Wine tour to the Okanagan (BC, Canada)

[buddha_bellies]

Has anyone here done one before? My friends and I are thinking about one sometime later this year (maybe Sept?). How's the ride there? Is it really hilly? Which parts would you recommend? And places to stay? To eat?

I also thought about the Kettle Valley. Is that good on road bikes? Or do you need mountain bikes?

We plan to drive there and bike around kind of thing, not bike all the way to there from Vancouver. I'm thinking about 35 - 40 km a day would be good. We probably will go for 4 days.

Any suggestions?

Thank you!

[Grog]

I did not "tour" there but we drove to Summerland where we stayed at a neat B&B with a spectacular view at the top of a $%*&/$ steep hill (Chris loved it). We had a friend in the Ironman and spent the 2-3 days around it cycling around.

We didn't go on the Kettle Valley but from what I've heard, if you're tolerant of loose gravel I think it's totally do-able on a road bike. KelownaGirl will tell us more about that.

We cycled up Green Mountain road for a while, to Naramata, and around. There are some good bike routes and also some routes with heavy traffic and RVs. But it should be a fun tour!

[shootingstar]

We have done cycling in the Okanagan during several different vacation trips on the area.

My partner has cycled between Vancouver and Okanagan area...several times over the past 10 years. Latest was last year, he did it with 2 others a round trip with 4 days spent in Kelowna. Other trips were actually part of cross-Canada solo trips.

Sept. would be a great time to visit.

We have not stayed in Bed 'n Breakfasts in that area. Hotels. Different trips we stayed in different places in different locations. We camped once..when we were moving my stuff across Canada in autumn.

Make sure you visit Quail's Gate Winery which is gorgeous. Nearby is Mission Hill and some other smaller wineries. This area is in West Kelowna across the Bennett Bridge (which has a protected bike lane) from Kelowna. There are some hills ...which if you train in Vancouver's hills, are doable.

Would recommend also the area from Osoyoos to Oliver (Ni'kimp has a beautiful restaurant/winery also). Burrowing Owl Winery is kinda cool to see. You may not be into wines, but some of these places have lovely restaurants. The Kettle Valley trails are also there.

What we have heard from another cyclist who is on some bike trails there are problems created by the ATV vehicles that create uneven/sandy surface areas. Not sure which areas. Still there are whole pieces of Kettle Valley trails that would be great. We cycled from McCullough Lake on the trail to edge of Myra Canyon when they were still rebuilding the trestle bridges after the forest fire.

But now the Myra Canyon trestle bridge trail has been rebuilt and was reopened last summer.

If you want more details, pm me.

[kelownagirl]

Me personally, I wouldn't do the KVR on a road bike. It's totally flat but a gravel path. Put if you don't mind gravel, go for it.

I LOVE riding in the Oliver, Osoyoos area. Lots of wineries to visit. Beautiful scenery. Highway or back roads. So good climbs. You can do the IMC route too.

There are some flattish areas but the Okanagan is mostly hilly to almost mountainous.

Let me know if you have more specific questions.

[coldfeet]

Have done a couple of cycling wine tours there with the Bow Valley Cycle group, goes on the Thanksgiving weekend, it was fun. The roads are rolling, not too bad, the wineries tend to be at the top of hills, the approaches can be STEEP. On one, had to zig zag across the car park to approach the door!

All in all, can recommend it.

[buddha_bellies]

Report Time:

Okay, I have to agree with Kelownagirl! Between Oliver and Osoyoos is ABSOLUTELY beautiful!! Like ShootingStar said, the Burrowing Owl view was just to die for! I love that area so much I have to go back someday again.

It's relatively flat on Hwy 97 (between Penticton and Osoyoos). That's also part of the Ironman course as I found out later. The only hilly part is when you ride up to the wineries. And there're SO MANY! Wow!

Unfortunately, this trip was all in a car :( There were thunderstorms in and out the 2 days we were there. Not too much fun, though I did see some die-hard cyclists along Hwy 97 and some along the way into Kelowna.

And in case anyone is curious, some of the best wineries I found were Rollingdale (near Kelowna), Wild Goose, Burrowing Owl and Red Rooster. Mission Hill made a really good ice wine too! It's probably a good thing we drove. I don't think I would've been able to buy that much wine otherwise :D

Here're some pics...
10019
Mission Hills


10020
10021
Burrowing Owl

[ginny]

great picts! I have a good friend who lives in Penticton... doesn't the IM start or finish there? I think that part of the world is spectacularly beautiful!