day 4 - day 7

Our campground at Mark's.

Mark the photographer, took this photo of all 3 of us, our 1st and only one.

Kristin and I trip planning.

Our campground last night, outside of Prince George.

Me and Aaron

What is Canadian Food?

How many burgers can one eat before becoming sick of burgers?

How is "Ah" supposed to be used ah?

If one (ah hum, Kristin) has to spend $550 fixing a bike that you are going to replace soon anyway, should you just spend $1000 plus %12 sales tax on a new one?

These are all questions that we are trying hard to have answered on this trip. So far we have one answered, yes, spend the money on a new bike! The others as of now go unanswered.

So the miles plug forward, the first 4 days were sunny and luxurious, these last few have been rainy and chilly, but some how we manage. The burger count is now at 13 total. Today we opted for a buffet, Aaron's choice, and now regret (he is currently lying on a couch in the Prince George Public Library.

Day 4 we departed Smithers, one of our many happy places and spent the night 67 miles later in Topley a cute extremely tiny landing where we became friends with maybe half the town, Leanne the Topley Grocery employee and Mark a photographer and kind man who let us stay in his yard, which he used to open as a campground.

Day 5 our sun ended but not before Kristin and Aaron managed to get a sunburn. Kristin looked very red and white, just like Canada (and her new bike!) with the combination of bug bits vs. sun burn. We also cranked out an 86 mile day and landed in the evening in Fraser Lake a community not much larger than Topley after getting caught in a big storm. Kristin and I ate Chinese food at a place called Tony's, bad idea. Not seconds after we set up our tent that night a massive thunder storm hit, we were warm and cozy in our tents. The storm was awesome, being able to count the number of times I've send lighting on one hand in Sitka, it was so wonderful to experience a thunderstorm again. In the morning something magical happened, something I call magical morning tail wind. We zipped out of Fraser lake so quickly. We were averaging 15+ miles per hour, very fast for our typical 12 mph maybe pace and ended up at the most lovely community of Burns Lake. At Burns Lake we realized the severity of Kristin's need to replace her bike part. Kristin and I discovery the most delicious organic restaurant where we got Portabella burgers (do those count as burgers?) and Aaron found a greasy burger spot where he became friends with Lyle and Lawrence, old loggers from the area.

Day 7 was the uneventful day. At least that is what I said it was, uneventful. Kristin and Aaron thought otherwise. I guess when I said uneventful I meant easy breezy. We just rolled out of bed, slowly, cooked up breakfast, again slowly, experienced more magical morning tail wind, hung out in Vonderhoof for 3 hours eating, you guessed it, burgers and Aaron paid a lady to do our laundry, biked some more and then set up camp before supper, fire and bed. Uneventful or easy breezy, you decide?!

Today is Day 8, very eventful. We had magical morning tail wind this morning, a Chinese buffet (every bit is eventful, what is it?) and Kristin just bought a bike! A beautiful red and white Canadian bike to serve as a trip momentum. No pictures as of yet because the guy at the bike shop who we are calling Bruce because we haven't figure out his name yet, is putting all her gear on it now, but it will come.

So overall, a delightful trip in every way shape and form.

And to sign off, an observation. I call the phenomenon "man conventions." These are very prevalent around here. In each restaurant we go to we find ourselves surrounded by large parties of 15-20 males. Is it Canada? Is it because we are in logging country? Is it the restaurant selections we have been making?

Odd.