie to Juliet I would say is quite worth it, however the first washout detour is a challenge.
- just before km 85.1 there is a very annoying fence with pedestrian walk-throughs that has been erected (presumably recently as it is not mentioned in the book). Bikes have to be lifted over the fence. Write to the City of Hope and complain!



July 30, 2002
K. Duyndam kduyndam@shaw.ca
 Westbridge Parking
We will be starting a 5 day cycling trip from Westbridge to Oliver on Thursday August 1.Could you please inform me as to where I can safely park my vehicle for that length of time in Westbridge. Thank you in advance for this helpfull information. Kasey



July 29, 2002
Ed Braun
C&W
Hello again Dan, four of us just finished cycling the Columbia and Western railway. We found the Castlegar to Christina Lake section readily accessible and well traveled, encountering over 30 other cyclists on that section. In Castlegar we used the Pass Creek Park Campground as our lauching point. This campground is very close to the beginning of the trail, has treed or grass camping sites, showers, public kitchen and, is very comfortable. We found the campground managers, Dan & Lynn, very hospital able and accommodating of cyclists; Dan is even planning a shuttle service for cyclists doing this route. We highly recommend this campground for the beginning of cycling the C&W. Once again we found your book very helpful for this trip; last year we used it to cycle the KVR from Midway to Summerland. For the C&W rail bed you state that km. 39.7, Tunnel Station would make a reasonable campsite except for the absence of a reliable water source. At km. 38.4, Bulldog Tunnel you state that almost always the east end of the tunnel has water cascading down. We found abundant water at the tunnel's east end; enough to take a shower, fill up all our water containers, walk through the tunnel and camp overnight at Tunnel Station. We had a lovely campout there and recommend this procedure to other cyclists. Just a couple of thoughts for cycling the C&W, Ed Braun



July 29, 2002
Dave Cason davec@sagatech.ca
CAR SHUTTLE NEEDED - Midway to Penticton/Osoyoos
HI, Does anyone know if someone is still running a shuttle service or a bus from Midway to Penticton/Osoyoos? I need to move a car from Midway (start) to Penticton / Osoyoos or I'll need to get a ride back to Midway from Penticton or Osoyoos It'll be around the 23 or 24th of Aug Cheers Dave

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July 28, 2002
Mark Rickerby
Scenic values Farron to Bulldog and beyond at risk

Hello fellow KVR and C&W riders! Here's an item on the Rails-to-Trails radar in need of your review and quick response! Otherwise the BC Govt will push through a plan to log the Rails to Trails corridor between Farron and Bulldog Tunnel and beyond!

Up to August 14, 2002, feedback is being solicited for the BC Govt's Amended Kootenay-Boundary Higher Level Plan ... the Plan is essentially the logging and development plan for this part of southern BC.

The plan can be found at this address:

http://www.luco.gov.bc.ca/regional/kootenay/index.htm

Pay close attention to the maps for Arrow and the Boundary.
The entire Rails-to-Trails corridor from Farron to Bulldog tunnel - the Dog Creek valley - is without any designation for Scenic values and has been designated "mature management" ... which, friends, is Ministry of Sustainable Resource Mgmt code for clear-cut, logging roads, etc. "Mature management" has been specified for both sides of the forest which the Rails-to-Trails right-of-way passes through.

While the timber volumes available in this valley are marginal and low value, the visual impact of the cutblocks will be HUGE for riders and others who frequent this segment of the right-of-way. Those who know the beauty of the valley should be outraged by the Amended Plan; those who have yet to witness it will surely be disappointed if the Amended Plan is passed without preserving the visual values of the Dog Creek valley.

Take a few moments now to write or email any one or all of the following individuals, voicing your concern for the preservation of visual values on the Columbia &Western right-of-way, and demand that the route from Farron to Bulldog Tunnel be afforded a meaningful Scenic designation (minimum Scenic Values Class 2) in accordance with Higher Level Plan process, and consistent with the Rails-to-Trails usage in the area.

