Yesterday we did the Coquahalla, all 55 kms of it. We reached the toll booth in 7 hours of biking. Before we began, I had plenty of anxiety. The night before I dreamt that a snow-slide closed the Coquahalla so we couldn’t begin. I had visions of wet snow and water running down the lane we would be in. We could stay at the motel and wait for Sandra [daughter].
But we began. Our legs are tight from the day before. We reach the highway and do some walking. After a two mile ascent the road leveled off. As we cycled on with a wind on our back the road seemed flat. The only clue that we were going up came when we looked back and saw how much elevation was behind us. The other clue came as the snow level came closer and closer. The main clue was our legs that became weaker and weaker. The highway was a measure of engineering in terms of its gentle slope along the river.
Then came killer upward climb number one as the highway made a huge arc rising well above the Coquahalla River. I was amazed that we were still riding and that we continued riding almost to the top of that slope. The road then leveled off with a steady climb that was negotiable.
We reached the tunnel around 3:00 p.m. We walked the bicycles on the outside of the tunnel and then faced probably the steepest slope on the road. A mechanic whom we later talked to indicated that this strip of road is one reason why Merritt has so many tow truck companies. We walked it, partly because we were exhausted by now and also because of the conditions. The bike lane was gravely, narrow and pitted with holes. the distance seemed like about three kilometers.
When we reached the crest of the hill we were once again on our bikes passing Coquahalla Summit (elevation 2244 meters) and it was easy biking from there to the toll booth. Sandra picked us up there from the toll booth to Merritt [as planned]. We will skip the 63 kms from the toll booth to Merritt. Nothing to prove by coasting downhill for 63 kms.
Leave a reply