Day 14: Revelstoke to Glacier National Park
After a day off and a luxurious night of wining and dining at the Hillcrest hotel in Revelstoke, we were up early the following morning and on our way to Glacier National Park, via Rogers Pass. The weather was hot (30C!) and sunny. We were expecting the clouds to roll in as Meghann was our riding buddy, but they stayed away and we enjoyed a wonderful down hill to kick off the ride.
We've decided over the last couple of weeks that the best way to see Canada (or any country for that matter) is by bike. The views of the rockies as we biked along were incredible.
Kirstin, Mel and Lisa roadside, enjoying the views of glacier-fed waterfalls.
We passed through the gates to Glacier National Park and began the climb to Rogers Pass, a 1,330 meter summit. The climb was much less treacherous than we had anticipated (relative to all the other passes we had completed so far). once at the summit we took our time taking in the snow-capped mountains all around us.
Pedaling Feat at the top of Rogers Pass!
That night we found a hidden gem of a campground called Kinbasket Lake resort, owned by Rick (a former NHL player for the Habs). The campground faced a glacier-fed lake surrounded by mountains. It was a very hot day and so, we decided to take a dip in the lake. As we walked towards it, we passed a couple who warned us that it was way too cold for a swim. They may have been right. But we went for a dip anyway. A very quick one.
Mel and Lisa in the ice cold water of Kinbasket Lake.
As we lounged on the beach, our rest and relaxation was rudely interrupted by a horsefly appropriately named Adolf (by Karin). We quickly became avid fly swatters that afternoon and eliminated Adolf and his two followers. That night we enjoyed a scrumptious dinner of fresh corn, veggie burgers and smores, followed by a competitive game of Taboo. It was a doozie of a day!
The ladies hanging out lakeside, after a long bike ride through Rogers Pass.
Day 15: Glacier National Park to Yoho National Park
The next morning we were up bright and early and rode 50 km, mostly downhill, into Golden, BC. The good thing about down hills (other than the obvious!): It gives you time to really take in the views. The small glacier-fed waterfalls, the wildlife, the rivers, and the lush valleys. That and the fresh warm air made the ride a ride to remember. Western Canada is so beautiful!
Once in Golden, we met up with Lois and our awesome crew, and stopped for lunch at Subway. Leaving Golden, there was a section of our route that was under construction which we decided to drive (in the name of safety!). Once clear of the construction, we hopped back on our bikes and rode all the way to Field, a small town in Yoho National Park with the Kicking Horse River flowing through it.
The best part of the ride that day were all the avalanche tunnels we got to ride through! As we rode down the mountainside, we passed through covered sections of the highway which are dark and awesome, especially when you have a motorcade with you to control the traffic! We had Kirstin's SUV in front and Lois behind us. After each tunnel, we pulled off to the side to let the traffic pass and wave at all the drivers we had held up along the way!
Sadly, this is where Kirstin, Karin and Meghann left us. They were a dynamite team who represented Pedaling Feat well and not only got us through the toughest part of the ride, but helped us collect a lot of donations along the way!
We spent the night in Yoho National Park where Bryan and Nova joined us once again.
No comments:
Post a Comment