"You call THIS a highway!!!"

July 4th, 5am...Weather - PERFECT!

Yesterday was interesting to say the least. Awoke early, and headed out. A fellow we met over the internet suggested a route to take from Waterton Park over to Lake Louise in Banff. Part of this route is BC Route 31. On a map it looked like any other road in BC..........BUT.....

Everything started out all right, great road, good pavement......life is good. Then all at once the pavement just stops and we are riding on marbles size gravel! But wait, it gets better. This gravel gives way to what I would call an improved "two track"...and it lasts for about 50 miles! Actually it was great fun and excellent preparation for the Haul Road in Alaska.

Today also was a ferry day.....We needed to cross two lakes and up here the BC government runs free ferry services in many locations. We met a trio of rides from Alberta that were touring around Canada and I told them I would put them in the BLOG.......So here goes guys, your fifteen minutes of fame! Actually they were really nice folks, like everyone we run into up here!

Last night at dinner, which was fantastic by the way, we met two retired Canadian government types. They have been on the road for weeks. Touring the American southwest and parts of Canada. They sat with us at dinner and then presented Bob and I with the neatest hat pin you ever saw. Seems one of the fellows was employed with the Canadian government in Indian Affairs and the pin symbolizes the cooperation between the tribes..........

Other than the dirt Highway 31, the roads up here in BC and Alberta are amazing. No frost heaves, no pot holes, almost race track quality..........And they have heavier trucks using them and just as bad weather as we get back home...What's up with this?

Well, got to go pack up and hit the road......Next stop...Lake Louise and the Columbia Ice Fields on the way to Jasper, Alberta............