Ed (Trailhead) Kruger’s van picks us up at Okanagan Falls and transports us to the next section, which is part of the International Cycling Trail.
This next part is 20 kilometres, which take us to Oliver, is perhaps even more spectacular. On one side, in the Okanagan River, we pause to watch blood-red salmon fighting to swim upstream. On the other, pickers wave to us from fields full of plants heavy with red peppers. Birds call in golden marshes and we stop at a skateboard park where Kruger entertains us with tricks on his bike.
Just when I think life can’t get much better, we stop at a couple of family-run wineries, then head to a third, Burrowing Owl Estate, for lunch. With a luxurious boutique inn and outdoor swimming pool, it’s one of the most gorgeous places in one of the most gorgeous settings I’ve seen (I make a note to add staying there one day to my list, too). Lush vineyards on all sides are cradled by golden and soft brown hills beyond. By now, we’re leaving green terrain for drier land in the south.
We start Day Four in the desert, having been shuttled from Burrowing Owl to Spirit Ridge Vineyard Resort in Osoyoos. You can see the United States from here. You also might spot a rattlesnake in the dry hills.
I wake up early and stroll around the resort, sampling some Cabernet Sauvignon before breakfast — not the wine, but a couple of the grapes, which I snitch from the tidy (and labelled) vines all around the hotel.
Our last day of cycling is a crowd pleaser: We’re shuttled to See Ya Later Ranch winery, then get on our bikes for a mostly downhill (partly screamingly downhill) ride on quiet backroads. Because we’re all curious about what grows in the area besides grapes, Kruger adds an unscheduled detour to Covert Farms and Pancho’s Country Market, where my friend Deb buys a jar of honey and a huge bunch of fresh basil to take home to Calgary. Customers are sitting in the sun, munching pork tostadas that are laden with field-fresh tomatoes.
We cruise all the way into Oliver for lunch. After, we stop by a fruit depot and buy big bags of just-picked apples for ridiculously low prices. This really is the land of plenty.
Our last stop is Hester Creek Estate Winery — another beauty set into the hills with guest rooms to dream about. We’ve become a bit melancholy about leaving this beautiful area and try bravely to get over it by buying more bottles to take home. Deb decides to risk checking a case of wine on her flight, stuffing her dirty laundry in and around the bottles to protect them.
