Jasper to Sunwapta Pass

Here are the stats of the day

Daily Stats

Well life is quickly going DOWNHILL!!!!!  

We woke up to RAIN!!!!!!  I hate to put the tent away in the rain, but I lay in there long enough that it had sort of calmed down a bit by the time I got up.

And in the trash department. I now have MAJOR competition for the helmet contest. Yes - I know you haven't seen my helmet yet - I do have a picture. Just bear with me. But Travis found a stuffed half bear/half something else. He secured it to his helmet and SPUNKY was born!!!!! 

Spunky with his personal rain gear!!!!

Getting ready to leave with all our rain gear on!!!!!

 Oh did I mention that besides it raining - it was COLD. So when we arrived at our first stop of the day there was a nice restaurant at the Sunwapta Hills Resort. They started the fireplace for those who needed to get warmed up. I was just nice and toasty in my FOUR layers. I swear - you need that undershirt and a good tough jacket (not just a rain jacket) and you are set for everything.

Sitting by the fire

When I went to the washroom, I found this great jacket - complete with a hood. Can you guess what it is made of?????? Recycled plastic bottles. I couldn't resist.

I had chili at this stop. And while I liked the chili, I could taste that chili all afternoon long!!!!!

We had to deal with a BIG HILL which was fairly challenging, but we made it.

So now we are cycling through some of the most beautiful countryside and we could NOT see a thing because of the low clouds. It sucked!!!!!

Beautiful mountains obscured by clouds and mist!!!!!

It rained on and off all day and we were looking forward to a COLD evening on the top of the mountain!!!!

There was a COLD descent of one hill and then it was COLD and WINDY on the flats.

Then DISASTER struck. OK - so I exaggerate - I was riding with Prisca and she says - STOP - I hear something. I don't hear anything and tires look OK. Then I try to get riding and I couldn't go anywhere. Look back and back tire is FLAT. CRAP - this is the THIRD flat on this trip. When I arrived at camp that night - I am now in the running for the most flat tires. While I like being in the lead - I did NOT like being in the lead in this category!!!!!   I started to change the tire and Dave pops up. He proceeded to watch me while I changed the tire and Prisca helped. Then he left!!!!   But by then I was almost done. And I got it right!!!!!   So I am getting good at this changing tire thing!!!

Columbia Icefields

We passed the Icefields, but by this time - we are exhausted and cold and no one wants to stop. Are you KIDDING ME????????   The thought of stopping did NOT even enter my mind. We had a lot of climbing today - long distance and battling the weather. I guess I will just have to come back to see the Icefields.

Anyway as we arrive at the campground - we had a climb into the camp ground. You are KIDDING ME!!!!!!!   Up and up we went - around and around and at last arrived at the campground. No showers, but we knew that in advance. Get that tent set up and then we find out that there is a small shack with a wood stove in it and Harold (bless you Harold) had got a roaring fire started in the shed. Yeah HAROLD!!!!!



Warming up in the shed!!!!!



Lynn with her new mitts and hat that she purchased at the same place I bought my jacket



Waiting for dinner which the guys (Mike and Nic) brought down from the truck. Bless you guys!!!!!   That was much appreciated. OK - it wasn't that cold, but it was definitely cool!!!!!

Harold stoking the fire

A cake that Mike had made - got cooked on the wood stove

Me (in my parka - which everyone LOVED) outside the "warm house" with the lovely tarp for a door. It worked like a charm and everyone who had wet clothes was able to dry them. Again - I was NOT wet.

We had a great time that evening. It was just like camp - OK - so we didn't have smores or marshmallows, but we really had lots of laughs. "Spunky" was a bad influence on Travis and kept getting Travis into trouble.

Some people were a tad worried whether we were going to have snow over night or whether there would be ice on the ground in the morning and when you see the stats for tomorrow - you will understand why!!!!

I went to bed, knowing that my tent would be nice and warm. I have a very thick sleeping bad supposedly good to -10 degrees C. However I have to say that I wore my undershirt to bed and I was toasty warm although I did NOT have to open the sleeping bag because I was too warm!!!!!!

Oh yes - the name of our campground was Wilcox Campground. We ran into a fellow from the Netherlands. He had extra food that he was trying to pawn off on us. We had already had a great dinner of burritos. Anyway Jim had a go at the extra food. This guy is skinny and where does he put it all??????

Have a great day!!!!!

Ciao!!!!!