| thedougsite Columbia Icefields Loop Aug. 15-17/11 |
| We set out on the Harleys for a
few days of riding. Headed north over the Duffy and on to Kamloops
where we turned north on Highway 5. I'd never been up #5 N before.
Riding was good with only one bit of rain on the Duffy, just enough to
get the bikes dirty. Once out into the Fraser Canyon country it warmed
and dried out. This pic shows us at Kamloops Lake. |
| Highway 5 North follows the very
beautiful North Thompson River as it works its way along. Our ride took
us through Barriere (scene of those huge fires a couple of years ago).
The river valley is as peaceful and tranquil as can be. Spent the first
night in Clearwater. Couldn't actually find the town but did find a
nice motel and a crappy restaurant. After a couple of hours riding on
the second morning, through none-stop fabulous country, we came to
Valemount, where everyone is Swiss and speaks Germain. There we found a
great little bakery / coffee shop where we warmed up and enjoyed some
pastry. |
| North of Valemount, #5 ends at
#16. We turned east and into Mount Robson Park and Alberta. Riding was
cold, but no rain. Cold enough we were happy to wear our full-face
helmets. Here's a pic of Ryan with Robson in the background. It's top
is almost always hidden in clouds. |
| Mount Robson. Very big and
impressive. Big impressive country all along. These mountains are so
very different from out Coastal Mountains. They are ancient sea beds
that have crashed against the original west edge of North America. They
have been pushed up and broken, leaving the exposed layers showing. |
| Just little
old me adjusting my helmet and scarf to keep the cold wind of the back
of my cranky old neck. |
| As you leave Mt Robson Pk and
enter Jasper National Pk, you also leave BC and enter Alberta over the
Yellowhead Pass. We also crossed the upper reaches of the Fraser River
along here, small and pristine. We rode on in to Jasper where we fueled
up and then headed down the Columbia Icefields Parkway. Two hundred
kilometers of scenery. (Of course, everything out here is scenery)
Here's a photo-opp stop along the upper reached of the Athabasca River. |
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