3 Day Jaunt - Calgary to B.C.

[saxman]

Hi All,

Recently, (Crap, almost a month ago now, where does the time go?) a hole unexpectedly opened up in

my work schedule and I thought hey, why not go for a ride to see how me and the newly acquired '06 FJR

would get along.

So, I called my regular riding pal, Al-The-Man-Ducati-Can and suggested he beg off work, if possible.

I didn't have to twist his arm too hard and he did what he had to do, so we were on!

What Follows is the RR.

Hope you like it and that it inspires you to find/create your own holes in the myriad of obligations

modern life seems to have for all of us, and get out and ride!

This is Part 1, Part 2 to follow.

Cheers,

Trev

Sorry, couldn't seem to embed these last few photos - maybe I've used up my share of space.

Just click to see these last ones.

Thanks.

 

[FarWestFastEddie]

Saxman,

Great report and the pictures will make OM jealous, I guess you think Al and other Ducatti riders are not bright enough to read your ride report, Is he deaf and sitting in the room?

Love my ride thru the Canadian Rockies a few years back, and I HAVE to go that way again, The beer alone is worth the ride!

FWFE

 

[okmac]

Love your ride report and photo's. Looking forward to the next installment.

Mac

 

[saxman]

Saxman,

Great report and the pictures will make OM jealous, I guess you think Al and other Ducatti riders are not bright enough to read your ride report, Is he deaf and sitting in the room?

FWFE

Hey FWFE,

Thanks. Lucky for me Al is a good sport - he's getting better at ribbing me back for whatever.

Trev

 

[MEM]

Great RR, saxman!

I may have to do that ride again next year

 

[blurry vision]

WOW! Very nice report and pics. Makes me feel like I already did the ride. With no mishaps I will be heading there on Friday. Would you know if 93 north to the 5 is a better ride than the 1 to the 5? Any info would be greatly appreciated. Happy and safe riding.

 

[saxman]

Hey Blurry Vision,

Where do you intend to cross the US/Canadian Border?

Destination? (Or are you just free-spiriting it?)

I'd be happy to give you some suggestions based on these.

The good news is that almost all routes through BC and into Alberta have their charms.

Cheers, and keep the rubber side down.

Trev

 

[FastJoyRide]

Saxman: Stop at the Lake Louise visitor centre some time (MANY of our tax dollars at work!!). They have amazing motion sensitive camera footage of all kinds of animals using the ungulate overpasses and underpasses all through the national parks. I've never seen an animal on those overpasses either, and the way they're designed we never will!

 

[jhedges]

Awesome ride report! thx

 

[Ari Rankum]

GR8 pix! They bring back memories - I did that ride from Calgary to BC back in 2003. Such a beautiful ride. Everyone in North America who has so far screwed themselves out of seeing the Canadian Rockies needs to get their priorities sorted.

 

[beemerdons]

Great Ride Report saxman, Thank You!

 

[olsonm3915]

Great minds think alike:

This is my bike on 14 June, my wife and son (both riding EX500s) and I rode from near Minneapolis to Vulcan AB, Drumheller AB, High River AB, Banff, Radium, Creston, up 3A on the east side of Kootenay Lake to Kootenay Bay, took the ferry across, up to Kaslo, then New Denver, and reversed the route to Creston, coming home through Couer d'Alene, Orofino, Lolo Pass, Yellowstone, Cody, Thermopolis, Wind River Canyon, Casper, & across Nebraska on US 20 to Iowa then Home.

2+ weeks and ~4200 miles and loved every minute of it. Well at least I did.

Saw this fellow at a rest stop somewhere in BC on Hwy 93 going south toward Radium. There was a Mountie in a pickup firing off a flash-bang gun to scare him away. How are you supposed to get up close and personal with nice fuzzy friendly bears if the man keeps interfering???!!!

 

[saxman]

Saxman: Stop at the Lake Louise visitor centre some time (MANY of our tax dollars at work!!). They have amazing motion sensitive camera footage of all kinds of animals using the ungulate overpasses and underpasses all through the national parks. I've never seen an animal on those overpasses either, and the way they're designed we never will!

Thanks, FastJoyRide.

I actually have stopped at the Lake Louise visitor centre but I missed the presentation on

the animal bridges.

Good to know they're doing what they're supposed to, though we still see far too many dead animals

on the sides of our National Park highways.

Trev

 

[saxman]

Hey olsonm3915,

Looks like you went to all the good biking areas on your recent trip. Thanks for the photo. I've been to many of

those same places by bike (Lolo Pass, Cody,Yellowstone etc.), though at different times on different trips.

Your Photo of the Grizzly is as close as I'd want to get on a bike - and I'd have it running with 1st gear right at hand. Not that getting mauled by a Grizzly doesn't have it's charms. . .

Trev

 

[olsonm3915]

Your Photo of the Grizzly is as close as I'd want to get on a bike - and I'd have it running with 1st gear right at hand. Not that getting mauled by a Grizzly doesn't have it's charms. . .

