Day 7 Avola to Valemount

Before setting out today, I oiled the bike chains and pumped up the tires. All the tires needed air probably because the temperature was low. I rode for a long time wearing knitted mitts over my cycling gloves and also an extra sweater. It wasn't until the last 25 km did take off my biking jacket and just wore a safety vest over my long sleeved shirt. The route was nice with good paved shoulders and few hills; there was only one grind of 3 km long. Today was a day to look up because there were beautiful mountains all around. 

After 39 km we stopped in Blue River for a nice breakfast. Unfortunately my front tire went flat as we left the restaurant; while I was changing the tube Susie walked to the general store to buy some snack food. About half an hour later we saw a black bear; it was as expected  - kind of thin and wearing a scruffy coat. We have seen relatively little wild life so far - 2 elk along Coquihalla Pass, 13 deer toward Danny's and the bear.

We anticipated a height of land for most of the day because we started in Thompson watershed and were headed to the Fraser watershed. It was only at about 20 km from Valemount that we saw more downs than ups. With the flat tire it took us almost until 5 pm to arrive in Valemount. We stopped in front of the Canada's Best Value Inn and got a spacious room,  hot tub and breakfast for tomorrow morning. After a good hot soak, we had dinner, patched the tube and wrote the blog. The server at the Chinese restaurant had a kid who went to Queen’s. 

The pictures show some of the mountains and the bear although you'll have to find the little critter.