Big Mountains, Big Miles, Big Sky

Banff Canada to Whitefish USA.

We have mixed feelings today. Its goodbye to Canada and its outstanding scenery, but bloody expensive living, and hello USA.

Canada has been a blast. Its simply beautiful and Kiwis have a natural affinity with the place. Its  New Zealand on Steroids.

The planed route was a 380 mile journey. That's 611 km in our money.

Some one has to do it and it might as well be us. I volunteer.

We headed out with some motorway work for about 30 miles then we turned off Canada 1 at the Kanasskis turnoff towards a place called Longview. I'll have to get another dictionary as it was simply beautiful. The roads where good, little traffic but the constant threat of critters on the roads existed.

This threat showed itself when a grizzly Bear was sighted by others in our Group. The bikes ahead slammed on their brakes just as we had overtaken a car.  I can report the ABS braking system works on the Harley and my undies where clean in case I had to go to hospital.

We arrived at Longview about 90 minutes into it. The name is apt. The county side has opened up considerably. We were now truly in ranch country. Really. cowboys and cattle, ranch houses and wide open prairie., It was beautiful. The roads were quite straight now and the travelling was rapid. It was a very pleasant way to spend an hour or so after the mountains and valleys of the previous 3 or 4 days.

We stopped for an early lunch at a little settlement named  Pincer Creek. We found a "Tim Hortons" a franchised subway type of place. Although they do have decadent donuts etc. Yum. Fresh and not too big.

The whole time we where in Canada you heard Neil Young played. Hes a native son done good. So similar to Dave Dobbin in NZ: he's every where. As we crossed the prairie there was a stiff wind blowing. Mark had a Neil Young song stuck in his brain the whole time .

Prairie wind blowing through my head
Prairie wind blowing through my head
Trying to remember what Daddy said
Prairie wind blowing through my head

I tried to tell the people but they never heard a word I say
They say there's nothing out there but wheat fields anyway
Just a farmer's wife hanging laundry in her back yard
Out on the prairie where the winds blow long and hard


Then we hit the border. Out with the Passports. "No we don't have weapons, drugs, food or more then $10,000 on us. We have been 1 week in Canada."

Through you go . Have a nice day.

Shit. Canada's gone from us, or we've left. USA here we come.....

Even BMW riders need love.

 

The road was rough and ready for a few more miles until we hit the " Going to the Sun" highway. Its a National Park. We parted with $80 USD to the nice lady at the gatehouse. This gives us a pass to all National Parks for one year. We'll be doing few in the next month and is the cost effective option.

The driving/riding is not the point here. The speed limits are painfully slow. The point is the scenery and history. You cross the continental divide, climb above the snow line and have trouble not crashing because of the distracting scenery. When the temp gauge read 95 plus, it was time for an ice cream.

Hmmmm. Ice cream........

96 or 99? Cant tell. It's hot.

After having our fill of fatty frozen dairy products, we had a short 20 minute journey to our current accommodation in Whitefish. Its cool. Its small town USA. Perfect place to head to the bar and eat too much.

Alan managed it. Well done son.