Friendly Harley riders save the day!

Er yuk, it's raining. And who hates the rain more than me, of course, the Lady herself, Miss KLR650. She doesn't start, doesn't even turn over. And all this on a day we were trying to get going relatively early. Turns out she had right to complain. When we checked her battery, it was bone dry. So that'd be a big OOPS on my part. But she's not one to complain and after giving her a drink and a quick recharge she fires up, no problem. I um and ah whether to replace the battery then or wait to see if it is OK. For once on the trip, I forgo the 'Let's wait till it dies' attitude and pay up for a new one. Changed it in the parking lot of the motorcycle shop and by this time its stopped raining. Finally it is time to get going but not before lunch.

So we leave Calgary at the respectable time of early afternoon and slowly make our way up to Banff. After getting caught up in the road works and jay walking tourists through the centre of town, we manage to escape the road diggers and without running anyone over, head for Lake Louise. Due to our late start we weren't going to make it to Jasper that evening so we decide to check out the campground here. Due to our late start this morning, the campsite is already fool. Damn all those tourists being on school holidays, getting up early and making reservations for their preferred campsites. Who are they to be so organised!
We ride up to Lake Louise before heading north to find somewhere else to stay. And where are all of the organised hoards who already have their campsites? Up at the lake also. It was so busy and the parking lot wasn't even full.
After buying some supplies, we get talking to a Harley couple in the parking lot of the supermarket. In the habit I've become accustomed to, I ask if they have a campsite. 'Yes they do', 'Would they mind sharing it with us?', 'Of course not, if it's OK with the park rangers'. Luckily it's Canada we're in and the Park Rangers are pretty cool. We're sorted. Sandy and Jim won't even accept us paying half of the cost, 'How can they be doing us a favour if they lets us pay?' Apparently they'll be calling in the favour with Mike when they visit in Scotland next year, Sandy is herself from Scotland.

Lake Moraine, oh and that'd be me in the foreground.

Surprise, surprise, we manage to get up and going early next morning. We decide to visit Lake Louise again, should be better light and with everyone rushing off to get to their next campsite, it shouldn't be so busy. Oh how wrong we were! And we thought it was busy the evening before. This time Lake Louise car park was overflowing. We didn't hang around.
The stunningly blue Lake Moraine is out of the way a bit and the road isn't suitable for large RVs. That cuts out half of the tourists. Although still busy, we were able to escape the masses and reflect in the gorgeous surrounds.
Heading up the Icefield Parkway, Boo Boo's mate walks out in front of us. Very cool. Unfortunately no photos though. Although they amble, bears don't hang around too long for a photo shoot. Ever northward we tramp across the Athabasca glacier before declining to pay $24 for two scummy looking ham sandwiches and two cans of coke. We settle instead for $6 for a bag of crisps and share a bottle of Gatorade. Pure extortion, but restaurants can charge what they like in the National Parks.

Managing not to fall down a crevice, we traverse the glacier

Jasper is a bit of a none event and after re-stocking the pantry it's off for a bath. Despite the mosquitoes the hotsprings are divine and Mike has a hard time dragging me away. But there is a road to be ridden and a tent to pitch somewhere.