CANMORE, LAKE LOUISE and BANFF

We saddled up on our trusty steeds and began the Banff Legacy Trail. Built in honor of Banff National Park’s 125th anniversary, the trail links Banff to Canmore, giving cyclists (we now consider ourselves cyclists!) 22 km of paved pathway through the park.

Bus to Canmore
Bus to Canmore

I must confess, we did not ride the trail both ways. After riding into Banff, making our way through throngs of visitors (easily thousands of folks), to the terrace of the Banff Springs Hotel (seen of our wedding 15 years ago), we hopped a bus back to Canmore. Luckily, the “Roam” bus has bike racks right on the front bumper! http://www.tourismcanmore.com/profiles/things-to-do/legacy-trail

Paved Bike Trail to Banff
Paved Bike Trail to Banff
Post Hotel
The Post Hotel

We stayed at The Post Hotel. Rustic luxury, family owned, tea at 4, Adirondacks on the lawn to watch the setting sun’s reflection off a blue/white glacier atop Mount Temple, 11,627 feet. http://posthotel.com/

We visited Lake Louise in the evening. Right up to sun set at 10 p.m., clouds moving and shifting their shape across the sun’s face changes the color of the azure blue lake’s glacial water. You think your eyes are playing tricks, the color is impossible to capture on film or digital image, this is a magical setting….one to be experienced in person. Lake LouiseBuoyed by our success hiking atop Mt. Whistler in Jasper, we began a 6 hour trek starting at the lake’s edge to the tea house above the plain of the six glaciers. The steep terrain and uneven rocky path turned us back after 2 hours…foolish, foolish decision, this climb whooped our butts!

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Louise,_Alberta