Jasper to Lk. Louise

----- Original Message -----

From: Andy & Kathy

Hi All,

This week I took vacation, and with Kathy's support, I was able to do the Jasper to Lk. Louise bike trip. This was a big undertaking, solo, unsupported, and unsure how I could handle multi-day trips. I've wanted to do this trip for years but never had the time or the ride to make it all work. We drove to the Columbia ice fields, and camped at our favorit tent spot. Next morning we drove to Jasper for breakfast and the start of the ride. We said our goodbys, with a promise to keep in touch via cel phone. There is no service in this area and I had to wait till Louise to finally make contact with Kathy.... I then rode 100 Km. back to the Columbia Icefields, and our favorit tent pad. The ride seemed to be uphill all the way, with tangle creek waiting at the 90 km. mark. after 12 hrs. on the road I had to do the 5 km. up hill, steep up hill, and arrived in camp just befor dark, just in time to heave my cookies. I made a coffee and with 2 sips I collapesed on the deflated mat into a fitfull sleep. Yes my materss had a slow leek in it ,so bacisally it worked like a expensive ground sheet. Other equipement failures were, the pesto lighter on my stove, broken chain, good thing that I had a spare master link. The bolt to hold my rack in place broke, I had to do a fix on the side of the road, which broke again, but I found a clovis pin on the side of the road so I repaired the rack again and had no further problems through out the trip. Day 2 saw me do 75 km. with a camp at waterfoul lake, I took 2 long stops where I actually had a nap, the heat was over 25' throughout the day and it was hot at night, so hot that I never zipped up my sleeping bag, the whole trip. O ya, in my hurry to start this trip I forgot to put my main meals from the car to my pack, so at supper the first day I relized that I had only snacks and coffee, O well I just had to make do with what I had, smoked salmon, porrage and power jel. The 3rd. day I did 55 km. to Lk. Louise where Kath scrapped me up off the melting asphalt... Just a quick note ...I would do this trip again tomorrow, it was one of the best ever, as the photos will attest to. If you ever get the chance do it.........Andy