Information Official, Kootenay National Park
I awakened with a pretty severe headache, for which I took prescription
medication.
Without any silverware, dishes or refrigeration, breakfast had to be pretty
basic for me: bagels and cream cheese. I did use the Sierra stove (with
pine cones and twigs as fuel) to cook up some hot water for hot chocolate.
Because I made a thorough mess of my panniers looking for my silverware
last night, I spent considerable time repacking in the morning. I didn't
get out until 9:44 AM. Just before I left, however, a couple from Florida
(actually she is from Australia, but they've been living in Florida) came
by to say that they discovered they had some extra silverware they wanted
to give to me. I'd mentioned my problem to them while we were out walking
after dinner last night. That was very nice of them. The silverware is miniature
from British Airways. It will serve me well.
They indicated that fuel for their Mercedes diesel costs them at least $20
per day. I sure don't have that expense. As I was wilting from the heat
(31 degrees Celsius per my bike thermometer--dropped to 19 degrees when
I drove into the shade), the folks from Florida had decided to leave the
parks because they were too cold. Its amazing what acclimatization does.
As I departed the campground, I stopped at the Warden's office to report
my grizzly bear sighting.
The warden confirmed that the bear was a grizzly because it was
brown in color and all the black bears in the area are black.
A short distance down the Kootenay Parkway, I came upon a parking area for
access to "paint pots," where the Indians obtained an ocre pigment
for body paint. I didn't actually walk back on the trail to the source because
I was concerned about the security of my bicycle and the paint pots were
1 km off the road on a walking trail. I could see the brown pigment deposited
along the riverbank. It was very rich in color.
I stopped at the Kootenay Park Lodge for lunch. The lodge was a real comfortable
old log lodge with a nice stone fireplace.
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As I was leaving, I talked to a couple of women cyclists from
Saskatoon who were riding the "Golden Triangle": a route from
Castle Junction, to Radium Hot Springs, to Golden, to Lake Louise and back
to Castle. Because there are good accommodations at all 3 corners of the
triangle, they were riding relatively light (like credit card touring or
touring with sag support).
It was another glorious day--not a cloud in sight. The bike thermometer
read 25 degrees (C). When it was working, I reset the Trek computer to metric,
so got Celsius temperatures, but since it was no longer working, I decided
to reset it back to miles and Fahrenheit. So, it is 81 degrees (f).
I was passed by 5 guys from Calgary who are also doing the Golden Triangle.
Along the Kootenay Parkway, I had some trouble from BC's failure to paint
the line between the right lane and the shoulder (it had faded away to invisibility).
A couple of cars wandered into the shoulder coming too close to me for comfort.
I don't know for the life of me why highway planners don't always mark a
good 8 foot shoulder. It would be 100 times safer for bicyclists and motorists
would know where they didn't belong.
At 1:52, my headache was still bothering me, but I chose to refrain from
taking any further pain medication for fear it might affect my performance
or heart rate on Sinclair Pass, my big climb of the day.
I passed some mountain goats licking the rocks on the side of the road.
It is difficult to photograph white goats against a white rock background
in the bright sun.
As I rode along, the aroma of wildflowers was overwhelming (it
smells like the entrance to the men's section at Hudsons at Twelve Oaks
Mall around Christmas--cologne). The Casio does terrible with flowers, so
I didn't bother to photograph them, but there were yellow, purple, and white
flowers. Though I may not be using the same level of platitudes, I must
say, the scenery on the Kootenay is as breathtaking as the other park roads.
I passed the guys from Calgary again several times and felt pretty
good about my speed, because they were not loaded and I most certainly was.
I was surprised out here in the middle of nowhere to see a police speed
trap (an RCMP car hiding in the woods waiting for a speeding motorist).
I actually didn't see much speeding in the parks.
At 3:36 PM, I actually started my ascent to Sinclair Pass and my bike thermometer
read 96 degrees (f).
Sure that's in the sun--but that's where I am was too. I don't
think the pass itself was too tough, but with the temperature so high, I
struggled with perspiration dripping down my face, into my eyes, across
the inside of my glasses, etc. I had to stop a couple of times to wipe my
face with my trusty DALMAC washcloth.
At the summit, I pulled into a rest area and drank my water. A couple from
Winnipeg (I think) graciously offered me a nectarine, so I took their picture.
I then rode very briskly downhill toward Radium Hot Springs.
The topography was rugged, and, there was even a tunnel. The ride into Radium
was amazing. My descent into Radium was so speedy that I managed to miss
the Hot Springs altogether. When I got to town, I was too tired to ride
back up hill, so I never did see them.
 Radium Hot Springs welcome sign |
 Steep cliffs just outside Radium |
 Tunnel outside Radium |
 Roaring waterfall outside Radium |
Myrna (from Calgary/Canmore), whom I'd met riding near Jasper, offered me
the use of her travel trailer which was parked permanently in a campground
in Radium Hot Springs. The campground had an 8% downhill driveway, so I
decided to eat dinner in my bike clothes before going there. I ate at a
very nice Austrian restaurant (Old Salzburg).
By the time I got into the trailer, took a shower at the campground
shower facility and called home, it was dark (and I forgot in the morning),
so I didn't get a picture of the trailer. It was very nice; located right
on the river.
58 miles.
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© Ed Noonan 1996, 1997