DEADLINE for your feedback to the Plan is August 14, 2002. Please provide your FEEDBACK to the BC Govt and its Agencies TODAY!

Garry Darychuk
Planning Manager
Ministry of Forests, Nelson Forest Region
518 Lake St. Nelson BC, V1L 4C6
e-mail KB.HLP@gems4.gov.bc.ca.

The Honourable Stan Hagen
Minister of Sustainable Resource Management
Province of British Columbia Victoria, BC
Phone: 250 703 - 2422
Fax: 250 703 - 2425
Email: stan.hagen.mla@leg.bc.ca

The Honourable Sandy Santori
Minister of Management Services
MLA West Kootenay - Boundary
Province of British Columbia Victoria, BC
Phone: 250 364 - 5514
Fax: 250 364 - 5520
Email: sandy.santori.mla@leg.bc.ca

The Honourable Michael de Jong
Minister of Forests
Province of British Columbia Victoria, BC
Phone: 604 870 - 5486
Fax: 604 870 - 5444
Email: mike.dejong.mla@leg.bc.ca



July 28, 2002
Tom and Cindy Schoenit cintom@telus.net
 posting
We are planning a bike trip on the KVR beginning in Summerland and finishing in Hope. How many days should we plan for. Any suggestions where to sleep each night. What is the lightest and most filling foods to carry. Does the trail disappear at any points or are there any detours along the way?



July 25, 2002
Heather heathermhall@hotmail.com
Posting
We had an all too brief 2 days of cycling on the KVR. Day 1 was from Midway (free parking at the museum) to Grand Forks. Fabulous views of the North Fork Valley & Granby River from Eholt to GF (bonus! saw a bear & 2 cubs). Day 2 was from Grand Forks to Christina Lake where we stayed at the Brio B&B run by the charming Joan (great breakfast). Wildways bike shop shuttled us back to our car. Take lots of water - it was hot.



July 23, 2002
patrick zanette zanette@shaw.ca
looking for riding group?
I am interested in cycling a part of the railway and am looking for any groups I may join to do this. I am interested in a 3 to 5 day trip for sometime in August. If any group needs a few more cyclists let me know Thanks, Patrick



July 22, 2002
Wayne and Laura
Coquihalla
Hi, Dan. We just picked up your 3rd edition - great reading and interesting to keep up with the updates.
My wife & I live in Abbotsford and so have our easiest access to the Coquihalla subdivision. Therefore, that's where we've focused our explorations. We'd like to share a bit of info on that area & ask a couple of questions.

We realize that one of the most scenic areas we've discovered in the Coquihalla country is that area from Portia to Coquihalla Station and it's controlled by Trans Mountain Pipeline. On July 5th, I talked with a fellow out of the Calgary head office and requested permission to travel on their right of way. I had no problem receiving authorization as long as I was either on foot or on a bike. At the present time, they have installed a second gate about 250 meters from their first gate. This was because there's clearcutting taking place just inside the Portia gate up on the side of the slope. The first gate will sometimes be open allowing workers to enter the clearcut area but then you encounter the second. A lot of bears in this area, as well, so watch for the signs.

Wondering if you've ever had the chance to travel on the original railbed from Tunnel #1 through to Iago. We've been up to Tunnels #1, 2, & 3 without too much difficulty but didn't go through because of the cave ins. Have you ever ventured through them? It looks like someone may have but not us, not yet. Wondering if you've heard anything.

We have travelled the valley on the pipeline road on numerous occasions but have not attempted to complete the full journey on the railbed. e realize this type of a enterprise would be best undertaken without bikes in tow. We would very much like to take the challenge and travel the original line, if it is at all possible, with a group of fellow enthusiasts.

Would you be interested in being a part of this adventure or do you know anyone who would like to involved? It will be quite the undertaking but, we think, very exciting and very rewarding.

