09.08.08 | leaving tomorrow

I have finalised the last of the tasks I needed to get done, and with possible rain forecast for Monday, I will be leaving tomorrow (Sunday). I packed all my gear into my trailer yesterday as a final test pack and will take it out for a 20km ride this afternnon, following the Trans Canada Trail loop that circumscribes Stanley Park and the seawall trail.

I plan to do the seemingly-customary dipping of my wheels in the Pacific Ocean, even though iwill not be riding all the way across the the Atlantic. As I am staying on the east side of Vancouver, I will do this today, rather than backtrack tomorrow. Tomorrow will be a little challenging as the 6-weeks without my back impacted significantly on preparation. Day 2 or Day 3 will be filled with some long climbing (1200m+, east of hope)—depending on how far I make it on Day 1.

Over the last week I have read many more cycling logs to try and work out my route more specifically. I will be riding along the Adanac/Union designated bike route east from downtown Vancouver before eventually joing the Lougheed Highway. I will be following much of the route beyond that listed in Paul Wood's (2006) Cycling British Collumbia. Highway 93 will be an amazing and challenging stretch, and I plan detour via Lake Louise before a double back to Banff.

Depending on the conditions, I would like to ride the secton of the Trans Canada Trail from Banff down towards Calgary. I hope to pick up a copy of the Calgary bike paths map in Banff, and other road maps. I will be heading north east from there through Drumheller and then east towards Kindersley. I may be meeting up with a friend in/around Saskatoon who is road-tripping from Ontario to BC. From there it is south-east towards Winnipeg.

so the adventure begins!