carnets

Jasper, Jasper everyone gets down, the cyclaubertein also down!

At least 1 hour later all the gear was up and running, or rather rolling. And with us, because 3 days in the train we are getting nervous.
We take profit of this afternoon to "visit" the city of Jasper, which boils down to 2 or 3 blocks. Jasper looks like our Chamonix but much smaller, nice, high mountain, tourist town. Meeting point for the Mountaineers or perhaps “Rockies”, and skiers.

Another visit to the library to print new exercises, because children are tired of working on only one subject at a time; passing the information center is a strategic location for us. Then after long observation and check of the road cards, we go to the supermarket to supply us for at least three days … anyway we cannot take much more. Then go ahead to the nearest campsite for our first night in the Rockies Mountains. Jasper is on the edge of Jasper National Park, one of the largest towns in the country, and apparently wild animals including bears are not far away; and the fact, there are panels that we know well, with signs which couldn’t be clearer about the dangers. We carefully guard our reserves in eating bear-proof and do not store anything near us that could attract them. Upon awakening the next morning, they are caribous wandered among the tents. Solemn moment, where all the campers had get out their cameras and moved silently around the specimens.

That's it, we finally tackle one of the ten most beautiful roads of the world, passing through two large national parks and we will rise twice at more than 2000 m above the sea level.

Some people need 2 or 3 days, we will need much more than that. First surprise after just 2 km: A toll booth «welcomes” us to go that route. English conversation between Mrs. “Park” and me:
"We have also to pay for bicycles?"
"Yes, this is $ 20 per day for the family"
"God, to the east we did not pay in the parks because of the bikes"… no comments from Mrs. Park …
"For how many days do you want to pay?"
"hum … , we don’t know in advance our mileage for the next few days ..."
"So do you take one day and you will pay the guards coming?"
"Ok, we'll do it like that! ... ;-))"

We'll see if we are claimed something after worth , they cannot abused, we use their road only one time, we do not even pollute the park, and even absorbs some of the pollution from vehicles, there 's just that we are going much more slowly and we may abuse more pine trees, glaciers, or any animals with the eyes.

Finally, nobody asked us anything, even a guard originally from Briançon (Jean-Raoul) with whom we have chatted during the following three days.

The road is beautiful, wide, good shoulder, a real mountain highway normally closed to trucks (well, we saw a few going ...). It goes up but it's not too hard. We are surrounded by mountains, forests out of sight; there is nobody, no habitation, in short: it’s wild and we're here for a few days.
From our map, there are enough campsites for not having to make too big days. The campsites are all self-registration in the parks. It's simple, just put money in an envelope and the envelope into a ballot box. It's cheap, but it's rough: dry toilets, no shower's always the river not far and there is fresh water directly from the glaciers and in the morning it wakes up, a potable water tank and, very important for the future, a shelter with tables and a wood stove. The bears are not far away, and garbage cans are smart opening (there is only an human that can open them!), And anything that may have an odor must be placed in lockers provided for this purpose (food, soap. ..).

On this first climb day, we climb slowly but surely, we enjoy a bit sun, but we know that the bad weather is arriving, and here we quickly understand that we are in Canada and in the Rockies! The day after the rain is very cold; we regret the refreshing last showers in the East. Without sun, washing and toilet to the rive,r make us less laugh. Now the woodstove in the shelters make sense and we abuse of them without remorse. Some campers were able to see a bunch of Aubertein being roasted around the fire.

On the morning of 3rd day, the snow is just above, and this well bundled up that we are taking the road. We expect only one thing, the road must go up so that we can get warm (they are crazy these Aubertein!). We are moving in the mid-storm rain, half snow, Thomas fingers have to be warmed every 2 km and Julie find this is the best time to burst ... Murphy’s lows. Obviously, we're a thousand miles to think that this is one of the most beautiful roads … in any case you cannot see anything but clouds.

During the day, the sun is making a few shy appearances and let us sees a few pieces of peaks and glaciers. It looks great, especially the Columbia Icefield just before passing our first pass at over 2000 m altitude Saunwapta pass. The place is very touristy, and you can see far away on the glacier, kinds of red machines, like lunar vehicles, for a baptism for tourists on the ice. We just had a hot chocolate at a price exorbitant. We stopped a little further, at camping Wilcox, always the same principle, self-registration, minimum comfort. We jump on a free shelter and we finished the day around the fire with a good hot soup. It's the end of provisions and we must absolutely join Saskatchewan River crossing, tomorrow, at about 40 miles from there, where there would be a supply.

In the morning it is around 0 ° C. Even being dressed “in winter”, no way to warm up, the more it goes down. And it goes down hard, 600 m lower it was still cold, we divide our leftovers as we can and we rattle because we have to climb the 600 m lost! Later, our arrival at Saskatchewan River Crossing is not incognito. But despite all our stresses, no one invites us to neither spend the night nor suggest to teleport us to the next campsite, 20 km away ... The Motel is just too too expensive and we are forced to turn back 10 km to reach the camp Rampart creek. Meanwhile, we did some shopping at gold price at the snack to survive until the next town and the girls chatting with Mary-Linda coming by and suggested we stop in Cochrane, Calgary just before .

This time, the shelter is very great, and we share the warmth of the stove with cyclists, all European, is a celebration, because speaking in German, English, French, and Spanish. Everyone tells its journey, and gives appointments along on the road south, except the two German girls who return soon. Always the same bad weather, wet and cold to continue, we see nothing of the wonders that we are supposed to see. It does not motivate us a lot, but we must move forward, because we do not have more than one day's food.

We meet Denis, from Quebec, funny guy, who is a diversion in our painful progress. He is equipped with a horn to scare the bear, a “grigri”, made of eagles feathers, good luck charm, a mascot, a butterfly net (or for fish?) And many other things. He extracts from his collection, eagle feathers he offers to the children as lucky charms and keeps us company until we stopped at the campsite Waterfolw lake, himself continues towards the next pass. We prefer to keep for tomorrow the next climb to over 2000 m altitude and the descent to Lake Louise. Waterfolw lake must be pretty, but here this is dismal. It's raining, camping under the trees, it’s dark. I am getting tired of this time, this has been a little late in the season ... to visit by bike …

Shortly after starting the day after we meet Denis again, departed down the pass (where the day before he pitched the tent under the snow) in order to escort us. He is worried for children because it goes up really loud. So here we are in a single file through 7 : the onslaught of Bow Pass (2063 m) we reached two hours later. Thomas is a true champion, Denis did not believe it! To mark the occasion, he blows his horn that echoes in the mountains all around. And we cannot ignore the lake Peytot, the bluest of the Rockies, without seeing it, and then we attack a 100 m additional climb. Picnic at the top, very fast because the snow comes in large flakes. The day is not over, we still have at least 50 km to go to arrive at Lake Louise, no issue; we only have a few cakes for tea. The road is beautiful, and the temperature improves a little downhill, but we are tired. Arriving at Lake Louise, we join the highway in work and in traffic. Suddenly, a very dark tunnel and unexplained appearance of a large stone in the middle of my lane, here I am on the floor half under the load the bike, I went overboard. Very big fright, but that’s OK, we arrive at 7PM in the village, early enough to do some shopping at the supermarket.
We sat at the campsite with Denis, and we decide a bike strike until there is no sun!

MC

translated from the french by Michel

photos