Lake Louise, Rain Gear, and Beer
Day 20: July 20, 2017: McBride, BC: 325m/524km
We still had not gone to a store to get eggs, we went to Riko's near camp before starting our ride to Lake Louise. As we got closer to Lake Louise, Opa mentioned the animal overpasses and all of the overflow parking lots with shuttle buses. We figured we could find parking with two handicap license plates, we were right. I was surprised to see a motorcycle and another sidecar in the parking lot, they were Harleys. Opa and I made our way through the crowd to get to the lake and take pictures. I ask this guy to take our picture, he agrees, if I return the favor. Turns out, the guy lives an hour away from us in Atlanta, GA, his name is Beau. Opa invites him to join our ride, if he wants to and plans to keep up with us. Opa and I stop to look for bumper stickers and learn that it is the 150th year of the National Parks and all admission would be free!
We make our way back to the bikes and begin to strap all of our gear back on, we are ready to leave and see that Beau is just now leaving the restrooms, he waves for us to go ahead and says that he will catch up to us.
We start along the Icefield Parkway, and I thought the glaciers in Montana were amazing! These were huge. halfway through the ride it began to rain, we pulled over and pulled on the rain gear. It was my first ride in real rain. Opa talked me through it, have me some tips and pointers. The rain cleared as we pulled into a small town, Opa swung into a gas station with a diner. As we were undressing from the rain gear and gloves, a man was undressing from his gear by his Harley. He stopped to chat with us, and we decided to grab a table inside. They had coffee, I grabbed a bowl of soup and hot cocoa. We were done warming up and ready to ride again. After pointing him towards a hardware store for a tarp to replace his torn one, we were ready to get all dressed up again. Before we have our helmets strapped, we see none other than our new Atlanta friend pulling in for gas.
He again waves us ahead and says that he will meet up with us. We tell him McBride will be our final stop for the night.
We make it to McBride as the sun is setting. We set up our gear on the cold and wet grass. Opa gets a call from the campground's office, Beau had called looking for us, he had gotten a room down the road and wanted to meet for dinner at the only restaurant and bar in town, the Giggling Grizzly. Opa and I happily accept and make our way over. We both order a dark beer and a burger. They share stories and each invite the other to ride when we all make it back home. We finish the meal and ride back in the cold drizzly rain.
We still had not gone to a store to get eggs, we went to Riko's near camp before starting our ride to Lake Louise. As we got closer to Lake Louise, Opa mentioned the animal overpasses and all of the overflow parking lots with shuttle buses. We figured we could find parking with two handicap license plates, we were right. I was surprised to see a motorcycle and another sidecar in the parking lot, they were Harleys. Opa and I made our way through the crowd to get to the lake and take pictures. I ask this guy to take our picture, he agrees, if I return the favor. Turns out, the guy lives an hour away from us in Atlanta, GA, his name is Beau. Opa invites him to join our ride, if he wants to and plans to keep up with us. Opa and I stop to look for bumper stickers and learn that it is the 150th year of the National Parks and all admission would be free!
We make our way back to the bikes and begin to strap all of our gear back on, we are ready to leave and see that Beau is just now leaving the restrooms, he waves for us to go ahead and says that he will catch up to us.
We start along the Icefield Parkway, and I thought the glaciers in Montana were amazing! These were huge. halfway through the ride it began to rain, we pulled over and pulled on the rain gear. It was my first ride in real rain. Opa talked me through it, have me some tips and pointers. The rain cleared as we pulled into a small town, Opa swung into a gas station with a diner. As we were undressing from the rain gear and gloves, a man was undressing from his gear by his Harley. He stopped to chat with us, and we decided to grab a table inside. They had coffee, I grabbed a bowl of soup and hot cocoa. We were done warming up and ready to ride again. After pointing him towards a hardware store for a tarp to replace his torn one, we were ready to get all dressed up again. Before we have our helmets strapped, we see none other than our new Atlanta friend pulling in for gas.
He again waves us ahead and says that he will meet up with us. We tell him McBride will be our final stop for the night.
We make it to McBride as the sun is setting. We set up our gear on the cold and wet grass. Opa gets a call from the campground's office, Beau had called looking for us, he had gotten a room down the road and wanted to meet for dinner at the only restaurant and bar in town, the Giggling Grizzly. Opa and I happily accept and make our way over. We both order a dark beer and a burger. They share stories and each invite the other to ride when we all make it back home. We finish the meal and ride back in the cold drizzly rain.
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