Day 2: Mission to Hope, BC, 90.8km

Today was an exhausting, but extremely satisfying ride. For much of
the day we found ourselves in lush flat farmland as we hugged the
Fraser river and the rail line through the Fraser Valley. It was an
odd experience to ride through such level land, but to be surrounded
on all sides with seemingly insurmountable mountains; some so high
that a significant amount of snow still rests on their peaks.

Periodically throughout the day, often with little warning, the road
would suddenly catch up to these climbs, quickly waking us from our
leisurely pace and jarring us into a challenging ascent.

Despite predictions of a warm sunny day, clouds and unseasonably cold
weather dominated most of the day broken with small pockets of
relative warmth. Vanessa and I both donned and removed our
windbreakers more times than we can count. Tomorrow by all reports,
at least weather wise, should be a much nicer day for our 70km climb
through the Allison Pass in Manning Provincial Park.

The above photo shows a view about 10 km out of Hope BC and was
typical of the day. Long rolling roads and tall beautiful peaks.