After apparently answering all the questions right, we continued our journey north. There aren't many accounts of the Canadian section of the Continental Divide ride by other motorcyclists. It turns out that the route itself is impassable by motorized vehicles at a certain point south of Banff. So, we took the advice of the first Canadian (other than the border guard) that we came into contact with. He took the time to show us on the map which route to take to get the Banff, with promises of amazing scenery along the way, eh. He was spot on.
Before we hit the section of beauty, as described by our Canadian friend, we had to first get to the turnoff. He had told us that the ride would be great up to the suggested road, and once again, he was spot on. The road meandered through the prettiest valleys I have ever ridden in. The road eventually led us to Sparwood, BC. We landed at probably the best campsite of the whole trip. The couple who ran it were fantastic and set us up at the premier camping spot.
The next morning was cold. The beautiful valleys didn't let much sun reach the floor, so we bundled up and continued our trek north. At about seven or so, we entered into Alberta. The road provided us with some lovely scenery as we made our way over Crowsnest Pass. When we hit Cowley, Alberta, we started looking for the 940 road that would take us due north and up to Highway 1. We eventually found it after asking some more helpful Canadians. They warned us that it was gravel the almost the entire way to Highway 1. I found this funny, considering all the different roads that we had ridden so far.
Once on the road, it was like a super-highway. The gravel was perfect, the road was wide and the sun finally started to peak up from the horizon. I say "peak", because it was still FREEZING! We had to stop a few times to regain feeling in our hands. That is the problem with high-speed gravel. You can go so fast, but it just makes it that much colder. I didn't take any pictures of the gravel road, as it was just too damn cold. I did however, snuggle my muffler and engine to warm up a bit.
It was about two hours or so of this gravel road, until it turned into pavement. A few miles after the switch, I noticed a big brown spot moving on the hillside to my left. Knowing for sure that it wasn't Doc, I pulled over to take a closer look. Doc sped off, but I was glad I stopped. The brown spot was a grizzly bear digging up things and eating them. Sadly, my pictures don't do the beast justice.
Eventually Doc came back and we proceeded to taunt the bear, in an attempt to get a better picture. He or She didn't give us a second glance. I even honked my air horn, but nothing. Oh well, I guess it's better to get a shot of a bear from a safe distance than it would be to have a fantastic close-up.
Shortly after the bear, we hit the Canadian Highway 1. It is by far the most scenic paved road I have ever had the pleasure of being on. The mountains are amazing. The views are incredible. Banff is situated right in the middle of the mountains and it seems like a great place to spend some time. I would like to go back with more time. Unfortunately, I only took pictures with my phone. It has since quit working and I have yet to figure out why the pictures aren't on my mini SD card. Oh well, the pictures didn't do the place justice anyway. Just go there. You will not be disappointed.
After finding the perfect sticker, Doc and I hit the road again. Again the ride was amazingly scenic. We stayed in Sicamous, BC that night at a KOA riddled with little, screaming brats. I ate a Kipper and vowed never to do it again. How does Doc eat those things?
The next morning we made a turn and headed south for the first time in a long time. I was both saddened and excited about getting home, having been gone for a month total. For those that know me, you could have predicted that I would make a v-line for home and get there in one day. I don't know what it is, but once I get started, I can't stop. Doc was a real trooper and we rode together the whole way.
Coming home is always bittersweet. On the one hand, I get to see my amazing wife and sleep in my own bed. On the other hand though, it is the end of an amazing journey. This end is always sad. No matter how tired or difficult a ride might be at times, it is the ride that often helps define who you are and what you value. Motorcycling offers me the opportunity to reflect, make plans, dream, think and feel. There is a sticker on my bike that says, "My bike takes me places that school never could". This couldn't be more true. I tell my students every year that school is just a part of their lives and that life is best lived doing things, meeting people, and dreaming up things and then doing them. I hope that I can continue doing the things that I dream about doing for the rest of my life and sharing them with the people around me for years to come.
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