4th July - Happy Independence Day to my American readers...
Anyway, to business...
I wake to the sound of heavy rain falling. I look out of the window and, sure enough, the impressive range of mountains that form the backdrop to the pleasant little town of Canmore have vanished in low cloud, from which is falling a steady drizzle.
To celebrate, I fit a new dipped beam headlamp bulb.
I pack, have an unmemorable breakfast and head off out onto Highway 1. (There's not much of a choice of roads here). I'm soon queuing...
...with all the other traffic to get in to Banff National Park. The ranger asks were I'm headed - I tell him 'West, but anywhere dry will do'
.
He asks if I intend to stop in the park - I say no, so he doesn't charge me and bids me a good day - result!
A little further on, I see an alternative route paralleling Highway 1 and turn off. It's still thoroughly miserable weather*...
...but I'm considerably cheered by a signpost. All signs here are bi-lingual – (it's a bit like travelling in Wales, but with more vowels).
The Department of Daft Lake Names (Departement des Noms du Lac Comedique) has excelled itself...
There is also a reminder that it is illegal, under Napoleonic law, to offer a gratuity to a herbivore...
Back on the alternate road west, I see a couple of large elk on the left side of the road. They have magnificent antlers, which are still covered in velvet...
I rejoin Highway 1 at Lake Louise. This is a spectacular part of the world, but, with the weather still on the deck, it'll have to wait for another time...
I press west, stopping for lunch at Golden. Golden was a mining town.. When the mine owner heard that his rival the next valley over had named his mine ‘Silver Camp’, he decided to join in some one-upmanship and called his ‘Golden Camp’. Sadly, it's now a charmless extended truck stop...
The river water here is a strange, duck egg blue colour, and is in flood...
The weather gradually gets better - though never so good that I risk removing my waterproofs. I'm happy to report that the Daytona boots that Paul sent over from the UK are warm & dry
Near Revelstoke, I get my first sight of blue sky today. I cross back into Pacific time again (8hrs behind) and, as I pass Salmon Arm...
...I decide it's been a long day & that I'll stop for the night in Kamloops, which sounds like a Canadian breakfast cereal, but is actually quite a large town...
I find a room with Internet access at the Travelodge for $70 Canadian (£30ish) - that'll do
*unimproved by sticking a miniature windsock on my tank bag...
Anyway, to business...
I wake to the sound of heavy rain falling. I look out of the window and, sure enough, the impressive range of mountains that form the backdrop to the pleasant little town of Canmore have vanished in low cloud, from which is falling a steady drizzle.
To celebrate, I fit a new dipped beam headlamp bulb.
I pack, have an unmemorable breakfast and head off out onto Highway 1. (There's not much of a choice of roads here). I'm soon queuing...
...with all the other traffic to get in to Banff National Park. The ranger asks were I'm headed - I tell him 'West, but anywhere dry will do'
. He asks if I intend to stop in the park - I say no, so he doesn't charge me and bids me a good day - result!
A little further on, I see an alternative route paralleling Highway 1 and turn off. It's still thoroughly miserable weather*...
...but I'm considerably cheered by a signpost. All signs here are bi-lingual – (it's a bit like travelling in Wales, but with more vowels).
The Department of Daft Lake Names (Departement des Noms du Lac Comedique) has excelled itself...
There is also a reminder that it is illegal, under Napoleonic law, to offer a gratuity to a herbivore...
Back on the alternate road west, I see a couple of large elk on the left side of the road. They have magnificent antlers, which are still covered in velvet...
I rejoin Highway 1 at Lake Louise. This is a spectacular part of the world, but, with the weather still on the deck, it'll have to wait for another time...
I press west, stopping for lunch at Golden. Golden was a mining town.. When the mine owner heard that his rival the next valley over had named his mine ‘Silver Camp’, he decided to join in some one-upmanship and called his ‘Golden Camp’. Sadly, it's now a charmless extended truck stop...
The river water here is a strange, duck egg blue colour, and is in flood...
The weather gradually gets better - though never so good that I risk removing my waterproofs. I'm happy to report that the Daytona boots that Paul sent over from the UK are warm & dry
Near Revelstoke, I get my first sight of blue sky today. I cross back into Pacific time again (8hrs behind) and, as I pass Salmon Arm...
...I decide it's been a long day & that I'll stop for the night in Kamloops, which sounds like a Canadian breakfast cereal, but is actually quite a large town...
I find a room with Internet access at the Travelodge for $70 Canadian (£30ish) - that'll do
*unimproved by sticking a miniature windsock on my tank bag...
