It was a couple hundred miles up into Radium Hot Springs where I cut east through the Kootenai National Park.
I actually remembered to stop in a local bank and change some money to Canadian dollars. I think they gave me a fair rate ($1.03 USD) but they charged a $5 fee for the transaction. I didn't like that but...
The Kootenai Park has a really nice highway with stunning views of the mountains. Canadians know how to build great roads! I think it was about 60 miles to get over to highway 2 and then turned north toward Jasper, almost 200 miles to the north. I knew I couldn't make Jasper so I needed to find a spot to camp.
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| The Canadian Rockies! |
I was looking for a tent spot when I pulled off and saw a sign saying "hostel." I rode up the drive and found some cabins and met the caretaker, Andrew. I got a cabin (with 6 bunk beds) for $20 which was much more secure from bears and warmer for the morning chill. I heated up some water and had a Mountain House freeze dried dinner.
There were two bicyclers there and after a while another rider came in on a BMW 1200 GS. We all had a great time sitting around the fire talking for hours. It didn't get dark until after 10:30 pm!
[For future reference that hostel is located at N52 02.506 W116 51.810 ]
During the discussion around the campfire one of the bicycle riders, in the course of the conversation, mentioned about criminals and speeding and other things. One of the guys asked him if he was in law enforcement, and he admitted that he was, in fact, a mountie! He was an RCMP - a Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer. So then we talked about all his stories for the rest of the night!
Also, it turns out that that other rider on the BMW GS I would see several times over the next several days. His name was Sandy and we would eventually ride together all through Alaska for the next several weeks!
In the morning we got up and it was 36 degrees out! [That would end up being the coldest morning of my trip.] There was a nice kitchen and sitting area so I heated up some water and made some instant oatmeal with raisins and chopped walnuts. Great way to start a cold morning!
I bundled up and left and was pleased that all my gear kept me warm with no air leaks around my ankles, wrists, or neck. Had to turn up the juice on my electric jacket and gloves!
Jasper is a very touristy town but very picturesque. I stopped to get a sandwich there and Sandy rode by on his GS. He stopped and we got some food from a grocery store and sat outside in the sun to eat. Then he left to head north.
I got a text message from my brother Mike who said there was a web camera in the center of town. He gave me the street intersection and I rode over there and stopped on a short stretch of sidewalk. Then he texted me and said "wave!" and he could see me waving! Since I didn't want to incur the roaming charges I asked him to call my wife and send her the link to the web cam. It was fun but I felt like an idiot there on the sidewalk on my motorcycle waving my arms with all the tourists walking by.
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| Brother Mike captured this pic on his computer from a web cam in Jasper! |
So I left Jasper and rode to Hinton to get fuel before riding up hwy 40 to Grand Prairie. That was a nice but rather boring 200 miles of rolling pine forest. Saw a couple of deer and was glad I mounted an air horn on the bike to get their attention. It seemed to freeze them in place so they didn't run out in front of me.
After gas in Grand Prairie about 5:30 pm I decided to continue another 90 miles up to Dawson Creek. That is another major milestone since it is Mile 0 of the Alaska Highway. Hard to believe that I will be riding on the historic Alaska Highway tomorrow! Just think - it is only 1500 more miles to Fairbanks! My God, this is a big country up here!
My butt is tired and my shoulders ache but it is a constant thrill to see the sights and meet people. Here at the campground in Dawson Creek is a father riding with his son and his brother up to the Arctic Circle. The BMW GS rider from last night at the hostel is also here! I have a feeling our paths will cross many more times on the way up there.(Post note: little did I know how much!)
Nuff for now, it is late and I am feeling the length of the day now. It started raining a little while ago with some thunder but it has gone now. I hope it will stay as clear and warm as it has been, but the weather is fickle up here and I expect to get some crappy weather sometime. It's all part of the adventure!
Here is a map of my travels for the day. 364 miles.
