The Trapper

June 7th 11 Day of riding

49 20.930 N 117 39.826W

134.6 km Total 1207.0

I was up early again and on the road by 6:15. The weather was cool but calm.

When I cycle I do not pass anyone. Everything with wheels passes me. I am still waiting for some lady pushing a baby carriage to go flying by me.

I was riding along and I could see a bright reflective X in the distance. It would disappear periodically and then reappear. I was excited hoping it was another touring cyclist whom I could talk to. I began to pedal a little harder. As I very slowly began to gain on the person in front of me I began to notice details about him. He was riding with his knee out an almost 45 degree angle making his legs and knees look like to wings as he pedalled along. he had two plastic bags one draped over each side of his handle bar. I began to ease my pace definitely not a tourer. His bike was vintage 1950s with faded paint, chipped fenders and the seat spring were frozen into the compressed position. As he rode along he suddenly stopped , let his bike fall to the ground and scampered down into the ditch. As he was walking back up to his bike, admiring his treasure, he noticed me. He quickly stashed his loot jumped on his bike and began pedalling furiously his knees flapping away. We were still steadily but gradually climbing when he again jumped off his bike and headed down into the ditch. As he was walking back up I got a better look at him. He looked like a biker who had misplaced his Harley. Long shaggy hair, full beard, knee length cut-off jean shorts and work boots. he was examining his latest find a Frisbee. "This is my route." He said. I smiled and nodded thinking, "That's nice he must bike frequently." He looked up at me and said, "It's MINE." That's when the gears in my head clicked. He thinks I'm going to poach his trap line. At the same time I am suddenly aware of how painfully slow I am moving. I geared down and began pedaling a little faster. I smiled like an idiot and said, "It's YOURS." He watched me suspiciously as he tucked his treasure away. He picked up his bike and began to follow me. Now this where I think my brain is trying to kill me. I was not 50 metres down the road when I saw a bright, brand-new pop can sitting in the ditch. The urge to drop my bike go galloping down the hill and hold the thing up like I had just found the holy grail was almost painful. However I don't think the trapper would have found in funny in the least. I lost him from my sight s as he went to retrieve it.
The rest of the trip went quite smoothly I made it to Christina Lake by 11:00 so I took a 45 min break and carried on up the Blueberry-Paulson Summit. There were no real steep sections it just kept going up and up and up. Again the weather was cooperating as it was still cool and calm. I had some friends that did this trip on mountain bikes, pulling a bob trailer, in the full July heat I didn't envy them.

The Summit.

Me at the summit.

Rumble strips and groves. Where the heck am I suppose to ride?

My map had showed two summits but it was wrong after the Paulson it was all down hill. I made it to Dad's by 6:15 just in time for dinner. I was pretty happy with my time.