After having breakfast in Princeton, I left just after 9ish, as another BMW rider appeared, so was chatting to him for a while. It was pleasant and I zipped along quite nicely as there was very little traffic.
The thing I’ve noticed, is that Princeton to Osoyoos is like riding through central Otago but just on a larger scale. Osoyoos is very much like Wanaka or Lake Taupo, a lakeside resort and apparently it’s classed as sitting in a desert? (Although could be the locals pulling my leg). I got some food supplies as decided I needed to camp tonight, to spread the cost and while I was working out where to put it all.
A lady came up to me and started chatting. She where was I from? ‘New Zealand’ I replied.
‘Oh I love Australia’ she responded (And so it begins).
It wasn’t long though, before I hit rain and lots of it!
After riding for sometime, I decided that I would have lunch at Rock Creek, so thinking of healthy options, had a Ceaser salad and coffee $15.75 . It kept on persisting down for ages although by the time I got to Grand Forks, it had stopped. Quaint little place although I’m finding that I don’t seem to be able to get any fridge magnets or stickers of the places I go through, hard enough finding Canada ones.
With bands of rain coming in waves, I just left my waterproofs on and when I got to Lake Christina, I saw a sign for ice cream, so stopped and had a root beer one.
As I was eating this, a couple came up to me and the wife said, ‘That’s a NZ flag isn’t it?
I replied ‘Yes’, she said my father lived in Chch and I said that’s where I’m from.
Apparently he lived in Palmers Rd, New Brighton. Small world.
I was starting to think that I would find somewhere to freedom camp but actually struggled to find anywhere. I turned off towards Rosslands, passing through Fruitvale, Salmo before ending up in Nelson!
It was getting close on for 6pm, I hadn’t eaten since lunch, couldn’t find anywhere to freedom camp and was confused by my GPS telling me to go back the way I’d just came.
So it was motel time as was pretty shattered by this stage.
Nelson is like the one in South Island, full of hippies, arty and a bit different.
Tomorrow will try and get to Calgary
452kms, pretty tiring with all the rain
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