The Rocky Mountains and Yellowstone

As I left Hinton I was full of anticipation for the day that was coming. The bike was clean and polished, it was early and the rain had held off. A couple of km down the road the sign said turn left for Jasper, and then began to wind easily through the hills. Then the tarmac ran out, no problem probably just some of the sprig road works in progress, but I’ll take it easy because I don’t want to get the bike dirty again. After 30km I realised this wasn’t going to stop, too late to turn back it would probably end soon. Past the coal mines the road just got worse then headed deep into the woods. At 90km I ran across some lads that had obviously been having fun on quads all weekend.

“How far does this go on”?
“Where are you going?”
“Jasper”
“Oh you’d be better off turning round and going back the way you’ve come”
“The hell with that! When will I reach tarmac?” “About 90km”
“Oh crap”

They offered fuel if I needed it, but I was good. They wished me luck and I set off again, then it started to rain. I reached the road again after 200km. I was covered in mud and so was the bike. Some b*stard had messed with the sign in Hinton.


The road ran out just before the coal mines


Then it started to rain!


Deeper into the woods. 200km what a mistake!!

So I joined the Ice fields Parkway halfway down, but at least the second half was spectacular.


At last the Rockies and the Icefields Parkway


The bears are out here as well and not as frightened of traffic


It just gets better from here


The Crowsfoot Glacier


Just magnificent

After cleaning the bike again I spent two nights in Banff and took a ride up to a very cold and grey Lake Louise the next day.


A cold and grey Lake Louise


The stags are getting their horns


Moraine Lake

I had put out a message on the Horizons Unlimited website to the Calgary community to ask if anyone knew of a place I could do an oil and filter change, and a cheap motel nearby. It was a great response and in amongst all the offers of a garage Warren Balisky offered to put me up as well. It still surprises me how generous people can be. So a big thanks to Warren and his family for their hospitality for a couple of nights.


Thanks Warren. His Harley is back in the Garage.

On Friday I left Calgary in the pouring rain, I mean torrential, and it lasted until almost the US border just south of Cardston. Just before I crossed the border I saw a sign for Head Smashed in Buffalo Jump (honest it’s a real place) so I took the 16km detour to visit. It’s a wonderful exhibit of how the Blackfeet Indians hunted the buffalo in an unusual way, and also the horrific destruction to near extinction of these magnificent animals by the white man.


It a real place!


The killing site where they would have placed sharp boulders


The village would have been nearby for processing

When I crossed the border I asked if it would be possible to get an extension to my visa for the United States. As I had crossed the border earlier than I had anticipated from Mexico it meant that I would have to leave before my intended time of the end of October. The guys at the border were very helpful and explained that if I had handed the paper in when I went into Canada they would have renewed it when I came back into the US. In the end they reset the clock and I now have until 15th Dec if I want. So no hurry now, having to find a shipping agent in Boston.


As you cross the border you enter the Blackfeet Reserve

Montana, big sky country, well it would have been if it hadn’t been covered in cloud! Unfortunately Mother Nature gain spoiled my plans to ride through the Glacier national Park. The pass is still blocked with snow, so I could only ride the 13miles to where the gate was closed and then turn around.


Glacier showed so much promise


But Mother Nature and the gate said no.


Why do you ask two dogs? No? It tickled me.

But at least the rain had stopped and after a good nights rest in a nice little place called Choteau, I rode on south until I reached Livingston for an early night and one of the best steaks I have ever had. 16oz of prime Rib slow cooked all day and the fries came on a side plate! It just melted in your mouth, so if you find yourself in Livingston eat at the Stockman.

Yesterday I set off for Yellowstone National Park. I hadn’t even thought that it was Saturday and half of America would be there! But apart from the RV’s slowing everything down It was as magnificent as I remembered it. The weather stayed fine and even started causing me to overheat in my riding suit with all the liners in. But it would have been very cold on the bike if I hadn’t had them in.


Yellowstone in spring


The cold sets the hot sulphur springs off even better




Old Faithful in full eruption


Warning Hot! do not touch!!


The Bison herds are everywhere in the park


Sometimes close enough to get some really good shots

So I’m now in Cody for a couple of days before I head east across Wyoming.