The Columbia Icefields to Kamloops
Day 13 – Wednesday August 18, 2010
Kilometres: 541.1
Time: Seven and half hours, including stops
Weather:
The Crossing (hwys 11 & 93): Light smoky, bright, 10 C at 8:30
Lake Louise: Sunny, 18 C
Golden- Hot and sunny, 28 C
Kamloops – Hazy, 40 C
I couldn’t get going quickly enough. I really felt ripped off with my expensive room that wasn’t anything special. I should have stayed in Lake Louise. I know that hindsight is 20/20.
I packed up quickly, bought a small coffee ($3.13 please) and ate a Power Bar in my room. On my way back from the cafeteria, I met a little chipmunk scurrying around the rocking in front of my hotel room. I watched him almost slither in, out and around the rocks. It moved some fast that it was difficult to see distinct movements.
I sat in my room with the door open eating my breakfast when all of a sudden the chipmunk came inside my room to see what was in there. It looked so cute as it came to a sudden stop, standing up, and saying to it self, “Nope, I don’t want to be here,” and running back outside again. That was really, really funny and cute.
I was soon on my bike and riding south towards Lake Louise. It was a crisp morning and wonderful day to be on the road. I stopped a couple of times to take picture of snow-capped mountains (I’m surrounded by them) and pristine lakes. Everywhere I looked it was a candidate for a postcard or calendar. This part of the mountains is spectacular because of the contrasts.
Here are a couple of pictures from the area between The Crossing and Lake Louise:
I’m not into tourist traps at all, but I had to stop at Lake Louise for gas, which was about 10 cents a litre cheaper than it was at The Crossing. I didn’t go too far into town because it was apparent that that it was all set up for tourists, much like Banff is. That’s not what I’m riding these roads to see, so I was soon on the highway and heading towards Golden.
It started to heat up as I descended into the valley. I had five layers on and I was soon starting to roast. Somewhere around there I moved into the Pacific Time Zone, and around noon Pacific Time I stopped in Golden for a quick sandwich at Tim Hortons.
After lunch, I took off a couple of layers and continued on. I didn’t want to change from jeans into my cycling shorts because I knew I had to go through Roger’s Pass. The last time I was there it was the end of August and there was snow at the side of the road. I’m not doing snow in spandex.
Roger’s Pass was so neat. The government has built avalanche tunnels. There must be loads of avalanches in the area. The tops of the tunnels have a few trees on them, but the tunnel is obviously an entirely man-made structure. They the top of the tunnel slops enough so that rocks, or more likely snow, just tumble over the tunnel and into the valley below. Columns hold up the outside wall of the tunnel, so I could easily see outside into the valley. It also let in lots of light, so they really didn’t need to light the tunnels during the day.
I think I went through about four or five of these tunnels before reaching a turnout after going through the Pass. I turned around I saw what I guess to be Roger’s Mountain. Here’s a pic of the view:
There wasn’t any snow at the side of the road, but there was about 300 metres up side of the mountain. I was glad I left my jeans on.
It was all down hill after that, and the further I went down, the hotter it became. I was soon in Revelstoke, where I was desperate for a washroom so I could change. Just outside of town was a turnout with an outhouse. I quickly unpacked my shorts and grabbed a tank top. I kept my cooling bandanna in reserve in my tank bag.
The road between Revelstoke and Kamloops is so scenic. It’s all lakes and mountains. In Salmon Arms they have quite a pleasure craft interest.
The further west I went, the hotter and hazier it became. I’ve hardly ever felt this way before while riding: “Am I there yet?” It really seemed to take forever to get to Kamloops. I don’t know why either, because I was really enjoying the scenery, but it just seem like a really, really long day.
When I got to the hotel, the air was hazy with smoke, but it wasn’t anything major. But, boy was it every hot. It was a toasty 40 C. I’d hate to know what it was if the hazy wasn’t there and the sun was at full force.
Checking into the hotel was not as straight forward as I’d thought. There seemed to be some discussion about my reservation. A gentleman named Freddie, who I soon found out was the owner, gives motorcycle riders a rather generous discount. He knocked off $30. As we began talking, he gave me a can of beer (I can’t drink and ride) and then gave me a $10 gift certificate at the local pub. He then took my tank bag and helmet and walked over to my ground floor room where he put a orange pylon in the spot in front so I had reserved parking.
I took his suggestion and went to pub, had a good meal and then went back to the hotel and had a beer. It was a perfect evening, with the hot desert breeze blowing from behind the hotel, I sat outside and took in the sights of the junipers and sage growing along the side of the highway. What a perfect way to end the day.
