Have we missed the Rockies?

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HAVE WE MISSED THE ROCKIES?

We rode across the prairies and eventually Calgary loomed out of the wheat fields and at Calgary the Rockies loomed in the distance. After several hours riding we reached the Rockies and unfortunately the rain too. We headed towards Banff and then up to Lake Louise but saw nothing as it was pouring with rain and the clouds so low that we were not really sure if there were mountains hiding away there although the occassional glimpse did reveal snowy topped moutains.

NELSON

We therefore rushed west to the sunnier side of British Columbia. We stopped off at Kelowna for a very expensive new back tyre for Mark's bike (200 pounds - twice what it would be in the UK) and then headed to Nelson near the US border where we spent 3 nights. We stayed at the Whitehouse Backpackers which should really be described as a small hotel as the rooms are beautifully appointed, all linens provided and the house itself a lovely Victorian home.

We spent a few days wandering around Nelson which is a lovely small self contained "proper" town with a lot of people living a slightly "alternative" lifestyle. We did not do the big trail walk around the edge in the forest as there were reports and photos in the local paper of the grizzlie bear and her three cubs which were currently hanging around town and Grizzly bears are not the shy retiring types like their black bear cousins!! We saw an eagle by the lake with a salmon in its tallons.

The restaurants in Nelson are fantastic so we treated ourselves to lovely dinners every night.

BIKES

BC (British Columbia) has fantastic roads and hills and the bikes are more of the dual sport sort - it BMW GSs (like ours) and the most popular which we have seen loads of: Kawasaki KLRs - a 650cc dual sport bike.

THE BIRTHDAY

The dreaded birthday passed in Nelson and thank you all who sent me birthday wishes via text, e-mail and electronic cards.

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Photos

Nelson
beautiful buildings everywhere