Biking Bliss

In my view, things that make a good cycling day include sunny warm weather, great scenery, interesting sites and outside eateries or picnic spots combined with reasonably  flat terrain.  The Greater Vernon area offers all of this except, to cover any significant distance, you have to tackle hills.  For novice riders like us that has presented a challenge, but one we have risen to this summer.  Not only are we in better shape, we have enjoyed dozens of fabulous days on the road.

In the early spring we joined a few regular Thursday rides with the Vernon Outdoor Club (VOC) through the gently rolling back roads of Lumby/ Lavington and Armstrong /Enderby. The quiet paved roads wind past lush fields of newly sprouting asparagus,  sweet hay and early market garden crops where the smell of rich black earth mingled with the fresh warmth of the spring sun.  Each week the trips seemed to be a bit more challenging and gradually we found our bike legs.

As much as we have enjoyed the VOC spring rides,our favourite cycling starts from our own driveway. Early in the season we started  with shorter trips, usually biking from home through Polson Park to  Friesens Country Tyme Gardens in Coldstream and eating a breakfast of farm fresh eggs and Mennonite sausage on the patio (round trip of 20 km).

Cherry Blossoms in May at the Japanese Garden, Polson Park

Or we headed down Pleasant Valley Road and around Swan Lake via old Kamloops Road (round trip of 25 km)   When we do this route on a Monday or Thursday morning we stop at the Vernon Farmer's market on our way home and fill our pannier bags with local produce after enjoying a coffee and listening to local buskers.

As the summer progresses and our legs get stronger, we  bike along Kalalmalka Road, then Buchanan and Learmouth roads to Lavington where we stop at the Blue Nose Deli for coffee, a fresh baked muffin or their exceptional veggie wrap (round trip 40 km).

Recently we  biked along the east side of Okanagan Lake out to Ellison Provincial Park, a wooded camp- ground with mountain-bike trails etched into the mountain side above the lake and two lovely little beaches with clear azure waters inviting you for a swim  (round trip 30 km with a couple significant hills).

Otter Bay at Ellison Provincial Park

South Bay Beach at Ellison Provincial Park

Turtle crossing along Commonage Road

And, last week, with the encouragement of a few  VOC bikers, we slowly wound ourselves up the Commonage Road past the eagles nest and turtle crossing near Rose's Pond and the  manicured, world-class Predator Ridge Golf Course up to the very highest point of land where Sparkling Hill Resort, the Swarovsky family's only resort and the largest spa in Canada perches, its millions of crystals gleaming in the sun.  This is where we had coffee and strudel overlooking Okanagan Lake before the exhilarating 17 km ride back down into Vernon.

Rose pond in the Commonage

These have been great rides but  the one we have enjoyed the most this summer has been  to Juniper and Jade Beaches in Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park. It has become a weekly ritual.

Lone boat and water skier on Kal Lake

We head down Okanagan Landing Road and swing though Polson Park, which is snuggled in behind the hospital hill along Highway 97.  Coldstream Creek rushes through the park, under little walking bridges and fills a pond where resident ducks paddle awaiting the crusts that little children toss to them.  Behind the blossoms of late summer, a karate group does its routine drill and children squeal with joy in the adjacent splash park.  It is truly a delightful shaded oasis and play area for locals and travelers.
We rumble over the board walk behind the park and then along Kalalmalka Road toward Kal Beach.  Here sun bathers lay on  the hot sand and swimmers and paddle boat riders drift out on the calm lake.
We turn to follow the east side of the lake, past the heritage Mackie Lake House and Sovereign Park, both named for families who previously owned the properties.

Orchards of apples line the road as we climb up  above the lake where a lone kayaker skims by and a water skier creates a rooter tail spray.  We are hot and sweaty when we reach the parking lot and guide our bikes down to the beaches.

Summers are hot in the Okanagan and we usually leave home about 8 o'clock.  The ride takes us a bit more than an hour, and when we arrive we have the beach to ourselves. I am generally not keen on open water swimming, preferring the predictability of pools. But the water is still and clear and it is a fabulous place to swim

Named after an Indian chief, Kalamalka Lake is re-known for its changing hues, from deep blue to aquamarine, as the sunlight is filtered through dissolving minerals.  The effect is stunning.
Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park protects more than 4,200 hectares of grasslands and unique cliff and wetland habitats.  The area was part of the original Coldstream Ranch and during WW ll was used as a commando training area. The local residents had the foresight in the mid 1970's to lobby the provincial government to purchase the property for a park.  There are extensive hiking and biking trails as well as these quiet little beaches.

After we swim and float for a half hour or so we partially dry ourselves in the hot mid- morning sun, but the deep coolness of the lake stays with us as we pedal back towards Vernon with the sun on our backs.
We cycle home via 30 Ave, originally known as Barnard Ave and stop at the Bean Scene, a local coffee bar that is the epicenter for all that is or will be happening in Vernon.  We sip on  an americano  on the  shaded back balcony and then slowly pedal home feeling satisfied and refreshed.

Note:  Kalmalka Lake has been nominated as one of the "best places in Canada" by the Canadian Institute of Planners. 
 You can vote until September 23 at: http://www.cip-icu.ca/greatplaces/en/place.asp?id=6198