Chilliwack Flatlander
Permanent #18, 203 km
Ride date: October 14, 2019
by Gary Baker

Wow it couldn't have turned out much better!!!

When I spoke with Karen earlier in the week (during the Multiple Melanoma Cancer Walk supporting the Bates Team on Saturday) she fighting a cold and wasn't sure if she should ride. Thankfully she was well enough by holiday Monday. Good thing - our weather window seemed to be closing rapidly. The plan was to meet at Karen's & Michel's place, for a 7:30AM start. It's 5.5km from my home in Cultus Lake to their place, I usually drive but decided to ride thinking it was just as fast, and it was. The only glitch is that hill out of C.L. to Vedder Mtn. Rd. into Chilliwack, it's only a 2 minute ride from my place. I detest it, It's steeper than it looks and about 1km long, as I'm on it before the legs are really ready to work. All be it, the downhill section into Chilliwack proper does kinda make up for it.

When I arrived at Karen's I was delight to see that Michel planned to accompany us for the first 25km of the ride and possibly then meet up with us on the final section of the route from Popkum back into Chilliwack. He played by the rules, never putting himself in a position to give us any assistance; i.e. providing a draft or blocking what little cross winds there were.

Oh, the temperature when we started at 7:30AM was 6C. Karen rides warm and was dressed like she planned to go for a stroll on a tropical beach. I tend to ride cold and dressed accordingly (for an Arctic Front) but was still freezing. Note to self: wear mitts, not gloves and remember to use the full insole 'Hot Shots' I've purchased for temperatures like this.

It may have been cold be my standards, but it was looking to be a beautiful day on a bike; clear skies, virtually NO wind; and we went many kilometers with nary a car in sight. My only complaint it just didn't want to warm up. As we approached our westerly turn around point the skies started to cloud over, Karen commented it actually began to look ominous. We stopped at the Lee's Market Deli, choosing to eat inside. When we emerged 30 minutes later the skies were sparkingly blue, not a cloud in sight. It felt warm enough to shed most, actually all, of my warm clothing. Could it get any better? The ride from F.L. back to the Yellow Barn is the longest and hilliest segment of this route. More often than not in the past, the final 9 km across the Sumas Prairie we have been confronted by stiff head winds; not this time.....what a treat. Usually we have stopped for a rest and to refuel at the the Y.B. , this time we both felt fine and after a chocolate milk and ice cream we were off.

The section from the Y.B. to Popkum felt much shorter than the actual 40+km. Another quick stop, after a P.. break and a Coke we headed back to Chilliwack proper ( approx. 22km). Sixteen km. from the finish there was Michel riding out to great us just as planned.

This day sure exceeded my expectations, and Karen's. We are psyched up to do our next month's 'P' and are penciling in Nov. 1. We want to beat the Fall time change ( it is scheduled for Nov. 3rd).

October 15, 2019