Day 28: Castlegar, BC -> Gray Creek, BC

Date: Monday, June 12, 2023
Start: Castlegar, BC (Pass Creek Campground)
End: Gray Creek, BC (Gray Creek Camping Resort)
Distance: 90km

Another beautiful morning!  I took my time as I didn't anticipate a long day.  I packed, ate breakfast, and chatted with my fellow cyclists as they set off.  I finished off another blog post and was out at about 9:30am.

The goal for the day was Gray Creek, BC.  This is the base of a mountain pass over forestry roads that pushes through to Kimberley, BC.  The pass is notoriously difficult and so I wanted to start the day at the base.  This would mean getting off Highway 3 and heading to Nelson, BC instead on the 3A and eventually to a ferry crossing over Kootenay Lake.  There were no major climbs today either, a welcome change after Anarchist and Paulson!

I left Castlegar and started along a winding road that followed the Kootenay River.  Very quickly I came across the Brilliant Dam.  Turns out the Kootenay River is dammed in multiple places, and was an important source of power for the surrounding area and mining industries in the early 20th century.

The road continued through small communities: Thrums, Tarrys, Glade, Shore Acres, Bonnington Falls, Corra Linn.  They all had their own little touches of character, but none were so big as to be called a town.  Some might have had a gas station.  One had a market/cafe/bakery that was closed...and once again I missed out on that Doukhobor Borsch!

I passed more power projects on the river, signs indicating the locals attitudes about international affairs, and markers about local history.

Eventually I cruised into Nelson, BC!

I'd been told by a friend that Nelson was a nice town and given a list of places worth checking out.  Immediately upon entering I was surprised by the old stone buildings, old homes, and bustling main street.  Nelson was clearly something different from the many agriculture/forestry communities I'd been passing through.  Businesses seemed to be thriving, there was a lot of culture, and the people were a lot younger!  I guessed there was a college nearby and sure enough there are several.

I wasted no time and started with the Oso Negro Cafe.  The company roasts coffee and it's available throughout BC and Alberta (perhaps further) and they've definitely invested in their cafe.  It's hardwood inside, and an incredible seating area outside where everyone seems to have their own private nook surrounded by trees and flowers.  I opted for an iced mocha and a turkey baguette sandwich.  Both were dynamite.

I then went to The Outer Clove, which is a slightly higher end cafe.  I had their poutine - sauteed pork, bacon, onion, cheese curd, white wine and garlic butter gravy on spectacular fries - and an iced tea.  I think I was feeling a bit ravenous after the previous two days climbs.

I walked the streets a bit more and took photos, promising myself to come back to Nelson one day to explore more.

On the way out of town I stopped for groceries, knowing I wouldn't see another large grocery store for a few days.  I was chatted up by someone on the street who recognized my setup.  He's biking Patagonia at the end of the summer.  Another bike tourer found me and had been biking throughout BC.  He was staying in Nelson to join forest fire crews battling wildfires.

I grabbed supplies and packed in a local park.  There I saw an old fashioned street car that ran along the water.  I secretly wished the entire town still had these streetcars!  At that moment I heard thunder, and looked over the lake to the mountain on the other side where a storm was moving in.  I jumped on my bike and got to peddling!

There isn't much to say about the ride from Nelson to the ferry crossing.  It was along the edge of the lake and it was wonderful.  I'd checked the schedule and could make either the 4:30 or 5:20 ferry, so I took my time as I peddled along the water and enjoyed the sights.  I was stopped for construction once or twice, but peddled along at a relaxed pace and enjoyed the views of Kootenay Lake!

Eventually I arrived at the ferry.  It was 4:40 so I'd missed the 4:30.  I grabbed an iced tea and went down to the docking area.  I did a video call with my family to wish my father a happy birthday, walked along the beach, and oiled my bike chain.  But the 5:20 ferry never showed up.

Turns out I'd been reading the summer schedule.  Because I assumed the winter schedule was reserved for winter.  But BC Ferries are sticklers for detail, and summer doesn't start till June 21st!  Do I ended up waiting for the 6:10 ferry.

Once it arrived we loaded and I was treated to another sunset cruise on Kootenay Lake.  I bought a nanaimo bar at the onboard snack shack and enjoyed the ride.  The water was flat and calm.  The mountains rolled in this area, and I started out to the east trying to see if I could recognize the mountain pass I'd be taking the next day.

Some pictures of the crossing...

Eventually we reached the other side.  The sun was low, and it was almost 7pm.  I still had 13km till my campground.  I set off from the ferry and immediately started climbing.  Turns out the ferry crossing was on the water, but everything else was further up from the water.  So I climbed for almost 30 minutes on steep grades.  Another day that would end with a climb!

It took almost an hour to get to the campground, so at 8pm I registered and immediately started setting up my tent.  It turned out there was another bike tourer there: Dan!  He was also planning on doing Gray Creek Pass the next day and this was his second night here.  We traded stories of adventures and rides we'd been on.  But it was getting late.  He turned in as I ate dinner and wrote up another blog post.  I got to bed quite late, already worried I'd set myself up poorly for the hard day ahead.