Regarding the Coquihalla substation, we have a drawing by Gerry Doeksen done in 1980 showing the water tower on one side of the railbed and the station on the other. (We have found the cement foundation of what we assumed was the station but haven't found the water tower.) Do you know which piece of info is correct?

Over the past winter, we've also explored by foot and in the snow, the area from Ladner Creek trestle to the rock slide of the 1926 derailment, just past Jessica. However, although we've carried on from there to as close to Lear as possible, in a hop scotch fashion, we have found that many sections of the railbed have been destroyed by the building of the highway. We do find exploring the railbed in the winter months in our area is easier because we are able to locate the railbed without all the underbrush that summer brings.

We started all of this last year because we bought your first book. We immediately got the KVR bug and have truly enjoyed mapping out, almost step by step in some cases, the Coquihalla subdivision. It's a bit more exploration than the other areas we've visited, such as the Princeton area or Myra Canyon, because so much has been destroyed. Finding the small pieces that remain is almost like uncovering a treasure. Thanks for all of your hard work. We look forward to hearing from you. Wayne and Laura



July 21, 2002
Vivian Paterson Osprey Lake Lodge
B&B KVR cycle route
I received your website from cyclists Gary and Bobbie Harder when they spent the night in my B&B which is located at the Osprey Lake summit on the trans-Canada trail approximately half-way between Summerland and Princeton. My property is appoximately 150 Meters from where the trans-Canada trail crosses Link Lake Road (west end Osprey Lake). More info and photos of my operation is available at www.pixsell.bc.ca/bcbbd.htm The third photo was taken from the trans-Canada trail at the west end of the old rail bridge. I have had the pleasure of hosting cycle groups before and look forward to more of you in the future. Vivian Paterson Osprey Lake Lodge



July 19, 2002
Kathy Bowen Kathy_Bowen@sd34.bc.ca
Carmi Subdivision
My husband and I are planning to cycle from Midway to Penticton, stopping overnight at the Beaverdell Hotel and the McCulloch Lake Resort the following night. In all our trip should take us three days (July 30-Aug.1). We are both extremely fit but since we have never done this before, are we allowing enough time or too much? Should we bring a lot of food with us? We're not camping and there seems to be a few facilities along the route. Appreciate your recommendations. Thanks, Kathy



July 15, 2002
John Ward
Thanks for the inspiration!
This has been the fourth summer I have cycled on the KVR in small groups, guided by your book. Summer 1 and 3: Rock Creek to Osoyoos. Summer 2: Coalmont to Hope. Summer 4: Osoyoos to Merritt. All were a lot of fun, and interesting too. All the riders on our trips have really appreciated your advice and guidance.

I understand that you have a 3rd edition of Cycling the KVR just out, and I have been working from the 2nd edition, so may have missed some new items. Anyway, I wanted to pass along a few observations on the latest trip, for your use, or whatever . . . .

1) In connecting with the Osoyoos subdivision in Penticton, we have not used either of your two routes. We managed to pick up the trail at the Northwest corner of Skaha Lake. This year, we came from the South through Wright's RV Park -- there is a gate right behind the office, which takes you onto highway 97. I suppose we were on Indian reserve land, but never encountered anyone associated with the organization.

2) After walking over the Trout Creek Trestle near Summerland, we took a detour into the city using quite a flat route: right on Canyon View Rd, Left on Hilborn, and right on Giant's Head Rd to Prairie Valley Rd, which took us very close to the bakeries on Main St. Yum! Then back on to Prairie Valley Rd, and since the train was not running uphill to Faulder. With loaded bikes, it was a steep ride, and we did some pushing up steep hills.

