I've ridden this road many times but never really stopped to 'smell the roses', so here we are. I had Friday off so decided to whip over to my friend's place in Strathmore for a long weekend. It's just over 600km each way.
Not a big deal to you hardened veteran long distance riders, but this was the first time I had ever been on a bike that turned over 100,000km. Here she sits, just east of Sicamous.
(http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f375/nickjtc/Alberta%2018-21%20August%202016%201.jpg) (http://s51.photobucket.com/user/nickjtc/media/Alberta%2018-21%20August%202016%201.jpg.html)
(http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f375/nickjtc/Alberta%2018-21%20August%202016%202.jpg) (http://s51.photobucket.com/user/nickjtc/media/Alberta%2018-21%20August%202016%202.jpg.html)
The first pass east of Revelstoke. This is just across the road from the field gun pic here: http://www.tigertriple.com/forum/index.php/topic,13971.0.html
(http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f375/nickjtc/Alberta%2018-21%20August%202016%203.jpg) (http://s51.photobucket.com/user/nickjtc/media/Alberta%2018-21%20August%202016%203.jpg.html)
The road east is quite good most of the way, but just east of Golden it narrows down to a single lane each way, up on the side of the valley of the Kicking Horse River.
(http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f375/nickjtc/Alberta%2018-21%20August%202016%204.jpg) (http://s51.photobucket.com/user/nickjtc/media/Alberta%2018-21%20August%202016%204.jpg.html)
The road used to meander up the river valley until this bridge was built to take it up and over.
(http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f375/nickjtc/Alberta%2018-21%20August%202016%205.jpg) (http://s51.photobucket.com/user/nickjtc/media/Alberta%2018-21%20August%202016%205.jpg.html)
Rather than dig a tunnel at the end of the bridge they took a metaphorical meat cleaver and cut a slot through the mountainside.
(http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f375/nickjtc/Alberta%2018-21%20August%202016%206.jpg) (http://s51.photobucket.com/user/nickjtc/media/Alberta%2018-21%20August%202016%206.jpg.html)
Here's the view coming back the other way.
(http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f375/nickjtc/Alberta%2018-21%20August%202016%207.jpg) (http://s51.photobucket.com/user/nickjtc/media/Alberta%2018-21%20August%202016%207.jpg.html)
The little railway town of Field, last place you go by before you reach Alberta.
(http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f375/nickjtc/Alberta%2018-21%20August%202016%208.jpg) (http://s51.photobucket.com/user/nickjtc/media/Alberta%2018-21%20August%202016%208.jpg.html)
It sits in the wide valley of the Kicking Horse River.
(http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f375/nickjtc/Alberta%2018-21%20August%202016%209.jpg) (http://s51.photobucket.com/user/nickjtc/media/Alberta%2018-21%20August%202016%209.jpg.html)
Then you climb the 'Big Hill' into
(http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f375/nickjtc/Alberta%2018-21%20August%202016%2010.jpg) (http://s51.photobucket.com/user/nickjtc/media/Alberta%2018-21%20August%202016%2010.jpg.html)
The kind highways folks have put these at regular intervals to allow the local wildlife to be able to cross the highway without fear of being flattened!
(http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f375/nickjtc/Alberta%2018-21%20August%202016%2011.jpg) (http://s51.photobucket.com/user/nickjtc/media/Alberta%2018-21%20August%202016%2011.jpg.html)
The whole of the east side of the Rockies is at elevation, but you do not realise quite how high you are.
(http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f375/nickjtc/Alberta%2018-21%20August%202016%2012.jpg) (http://s51.photobucket.com/user/nickjtc/media/Alberta%2018-21%20August%202016%2012.jpg.html)
This is coming back westwards.
Dead Man's Flats fuel stop.
(http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f375/nickjtc/Alberta%2018-21%20August%202016%2013.jpg) (http://s51.photobucket.com/user/nickjtc/media/Alberta%2018-21%20August%202016%2013.jpg.html)
Lots of craggy vistas.
(http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f375/nickjtc/Alberta%2018-21%20August%202016%2014.jpg) (http://s51.photobucket.com/user/nickjtc/media/Alberta%2018-21%20August%202016%2014.jpg.html)
Coming back into British Columbia.
(http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f375/nickjtc/Alberta%2018-21%20August%202016%2015.jpg) (http://s51.photobucket.com/user/nickjtc/media/Alberta%2018-21%20August%202016%2015.jpg.html)
(http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f375/nickjtc/Alberta%2018-21%20August%202016%2016.jpg) (http://s51.photobucket.com/user/nickjtc/media/Alberta%2018-21%20August%202016%2016.jpg.html)
Not very clear, but this is the site of the famous Spiral Tunnels just east of Field. They solved the problem of how to get the railway track up the Big Hill without excessive grade.
(http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f375/nickjtc/Alberta%2018-21%20August%202016%2017.jpg) (http://s51.photobucket.com/user/nickjtc/media/Alberta%2018-21%20August%202016%2017.jpg.html)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEe9d69NpyM
(http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f375/nickjtc/Alberta%2018-21%20August%202016%2018.jpg) (http://s51.photobucket.com/user/nickjtc/media/Alberta%2018-21%20August%202016%2018.jpg.html)
West of the Rockies are the Selkirks, in which Revelstoke sits.
(http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f375/nickjtc/Alberta%2018-21%20August%202016%2019.jpg) (http://s51.photobucket.com/user/nickjtc/media/Alberta%2018-21%20August%202016%2019.jpg.html)
Still snow at higher elevations, even in August.
(http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f375/nickjtc/Alberta%2018-21%20August%202016%2020.jpg) (http://s51.photobucket.com/user/nickjtc/media/Alberta%2018-21%20August%202016%2020.jpg.html)
It takes about 7 hours each way to get from here in Vernon to the other side of Calgary.
And the really good news is that the bike got 64 mp(Imperial)g coming home!
Looks fantastic Nick, you're a very lucky man.
Great photos how different things are over there.
very nice, ba&6tard, sorry, lucky ba&6tard :icon_mrgreen:
What Chris and Tim said :thumbsup
Quote from: Timbox2 on August 22, 2016, 07:42:55 PM
very nice, ba&6tard, sorry, lucky ba&6tard :icon_mrgreen:
Yes, we are very, very lucky. But it is here for you guys to see too if you came over...........................
It's incredible how someone else's 'regular route' can be someone else's exotic location. Great stuff Nick.
Ridden that bit Nick, stayed at the campground in Golden , seen a train do the spiral tunnel too, very cool
Quote from: Nick Calne on August 23, 2016, 11:19:29 PM
It's incredible how someone else's 'regular route' can be someone else's exotic location. Great stuff Nick.
Yeah, Peckham to Croydon was pretty exotic
Oh shush Timbox, you love it!