Images from the Road

Mt. Rainier

After an eight hour drive from Kalispell we arrived at Mount Rainier Thursday afternoon. We did an introductory sightseeing drive up the base of the mountain to Paradise. Paradise is an apt name -- it definitely was! In the late afternoon light afternoon light it was as though everything was glowing. Avalanche and Glacier lilies were everyone. A silver fox and a pika put in a brief appearance for us.

Friday was a busy day. We drove all the way around the southern boundary of the park, and up the east side to Sunrise. We did a three hour loop hike on Sourdough Ridge to Frozen Lake, then back via the Wonderland Trail. It was , quite probably, the most beautiful hike I have ever done. The sub-alpine wildflowers were in full bloom. The views of the mountain almost up close and personal. We were able to spot a few ants (climbers) making their way up the mountain.

Just for fun we added on two other short hikes -- to Grove of the Patriarchs (huge trees) and the Cowlish trail, where Sarah has previously spotted owls. None were cooperating for us today, but it was still a pretty hike through lush forest. Sarah's expert owl-calling made it seem like the owls were all around us.

Today we are worn out and taking it easy.

Jasper and the Ice Fields Parkway

.We have arrived at the end of our Canadian journey in Jasper. For two days we have been riding the Ice Fields Parkway. Wildlife sightings have been plentiful -- bear, elk, wolf.... Yesterday we rode over Sunwapta Pass at the foot of the Columbia Glacier. They have snow-coach tours out onto the Glacier from there. Of course it had to rain again before we reached our lodging was at Sunwapta Falls -- hard, stinging rain that felt like sleet. We were delighted to see our cottage with a fireplace. We spent a very pleasant evening in from of the fire.

Since we didn't go out in the rain last night to see the falls we did that this morning before we hit the road. There is a lot of water going down after all the rain. About mid-way through the 36 mile ride we stopped at Athabasca Falls. In the course of 10,000 years the falls have carved out many channels, some of which are now abandoned and dry. It was an unforgettable experience to walk through some of the old channels.

My mileage total for this trip is 565 miles. Jim's is higher as I rode in the van for a day and a half when I had a bad headache. Total bike mileage (for me) since leaving home is 1007.2. Tomorrow we'll get on a bus and head back 400 miles to Kalispell.

Saskatchewan Crossing

Another day of fantastic scenery. Images are of Peyto Lake and Mistaya (Grizzly Bear in Cree) canyon.

Hiking Lake Louise

Today was another day off the bikes and a chance to use other muscles. After a brief walk along the shore of Lake Moraine we were dropped off at Chateau Lake Louise. It's all uphill from there. Lake Agnes sits high up on the mountain, a 3.7 K walk . There is a Tea House there serving goodies, but we brought our own sandwiches and ate beside the deep, green lake. As if the climb wasn't enough, we decided to go another kilometer further up to the beehive, a rounded summit with beautiful views of Lake Louise far below.

Lake Louise Village

A beautiful 36 mile ride along the Bow River Parkway between Banff and Lake Louise Village. Since it was a short day we all went for a hike up Johnston Canyon, 15 miles along the route, to the Lower Falls. Ten more miles along the route brought us Baker Creek Chalet for a very photogenic lunch.

Some stayed on the bikes to ride up to Lake Louise. I did laundry. Lots of wildlife today -- moose, wolf, elk and deer. I also saw a Clark's Nutcracker, which is a life bird for me.

Exploring Banff

We had a fun day off the bikes and a fantastic buffet lunch at the Banff Springs Hotel.

Banff, Alberta

We have crossed the Continental Divide for the fith and last (I hope!) time. Afte htree days of riding in cold rain we have arrived in Bnaff. Jim rod the full 83 miiles today. I was freezing and got in the van for the last 25 (downhill) miles. They hade a gift shop where we stopped for lunch. I bought a blanket and haven't unwrapped from it since. It will be lovely at camp.

Banff is a busy tourist town. If it is still raining I plan to stay in bed all day -- with the blanket. I also bought a new book....

Fairmont Hot Springs, BC

We are at another Fairmont Hot Springs. This one is in Canada and is at the headwaters of the Columbia River. Indian legend has it that a giant fish died here -- the ribs becoming the hoodoos that stand nearby. We are just happy to be here. We rode 70 miles today in sometimes torrential rain. It looked like there was some beautiful scenery out there if we could have seen it. Traffic was heavy in parts, making the ride even more unpleasant. Tomorrow we have a short day so we're all planning to hang around here for a while and get in the pools.

