Perhaps there are few of you who are actually following along as I talk about our experiences during the many days of this ride. Some of you may have even discerned some sort of a pattern (dare I say routine) to the daily experience. After breakfast together, Ben gets us started for the day with instructions and directions. He has our bikes all checked out and ready to go. He pulls open up a map on his trailer and talks about where we are going and the nature of the ride for the day. Once we get going, he stops at places along the route to make sure we are OK, and help us out with whatever we need. He says we can even stop by at some of these spots if we just need a hug. We usually have a snack stop where Ben sets up a “picnic” with a bunch of stuff to revive us. We may also have a lunch stop along the way depending on the length of the ride that day. We stop along the way to do things. The rides usually end early so that we have time to recover and do other things. We gather around for dinner.
The descriptions of the next stage of the ride that Ben provides at various stops while pointing to his map are interesting and useful. He tries his best at each stop to prepare us mentally for the next stage of the adventure. He does not downplay the challenges shown on the map, like the 8% climb the other day, or the major climb that we did today. Other sections that are not that steep but are still challenging in their own way are described using terms like “Rocky Mountain flats”, or “downdulations”. The instructions that we get are very complete.
We have gotten to know Ben well during the last few days. He is a sweetheart.
Let me now get on with with the story of another glorious day of riding in the Canadian Rockies.
I was up early, as usual. The places we have stayed at so far are in remote areas. The hotels or resorts tend to be the only human habitation for miles around. Network connectivity is generally through a satellite link which has it own challenges.
Crossing the North Saskatchewan river early in the ride.
I actually saw a black bear today! I was at the back of the group and managed to get only one picture!
Mt. Chephren.
We had a long picnic stop at a spot along the Waterfowl Lakes.
Then it was time to brave the cold, glacier fed, waters of the Lake.
He was the first to actually be brave enough to go all the way in for a swim.
Others followed.
I did step into the water myself, up to my knees. It was freezing. There was a discussion among the folks experienced in swimming in cold waters and those who were scientifically inclined about what the actual temperature of the water might be, since it was flowing down from a glacier, and since it also felt pretty darned cold! My somewhat unscientific guess was that it was in the 40s – degrees Fahrenheit that is.
As we got going once again, I did stop by to smell the flowers by the roadways.
The downhill slope below is actually just before the start of a brutal climb, this time to the highest point that we are to encounter during during this ride. 
Bow Pass, the point that we were just about to ride though, is at about 2069 meters. I was on the lowest gear going up for most of this long and challenging climb. My thigh muscles were screaming, and I was simply hoping that I would not cramp up and have to stop, because starting up once again on the 4-6% slope in the condition that I was in would have presented an additional challenge. Obviously, I did not stop for pictures. The ride seemed never ending, and every time I came around a hill or over a hump, with the hope of the end of the climb just beyond, there was yet another challenge to overcome. In the end we all made it to the top in grand manner!
At this point, we got off the main road and rode to an even higher elevation on Bow Summit. From the parking lot for the buses, Ben took us on a hike to an even higher elevation, to a somewhat isolated spot where we could have our lunch.
Peyto Lake below us. Off in the distance you can see the direction from which we rode this morning.
This little guy popped his head out from among the rocks, looking for some scraps, or perhaps the leftover muffin grabbed from the breakfast table that was in a backpack.
I was hoping to make out the road that we rode on this morning, and perhaps even Waterfowl Lake where we stopped by for snacks and swimming, in the picture below.
Then were heading downhill to our place for the evening. 
This is our place for the evening, the Num-Ti-Jah Lodge.
This is a picture of Bow Lake from a window of the lodge.
I was sitting outside the lodge with some of the others waiting for dinnertime when I took this picture.
Slept well last night after a scrumptious dinner and the company of the wonderful friends, both old and new, who accompany me during the ride.
We have gotten past the highest point in the ride, and it is all downhill from now (in a manner of speaking). But I am also sure that Ben has a few “whoopsies” along the way that will continue to challenge us and keep us on our toes.
Cheers!
