Sunday June 4, 2017
610 km
Man I sure seem to sleep well in in a tent with a warm sleepingbag.
Of course, all of the fresh air that I am getting probably has something to do with that, but that’s beside the point.
Before I go any further – theshnizzle’s name shall be Lorie henceforth (more about Lorie -aka- thesnizzle in another post).
Lorie and I broke camp in Lake Louise at 0800 and rode our bikes over to the Trailhead Cafe where we had a quick coffee-and-a-muffin breakfast.
Our loose plan for the day was to ride up towards Jasper on the Icefields Parkway, aiming to end the day around Prince George, or thereabouts.
And that is precisely what we did. After breakfast we walked around the tourist-trap strip mall, purchasing a couple of Lake Louise stickers before hitting the road.
We wanted to hit Jasper for our next stop, and make a decision as to the final stop for the day at that point.
It’s about an hour’s ride from Lake Louise to Saskatchewan River Crossing on the Icefields Parkway, but it took us considerably longer to get there then that.
Mt. Coleman, Icefields Parkway · 52°8’12” N 116°59’34” W
The scenery was jaw-dropping and awe-inspiring. It is impossible to describe this scenery in a way that could possibly do it justice. If you haven’t already traveled the Icefields Parkway – put it on your bucket list.
We stopped almost every 10 minutes for more pictures.
Thankfully, once arriving at Saskatchewan River Crossing I determined that I did not need to buy any overpriced fuel (in 2012, riding my cruiser with a range of 200kms, I was not so fortunate. The price then was $1.79/L) – Big Ethel had more than enough in her tank to make it to Jasper, which is where we stopped some 3 hours later for coffees and lunch.
Jasper is a very eclectic, almost hippie-born town, but it is also a very expensive town. So maybe the populace are really rich hippies, hahaha. And thinking about it as I write this, I bet that is not far from the truth. The property values are high, the postal code is expensive. And most who purchase a home or a cottage there do not necessarily work there.
They play there.
Back to the ride. . .
Lake Louise to Jasper is only 232 kilometers. It took us almost 5 hours to do it.
It cannot be helped, I assure you.
It is far too beautiful to rush, and I guess it was almost as though I was hoping with each photo that I took that I was going to be able to take a little piece of this place with me. Of course I am aware that I will be left with nothing more tangible than the memories, and I guess the pictures make the memories more vivd as time passes . . . yet I believe that in truth the photos will only serve to call me back to these mountains once again.
I could very, very easily call here, home.
After a re-charge in Jasper we continued west on highway 16 – the Yellowhead Highway – and we didn’t get 50 kilometers before stopping to take pictures of 2 grizzly bears up on the side of a mountain just above the highway.
What an incredible sight.
Continuing on our journey, we rode all the way to Prince George, stopping at Mt. Robson along the way to have a break. We chatted with several other riders heading to various destinations – most of them to Alaska, and swapped stories of wildlife, camping and favorite scenes.
We also stopped to take pictures of this fella – a black bear enjoying a meal of wild flowers alongside the highway.
We arrived in Prince George road-weary and ready to call it a night, and I chose the Travelodge as I wanted to do some laundry, sleep in a bed, and take advantage of the business center so that I could do some more writing and transfer some more photos.
Lorie did not argue.
After all, this was our first hotel since Ontario, and I felt like we deserved it.
Yes, we slept well.
Up Next: Meet theshnizzle
so proud of you my friend!
Thank you Regis. Your tales of traveling Peru inspired me my friend, and as a well heeled traveler I know that you understand completely all of the emotions that a trip like this brings forth.
Your photos are spectacular! I loved riding through Jasper National Park and the IceFields when on the Big Ride. Simply amazing!!
Than you Bonnie. The entire area is beyond photogenic!
Nice one Joe, really enjoyed it and your photos are incredible!
Hey thank you michnus – I really appreciate that, and I’m happy that you are along for the ride.
Wonderful pictures, Joe, of an area I had not seen when I was out there.
Is that the result of clear cutting on the Jasper River Crossing picture?
Hi Sandy, thank you for your kind comments on my photos.
As far as the clear-cutting question, what you see in the picture is the result of a forest fire. Every day I see hundreds of acres of forest that was decimated by fire, with new growth coming up as the forest rejuvenates itself. It’s quite remarkable.
When I lived in Thunder Bay we had a bad fire season. You could smell the smoke in the air, and everything got coated in a fine layer of ash.
It’s really something to see as you ride through an area that had burned in recent years. Even though the undergrowth tells you it may have been 3 or 5 years, if I raise my visor I swear I can al it’s smell the smoke, almost like a lizard-brain memory.
check for wild blueberries, if they grow in that area. They love fire burned areas and there is nothing that tastes better, when out in the wild.
I will keep that idea in mind Sandy – and I’ll check the bushes for snacking bears too, haha
Joe, you are doing a great job of capturing the Rockies and their jaw dropping stature. I try not to let more than 2 years go by without visiting the Rockies…restores the soul.
Thank you sir – I am trying to convey that which is almost beyond words. It can be a challenge!