Fraser Valley Flatlander
Permanent #18 (Chilliwack start), 203 km
Ride Date: September 28, 2020
by Karen Smith

I rode solo.
I started at 7:30 in 9 degrees, wearing full wool tights and a jacket. I took my jacket off by 9:20.
Traffic was very light going up Chilliwack Lake Rd but I have never seen so many parked vehicles along the sides of the road. Fishermen!!

There were no "visits across the border" along Zero Avenue this time. I saw 2 US border vehicles but no Canadian border vehicles.
That new cable fence between Canada and the US still looks funny to me.

The large gravel patches at the bottom of 264th St have all been beautifully paved. Nice and smooth! What a nice surprise!

I kept my full finger gloves on till noon. By then I was in Ft Langley, and my App said it was 19 degrees but it felt waaaay hotter.
My sister met me at Ft Langley and brought me food including an ice cold coke. She's in my bubble. She signed my control card, which was really fun for her - and me. : )
She lives in Surrey and her daughter lives in Chilliwack, near me. When my sister found out that I was riding to Ft Langley, she asked me to bring something from her daughter's house and I was to take something back to Chilliwack for her daughter.
I was their courier! There was a purpose to this ride... : )
I love when things like this work out.

The really rough train tracks on 64th Avenue approaching 264 have been beautifully redone. Amazingly smooth!

Traffic on Townshipline was busier than usual, all the way from 272 to Mt Lehman. Not sure what was going on.

By the time I got to Yellow Barn, I was really overheating. Weather App there said it was 29 degrees. Sure felt hot!
I was still wearing my wool tights and wool jersey.
I drank a Dr Pepper at an outside table.

I only went to the bathroom three times on this ride (might be a record for me), twice in establishments (Birchwood and Yellow Barn). Those were the only places I went inside, and yes, I wore a mask.

I felt like I finished strong. Michel thought I looked beat up at the end. I sure was hot and probably a bit dehydrated.
I was surprised that my time was almost 11 hrs. I really felt like I was faster than that...
Riding time was 9:38.

No flats, no mechanicals.

It was a gorgeous sunny day! Doesn't get much better for a Fall ride.
: )
K