This morning was a far cry from yesterday. Instead of heavy clouds hanging in the sky, I was greeted by a dome of blue with patchy clouds. Although the sun was shining, it didn't seem to provide much warmth. When I left Brooks, AB at 8:30 the temperature was 16C.
As I rolled west the nature of agriculture changed. Instead of corn, sunflowers, and canola, the land was spotted with wheat and, grasslands and prairie. But the sky is as big as it was yesterday. Instead of the greens and yellows of previous days, the landscape is dominated by gold, browns and some green. And the land, instead of being flat is gently rolling. To the south the land slopes away and one can see for miles (using the old measurement) To the north the land slopes upward to the sky. This time and place is a perfect time to appreciate the beauty of this land. At least for me. I enjoy the colours and the broad vistas.
West f Brooks, AB. More big sky and some ranchland.
An appropriately named county.
Almost white blond colour of ripe wheat.
Another variation on the colour and sky.
I pulled in to a rest area to take a break. I met a couple from Delta who were travelling with a motorcycle in a trailer. They were also carrying camping supplies, so the would stop overnight in rest areas for several nights, then get a motel room. When they reached a destination, they would unload the motorcycle and explore the area. It is an economical way to travel, but a little to basic for me.
As dry as this land seems to be, it is spotted with small ponds that support lush vegetation, and often flocks of ducks. Ducks Unlimited buys areas of prairie wetlands to protect them and also to save duck habitat. The payoff is that they can hunt ducks in the fall. They must be doing something right, because I saw lots of ducks in many of those small bodies of water.
Typical prairie duct habitat.
I continued on the Strathmore and Calgary taking a bypass around the northern end of the city. Traffic was heavy and occasionally the need to merge caused stop and go traffic jams. Along the bypass the city has expanded with many developments of similar cookie cutter houses. As the bypass became Highway 1 again I could see the ski jump from the 1988 Calgary Olympics.
at this point I was running low on fuel, but there were no gas stations to be seen in the whole distance around the north end of Calgary. Fortunately, there was a PetroCan station on the highway, because I was running on fumes at that point. So were many others because there were lines at all the pumps. I refueled and set out to Canmore and Banff.
There are pullouts every so often and I stopped at one. It reminded me of the first time I saw the Rockies in the summer of 1966 when the Ontario contingent to the Banff National Army Cadet Camp (BNACC) was being bused from Calgary. For a boy who had never been father away from Perth than Ottawa and Montreal, it was magical. I was awed by the sheer mass of these mountains. I had never seen anything like them. That awe has stayed with me to this day. These scenes are my first views if the Rocky Mountains fifty-seven years ago.
First views of the Rockies from 1966
I took several photos just to emphasize the sheer size on these mountains. There is a reason that Banff and area is inundated with tourists and sightseers year round.
Views from the Banff Information Centre
For years I have wanted to return to the Cadet Camp where I spent such a wonderful summer so many years ago. Sadly, the camp has been removed and replaced with a grassy meadow. All that remains is a plaque hoouring the thousands of young men who attended the camp from the late 1940s until the mid 1990s. I feel that an important part of my past has been lost. In 1966 the meadow was covered with living quarters for cadet and staff, a mess hall and a parade square where cadets were on parade on several occasions.
Plaque honouring the BNACC cadets and staff.
Cascade Mountain opposite the former cadet camp.
After engaging in this bit of nostalgia I headed west and took the old Highway 1A for about 25 kilometres. I crossed the Bow River and shot some photos of more mountains. I never get tired of seeing them.
Here is where the first serious glitch in the whole journey happened. I took a wrong turn and when I attempted to turn around and get back on course, my left foot slipped on loose gravel and I dumped my bike. Damage was minimal, a few scratches and such, and a slightly damaged spotlight, but as I went down a part of the bike landed on the side of my left foot. It is now slightly swollen and sore but I can get on with it. It is just frustrating to have such a small stupid thing mar a epic trip. It will cost me some money, but I will have it returned to its normal good condition.
The next stop on this day's ride was the Spiral Tunnels built by the CPR in the first decade of the past century to reduce the 4.4% grade on the Big Hill east of Field, BC. It is quite grown in so it is difficult to see the tunnels from the viewpoint, but one of the portals was reasonably clearly visible.
Tunnel portal in the distance
Close up of the tunnel portal of one of the spiral tunnels.
Over the past several years the BC government has been spending hug sums of money to improve the Trans Canada Highway from the Alberta border. It is paying off, but there is still much to do and construction delays are common. However, part of the construction has been what is called the 'Golden Skybridge'. It is spectacular, but I was only able to get a peekaboo view of it, but it is enough to give you and idea of what it looks like.
Golden Skybridge
In 1962 the Trans Canada was completed and there is an interpretive near the summit of the Rogers Pass. And here are more mountain photos because they are all so impressive.
Glacier the mountain to the west of the Rogers Pass summit.
The last item on today's agenda was to visit the site of the Last Spike ceremony to commemorate the completion of the Canadian Pacific Railway from the east to Canada's west coast, bringing the country together in what one writer has called a 'ribbon of steel'. While I was there I was able to take a video of a freight train passing over the spot where Donald Smith drove the ceremonial last spike on November 7th, 1885. The line still links the various parts of Canada almost 138 years later. It is a living link to our country's history, and I appreciate that.
Here is the link to the Craigellachie CPR video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ct8AsK4FrxU
Last Spike cairn with plaques honouring various aspects of the railway's construction, erected on the centenary of its completion in 1985.
Section of original rail used on the line in 1885. This rail was manufactured in 1883, 140 years ago.
So, I am coming to the end of my epic adventure. When I began the journey, I had doubts about whether I could pull it off. Not to get ahead of myself, but I have one more big day's ride left before completing this personal challenge. I have seen a tremendous variety of landscapes from Vancouver, across the Canadian prairies and the American Great Plains. to the Great Lakes, Superior and Huron and then to the place of my birth and early life, eastern Ontario. I have realized in a very real way, that beauty if where you find it and what you make of it. It is only necessary to be open to it. And, it's never too late to do something big. We have a limited number of revolutions around the sun, and it is up to us to make the most of our days. Nothing is sadder than regret for what might have been.
Anyway, I have one more big riding day, then I'll park my bike for a while and get back to real life
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