Off the Beaten Path, Friends Old and New

We left the campground this morning after one of us dropped his bike in the first 5 feet.  No harm done to bike or rider.  

Our main goal today was to meet up with an old friend and fellow Blue Knight Eric who lives in Alberta.  He recommended a campsite so I plugged the location into my GPS and away we went.  

We took the Trans-Canada along some absolutely stunning rivers and lakes; I mean spectacular.  The color of the water in the lakes was turquoise blue and the rivers were moly white.  It was refreshingly brisk for most of the day as we rode by glaciers and snow-capped mountains.  

Stopping in Nordegg for lunch and homemade pie—strawberry rhubarb and bumbleberry—we met up with some very nice locals who kept us laughing as they told us about some interesting routes and things to see along the way. Dave, Kim, Wilma, Chris and Regan would not have been nicer.  

And as a matter of fact, every single encounter with Canadians we’ve met along the way has been wonderful.  I mean, they’re helpful, friendly and warm.  We’ve been extremely fortunate.  

Leaving Nordegg, we took a well-maintained dirt and gravel road north for 40 miles.  Then we took a non-maintained road west…and that’s where the adventure began.  We we t from 5th gear to 4th to 2rd and finally 2nd while negotiating the rocks, ruts, steep hills and water crossings.  We also came up on—and bypassed—two road closures and a washed-out road.  Steve employed some unorthodox off-road techniques while crossing a small stream.  Oh, to have video of that…

Me: First off, all apologies for that road.  

Steve: Apology not accepted.  

Me: Secondly, wasn’t that a great road?!?!

We eventually arrived to the campsite and two friends pulled up shortly afterwards.  Eric and Will brought elk steaks, beans, salad, cold beers and cigars.  We had a fantastic time catching up and discussing past and future rides.  We laughed at the events of the day and they provided some route options for the coming week.  

Steve and I sat around the fire sipping the last of our whiskey and agreed that this day was going to be a tough one to top.  

Todays mileage was 226 miles, 90 of which was dirt.  Mean, ugly, hurtful dirt.