Day 3, June 1st, Princeton to Osooyos (119km)

Bambi Near Princeton

After spending yesterday grinding up the hills, today was a day of downhill biking. Starting in Princeton, the Crowsnest Highway follows the Similkameen river through Hedley and Keremos before breaking away from the road about 40km from Osoyoos. Near Princeton, I saw a lot of deer. While gawking at the wildlife, two randonneurs from Montreal pulled up to say hello. These guys were flying. They were riding the type of road bike that is so light it can barely support the weight of its rider. By credit card touring from hotel to hotel and carrying next to nothing, their plan was to zoom to Montreal in 25 days. To do it they're going to need to average close to 200km a day.

Church on a Hill Near Hedley

My first stop of the day was Hedley. Hedley is an abandoned mining town just outside of Princeton. Just before Hedley, I stopped by a shop that is world famous for making beef jerky. When I pulled up on my bike, the lady gave me a free stick of pepperoni. The local residents of this town have a lot of pride. So much pride, that they opened the closed mining museum for me and a group of Germans touring in a bunch of RV's. The people of Hedley really make you feel special for stopping by.

Oh Keremos!

After leaving Hedley I quickly covered the remaining distance to Keremos.  Fighting through headwinds and a downpour, I was rewarded with breathtaking views. Keremos was beautiful. It's nestled along the Similkameen river in a valley surrounded by mountains. I quickly found the only bakery in town which was owned by a German immigrant who had moved here 3 years ago. The bread and breakfast rolls were awesome.  I guess when everyone town knows you, you have to be good at what you do.  According to the bakery owner 2 or 3 people are coming through town on bikes each day.  

Spotted Lake Healing Sight

As I exited Keremos and pointed my bike towards Osooyos, the trees started disappearing, the air got drier and meadows of grass and brush lined the hills. This is wine country.  As far as the eye could see, wineries dotted the hills.  The owners of these wineries are awesome.  Stop in, and more often then not, they'll offer you a glass of wine.  25Km before Osooyos is a 250m climb over 7km. The winding road seems to be the cause of a lot of accidents. Little shrines marked the spots all over the place. Near the summit, I ran into an ancient native healing site named Spotted Lake. Descending from Spotted Lake, Osooyos came into view well before hitting the city. I quickly crossed the bridge over the lake and set up camp on the shore. This town is all about RV's. It's a great place for retired people chasing sunny skies.   

View on the Descent Into Osooyos

Distance: 119km
Average Speed: 19.3km/h
Maximum Speed: 65.6km/h
Time: 6:09
Odometer: 402km