Three mountain passes (Sunwapta, Bow, Kicking Horse)
Three national parks (Jasper, Banff and Yoho)
Three hundred kilometres (301.5 to be exact): Snaring River Campground, north of Jasper, to Hoodoo Creek Campground in Yoho by way of Lake Louise in Banff NP
Five days (Six overall)
One rider: me
My ride: Penelope, Liv Avail XS road bike. Gracie (Trek road bike) and I rode the Icefield Parkway in 2008 and 2012 with Fred and my siblings. Now, it was Penelope’s turn.
Highest speed: 69 km/hour (coming down Sunwapta from the Columbia Icefields)
Lowest speed: 3.9 km per hour (Going up Sunwapta, I walked for a km)
Total Elevation gained: 2279 metres (2.279 km)
Coldest start: 5 degrees Celcius (Wilcox Campground, Columbia Icefield, Jasper NP)
Days with rain:3
Flat tires, avalanches, fires, bears, near accidents: 0
Collective number of hours of solitude in the saddle: 22 hours
Number of hours with cell reception: less than one.
Campgrounds and Route:
Thursday July 2:Snaring River Campground to Honeymoon Lake Campground (68.5 km)
Friday: to Wilcox Campground at Sunwapta Pass (55.5 km)
Saturday: to Waterfowl Campground (67 km)
Sunday: to Mosquito Creek Campground over Bow Summit (32.5 km),
Monday: a rest day
Tuesday: to Hoodoo Creek Campground via Lake Louise and Kicking Horse Pass (78 km)
Support: (finding campsites and setting up tent and tarps, bike maintenance, cheering me on): The Fantastic Fred
Beautiful views: Unlimited
How did it feel? At times a push, at times a breeze. Most of the time as if I were submerged in God, embodied in creation. As I rode down each mountain pass, I let out the loudest “Woohoo!” I could muster and felt tears in my eyes. My body in God’s body overjoyed.
When Jesus commands us to love our neighbours, he does not only mean our human neighbours; he means all the animals and birds, insects and plants, amongst whom we live. –John Philip Newell, Sacred Earth, Sacred Soul
An Everyday Pilgrim 