2025-06-02 Whistler, CA

2.6.25 Porteau->Cat Lake, 40km, 720hm. Today will be a day of spontaneous decisions. Two raccoons are tussling near the washroom. The rear tire has lost air again, and I discover that the tire is deteriorating. I leave the campsite and stop directly at the dock to have breakfast in the sun, as I likely won't find a nice quiet spot on the HW in the next hour. The heron and four geese stop by. There are many long climbs on the highway today that I have to tackle in first gear. At one of these heights lies Browning Lake, inviting a break. Behind it is a climbing park with two viewpoints. I follow the Loop Trail and enjoy the beautiful view from the bare rocks to the south over the sea. I meet Marco on the highway. He is taking the trail from west to east. We visit the Shannon waterfall together. When I want to continue, the rear tire is flat. Marco insists on helping. I have a wire stuck in it. The hole is very small, and it takes me longer to find it. Together we continue on the highway. There are only 4km left to the bike shop, but we have to pump up the tire twice more because it’s losing air again. I pass the last intersection before the shop at dark orange, and Marco doesn't follow me anymore. It's a pity; I would have at least said goodbye. Maybe we could have done more together. The new tire costs 80 dollars!!! I have to swallow hard twice. It’s quickly mounted but has an imbalance afterwards. I do some shopping and head to McDonald's to work on the blog. By now, it’s already 3 PM and I'm hungry. I eat the muesli on a bench in front of a residential house. Now the highway isn’t climbing for long. A pickup stops in front of me, and the driver offers me a cold beer! That cheers me up. I’ll drink it right when I arrive at the lake. The access road to the lake is only partially paved in the last meters. The pretty ranger from the Czech Republic directs me to spot number 7 and collects 18 dollars with her phone. I set up the tent and go for a swim. I meet Lewis from Birmingham, and we agree to meet at the campfire. But first, I cook a huge portion of pasta with ground meat. With the remaining beer, I go to Lewis at the campfire until he yawns several times and announces that he’s tired. I also don’t manage to upload the pictures. During the night I go out on the dock once and look at the starry sky. Unfortunately, I don’t see any northern lights.

3.6.26

Cat Lake->Cheakamus Lake, 51km, 1200hm. At 5:15 AM I wake up with the morning light, but turn around and sleep for another hour. I pack and then swap the tires from back to front. I also change the setting of the fender a bit. Then I go to the lake, first do the sun salutation, then swim and have breakfast in the warm sun. It’s already after 10 when I start. Back on Highway 99, I feel the imbalance in the front wheel as soon as I leave the first gears. I can handle it better than the imbalance at the back. After two beautiful viewpoints of the snow-covered mountains and 20 kilometers on the highway, I try out five kilometers of the Sea to Sky Trail. This is, of course, much prettier scenery but requires much more concentration and effort. I continuously navigate around protruding stones, and the climbs are more strenuous. I spontaneously follow the signs to Brandywine Falls. I can reach the viewpoint by bike. The falls look almost artificial; the wide stream cascades uniformly into the depths of the canyon. Here I do not continue on the trail to save my strength for the ascent to the lake. At Alpha Lake Road, I unfortunately cannot find a grocery store but manage to get some oil for my chain and in return give away a nut and a bag of screws I picked up on the highway. The gravel road to the lake has just been newly repaired. Three times there are steeper gains on the seven kilometers that I can only accomplish with great effort. After the parking lot, it still goes three kilometers on a narrow path through the forest. A wide green river announces the arrival at the lake. It is at almost 1000 meters elevation. Of the eight spots at the campsite, I choose number 7. First, I sit in the sun with a book, then I set up the tent and heat up the food. Again and again, my gaze wanders over the lake to the snow-covered mountains. In the sunset, I take numerous pictures.