360 mile / 600 km Sunday ride

[NotDeadYet]

I woke up Sunday morning to clear blue skies with temps forecast for 24C with no wind. I pulled the bike out at noon and with little to no planning I headed west.

I rolled the old secondary hiway up to Canmore where I grabbed a quick snack then jumped on hiway 1. I passed Banff and then took another secondary road (the Bow Valley Parkway) on up to Lake Louise. I topped up with fuel and had a drink there, then I headed north up the Jasper highway. I made it about halfway up the Jasper hiway, (about 300 kms from home) when I decided I should turn around and make tracks back. I wanted to get home before the sun set and the temps got cooler.

I reversed direction back to the Lake Louise junction and jumped on hiway 1 for the ride home. It’s not as nice riding the 4 lanes with traffic but it got me back a little quicker than the secondary roads would have. I pulled into the driveway at 8pm and covered just over 600 kms from start to finish.

I took a few pics along the Jasper Highway. With the warm temperatures the snow is getting heavy and the avalanche hazards in the back country are extreme. I could see slides on most of the steeper slopes. For those who have never had the chance to experience the Jasper hiway the views are just this side of heaven. You be the judge.
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[BillDownUnder]

Really nice!
We hope to visit that area (by car) this time next year, starting from Vancouver.

[philabeg]

Epic scenery! Starting the year in style!

[slayman]

Thanks for the pics. You still have two bikes?

[NotDeadYet]

Thanks for the pics. You still have two bikes?

I bought the green 14r three years ago. I sold the blue 14 a few months later. It had electrical gremlins that were hard to sort out. Once I finally got it running right I let it go. So in answer to your question I technically only have one bike.

I am the caretaker and keeper of the keys for a 2010 ZX14 se that belongs to a friend of mine though. It lives in my garage. He doesn’t have storage for it and he’s not riding much so I keep it maintained and ride it occasionally just to make sure the fuel doesn’t go bad for him. That’s what friends are for.

I also have the wife’s 1991 Honda VTR250 in the garage to look after. She hasn’t ridden it in years but she won’t consider selling it. I think she’s keeping it for one of the grand kids. I ride it a few times a year just to keep it from suffering from neglect. That’s what husbands are for.

But neither of those bikes actually belong to me, I’m just the custodian.
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[CrazyTrain]

Gorgeous, Dave - great photos!

I'm very much looking forward to riding up there in June and hope to meet up with you.

[Lil_Silver_Rocket]

Damn, that is beautiful scenery! Thank you immensely for sharing

[gregness]

Awesome Dave! I know it looks cold, but I also know that in the mountains a couple hundred miles SW of you it was 82 (f) this weekend- I wanted to be riding but finishing this new house is demanding all my spare time. Also, Sherman Pass on HWY 20 has still got lots of sand and dirt, looks very scary for a bike- are your roads already cleared up?

[NotDeadYet]

Hey Greg - there is still some sand and gravel out there, especially at intersections and approaches and the like. One has to be careful. Pushing the limits this time of the year isn’t a good idea.

[Sirpolex]

Fantastic pictures

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The icy lake looks pretty cold to me.
How did you manage?

[NotDeadYet]

Fantastic pictures. The icy lake looks pretty cold to me. How did you manage?

It was a beautiful day. Temp was about 24C.

[spedxprt]

Awesome pics, Dave! Helluva ride Is the Jasper Highway also called the Ice Field Parkway?

[NotDeadYet]

Awesome pics, Dave! Helluva ride Is the Jasper Highway also called the Ice Field Parkway?

That would be correct Bill, go to the front of the class. They are one and the same.

[mehush]

Beautiful.

[spectreman]

That's some gorgeous scenery- you're lucky to be in such close proximity.