Day 8::Cranbrook, BC - Golden, BC

Today we rode 230 miles.

Here we are just before leaving Cranbrook.  Little did we know today would be our most adventurous day!

This is just a fraction of the Alpine Forests.  If you've never seen this, you cannot even begin to imagine how many trees there are!  And the pine scent is awesome.   A photo does not do justice to the beauty of these forests.  

As we stopped for gas on our way out of town, we met an elderly gentleman who was driving a bus.  He told us he was on his way back from taking the Cranbrook Bugle Corp to the Stampede in Calgary.  He asked about our trip and told us we had to see two things on our way to Golden:  the Spiral Train Tunnel near Field and Marble Canyon.  

We arrived at the Spiral Tunnel just in time to catch a glimpse of the train going into the tunnel.  In the picture on the left you can see the end of the train going into the tunnel.  On the right you can see the top of the  train coming out of the tunnel.  Here's a good YouTube video of the spiral train.

We took a long route to Golden through Banff.  We rode along the Columbia River.  The river was a gorgeous teal color because it's glacier fed.

More amazing views!

My favorite feeling in the world is when we are climbing higher on the mountain roads and ahead is nothing but sky and a curve to the road.  You climb and climb and it looks as though you will just drive off into the sky...then all of a sudden you turn the curve and there is another breathtaking view.  

These are more views as we got closer to Banff.

We missed a little town for lunch so decided to go to the next one.  As it ended up, this was a perfect mistake.  We were at Radium Hot Springs.  Because we ended up there, we ended up going through the Kootenay National Park. 

As we drove into Radium Hot Springs, we had a little traffic jam.  So cool how calm these Big Horns were.

After lunch, in Kootenay National Park we could see the damage from a forest fire that lasted for 40 days.  We could also see the new growth.  So amazing how something so devastating helps to restore and renew the forest.

Kootenay National Park

Next, we found Marble Canyon and we hiked into the canyon.  I had some pretty major heart pounding but it was so worth the hike.  It was beautiful and the water is really that color.

 This is Numa Creek.  We had to hike a ways to see the rapids and, again, worth the trip.

We rode to Banff.  It's gorgeous but the town was waaaay touristy and people were EVERYWHERE!  We mainly drove through town because we were going there the next day.  

Next was Lake Louise.  Everyone told us we'd have to park in overflow and take a shuttle but true to my trusty Navigator's planning, we drove right into Lake Louise and parked right at the entrance to the walkway to the lake!

This is the famous Fairmont Hotel right at the entrance to Lake Louise.

Lake Louise - is this breathtaking or what!?

We rode along the Columbia River and then saw Columbia Lake which fed the river.  I've never seen gorgeous blue water like this before (in the U.S.).  

Finally got to Golden, B.C.  Dave had elk for supper (bleh!) and I had something pretty boring, I'm sure.  We then proceeded to crash.

Tomorrow:  Calgary!