Kelowna, B.C. - Summerland, B.C.

This year, I planned to pick up my cross-Canada cycling tour where I left off in 2015, the University of British Columbia Okanagan campus, just outside of Kelowna.

I drove here over a couple of days with my girlfriend, Andrea, enjoying the mountains and many of the same spots I had cycled through in 2015, only this time without the physical exertion and flat tires.

Yesterday morning, Sunday, September 4, when we arrived in Kelowna, I got on my bike at the UBC campus, and cycled to our hotel in Kelowna itself.

Andrea's sister flew in to meet us for the afternoon, and she will be driving home with Andrea as I go off on my bike.  

Today I mounted up at 10:00 and headed east, up into the hills above Kelowna, to join the Kettle Valley Railway trail.  It was supposed to be my easiest day, under one hundred kilometres to Summerland via the KVR.

   

From Kelowna up to the KVR was a twenty kilometre ride, with a total climb of over 1,000 metres!  Despite the steep grade, it was actually a really lovely ride, through orchards, past horses and vineyards, all with a view of Lake Okanagan and Kelowna down below.

Eventually though, the pavement met a forestry road, where the incline got even steeper, and pedaling through the gravel and dirt was getting me virtually nowhere.

I ended up pushing my bike most of the way up the four kilometres or so before meeting the trail itself.

I had expected the climb up to the KVR to be the most challenging portion of the day, but actually riding the KVR was at times extremely tough.  The grade was wonderful, since the trail used to be the rail bed, but the condition of the trail--which for long stretches is also a road--is much better suited for a mountain bike or ATV than hybrid commuter bicycle sans suspension loaded down with many pounds of rider and baggage.

Despite the rough riding, however, the scenery and isolation was amazing.  For some time I had more views of the lake to my right.

Then, about ten kilometres after joining the KVR I got to cross this trestle:

The original trestle was burnt in the big Kelowna-area forest first a few years ago, but volunteers and donors have rebuilt it.  Apparently there are many more of them in the direction opposite of the one I was traveling (i.e., roughly north vs. south), but this was the only one I got to cross.

I took my first break along a stretch of trail bounded on both sides by rock.  To the west the rocks were about double my height, but easily climbable, so I climbed up and had this view of the lake and Kelowna way down below.

For the next twenty-forty kilometres the trail was much more isolated, and I saw no more than a dozen other cyclists, ATVers, and drivers.

This was at a place called Chute Lake, where there's actually a little resort area.

After Chute Lake the trail began descending at a grade of about 2% as it switched-backed and wound its way towards Penticton.

Back when the KVR was actually a railroad, the route passed through the Adra Tunnel.  Now, the tunnel is apparently unsafe, so a steep shortcut has replaced it:

Volunteers are trying to raise money to restore the tunnel, and I guess they have opened up the first 100 metres or so.  I went down the trail to check it out. 

Honestly, I got spooked and decided not to enter.  I would probably want a companion and a good flashlight if I was going to go inside.  Anyway, it was pretty cool to see.

Once past the Adra Tunnel, the south end of Lake Okanagan became visible, and I could see Penticton and the lake's southern shore, and Summerland across on the western side.

For a wonderful brief stretch the trail here was actually paved, and it passed through another tunnel.

The trail went back to gravel on the other side of the tunnel, but now it was much better maintained, and the trail's traffic also increased dramatically as I neared Penticton.  Soon I was cycling through vineyards, again.  I "borrowed" a couple of grapes at this spot.

Out of interest, I cycled a bit of a longer way through Penticton then was necessary, just to see it, and get some cash at a bank.

Just where I was about to join Highway 97, heading north on the lake's western shore, I stopped for a very late lunch at A&W.  Actually this timing was very fortuitous, because it actually started raining while I was inside eating, and had stopped by the time I came out!

My motel in Summerland was about ten kilometres north of Penticton.  Highway 97 here is right next to the lake, and at a couple spots there were nice roadside turnoffs.

It was nearly 17:00 by the time I arrived in Summerland.

I had cycled about 98 kilometres by the time I reached my motel.

It took me 5:30 of riding time, at an average speed of only 17 kmph!  I had planned to ride the KVR tomorrow to Princeton, but decided now I would take the highway instead, even though it would be mean doubling back through Penticton.