3) We lost a lot of time finding our way over the Trout Creek at 37.7 km. We were looking for a trail 50 metres prior to the bridge, and did not find one. So we walked a long way back and found some trails to the left (South I believe that went down to the creek and a cleared out area (with log across the creek) which was impassable. I think we confused this log with the log in the picture in the book, which probably is a lot closer to the bridge? Then some of our colleagues spotted a trail to the right and down, about 20 metres back from the bridge (it was flagged). This trail took us to the roadway and road bridge. Please note that this trail is not what we would call a "faint trail" -- it is quite distinct, but it is not a logging road type trail -- just one track. The description as being near a sand slide was not useful . What would have been helpful is a note that the trail begins between the berms built up before the bridge, it goes to the right, and down, not up.

4) We also got fooled at the kathleen Creek Bridge detour. I think your 200 metre distance is correct for the ideal connection to the rail bed, but there is a track immediately after the bridge (within 10 metres) that we thought you were referring to as the "small road" which leads to a steep climb back to the trail. Actually, the small road you refer to after the bridge more like 50 metres after the road bridge. So we ended up taking the second instead of the third track, and ended up dealing with the high, loose fill. (and a flat!) I should pay more attention to my odometer . . .

5) We stayed at Kershar Horse Motel at Spearing Station. This is one of the few campgrounds in the immediate area, and we were glad to be the first to use Burt's new HOT SHOWER. You might mention that in your notes on the 3rd edition. He was very accommodating, and charming too. And Burt said he would like some more business, having only had 5 visitors by the time we arrived in early July. Note that the 3 km before this location has some really bone jarring washboard -- I think we broke a spoke on this section.

6) Especially between Penticton and Princeton, we encountered a lot of sand and loose fill, which really made the going slow. Between sand, finding detours, and a few flat tires and mechanical problems, we lost quite a lot of time, and did not make our distance goals. So cyclists need have the sand highlighted and to take it into account when they plan their trips -- I think the next time we would do Penticton to Princeton in three days, not two.

7) On the Brookmere to Merritt portion, we got on the highway at Kingsvale, mainly because the trail was quite poor at that point, and because it was not clear how to get back on the railbed once one crossed the highway. In hindsight, we are glad we did -- the trip from the railbed to the highway via Peterson Road looked like quite a climb. So thanks for all the energy you have put into this guide -- we have enjoyed it, and our trips tremendously, and the adventures that went along with them.
Sincerely, John Ward



July 14, 2002
steve baril slbaril@shaw.ca
Osyoos Sub.
thanks for the advice from fellow kvr riders re:penticton - osoyoos. As expected, the Penticton native band said no to my telephone request for access between Skaha station to ok falls, but the gates are all open and cycle away! I am still not sure why they would say no, the entire area within the reserve is completely undeveloped. We made a huge huge huge mistake on our trip! We were so gung ho about staying on the right of way as much as possible, that we cycled the great piece on the west side of vaseaux lake, followed the "road that dwindles out after 1 kilometer" after the missing bridge at vaseux lake, but failed to realize that eventually we would still need to cross the river channel at some point, and had to endure a hike/climb around the base of Mcyntire bluff for about 2-3 hours!!! We wanted to cross the river, but it was still too high! A lot of bear crap, berries, snakes, and BONES, of perhaps other stupid cyclists. Follow the highway guys on this stretch, your moms will sleep better at night!!



July 13, 2002
Ken McCutcheon
KVR Trip Report and Trail Conditions
Greetings, My wife and I have just completed a bike trip from McCullough to Penticton using Kelowna as a home base.

Day One: Accessed the KVR from June Springs Rd. Road was a little rough and washboardy. We drove a Mercury Sable station wagon and had no problems with traction. Rode east thru Myra Canyon and on to McCullough, 17 miles one way. Rail bed is in excellent condition. Hard packed and easy peddling. June Springs Rd parking lot was empty except for us. The Myra Canyon Rd at east end of canyon was packed with adults, kids and vehicles. Despite all the people we encountered in the late morning, by time we returned at 3-4 PM Canyon area was deserted. Excellent day ride.

