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Sunday July 28        Cycling Day 21

 Muncho Lake (BC) to Tetsa River (BC)

Distance:  (Km).  137

Time:  6:38

Average Speed: (Km/ hr). 20.7

Ascent:  (m). 1461

Heart Rate: (beats / min). 115

Cumulative Distance:   (km). 2327

Cumulative Ascent :  (m). 18,736

Punctures so far : 0

A rather uneventful night beside Muncho Lake except that I got very little sleep - though a near neighbor had a sound sleep, emphasis on sound. Still that didn’t come against me on the road today.

Crossing my mind umpteen times during the day was how it was going in Cooke Park between We ford and Tipperary. I was constantly on the look out for omens that might indicate who was getting the upper hand. And both counties claim my allegiance for one reason or another. Still I was on edge to know how things were progressing...and what was the result between Kilkenny and Limerick last evening.

Breakfast was officially at 7 and most out on the road by 7:30. We had another 8 km down by the edge of Muncho Lake and the beautiful views there set the tone for the rest of the day. Come on Tipp.

Today we knew that we would cycle over the highest point on the Alaska Highway at 1294 metres. Shortly after leaving the southern end of Muncho Lake a climb started, a stiff climb. It brought us up to 1200 metres altitude and I was thrilled to see the cyclists just ahead of me clearing the crest. This would get most of the climbing out of the way before lunch at 78 km, I thought. Up Wexford.

But shortly after that crest I spotted this sign informing us that we’d be giving back lots of those metres over the next 3.1 kms. All that effort for nothing! But, I really did enjoy that 3.1 km zooming down down around gentle curves with the scenery ahead just breathtaking. Come on, Tipp.

Now we were down beside Toad River and followed its course to the lunch location. The end result was that by lunch we were back down at 670 metres i.e lower than when we set out this morning. But the scenery was beautiful - rugged and ever-changing. At times walls of rock appeared towering over cyclists ahead. It appeared that the road had no chance of threading a passage through the visibly impassable mountains. And high up they were covered with pine trees, some maintaining a foothold in the most impossible looking locations. Up Wexford.

At lunch I surmised if this morning was an omen in itself. After a bright start and the using great effort in scaling the heights only to give it all back and be worse off at half-time (lunch). Did this happen to one of the combatants? Up Tipp, come on Wexford.

After lunch I knew that we would still have to get up to1294 metres from a lower base. But climbing didn’t start straight away. For a long while we stayed by the Toad River and I even spotted a few enclosed fields. In one I saw my ‘wildlife’ for today - horses. I haven’t seen one since I leftTipp almost a month ago. Come on the Premier.

At times the road rose 100 metres or so only to give it back immediately. I was getting nowhere. Knowing that the summit would come at 110 kms and we were now at 90+ , I feared the big lift. And it came - a steep climb by a deep canyon for 4 km. In shape it reminded me of the climb up to Monarch Pass (2008) at the other end of the Rockies.

. I have developed a strategy for dealing with these climbs without bursting a gut. And often I pass others ( not the stronger cyclists) on the hills. Up Wexford. Remember ‘98.

In time the crest appeared up ahead and I knew I’d made it....elated.  Punched the air. Was this the big comeback in the second half. Come on Tipp and Slievenamon.

Just over the top is Summit Lake again showing that vivid green jade coloring. May the best team win.

From there to camp (22km) it was a glorious spin, either downhill or on the flat with an assisting tailwind. I caught up with Walker as we joined the Tetsa River and cycled into camp together with plenty of grassy spots for the tents.

A beautiful day’s cycling. At the end of yesterday’s post I wished for more of scenery and less of rain. I had my wish granted in spades. Re match, I wonder will my other wish be granted.....whatever that wish actually is. I won’t know the results till I actually succeed in uploading this post.

Thank God for the health and thank God for the energy.