Cranbrook BC

A longer day today -- 70 miles. I made it even longer by missign the hotel and riding another few miles out of town. And then coming back.... We were mostly on beautiful back roads, but the 25 or so miles we were on the highway weren't always pleasant. Killer rumble strips, broken shoulders, heavy traffic.

A new couple joined us today. They rode the first week of this ride two years ago, but had a bad accident (involving the rumble strip) on their tandem and spent the rest of the tour in the hospital. They are back to complete the distance.

Todays's wildlife -- osprey nest and bank swallows. And a cow in a bog.

Fernie, British Columbia

The highlight of our ride today was the world's largest truck, in Sparwood. Built for hauling coal, it stands 56 ft. tall when the truck bed is lifted. Fully loaded it would hold 6,000,000 golf balls. Why would anyone want to load it with golf balls?

We rode only 42 miles today, all on the main highway. Mostly it was very pleasant with terrific scenery, but there was a section with monstrous rumble strips and pretty poor pavement on the shoulders. We'd been warned not to try to cross the rumble strips. They are so deep that they simulate the railroad track effect -- deep groove + bike wheel = rider on pavement.

We've been seeing lots of loaded bikers heading east. We must be on a major Trans-Canada route.

Blairmore, Alberta

The Burmis Tree -- for over seven hundred years it guarded the entrance to Crow's Nest Pass. Unfortunately it died in the 1970s. Then, in 1998, it fell down. Notice the steel prop holding it up. There are also support posts in the trunk and through what was the root system. The people up hear had little enough to look at that they couldn't bear to lose their symbol.

This is (was) coal mining country. We spent quite a while exploring the Leitch Colliery -- now an Alberta Historical Site. It was known as the "Bad Luck Mine" because it only lasted for six years. The powerhouse walls are still standing and very impressive. One of the reasons for the quick mine failure was over-planning. They built for a future that never happened. Out of the 101 Mitchell Coke Ovens, only 32 were ever fired up. The mine went bankrupt and was sold just before World War 1. It was bought out by the "Mohawk Colliery" (???) in nearby Bellevue.

We also passed through one of the largest rock slides in history. The Frank Slide buried half of the town of Frank in 1903. Over 70 people were killed and are still interred under the rocks. When we checked into our hotel we were informed that more of the mountain is due to fall and is monitored every day. we'll sleep litely tonight....

Pincher Creek, Alberta

... where the wind doth blow. But not, luckily, for us. We are in the land of the chinook, but still we experienced a nearly wind-free day. Wind farms are plentiful here. There are around 300 turbines surrounding the town.

Pincher Creek, supposedly named for a pair of hoof trimmers lost somewhere along the creek, is where the prairie meets the mountains. Today's ride was through beautiful grasslands and active ranches, the mountains standing sentinel in the distance. Today's wildlife highlight -- Spencer spotted a cow moose feeding in a herd of cows. She was spooked by his bicycle and jumped the fence, leaving the calf behind. The herd also ran, but lacked the legs to make the jump. Short mileage -- 34.5. Happy people...!

Waterton Lakes

After three fairly grueling days of pedaling we are enjoying a very welcome day off the bikes in Waterton Lakes. Our first two nights were at the wonderful old Glacier Park Lodges -- lake MacDonald and Many Glacier. Our second riding day (60 miles) featured the eleven mile climb up Logan Pass on the Going to the Sun Road. Incredible scenery when you could look up to view it. It was a long climb, but we all made it. At least one of us was surprised.

We have had several animal sightings. A cow moose with two calves grazed the shore while we had breakfast at Many Glacier. Jon was slightly non-plussed when a six foot black bear stood up beside him as we climbed Chief Mountain yesterday. Jim saw a grizzley run across the road as we came into Waterton.

Today we've done everything but get on the bikes. This morning wasa leisurely cruise on the MV International from the town dock to Goat Haunt in Montana at the end of the lake. Goat Haunt is an offical border crossing, but is reached only be boat or a thirty-two mile hike from Glacier. The customs officials stamped passports at a card table alongside the trail. Dinner tonight at the famous Prince of Wales Hotel, which sits high above the town.