Jasper Loop

[JamesW]

There and back, roads rode. Been doing 3 to 4 day loops of BC/Alberta since 1979 at least once a year and frequently several times as overniters, exception was last year when after some surgery stuff Doc said no motorcycle for 60 days and no lifting over 10 lbs for 30 days. Than my riding partner totals his bike along with 3 ribs as I am healing, not a good year. Beautiful as BC is I found myself getting a little bored this year on many stretches. Left at 0630hrs, Mon. the 20th of June, the drone to Sumas and then most of the way to Hope is getting stale except for the last bit when you get off the flats. I do love, and still do, the first 1/2 of the Coquihalla up to Merritt, scenic beauty, curvy roads, all the speed a guy could want, limits are generous, couple of nice rest spots if desired although you have to watch for them, does not seem like a freeway to me. From Merritt comes a real gem, 5A to Kamloops, so nice, I mellow the speed to enjoy the experience. Then it is another sort of drone to Valemount for the night at the Super 8, not a bad nite, air conditioner worked and breakfast was ok, had the real breakfast at Jasper 65 miles of scenic nice road,with some construction, later. In BC/ALBERTA if the shoulder is clear no one seems to object if bikes go to the head of the line, this gives one a lot of clear road once traffic moves. Going down the Parkway had a few issues, which I may describe at a later date, back to Jasper for a bit, than down the parkway again but a few hours behind schedule. I prefer the parkway going S. to N. but pretty is pretty. Lk Louise East is another sort of drone, especially when getting rained on. Past Canmore a ways is the highway 40 Kananaskis to highway 22 route, NOT TO BE MISSED, a true motorcycling gem. 22 to Pincher creek Super 8, a true 0 on a one to motel10 scale, only reason to stop was running out of time and daylight, cost us the nite in Waterton lakes, which was sadly missed as one of my preferred gems. On to St. Marys, only one place to eat early was in the lodge restaurant. Switched up, as we have been over Logan pass many times and we had decided to beat feet home that day, I highly recommend 89 S. to 49, which is a pass not recommended for the feint of heart,truly gorgeous country, to highway 2 and West. getting close to Kalispell I chose 206 S. to 82 W., great bypass, than down to Montana highway 28 and across to Plains, if you really want to go this is a place to hang it out a bit. Highway 200 to Thompson Falls and than over Thompson Fall pass to (ugh) I90. This is a very pretty route. I90 was a have to to get home, paving around Moses lake not a thrill, sometimes freeways are what you have to do, caught a few rabbits, 729 miles from Pincher Creek to home at 9pm I am getting to old for those kinds of days anymore, although I was fine till the next day. That was that.

 

[wheatonFJR]

Thanks for the notes...Will be heading that direction in less than two weeks.

 

[wnyfjr]

Was just in this area the last few days (an RV trip, not a moto-bike trip). While the scenery is certainly magnificent on 93 going through Jasper National Park, the road in the middle sections is absolutely awful for a 42' 5th wheel! Frost heaves damn near knocked the fillings outta my teeth! The first maybe 10 miles into the park are newly paved on each end (North and South), but in between is rather nasty. Maybe not as horrible in smaller, lighter vehicles but in the truck/trailer combo we were driving, I couldn't wait to get out of it. That being said, the views were spectacular, even though the weather was sort of cloudy and damp.