Day Two: Accessed KVR on Gillard Creek Forest Road. Again, road is in good shape. No sign of logging trucks. Rode west to Chute Lake. ROW is very rough, washboardy in some areas. Very uncomfortable riding, especially for a full bodied female. Passed a few recreational vehicles in this area, which probably accounts for the potholes and washboard. Hard packed sand service.

Chute Lake to Naramata: All down hill, drifting along at about 10-12 MPH. Very scenic of course. Railbed service is soft sand which doesn't bother you while dropping down grade. Actually helps to slow you up and give you a chance to eyeball the terrain. However, it was a different story peddling up hill. The soft sand was a real detriment to this rider. Even though there is a bypass around the Adra Tunnel, by all means ride right into the two portals. There is an incredible cool breeze blowing out of the tunnel and rock cut. Just what the doctor rordered on a hot day. If you chose to not see the tunnel, the bypass is just a few yards out of the cut and well marked.

This trip on the KVR has wetted our appetites for much more KVR cycling. Ken



July 13, 2002
Brian Van Vliet
Thanks Message:
On the Canada Day weekend we made a road trip from Edmonton to travel the KVR from Beaverdell to Penticton on the Carmi Subdivision. Due to time constraints, it was very helpful to have a shuttle to return us, our bikes and our gear to Beaverdell. Many thanks go out to Jacquie and to Craig from Kettle Valley Trail Tours & Shuttle! In setting up a time, Craig was most patient and accommodating. The shuttle made our trip much more pleasant and we very much enjoyed Jacquie's company and shuttle efforts. I highly recommend Craig's service and I hope more people will take advantage of this opportunity to enhance their experience of the KVR.



July 12, 2002
Janet Porowski
Lorna to Rock Creek
I know this trip runs backwards to most people, but we found it to be a great trip and well worth considering for first time KVR cyclists, who want a short trip, as the grade is mostly level or slightly down hill. We did this in 3 days at a leisurely pace. Day 1 was a drive from the coast to Kelowna, followed by a cycle from Lorna (a bit tricky for us to find Lorna Station area with no signs, etc.) to McCulloch Station where we stayed in the chalet at McCulloch Lodge. Day 2 cycled to Beaverdell and stayed at the Highland Cabins. Day 3 cycled to Rock Creek, stopping to visit Paul at the Rest Stop%2C and had a late lunch in the Kettle River Provincial Park just before Rock Creek. It was a great trip and would highly recommend it!



July 8, 2002
J. Reeder ajreeder@shaw.ca
Travelling Carmi route between Aug. 6-9/Save money?
3 of us have booked a shuttle from Summerland to Rock Creek on Aug 6 leaving at 7:00 a.m. If there are two people who would like to join the shuttle it will reduce the price from 61$-37 $. Also we are considering booking a cabin on August 8th at Chute Lake. There is a minimum two night booking if anyone would be interested in staying the 9th and sharing the cost as we only want to stay one night.



July 4, 2002
Aron Threinen Aron_Threinen@telus.net
Carmi Section
Me and a buddy just complete the section from Westbridge to Penticton on the July 1 long weekend. We had a blast! The trail is in good shape most of the way except where it is being used as a road. I was surprised that we only met up with a few people cycle this section. I am hoping to get a copy of your 3rd edition this summer, and I am going to try and plan a trip from Summerland to Hope for next year.



July 3, 2002
Dave Howorko khoworko@telusplanet.net
Cycling with kids on the KVR - good idea??
Later this month my wife and I are cycling Rock Creek to Osoyoos with a group of people that will include our two kids. I will be pulling our 5 year old on a trail-a-bike while my 8 1/2 year old rides his 5-speed. We hoping to do about 50km a day. We are an active family (lots of hiking and biking) and we've done some family training rides on the paved bike paths in our city (some as much as 70km in one day) and our older son has managed that. But the KVR isn't paved, thus, a more difficult cycle. Has anyone done this section of the KVR with an 8 year old riding his own bike and would they recommend it? What about kids riding the section between Penticton and Osoyoos - too dangerous with road traffic? Any words of advice from those with direct experience would be greatly appreciated.



