Wi-fi just wasn't working last night. So this a.m. Jaz and I went to McDonald's, cuz supposedly they have it at their places. NOT!!! At least not here. So back to the hotel we went and sat outside (we'd already left the key and vacated the room). The signal was way weak … so couldn't post photos. Was lucky to get the text loaded. Bummer. We look for hotel/motels with wi-fi, so it was very disappointing. Things were just way slow and we kept moving benches around outside of the hotel to try to find the best signal. (Bikers do that, you know, always move the furniture.) Was never very good. Jaz had sat in the hot tub area at a little table to get enough bars to make her post the night before. Couldn't get in there this morning.

So back at the hotel this morning before the lack of blogging incident, Jaz made cofffee, Kaladi of course, in her little super duper French press coffee maker.

Jaz doing Kaladi coffee prep work on the French press.

It's purplicious from the little press, according to her. Was very nice to have GOOD coffee.

It is large enough for about two cups of coffee.  And the purple color,
I am sure makes it taste so much better. Purple Haze, eat your heart out.

Usually the stuff in the motel/hotels isn't the best but I drink it. Last year she said she would not anymore. So, I am benefiting from that. Thank you, Jaz.

I find it hard to believe that now I have to do this blog thing. Who would have thought I'd love doing it. But Jaz and I are very mindful that our followers want to read about our travels. In fact, I know I subject mine to more than just travels, but you can scan over the ramblings if you choose.

We're in Hinton, Alberta, just east about 40 miles from Jasper. We did only about 250 miles or so, because we were totally tourists today. We saw major game … and have lots and lots of photos to share.

Btw, last night I said I'd gotten off the road the earliest on the trip. Wrong. I didn't realize there had been a time change, so it was normal, about 8:30 p.m. Oh well. Time changes don't mean too much when you're on vacation, or retired, which I'm practicing for. Actually, if I were retired I wouldn't be on a schedule at all, and I still am, since I'm only off work for a month. If I were retired, and didn't want to go home at the stated time, I'd just call and say hey, I'm going to be a little later, or a lot later, than I'd said I'd be. Sorry.

You know, it's kind of funny. At night I'm glad to get off the bike, tired, dirty and roadworn. But when morning comes, and I'm back in the saddle, I feel like I'm coming home … how can a piece of fiberglas and metal make you feel like that? Miss Scarlet is more than a thing; it's like she lives and breathes. Her heartbeat and mine become one. I love how when you hit the perfect rpm's and speed, you hear this resonance. It's a sweet spot and sounds like a jet engine whirring, and droning. That's what I think of as the bike's heartbeat … as she pumps oil through her veins and arteries, pushing on for the person on her back. Miss Scarlet is definitely a lady, but a workhorse. There have been many comments on her name, in many different towns, and not just from the people who ride her own kind. A lady at a gas station today liked it … that was cool.

Left Golden this morning, and about four miles from town came across four big rams lying by the side of the road, sleeping.

These four big guys were laying right next to the road.  They were sleeping and very
unconcerned about people being near or taking  photos of them.

It was so cool … and they were not at all bothered by all the passersby taking photos of them, even getting rather close.

They were so unconcerned about people ... and didn't even
seem mildly curious about us.

They were one of the reasons we didn't make much in the line of mileage today. You've got to stop to see it, photograph it, enjoy it.

Poor sleepy ram.  But he did have one eye on me.

That's why you travel, isn't it? I love the animals … I think most of all, and could sit for hours watching it, and waiting for the perfect photo, which of course I never get.

Me with the rams in the background.

After we left there, we came around one of those big gentle mountain curves, with the dividers along the edge so you don't drive off the edge. I saw something that didn't belong. It looked like a big round thing sticking up in the air, dirt-colored. What was it? As I got closer, up popped the head of a sheep, a ewe. She'd had her head down, and must have been on her knees because it was just her butt that had been in the air. Made me laugh. She did not have the chicken gene, and didn't appear to even contemplate jumping into the road.

A bit further we saw another, so it was a good day for sheep.

It's excellent riding today with my light gloves and I can keep warm with the heated grips. Chaps, jacket. Nice. Not too cold, not too warm. That's what I like.

Ran through an area with cottonwood trees. The cottonwood was blowing and looked like snow coming down. The stuff gets in your face, your nostrils, all over. Tickles.

Stopped at the visitor center at Yoho Park. Was very nice, and we learned something about some of these stone figures we've seen. We were told they are a traveler guardian, and when you see one, you should add a stone to it, to keep it building. That's pretty cool.

The travel guardian figures are very similar to this one in shape. 

I've been noticing some of the areas have a lot of beetle kill … like ours. The park (Yoho) had quite a bit, yet other areas don't seem to have any. I've come through some where the whole hillside is nothing but beetle kill. A wildfire will be needed to take it all out of there, I guess.

Beetle kill is everywhere.

Near the visitor center is Kicking Horse River. In reading the sign, it said that while exploring a Rocky Mountain River in 1858, a surveyor-geologist named James Hector suffered a near-fatal kick by his packhorse.