Believe me, the bikes were all running and pointed down the road at the time that photo was taken!

 

[Dr. Bones]

nice pics, wish I could be there!

 

[blurry vision]

Hey Blurry Vision,

Where do you intend to cross the US/Canadian Border?

Destination? (Or are you just free-spiriting it?)

I'd be happy to give you some suggestions based on these.

The good news is that almost all routes through BC and into Alberta have their charms.

Cheers, and keep the rubber side down.

Trev

If the road is open I will cut through Logan Pass. Taking route 17 to the border. Then route 6 heading to Pincher Creek. From there take route 3 to the 93. I plan on checking road conditions on Thursady night. Thank you for your input. It's greatly appreciated.

Blurry Vision

 

[saxman]

If the road is open I will cut through Logan Pass. Taking route 17 to the border. Then route 6 heading to Pincher Creek. From there take route 3 to the 93. I plan on checking road conditions on Thursady night. Thank you for your input. It's greatly appreciated.

Blurry Vision

Hey Blurry,

You've got it right. Left just past Babb, Montana will take you the best route to Chief Mountain border crossing.

At Pincher Creek go west at the Shell Station (there's only 1 Shell - Pincher is small). This is the Beaver Mines Road. When it "T's" at 507 head north back up to HWY 3.

This is more interesting to ride than just going straight north of Pincher Creek and then west on HWY 3 from that point.

The Frank Slide visitor's centre is worth a look. If it's lunch time pull off into the old downtown area of Crowsnest Pass - some eclectic restaurants. If Pub-ing is more your

thing, stop at the Rum Runners Pub in Coleman a couple of miles down the road from Crowsnest Pass.

If you're continuing north on 93 when you get into BC, Fort Steele is worth a look if you're into history.

Forte Steel north on 93 is a bit boring road-wise, with only a few good sweepers, but scenery is quite good.

Once at Radium, take 93 north to Castle Mountain Junction. This stretch is great, scenery-wise and road wise.

At Castle Mountain Junction you can go east to Banff or West to Lake Louise. This is all good, scenery-wise, but avoid the main freeway unless you're

short of time. Instead go straight ahead across the old bridge (This is when you get to the Freeway) and then you'll be on the Bow Valley Parkway. Slower here, but

worth it - used to be the old Highway back in the day - so easy to stop and take pics etc.

Check out the lake and chateau at Lake Louise if you get there. An interesting side trip is the Moraine Lake Road which takes off from just near here - it's the most

spectacular Lake in the Rockies in my opinion.

In Banff, check out Bow Falls and take the Sulphur Mountain Gondola for amazing views.

Highway 93 from Lake Louise to Jasper is super-spectacular. Take a tour on the Athabasca Glacier - Columbia Icefields, if you have time. Also, the Gondola at Jasper is cool too, if you get that far.

Happy Riding!

Trev

 

[blurry vision]

If the road is open I will cut through Logan Pass. Taking route 17 to the border. Then route 6 heading to Pincher Creek. From there take route 3 to the 93. I plan on checking road conditions on Thursady night. Thank you for your input. It's greatly appreciated.

Blurry Vision

Hey Blurry,

You've got it right. Left just past Babb, Montana will take you the best route to Chief Mountain border crossing.

At Pincher Creek go west at the Shell Station (there's only 1 Shell - Pincher is small). This is the Beaver Mines Road. When it "T's" at 507 head north back up to HWY 3.

This is more interesting to ride than just going straight north of Pincher Creek and then west on HWY 3 from that point.

The Frank Slide visitor's centre is worth a look. If it's lunch time pull off into the old downtown area of Crowsnest Pass - some eclectic restaurants. If Pub-ing is more your

thing, stop at the Rum Runners Pub in Coleman a couple of miles down the road from Crowsnest Pass.

If you're continuing north on 93 when you get into BC, Fort Steele is worth a look if you're into history.

Forte Steel north on 93 is a bit boring road-wise, with only a few good sweepers, but scenery is quite good.

Once at Radium, take 93 north to Castle Mountain Junction. This stretch is great, scenery-wise and road wise.

At Castle Mountain Junction you can go east to Banff or West to Lake Louise. This is all good, scenery-wise, but avoid the main freeway unless you're

short of time. Instead go straight ahead across the old bridge (This is when you get to the Freeway) and then you'll be on the Bow Valley Parkway. Slower here, but

worth it - used to be the old Highway back in the day - so easy to stop and take pics etc.

Check out the lake and chateau at Lake Louise if you get there. An interesting side trip is the Moraine Lake Road which takes off from just near here - it's the most

spectacular Lake in the Rockies in my opinion.

In Banff, check out Bow Falls and take the Sulphur Mountain Gondola for amazing views.

Highway 93 from Lake Louise to Jasper is super-spectacular. Take a tour on the Athabasca Glacier - Columbia Icefields, if you have time. Also, the Gondola at Jasper is cool too, if you get that far.

Happy Riding!

Trev