ACROSS the Divide

Day 9—Wednesday, August 10—Spray Lake West to Tobermory Cabin in BC

46 Miles; Cloudy and comfortable riding with a steady headwind that was cooling

First light

On the road by 7:30 am. Half the day was on Spray Lake Road which is a wide gravel road used by commerce as well as tourists and campers. It is very dusty which made the traveling experience less than optimal as we were a sucking in clouds of dust.

Some drivers get it and slow down since speed affects the amount of dust;  others apparently could not care less. On this stretch of 25 miles we saw three grizzlies, two of which were grazing and grubbing by the side of the road; the other one across the road about 50 yds in front of me and Noreen. Another black bear was more interested in berries than us.  I also saw some Rocky Mountain jays and a quail which appeared nonplussed by bikes passing within a few feet of its chicks.

Black bear

Brown bears

Breakfast with a view

Peanut butter, Nutella, and spinach wraps! Yum!

We made our first continental divide crossing today at Elk Pass, the first of 32 crossings. The downhill afterward was fast and fun!

Woke up at 5 am to the sound of loons calling at Spray Lake, now about to drift off to the sounds of the nearby stream. And got lots of bugs on my tent who are dying to get in!