This would have been the week of the famous Calgary Stampede rodeo and so the city is remarkably quiet without its main event. But for us it was just lovely to be on the Trail again. This was the first day on the trail in 2020 after the COVID-19 shut-in; we were also on the … Continue reading Day 31 (Day 1 of 2020): Calgary, AB →

Planning logistics, making snacks for the trail, shopping, checking fit of panniers on the gravel bikes ... Thanks to both BC and Alberta’s management of the first round of the COVID-19 pandemic, we’re ready to take on the next leg of our ride - the 420km from Calgary north to Edmonton. It seems a bit … Continue reading Ready to ride the Trail again – 2020 summer →

Last day on the trail for 2019 What a difference a day makes. Day 30 on the trail - from the charming hamlet of Bragg Creek to Calgary - was a rolling cruiser ride along mostly paved trails with lovely grassland and river scenery. First up was the lovely surprise of clean bikes courtesy of … Continue reading Day 30: Bragg Creek to Calgary, Alberta →

The day that almost killed our appetite for this trans Canada malarkey. What a horrible, gruelling day. Anyone who rides bikes knows that to take more than 11 hours to do 69km means a no-fun day. @KananaskisCounty your Moose Loop trail has no business calling itself a trail or being part of the Great Trail … Continue reading Day 29: Lac des Arcs to Bragg Creek, Alberta →

A day of mostly “meh” (and easy) cycling, but great excitement on the bicycle assembly front. Having reached our 2019 goal of Banff a few weeks ago, we decided to cash in on good weather, strong legs and acclimatized lungs and add the Banff to Calgary section. For the first time, we flew with our … Continue reading Day 28: Banff to Lac des Arcs, Alberta →

Well that was tougher than planned. Our “easy” downhill 63km into Banff involved 985m of climb, 700 of those in the first 30km. That High Rockies Trail certainly lives up to its name. Up in the thin air and seriously rocky, it is a swirling roller-coaster ride of beautifully banked switchbacks, huge up-downs and front-wheel … Continue reading Day 27: Engadine Mountain Lodge to Banff, Alberta →

This was the day we rode 105km on our mountain bikes, climbed more than 1,950m, crossed over the continental divide and rode into Alberta. But it was just brutal. The last 21 km would be a tough workout on their own. Coming on the back of the 84km we had already done (and this was … Continue reading Day 26 Elkford, BC to Engadine Mountain Lodge, Alberta →

Sunday 18 August 2019 A tough single track of a day from Fernie to Round Prairie just past Elkford. Over a distance of 87km we climbed 1,440m for a net gain of just 270m. Frustration much? Liz joined us for the up-up-down-up game of find-the-trail from Fernie to Hosmer then Gill and Bron were alone … Continue reading Day 25 Fernie to Elkford, BC →

We had company today! Our roadie Liz joined us for the ride from Elko to Fernie - a 47km up down up kind of ride. This being Bron’s birthday we brought a mini bottle of Moët along to share after a couple of hours on the trail. The early wide path changed into a rocky … Continue reading Day 24 Elko to Fernie BC →

What a wonderful, joyous morning of mountain biking! And we saw a bear on the trail - first one. And elk. And deer. Heading out of Cranbrook on the Chief Isadore trail we were delighted to see that the information boards contained full involvement of the First Nations in the trail. This is the land … Continue reading Day 23: Cranbrook to Elko, BC →