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.  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.  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.  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.  Plenty of breaks in the clouds to admire the incredible mountains.  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.  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.  This is not the Midwest!  I also passed 3,000 total miles during this trip.

It is time to keep riding south.  Less than 250 miles to Montana!

Not sure when I’ll next check in, could be up to a week from now.

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