serendipity

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Jasper, Alberta, Canada
Sunday, June 28, 2009

Woke up to sunshine bliss and I had my coffee ready and waiting for me downstairs, so needless to say I was a happy girl.

We rolled out of Lillooet at 10am, taking part of the Yellowhead route and then cutting down onto the Icefields Highway through Jasper National Park. We passed some some amazing mountains, beautiful lakes, rivers, waterfalls... again, all gorgeous.

Gloves were still a bit wet from yesterday, so I was on the look out for any automatic hand-dryer in any public washroom along the way.

All in all, it was a long riding day. It was pretty chilly with spots of intense heat and only a few minutes of rain now and again.

613km later, we rolled into Jasper past 10:30pm (local time, we crossed a time zone!)

It was too late and too cold (1C degrees!) to camp.. well that's the excuse we gave ourselves. So we rode around for a few minutes and found one of the few B&B's that still had vacancy.. apparently they are cheaper than hotels and inns here.

Jasper definitely has that ski resort town feel with lots of young people and families on holiday. One of the major hazards were the tourists all looking up at the mountains or pointing at something in the shop, when really they should be looking at the road crossings and noticing the motorbike that is cautiously approaching them, not wanting to sideswipe them!

We had dinner at the Dead Dog Pub & Restaurant, one of the few places that was still serving food. And just as my mind and body were getting accustomed to the loud rock music and blaring TV, a huge contrast to my quiet day of riding for hours absorbed in my own peaceful thoughts, I wasn't quite prepared when I literally bumped into one of my old Katimavik participants, Dan Orchard!

Originally from Barrie, Ontario, he has been out here for a couple of years now tree planting and currently between contracts. How random!! I haven't seen him since the day his group left Rockland. I loved seeing how happy and grown up he was, what a treat. And really, what are the chances of us meeting after so many years in a downtown Jasper bar on the same night!?

Comments

Jasper
Such a lovely area. I was there years ago when my eldest, Bryce, was about 2. (he is now 20)
Jasper is named after a great-great Uncle of my sons on their dads side of the family. Jasper Hawes. He had something to do with the Grand Trunk railway going through the mountains. From grrrl, on Jul 16, 2009 at 04:31AM

Pictures & Video

good sunny morning!
good sunny morning!
getting ready to roll
getting ready to roll
Lillooet's main street
Lillooet's main street
morning ride really? Mount Robson ta da! Bikes and Mt Robson
Bikes and Mt Robson
good looking bikes me thinks
good looking bikes me thinks
evidence of a Tim Horton's donut!
evidence of a Tim Horton's donut!
running to catch the choo-choo
running to catch the choo-choo
counting 168 trains, longest one yet!
counting 168 trains, longest one yet!
reminder of where we are
reminder of where we are
which way??? Alberta!! The grown-up Daniel Orchard!
The grown-up Daniel Orchard!
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