Kicking Horse River in Yoho National Park.

Hector survived and the river and a nearby mountain pass wer named after that incident. Thought that was a cool story.

The Kicking Horse River sign ... telling of the "incident."

Today, Yoho, Banff and Jasper National Parks, and the Promenade of Glaciers (the Icefields Road, which is also Hwy. 40 to the north). The road was wonderful, like Turnagain Arm, but lots of lakes, rivers, waterfalls, and the beautiful Canadian Rockies. The lakes were the color of turquoise that no photo can do justice to. There was some less traffic today, at least in some places, but more passing lanes. People in this part of the country drive the speed limit, mostly. However, we saw a couple of whatever their cops are with a couple of customers. Maybe they were park ranger cops. Whatever they were, they had the lights a going, and looked like they were handing out tickets.

Another flower photo.  Still haven't taken enough.  Haven't really seen lots of flowers. 
I'm sure this is probably a weed, but it's bright and cheerful.

There were some parts of the road that are apparently patched in little pieces, so that when you go over it, it's like riding on a rumble strip. It jars the daylights out of you and the bike, and God help you if you have a bladder issue.

Beautiful mountain range ... photos don't show the majesty.

The drive runs through a valley between all of the mountains.

You just can't have too many photos of mountains.

And this  is why it's called the Promenade of Glaciers.

I let Vern out of the tour pack for a photo op with the Crowfoot Pass, Crowfoot Glacier and Bow Peak. He was happy to get out and look around a bit, but I had to get him back in. There were lots of people and he doesn't always behave himself. He is a bird trash chicken.

Vern is a chicken on a mission ... to get out of the tour pack. 
I keep a steady hand on him so he doesn't fly the coop.

Every direction you looked there was beauty and magnificence to be seen.

Visited the Athabasca Visitor Center. It was like Grand Central Station, so we didn't stay too long.

You never know who you'll see.

There must have been 20 tour buses there, and they had to have been full. Everyone was milling about inside the center. Used the washroom (from the bumpy pavement … remember?) and took some photos.

They just take regular buses up onto the glacier.  You can see them,
one is to the left, another more to the right, about midway up. 

The Columbia Icefield and the Athabasca Glacier were spectacular. They take buses up onto the glacier for tours. Would be a cool thing to do, I think.

Jaz and me.  Someone is always willing to take a photo of you ... and not even charge a fee.

Saw a passel of goats, including a couple of little ones. They let people come up to them, too. They were right next to the road, and you could see them digging and throwing up dust.

The little ones look so cuddly.

Dust was flying all over the place.

They mostly looked like they were shedding.

King of the hill.

There must be salt there or something from the road they like. Was great. It was the only game that we saw inside of the parks. Imagine that. We had really hoped to see a grizzly, but that didn't happen. I was wearing my camera in anticipation.

The force of the water was incredible.  You could
see the forcefulness of it just standing and looking at it.

This could be some very nasty white water rafting.

A bit further down the road we visited the Athabasca Falls. It was beautiful, and you could drive right by without ever knowing it's there unless you read a sign. And I'm the signreader in this crowd. As part of our signreading, Jaz and I are learning to speak French … arette means stop (like on the sign). Lac is lake. Nord is north. All from reading signs as many of them are in both English and French. There's just no telling wht you can learn while traveling.

Just before Jasper we saw a big girl elk. She was off to the side of the highway, and stood in all her majesty watching the traffic go by. Didn't stop since we figured she'd probably take off as she was apparently on her own.

Stopped in Jasper for fuel and sustenance, then onward since we need to be in Edmonton tomorrow a.m., me for a 10,000 check up, and Jaz for an oil change.

This deer mount was in the restaurant, so needed a photo of it for Biker Bill.

As we left Jasper we saw another little herd of elk girls … no buck. Heard later there's one that runs with them, but we didn't see him. Mostly they had collars of some sort on them.

This was the best photo of the bunch.  Again, right next to the road and not too concerned.

In the long run, we only ran about 40 more miles, to Hinton. Nice little town, and the motel (Pines) is the best. The room has hardwood floors, and it's all a light wood. There is an armoire that holds a little frig and the television. We'd give this one a thumb's up if you're looking for a pleasant place to stay, where your bike can be parked right outside the door, the wi-fi actually works and works well, and the proprietor is nice and friendly. What more could you want?

If you're reading the blogs, would you please add yourself as a follower if you haven't? Nice to know who's looking at this travelogue/blog/rambling. As Jaz and I have so eloquently said, we're biking and blogging. It's now what we do. Jaz has cards with the blog site on it and is handing them out. Wish I'd thought of that. I've asked her to give me her cards and I'll write my blog site on them, too.

Welcome Miss JGayle, my lovely Texas rose. Happy to have you on board. I'm wearing the Texas star earrings you gave me years ago, just in case you'd not read that in an earlier post.

And for tonight, we're all in.