Back in the USA...

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Leaving Jasper in small groups, as the park passes require us to travel together, we detour off to Mount Edith Clavell. Named for a WW1 Nurse shot for helping prisoners escape despite the fact she nursed the wounded for both sides. On from there down the lovely windy 93A, to the Athabascar falls. Very impressive falls through broken quartz rocks. And then on again to the equally impressive Ice Fields Parkway, although we didn't see much of it with the rain and overcast day.

Tonight is Radium Hot Springs, which conjures up visions of an American version of Bath. Nice enough town, with strong German influence (we didn't eat at the Salzburg) but the springs themselves appeared more 1950's open air pool than anything. The motel is very alpine chalet strewn with flower boxes and very picturesque it is too. Beer in the local bar was followed by food in the local Italian. Away in the morning to breakfast at a Golf Club where the early morning rain, cold knobbly tyres and gravel all conspired for Nigel to have a very minor spill. By the end of the day the repairs to dented panniers and broken indicator were all expertly completed by Jeff, leaving only dented pride and a sore thumb for Nigel to contend with.

As the day brightens so the countryside of rolling farms and hay bails give way to plains and dairy cattle. The Montana plains also mean very high cross winds and we perfect the art of riding at a 25 degree angle in a straight line. Before heading to Waterton we detour 30 miles to Head Smashed In Buffalo Jump. A unesco world heritage site with a very good visitor centre celebrating native Indian hunting which went on there for 6000 years prior to the arrival of horses and guns by a very eleborate herding of buffalo over a cliff. The drive may occur only once or twice in a lifetime but the skill and traditions were passed down for over 6000 years.

Back through the wind to Waterton National Park and Waterton Village just twenty miles north of the US border. More stunning lakes and mountains and a quaint and not overly commercial village where the deer roam through the streets and graze on your lawn. Strangely they are ambivolent to people but will attack dogs without warning! Yes the deer attack the dogs not the other way round. Ate at a very pleasant "Chop House" although no-one had chops and made our way to another pool hall and bar in an effort to spend our remaining Canadian dollars, we suceeded!

Had a slighlty bizarre experience leaving the bar at late (or early) o'clock. An RCMP Police cruiser is crawling down the road clearly looking out for trouble makers, so made every effort to look sober and intelligent. Was he impressed? No, he was actually letting a deer and foal cross the road in front of him. I suspect this was the highlight of the night in Waterton and will have been logged "Suspicious looking deer making towards Arnolds hardware 1.25am"

The next morning following breakfast it is hot, although overcast. So in waterproofs we set off through the park and head for the very quiet back road Chief Mountain border crossing into the USA. "Any Guns, Tobacco or Fireworks?" No we reply. This being Montana "Live Free or Die" we half expected him to offer us some of each. Glacier National Park is almost connected to Waterton in Canada and soon we are on the "Road to the Sun" Quite ironic as it rained all day, we never saw the sun and there were enormous road works in the park. Before I forget, neither the Americans or Canadians have discovered temporary traffic lights. Nearly all road works will involve a man (or woman) at either end with a walkie talkie and a stop / slow lollipop sign, and nearly always a pilot car you have to follow. Thereby employing at least three people to do the job of no-one in the UK. Our destination tonight is Big Fork. A very middle class arty small town with a theatre and very attractive main street next to a river. At the local bar we are accosted by 30 female school teachers from White Fish. All dressed in pink and playing the spoons. They are out on an old school bus and have been out since 8.30am pub crawling. Is it a Hen Do? Is it a Birthday? No its summer..... They do it every year, for a day, just for fun. On from there to a restaurant that we booked for four after Christine spotted it but ended up with a table for seven, and a really excellent meal. Karen had Escalar (fish) and I had a lovely pink rack of lamb, both with green beans and beluga lentils. So good I even remember the menu.

Bigfork to Gardiner just outside Yellowstone was another 360 mile day. Starting in rain and boring straight two lane roads and finishing in lovely sunshine and blue skies in rolling hills with twisty climbs and descents. A really intersting and enjoyable day's riding. Motel in Gardiner over looks the Gardiner river which is fast flowing and rock strewn creating class 2 / 3 rapids. This is good news for 8 of us who, the next morning, go white water rafting for 8 miles down the Gardiner. Lots of fun and a good way to see the river and the edge of Yellowstone - all of us got very wet. An afternoon ride of just 56 miles through Yellowstone takes us to the Old Faithful Inn next to Old Faithful. Built at the turn of the century it is a magnificent 3 story 3 wing hotel completely of timber construction. Very characterful, it has a balcony bar where you can sit and wait for Old Faithful to blow with a light libation in hand. Riding through the park the next day to Cody is breath taking. The sulphur pools literally take your breath away. The Bison standing in the road, the scenary and the shear scale of the park is incredible. Although after the Yukon or BC it does feel like a park.

Leaving the park we ride the famous Bear Tooth Pass, and then come back down the same so we can also ride the Chief Joseph Highway as both are slieghted as the best roads in Wyoming, and very enjoyable they are too. At the end of the road is a two day stop in Cody. Home of Colonel William Cody or Buffalo Bill as he is better known. This is cowboy country and the streets, cars and bars are filled with stetsons, cowboy boots and check shirts. Not for the tourists this is for real. We stay in the IRMA hotel which Cody owned and still has a magnificant bar given to him as a present by Queen Victoria. A lazy rest day follows with a visit to the Buffalo Bill Histoical Centre (includes largest firearms museum in North America) and to the Cody Rodeo in the evening, which is everything you imagine.

So 4,800 miles in 3 weeks and only another two weeks before Mexico - The adventure continues....

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Photos

Room with a view
Specifically from our balcony at Waterton Village

Oh Deer
This little girl was wandering around the cabins at Jasper

Road Mountain Lake
This is one of several pictures we have in the Road Mountian Lake series but will show you all the rest when we get back.

Comments

[Gary and Valerie]

Hi! really enjoying reading your adventures ... gave dad copies that he reads continually!! everybody is fine over here and we all get ready to go back to work! please add more pictures ...... to make us dream .. take care.