Riding the Rails:

Salmo to Nelson on the BNR*

Starting off at the Big Penny in Salmo, the rail bed has a little too much loose gravel on to be a real cruiser ride and, after bumping along it for some kilometres getting a very sore butt, I began to think this may not be the pleasant ride I had envisioned.  However, within about 10 km the rail bed improved and we were able to ride faster.  We stopped for a break by the Salmo River near Ymir at a little swimming hole that Carol remembered from her last trip, where, for the first time in weeks (or maybe months), it was actually cool enough to have a light sweater on.  

At about km 20 with 30 more to go, I was riding beside Doug complaining about how sore my butt was already when Doug suggested I sit back on the seat as far as I could.  This seemed a remarkably good idea so I tried it - great - for the 5 seconds before the bolt holding my seat on snapped in half sending my seat flying behind me.  After we all stopped laughing hysterically (it seemed very funny at the time) we tried taping the seat back on to the post with medical tape from my first aid kit (no-one in the party had duct tape!). I figured I would be able to gingerly balance part of my weight on the seat keeping most of the weight on my legs.  Of course, this didn't work worth a damn, as soon as I delicately lowered myself onto the seat it pitched forward and pitched me off. 

Riding the BNR Without a Bike Seat

Nevertheless, we continued on and I soon discovered that standing up to peddle is a real quad workout (good way to get in shape for tele-skiing).  I managed to keep that up for about five minutes. Carol and Mary suggested I sit on the bike rack, which I did, stupidly not removing the seat post first and giving myself another major injury the first time I stopped the bike. However, with the seat post removed I was able to cycle along sitting on the bike rack - my arms fully extended to reach the handlebars (I had no chance of getting the brakes) and my knees hitting my ears as I peddled along feeling much like a chimp on a bike in the circus.  For a while, the rack actually felt more comfortable than my bike seat, but after about 10 km I think the metal was branded into my butt - "Ah" Folks would say, "I can see that there cow is from the mountain bike herd."

Anyway, the rail bed itself gets better and better for cycling as you approach Nelson.  Just before Apex cross country ski area, the bed is flooded (possibly by a beaver) and you have to cycle 20 metres or so through water.  Beyond Apex, of course, it's all down hill and it's a very pleasant ride from Cottonwood Lake on with some nice trestle bridges to cross. 

Trestle Bridge on the BNR

 *The Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway is now a recreation corridor.  It runs south to Salmo from Nelson, then continues west to Fruitvale.