July 2, 2002
Kevin k5weeks@yahoo.com
Dirt biking the KVR
Hi, I would like to inquire about the use of dirtbikes on the KVR... are they allowed? Its not like we will be going fast, just a leisurely pace. If it is acceptable, our primary concern is gas - where can we get it along the trail? What is the best route to take so fuel is 'easily' accessable? We are not worried about accomodation, food, water, etc. However, fuel is quite a concern (not fun pushing a 250p bike & gear), and no I don't own a bicycle Thank you Kevin



July 1, 2002
Steve Webb
Rock Creek to Castlegar in Aug.
Hello all....all info is appreciated!!!! Any suggestions or good stuff regarding a trip from Rock Creek to Castlegar , 2nd week of August? How 'bout south from Midway through Washington State to Grand Forks ( Mr. Crawford mentioned this leg...although not for KVR purists)....Please reply...see you all on the ol' KVR trail...Steve in Vancouver.



June 29, 2002
steve baril slbaril@shaw.ca
Posting
Can anyone tell me how the penticton Indian band is for allowing folks to cycle along the route between penticton and Kaleden? I would like to do this trip in the next couple of weeks with a friend from penticton to Oliver and beyond.
Also, I am a greyhound driver and noticed the postings concerning bus service to rock creek and midway. There is active service to these communities from both osoyoos over the anarchist, as well as from Kelowna on Hwy 33. The reason for having to send your bikes in a bike box, if anyone is wondering, is simply due to the volume of requests that we get for bike loading, and in actual fact, an unboxed bike can awkwardly take up a lot of room in the baggage tanks, sometimes only two bikes can get in there!! Just FYI fellow riders.



June 24, 2002
Murray Fairley hagelres@island.net
 Princeton Subdivision
A buddie and myself have just completed the Princeton Sub-Division travelling from Faulder (to by-pass the Active Section) to Thynne Lake (km 153). Started the morning of June 19, camping at the first nite at Link Lake forestry site (km 65.0) This section is in good shape with the exception of the Trout Creek by-pass. Pretty tough slugging with fully loaded bikes. Second nite at Rainbow Lake campsite (km 109.6). This section was apeice of cake due the fact it was all downhill. The only exception was at Siwash Creek (km 77.9) The base was absolutely terrible. Made for difficult riding. Spent the third and fourth nite at km 142.4, a real neat campsite on the shore of Otter Lake. Spent two days fishing Otter Creek right up to Thynne Lake. As we had to return to Princeton to pick up our vehicle we stopped in the Coalmont Hotel for a small libation with the colourful locals. Spent the fifth and last nite at Km 128.4, a very nice sandy beach on the Tulameen River. Made Princeton on the morning of the 24. All in all a very enjoyable trip. One suggestion if I may. It would be extremely informative if there could be kilometer markers along the way to let people know where they exactly are



June 21, 2002
Wendy and Terry Methot CCL
Coley Creek Lodge, Brookmere
Thanks for including us in your book, excellent. We are a little concerned about people dropping in. Reservations have to be made, but the bikers who have your book don't realize that, so my apologies to anyone who might complain to you about us not being available. However, we are doing our best to be there as much as possible and Katie Murphy, (our host) will be placing a sandwich board out on the railway bed as often as she can be available, to redirect any passersby so they can come to her first.



June 20, 2002
Lois Brymer jmbrymer@axion.net
Posting
We (2 couples) plan to cycle the Summerland to Midway section (via Penticton) of the Kettle Valley Railway, the end of August. Does anyone have any hot tips for Bed & Breakfasts along the way or any interesting places to stay and/or eat? Thanks.



June 20, 2002
Heather Koller
KVR Bike Trip
I just read through trip notes that took place from Rock Creek to Hope, and I noticed that the Coalmont General Store was listed. The store is no longer open