Canmore, AB
Though I had expected a whole day off in Banff yesterday, I took off yesterday and made it to Canmore, just down the highway. Â From here I’ll be taking a gravel road along Spray Lake (the Smith-Dorrien Trail), then down Alberta Hwy 40 and other rural roads to Pincher Creek. Â I will be a nice change after having been on all these highways during Labour Day weekend.
The Jasper-Banff experience was less of the theme park rigamarole than I had anticipated. Â The road was real busy, but free camped at some secluded spots off the highway a few nights and generally enjoyed the ride, except for the cold drizzle of course. Â Plenty of breaks in the clouds to admire the incredible mountains. Â I had a great time with Cass, from England, who I met a few days before, and two German cyclists Mieke and Niko.
The ride on the Icefields Parkway was a good introduction to mountain cycling. Â Two passes over 6,600 ft and a night at 6,300 feet, where I woke up to a fresh dusting of snow on the nearby peaks. Â This is not the Midwest! Â I also passed 3,000 total miles during this trip.
It is time to keep riding south. Â Less than 250 miles to Montana!
Not sure when I’ll next check in, could be up to a week from now.
I just talked to Matt this afternoon. All is well and he expects to be arriving in West Glacier, MT on Monday or Tuesday next week – we’re meeting up there to go hiking!