I am not sure yet if I will drive from seattle or get back home then fly etc…
if flying, what’s the best deal? flying to Vancouver? Penticton?
Seattle/Spokane and drive?
I’m not sure either. I’ll email Tom and Jonathon and ask then fwd their reply.
Kelowna, it’s only about an hours drive to Penticton. I flew in through Vancouver last year and drove out. Very scenic, mostly open highway, but 4-5 hrs. We (my wife) and I had to drive back Monday afternoon, the day after the race. Even though she did all the driving, I was left pretty much in pretzel condition. Didn’t help having a 6:30 am departure time Tuesday morning and two long flights back to New Jersey.
(Ed. : My bad, original post said Oliver)
I believe that it is usually a better deal to not fly internationally. That is, fly from El Paso to Seattle and then drive (a nice drive, and not too long). Or you could fly into Spokane (eastern WA). The drive from Spokane is 225 miles, and it’s 315 from Seattle, so it’s a little shorter. Spokane and Seattle are about 275 miles apart.
Are you still going to be whuppin’ up on us at IMFL?
-Colin
whuppin? you haven’t been following my racing have you??
I want to go to an IM, with a good prep, race, with no injury, healthy, and do my stuff…if I do that I am happy, no matter what the time is.
now, someone will likely write that this was an arrogant post and I wrote I was going win canada in 7h34’ but wtf…not my fault if people can’t read 
This was an arrogant post.
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Francois,
You can get a cheap flight from Vancouver to either Kelowna or Penticton on Westjet (www.westjet.com). If you catch a seat sale it is usually less than $100 beaver bucks each way. Nice drive from Kelowna down to Penticton (about 1 hr) but for ease I would just fly into Penticton and save yourself the car rental. Nice drive from either Seattle or Spokane but who wants the extra time in a car?
Hope that helps. See you at the finish line (I hope to be a finish line “catcher” this year).
robert
Drive from Seattle, it’s a 6 hour beautiful drive. August is the best month of the year in the NW, it’s what tricks people into moving and/or staying here. You could take your time and check out the scenery along the way as opposed to showing up potentially without a bike. I think the airport (thus the planes that land) at Kelowna is small so often they just fly bikes to Vancouver and ship them over by land…I could be wrong.
my guess is that this is what I will do…
to fly to seattle/spokan is the best and cheapest option…it will be a very cheap flight and you will avoid to pay for bike on the airplain as it is really expensive in canada and not consider a international flight from el paso or phoenix…
driving is awsome and you will be happy to have a car the week before the race
I thought I could borrow yours
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hahahah, borrow the rv paseo and you’ll not need a hotel!
too sleep in…for sure
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I heard somewhere that jon is selling his car as an altitude tent in Tucson
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Ah… The Laveen ring in action…
I agree with thirsty. The bike handling situation at Kelowna is very iffy. I have overheard announcements at IMC the day after the race stating that your bike may not make it onto your flight. And, Canadian customs once lost my bike for 3 @#(!) days! (different race)
Drive the North Cascades Highway (about 1 hour north of Seattle off of I-5), enjoy the scenery and stop in my new hometown/training mecca of Winthrop on the way.
“You know you are getting old when you see your father in the mirror.” Anon.
Ditto that. I haven’t driven the Trans-Canada highway but I have a hard time imagining it would be more beautiful than the North Cascades Highway.
The best part of the Trans-Canada highway is from Calgary to Kamloops. Try it sometime, then you won’t have to imagine.
Driving from Vancouver to Penticton… not all that nice, you’re right about that.
The stretch from Hope to Penticton is beautiful without question when you drive the Coquilhalla
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