Kettle Valley Rail Trail.

From bcrailtrails.com we have:
The Kettle Valley Rail (KVR) Trail and the Columbia & Western Rail Trail is the longest rail trail network in British Columbia extending from Hope to Castlegar. Once a comprehensive railroad system, the decommissioned tracks are now home to an extensive recreational trail providing almost 650 km (400 mi) of connected pathways throughout the region.

    P7241936

    I hired my bike from Hoodoo Adventures , which also offered a shuttle service to the Myra Canyon trail head. The service was good in all respects and price quite reasonable. There was me and two others on this trip and it barely covered costs.


    I was planning at one stage to ride an entire week a circuit of  Penticton - Osoyroos - Midway- Beaverdell - Penticton but my riding companion could not make it and with the Idaho packrafting it was too tight. So it is one day on the plum section; that is Myra Canyon back to Penticton which is about 80km. One day I would love to explore 'The Great Trail" of Canada in its entirety (KVR is part of it), but that would be in my retirement !

    Squirrels are aplenty in this area feasting on berries and scampering about cheekily.

    P7241955

    This section of the rail trail is famous for its trestle bridges and there are plenty of them. The have been restored with with loving care after fires and neglect near destroyed most of them.

    P7241957

    As a train needs a low gradient this area presented many engineering challenges. Rocky hills had channels cut in or tunnels were made, and trestle bridges constructed over ravines.

    P7241942

    Most tunnels are open to cycle through. They are short enough to not require a light.

    The tunnels, trestle bridges and the little squirrels as well as the overall good condition of the track consolidate this part of the trail (Myra Canyon) as being probably the best part of the KVR trail. It is up there as being one of the worlds best cycling rail trails.

    P7241963 

     It is a long way down over some of the ravines. Given the period of construction, I am impressed with the engineering involved considering the materials and height of the supporting structures as well as the landscape.

    P7241971

    After leaving Myra Canyon the rail trail is not so well manicured. The road gets quite potholed as it is a gravel one used by vehicles.

    P7241980

    To make it more challenging it was supposed to be hot and dry today. The latter proved to be a bit of a fib as the skies opened up. Not being a good scout, I was unprepared and got rather sodden.

    Somebody had some empathy at least.

    P7241983 

    Luckily this lodge had a fire and some hearty soup for me to rejuvenate by.

    P7241982

    Chute Lodge is by Chute lake , which looks to be a popular recreation area. 

    P7241986

    There evidence of railway platforms too, not much to look at but the evidence is there. Mind you I don't mind mother nature reclaiming what we took away.

    P7241987

    One of the tunnels (Adra tunnel( was closed due to repairs. I was able to walk part way. It was a bit of fun being quite dark and a cool relief to the increasing heat after the rain.

    P7241997

    Along the way are some signs detailing a story about the rail. This one covered the rock ovens which were used by the workers to cook.

     The rock ovens are simply a pile of rocks that were heated, which then held enough heat to cook food. The rocks hold their heat for quite some time as I found on the river sauna the group I was with had on the Tatshenshini rafting expedition.


    P7241999

    The ride here on was a long downhill one. The views quite spectacular.

    P7242011


    P7242012


    P7242013

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