Day 23 Radium Hot Springs BC to Lake Louise AB

I'm writing this at the Lake Louise Hostel - A very alive place - where I ended my first day in Alberta. Actually it is a bit
too alive. This seems to be a 'party' hostel. I hope it calms down a bit by the time I finish this report and crawl into my
dorm bed. This is quite a change from the relative peace and quiet of last nights B+B.

Today's ride started and ended with very light rain, but was dry 99% of the time. It was also completely clouded over and
rather chilly all day. The high temp I saw while riding was 66 F and the average temp was near 60. That really was pretty
good riding weather on a day that saw me riding over two passes and climbing at least a 1000 feet of 8% grade. It would
have been very hot on a warm sunny day, Today it was still hot on the steepest climbs, especially when I had a light tail
wind, and chilly afterwards until the sweat evaporated from my clothing. Mostly, with the appropriate clothing, it was
comfortable.

Mostly the scenery was spectacular too, which always helps to make a ride more pleasurable. The clouds were above the
tops of all but the highest mountains, so the viewing was good. The wind was light most of the day and a pretty good
tailwind when I needed it getting on down the road to Lake Louise at the end of the day. The first part of the ride was the
hardest climbing.

I measured he climb up Sinclair at 1800 feet. About half of that was at 6% and there are two substantial sections at 8%. I
have gearing down to 17.5 " and I used the my lowest gearing on the sustained 8% parts where I was climbing at 4.5 mph.
Much of the rest I did in a 20" ( 6 mph) or 23" (7.5 mph) gears. It wasn't as hard a pass as White Pass, but it was harder
than anything I've done in BC. It is a continuous climb for all 1800 feet.

The long climb is followed by a short flat section and a long down hill that, at 7%, isn't quite as steep as the west side. Still
it is a spectacular downhill, and the mountains that come into view as you swoop down into the Kootenay valley are really
fine. They let you know you are in the Rockies. After reaching the valley floor, the road levels out and then climbs gently
for many miles. The views remain spectacular as you ride along the Kootenay River. The riding is easy, but the distances
are long and there are no services. There is a campsite about 23 miles into the ride and there are services at Vermillion
Crossing, about 40 miles into the ride. That is it for 65 miles. Roughly midway in this ride, 93 crosses the Kootenay and
heads over a ridge - a bit more steep climbing here! - and then down to the Vermillion River. After running alongside the
Vermillion River for another half a dozen miles, it crosses the Vermillion and climbs more rapidly. 

I met a french speaking couple heading west just before I reached Vermillion Crossing. He was towing a Burley trailer. I
also passed three young girls riding mountain bikes that were heading for Lake Louise - they are probably at this hostel
right now, but it is a big place - when I was climbing Sinclair. I think I saw them again behind me after my lunch break at
Vermillion Crossing and again after I took a snack break before the final climb on Vermillion Pass. At Vermillion
Crossing, I had to settle for a 'convenience store' lunch since the, up scale, lodge there only serves lunch from 12 to 2 PM.
I arrived after 2:30, sigh. 

After lunch, with about 2/3rds of the ride to Vermillion pass complete, it was mostly gentle climbing for the next 20 miles.
There were a few steeper bits, one right after Vermillion Crossing, but mostly the climbing is easy. I measured the total
climb at 4300 feet, with 2800 feet before Vermillion Crossing. Crossing the continetal divide gets you into Alberta, but
there is still several hundred feet of climbing before the road starts its 7% to 8% descent. In that stretch, I saw my first
moose of this trip and a deer. When I got to the TCH, at Castle Junction, I decided to ride it to Lake Louise instead of
continuing on to the Bow Parkway where there is a hostel and a campground. The ride into Lake Louise was uneventful
other that the bumpy shoulders. I was glad I has a vibration proof computer and a Softride stem! I finished the day with 85
miles and about 4500 feet of climbing.

In Lake Louise Village, I asked at a deli - good sandwich! - where the hostel was, and found it was in the village rather
than in Lake Louise proper. I don't think I will actually get to Lake Louise since I can get back on the TCH and get to the
Icefield Parkway. This is an expensive hostel - $28 CND for a bed in a dorm - but very inexpensive compared to Lake
Louise itself. There is a good looking grocery store next to that deli that I will use to stock up for my next two days of
riding after breakfast tomorrow.