The following pictures are from the Forefield trail.
I joined the others for breakfast after the walk. Then it was time to get ready to depart. I saw Ben outside our hotel window getting the bikes ready for the day’s ride.
Today we crossed over from Jasper National Park to Banff National Park as we went over the Sunwapta pass. This is the second highest pass that we will cross during the ride, and it is at about 2035 feet.
We stopped for hike at Parker Ridge. We crossed over the mountain ridge to the other side to see the Saskatchewan Glacier. It was a pretty steep climb.
We found this chap beside the trail, taking in all the tourist traffic going by.
You could see the support vehicle at the bottom of the mountain as we returned from the hike.
Then came another challenging section of the ride. This one was a little scary, but we all came through in good shape. We were essentially speeding down a mountainside on a road that was not in the best of shape, a road that was also lacking a good shoulder, or even a shoulder in some parts. We were riding besides other motor vehicles on the road. It was bone rattling ride at high speeds. Ben had a stop for us at the halfway point, where he instructed me on how better to hold on to the bicycle handle so that I could take the rough road without wobbling too much. One of our riders hit a speed of 70 kmph coming down, a personal best for her. I was just a little slower. 🙂 The picture below shows a very short section of that descent.
And then we were riding the rest of way to our destination for the evening on the flats beside the North Saskatchewan River. This river flows into the Hudson Bay. The Columbia Icefield is a source for rivers that flow into the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic oceans.
We were riding beside a wall of rock for a certain distance.
After a certain while, the river disappeared behind some trees and woods. There was less things to stop for, and the rest of the ride became more about the sheer enjoyment of the experience of riding. Folks were speeding along all the way to our destination, which was a place called The Crossing Resort. It was located at a spot just before our road, the Icefield Parkway, crosses the North Saskatchewan river. Here is a picture of our digs for the night.
These are some views from the resort.
After dinner we drove to the Mistaya Canyon where we could take a hike to a spot where the Mistaya river goes over a waterfall. The Mistaya river feeds the North Saskatchewan river.
That evening a few of us stood outside our rooms hoping to see some colors in the sky at sunset. The show was a little disappointing.
We are halfway through the ride at this point!
I was surprised to find that Edmonton was in the plains. There was no distinctive feature to be seen in the surroundings. The city is a center for the oil industry.
Two of us stayed at a hotel in Leduc, next to the airport. Leduc appeared to essentially be a highway stop with a lot of motels near the airport. The sun rises early in these parts at this time of year.
We headed for Jasper, the start of the bike ride in the morning. It took us about three hours to get to the park, where we began to see scenes like this from the vehicle as we were traveling.
This picture was taken in Jasper. This is the support vehicle. We had stopped to pick up some of our other riders.
Here we are just outside of Jasper where we are getting ready to get on our bikes.
Here we are getting instructions from Ben, our guide for the trip. He runs an operation called the Mountain Madness tours.
And off we go! This picture was taken when we were crossing the Athabasca river. The color of the water is due to the silt from the glaciers. I cannot believe I am doing this!
Some of the riders in our group. We are riding along the shoulder of the road that goes from Jasper to Banff.
At a stop along the way to regroup and replenish.
At Athabasca Falls.
Ben had set up a snack stop for us at the parking lot.
And we kept riding upstream along the river.
At the Goats and Glaciers viewpoint.
Dinner at the restaurant at Sunwapta Falls. Great meal arranged by Ben! This is where we stayed the night.
We went for a walk (turned into a hike for some of us) after dinner. This is the upper Sunwapta Falls. The sun is beginning to set and the mountains in the background are still lit up.
These are the lower Sunwapta Falls.
And now we are getting ready for the second day of the ride. The first day was awesome, and quite an challenge for me. The second day is going to bring more of the same as I ride through this awesomely beautiful land amidst the mountains and beside the river, ready for whatever challenge and adventure lies ahead. I feel so fortunate to be in this place at this time. It is indeed an otherworldly and out-of-body experience for me in many ways, and I am so humbled by it.
Splattered Brains 