From Kokanee Creek we continued on the Koot Route, stopping in adorable towns along the way. Kaslo, New Denver, and Silverton were my favorites, all cute lakeside mining-turned-tourist towns. I'm going to go ahead and plug this area as a vacation spot: it has everything!! You like beaches? How about mountains? Rivers? Got 'em.
We've seen people kayaking, paddleboarding, cycling, fishing, hiking, mountaineering, and backpacking. Maybe you like sweet little towns with old houses, history, B&Bs, and strollable downtowns with cute shops. Maybe you like to get ice cream. Got that too! It's really easy to get into Canada from the U.S., you just need a passport. This would be a great place to spend two weeks on vacay.
I've spent a lot of time on this trip being inspired by the folks we've met so far. I just turned 31 this summer, and this is the third year Travis and I have been taking these trips together. It's easy to think that adult responsibilities and health issues will eventually prevent us from embarking on these adventures. BUT, we've met s many positive adult role models doing their thing. There was the family on bike tour with their 8 and 9 year old kids on the back of Mom and Dad's tandem bikes clocking 60 miles a day. The four moms and their dozen kids backpacking 10 miles out to an alpine cabin. Rad dad with his son and their vintage camper paddleboarding, swimming and visiting ghost towns on a weekend trip. The Kootenay Mountaineering Club with retirees summiting two mountain peaks a week. It reminds me that these adventures don't necessarily have to run their course, and that I can be active my whole life if I want to.
We continued along the West Koot Route toward Nelson, following a rail trail along Slocan Lake. Travis takes every opportunity to travel off pavement, which means no cars but much slower going. The going was made even slower due to the giant thimbleberry patches we had to stop for, as well as lunchtime swim breaks, and the feral plum tree that dropped little yellow plums when the wind blew. Seven hours of pedaling later, we finally made it to Nelson.
