| Day |
Date |
Entry |
| 12 |
Wed, July 14 |
Golden to Lake Louise was a very tough day for Michelle. The climb started very steep. The scenery was beautiful, as we were ascending a canyon. The ride then drew level, and we entered a beautiful area of meadow and mountain.
In Field, B.C., we ate at the very funky Truffle Pigs restaurant. Very cool place. We had a great time. |
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| 13 |
Thu, July 15 |
We spent the evening in the Lake Louise campground. We would not have been so fortunate, save for Sarah and Steve snagging one of the last campsites there. This morning we parted ways, as we left early. Steve and Sarah needed to wait for the bike shop to open to true up a wheel. We had a good ride into Canmore. Highway 1A is a very pretty ride. After Canmore, we made the error of rejoining Highway 1A, which turned out to be a brutal road. We managed to make Ghost Reservoir and just set up our tent, when we got clobbered with a very severe hail storm. Huddling in the wet tent and my heavy lead cycling against the afternoon wind likely caused the tendonitis that I began to feel after today's ride. The storm broke at about 8 p.m. and the retired couple in the RV beside us were kind enough to fix us some tea and let us warm up in their RV. It is sad to leave the mountains behind.
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| 14 |
Fri, July 16 |
The same couple redoubled their kindness with a warm breakfast. We had a good ride into Cochrane, but I could tell already that my right achilles tendon was not happy. After a second breakfast in Cochrane, we experienced a very hot ride to Airdrie. My tendon grew worse and I knew from experience that it was shot. We decided to lay up in Crossfield. We got a good rate at the Crossfield Country Inn and decided to give ourselves a rest day to boot. This part of Alberta is not flat. Rather, it consists of grassy undulating hills. |
| 15 |
Sat, July 17 |
Rest day. Just vegging in the nice hotel room. I slept about 12 hours last night. We watched Lance Armstrong win Stage 13 of the Tour de France, flying up 7 to 10 degree grades. Today it's 30 degrees outside, a good choice for our second rest day of the trip. |
| 16 |
Sun, July 18 |
107K today from Crossfield to Drumheller. We got an early start and this is good, for it grew very hot in the afternoon. We made Drumheller by 1 p.m. My right achilles tendon is still complaining, but it is rideable (with care). We will set up our tents and do lunch in town. |
| 17 |
Mon, July 19 |
Drumheller to Youngstown. My tendon is perfectly healed. The day started out with a climb out of the Drumheller canyon. The weather was good. We stopped and had coffee in the small town of Delia. The coffee shop owner advised us the other cyclists come through as well. Good winds helped us clock a strong day to Youngstown. |
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