Day 15: Does Anyone from Canada Work in Banff?


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North America » Canada » Alberta » Banff
August 30th 2019
Published: August 31st 2019
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Another relaxing sleep-in this morning followed by a hearty breakfast. We better start riding again soon otherwise we'll be carrying a lot more weight up the Rockies than we planned!
Our main adventure today was the Banff Gondola. It was only 7kms from where we're staying so we took the bikes - down the steep hill through town and then up a much longer but less steep hill the other side to get to the Gondola.
The Banff Gondola is around 1500m above sea level at it's base and climbs to 2250m at the top - almost Kosciusko height. The ride takes about 10 minutes in little Gondolas that seat four passengers. The views as you climb are breath taking, but not as good as when you get to the top.
Looking out over Banff there are five valleys that intersect into a flat basin. The Bow River winds it's way in from one direction, flows down the Bow River Falls, and then winds it way out the other. Every way you look there are mountains towering over the top of it stretching out for as far as the eye could see.
There was a small walk at the top of the gondola to an old abandoned weather station, it was also used for Cosmic Ray Research before particle accelerators were built.
From this height you have an uninterrupted 360 degree view of the Rockies. All I can say is this is definitely worth the long flight over and something everyone should have the privilege of seeing for themselves. The Canadian government also deserves some credit for being so progressive in reserving this area as a National Park (one of the first in the world) back in the mid 1800s.
No matter how good the photos may look, they certainly don't do justice to the rugged mountains that panned out before us.

Where Are The Locals?
At the Gondala station the two guys ushering us on to the gondola where from Darwin. At the top of the mountain we were served by the 3 Aussies in the coffee shop. At the first bike shop we stopped at, the guy from the Gold Coast served us. At the second bike shop we visited, the guy from Echuca served us. The girl at the liquor store was from Wagga. We figure there are no Canadians in Banff!


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