Elkford - The adventure does not disappoint

Last time I said I would see you in Alberta. Well, we actually crossed back into BC yesterday, at the same time as making our first Continental Divide crossing - Elk Pass.

Right now I am sitting on a computer in Elkford - after making an early morning dash from our campsite 16 miles out. My mission is to find a third Bob trailer fast (to be reffered here on is as Bob - or Beast of burden). I will tell you why soon, but in the mean time I will update you on the trip to date - while I wait for shops to open at 10am - what is that all about?

We wanted an adventure and we expected an aventure, and to date this journey has delivered in spades. From late night and last minute prep, repacking, mechanical issues, magnificent scenery, variable weather, and finding our feet as bike-packing adventurers, it has been an action packed three or so days. I think I have already have the outline of the first three chapters of my own personal guide to bike touring - funny it will look much the same as all the others. Read on.

The road trip to Banff began with an epic breakfast (it was Trystan's birthday), and we were finally on the road shortly after eight. It was a tight squeeze inside, and I half expected to hear four bikes go tumbling off the back. The scenry along the way was a great tast for things to come - though the devistation of the pine forests due to the pine beetle was quite evident and it is a sad sight. We found a campsite just out of Banff which gave us our last hot shower for a few days.

We wanted to be away quite early the next morning - not only to get on the trail, but also to see Caitlin off on her way back to Vancouver in good time. We failed miserably. A three mile ride into Banff all loaded up and kitted out and a total repack and rethink of gear was required [first chapter of touring guide]. Extra clothes, camera lenses, double ups of toiletries, extra reading material, and more, was all sent home with Caitlin, who finally was able to leave shortly after midday, which must have meant a return to Vancouver after midnight. What a star.

Delays sending our bounce box and grocery shop meant we finally made the trail by 3pm. In planning this trip I had somewhat optimistically hoped (as a best case scenario) we could get to Banff mid afternoon on Sunday, hitch our trailers, and do ten miles before the official Monday start! Anyway, setting off in light rain, with heavily laden Bobs (me and Ben), and with Trystan and Simon enjoying relative freedom, we were put almost immediately into the total rugged wilderness of the Canadian Rockies. They are superb. The laden trailers combine with rear rack proved quite a handful (light steering, impossible on the steeper climbs) but a repack the next day to put weight lower down, along with eating some of the weight (thee days of food is heavy!) relieved this somewhat.

Ten miles into our intented 17 mile day, and our first breakdown. Simon's pedal had unthreaded and in doing so stripped the crank thread. He was down to one pedal. We got lucky though, with Canmore being a 6 mile (I am quickly getting used to this alternative measurement, though unfortuately miles take a long time to pass) almost entirely downhill ride/ one legged coast from our campsite. Which incidentally we found out the next morning was illegal. Dispite the calamity, and setting up camp in not the nicest weather, spirits were high.

Trystan and Simon set off to Canmore on Tuesday morning, on a mission for a new crank. They got this, but by the time Ben and I met up with them, 7 miles down the trail at the agreed meeting point, it was again 3pm! Dispite the late start we pushed through 35 miles for the day, including an especially steep climb, cool single track, a brief navigational error, more brilliant scenery, and some great decents. We did not find a good campsite until 8pm - by which time we were cold and hungry, and some of us a little grumpy! We decided we would make an effort to have earlier finished were possible. It is amazing what a good meal can do to the mood though - and we went to bed in high spirits and with great ideas flowing.

Day three, yesterday, we were greeted with a frost which quickly turned into a warm and quite brillant day. Ben and I finally handed over the Bob's to Trystan and Simon - I was quick to point out to Trystan that he was carrying two days less of food. Wide open roads and decents made an easy start to the day and we chewed through some miles quite quckly. On starting the climb to Elk pass we rode on paved bike double track (what the hell - this is BF nowhere?) and we gained a false impression our first divide crossing would be a gimmie. A stop at the Boulton Creek trading post for icecreams and we were all fueled for the climb to the top. We were greeted with two crazy steep, longish climbs, and I can tell you I was enjoying being Bob-less right then! A muddy decent over the otherside ensured we looked like hard-core mountain bikers by the days end. We joked that we could have taken a road over the top - but as it turns out it is a 200 mile drive from one side of the pass to the other.

Progress was good, and we managed a 53 mile day. But mechanical number two struck. I had a rear rack that was mounted to the seatpost - you will see a photo at some stage - to carry a few lighter things. The rack, which is cantilevered, is not a great solution, but was a necessity due to lack of rack mounts on my (and Trystan's bike) and also not going to the trouble of fabricating a proper solution beforehand. On top of the poor design, the weight distribution was poor, making the bike front end difficult to manage. So anyway. I was enjoying a nice decent yesterday afternoon, hitting about 30mph. I unweighted for a pothole at the bottom but this was quickly followed by a horrible noise from the rear of the bike. Coming to a halt, I find my rack broken nearly in two. I unceremoniously dispose of the rack in frustration, but fortunately we have redundant carrying capacity. Map inspections - a new rack in Fernie or wait to Whitefish - can we get that far? What better rack solution can we come up with - the first one lasted all of 80 miles after all. There were options, and possible solutions. But the best solution become evident when we inspected Trystan's identical rack. A crack in the same spot and his rack's lifespan will be short too. The third Bob became the obvious choice - by the time we spend up on racks that may or may not work we could have bought another Bob. Plus the Bob will improve bike handling no-end. We do loose our "freedom" days, but our loads will be lighter, and all in all should help us get to Mexico faster. So right now I am trying to find that Bob. Either in Fernie, which we should hit tomorrow morning, or perhaps get one couriered further ahead.

Despite all this, we remain roughly on schedule. Granted we had some fat in the schedule for the first section, which we new would be required for one reason or other. We will hit Fernie tomorrow morning, and quite likely stay the night there. The border crossing should be sometime late Saturday or early Sunday.

I have yet to see a bear yet. Apparently a grizzly walked through a campsite yesterday morning near where we passed through though. I have seen plenty of deer, a moose, and even a curious wolf. None of which seem to concerned about the precence of cyclists.

Unfortunately I cannot post any photos right now. I will try to post some in Fernie tomorrow. There are some killer shots, Trystan's might have to wait a while, but the pics off my point-and-shoot will be a good start. Hopefully Trystan will put an update on too, and Ben and Simon might even make their maiden appearances and you will be able to get the Canadian perspective.

Better get back to the Bob hunt.

Grant