Monday, July 18th - The Icefields Parkway.
The Icefields Parkway. I have wanted to ride on this since I heard someone take this road after CFR2009...I want to say it was rogdeb, but I may be remembering that wrong. But I have been yearning to see this since then...this road that is also a destination. I am not sure what I expected, but I expected it to be grand. Here we are, more than halfway through this trip and I will have visited Mt. St Helens, Mt. Rainier, ridden through the Cascades, explored the Okanagan Valley, reacquainted myself with Nakusp and Nelson, soaked in Ainsworth Hot Springs,gone over to the next range and stayed in Golden, visited Lake Louise...and NOW, we are going to ride the Icefields Parkway! What a trip this has been! Just listing all those places now gives me the chills that I was able to visit all those special places...and that doesn't even take into account the awesome people that we shared those times with.
So...will the weather, which has been so variable and unpredictable on this trip, will it cooperate on this day?
uh...yeah!
Stopped at an overlook...but looking back south on the Parkway
Gorgeous
As you head north from Lake Louise, you realize that the waters you are looking at are draining into the Arctic Ocean...blows my mind just thinking about that.
Looking north and east...
Looking ahead to the north...
Beautiful scenery, but you might notice what looks like a a traffic backup ahead (construction)
We took care of that...I just listened to the little devil speaking into my SENA, saying, go ahead past this 1/2 mile of stopped traffic...go ahead, just do it.
Glacier sighting...
Beautiful lake in the north country!..and draining into the Arctic Ocean!
Lake with Glacier
The great monoliths to the east
The Icefields Parkway is a ride in a valley between imposing mountains on both sides as you head north to Jasper, or south to Lake Louise. Very dramatic.
spectacular...
Then, all of a sudden you come to the Icefields Centre which is a visitor center with many glaciers in view...
They have lots of stuff there, restaurants, bathrooms, movies, rides on the glacier for sale...
...and many glaciers
Oh...and more glacier photos
Just a magical place...
So, we took our lunch break there, eating inside for awhile, as it was a bit blustery and plenty of chill..even under the hot July sun. Rested, recharged and amazed...we geared up and headed north...not knowing what to expect. Always expect the unexpected...
Mtn Peaks aplenty
and even more mountains...
I can't imagine what the first British explorer must have felt when they saw the Canadian Rockies for the first time. To be alone or with a small troop and seeing this would be just incredible. It's incredible to this very day.
So yer heading north, seeing a sign for some Falls and you surprise your wife and take the exit. Falls, I tell her. I have no idea.
Athabasca Falls...you have to stop, if you go on the Parkway. You. Have. To. It's on the north end, towards Jasper.
I just had no idea how beautiful it was going to be.
...and the surrounding terrain.
That daggone tree is just not gonna let go!
sneaking a picture of Louanne
So, we're getting close to Jasper...
...almost got nabbed a few kms south of Jasper passing a long train of cars...would NOT have been good. Just passed them and then after the next curve, two RCMPs had two vehicles pulled over.
Beauty, eh?
Train Station in Jasper with the Canadian Pacific Line...
Massive steam engine sitting on display
So...it's time to eat at a cafe's outdoor seating. Yep, that's me creeping around...
Some fine beverages there
...and we had nachos for supper, pretty decent
...So, it was finally time to call it a day...a day that will not be forgotten!
