Epic Bike Ride Day 50 July 17
Thoughts from Kelly: Happy Birthday to our middle kid Tay!!! What a surprise we had, as we finished today. We cut some corners, but felt it was an EPIC day to finish. Six years ago today Mark finished the Route 66 ride, and today was 50 days of riding, perfect for Mark turning 50 this year and the $50,000 we are trying to raise.
Seeing the joy on Mark’s face as he approached the ‘finish line’ (the hotel where the Tour Race starts) was priceless. He had to push himself very hard mentally and physically to finish. Also, we had to make some tough decisions about going off route and what roads to take. This past week tested both of us, but to finish was worth it!
In order to meet Mark at this iconic hotel (Fairmont Banff Springs) I had to drive through town a couple of times (very busy with tourists = anxiety spike) to find parking. I finally found a spot, but it was a mile and a half away. Luckily, I have a bike with me! I rode to the hotel only a couple of minutes before Mark arrived. After our celebratory reunion, we rode back to the truck, locked the bikes up and walked around town. We were able to have a video call with Shay, Tay and my mom to surprise them that we had finished. Boy were they surprised!
Banff is as amazing as everyone said. The mountains here are rockier and steeper than most of what we saw on the way here. The water of Bow River was an amazing color, and it’s difficult to describe. Hopefully it will come through in the pictures. We had dinner at a cool roof top restaurant with a very enthusiastic waiter. Our meal was fantastic, topped with some yummy drinks to celebrate our journey. After dinner, we walked back to the truck and drove off to find a campground. As we were searching we saw a couple female moose hanging out on the road, not caring at all that we were on the road, too. We found a crowded campground that allowed us to park in the overflow area, again we are thankful we can sleep in our truck in these situations. Good night!!
Thoughts from Mark: What a day! Knowing it was going to (probably) be the last day made it just fly by. We had to shave a few miles, so we drove to a spot about 50 miles from Banff, and I rode from there. The whole route today was paved, and it’s absolutely incredible how much faster I can go on pavement. I rode into Canmore, and we had a nice break stop at a brewery. As we were getting ready to leave, a small rainstorm rolled in, and it was a very refreshing/cooling rain. Shortly thereafter, I was able to hop onto a bike path, and take this into Banff. I really tried to focus on being “present” and look around at all of the beautiful scenery. I saw several Rocky Mountain Sheep, and some of them looked pretty scraggly. The bike path was amazing, and now I want every city to install one (I realize this is just about impossible, but I can dream).
Banff is an exceptionally beautiful town, with prices to match. I can see why Europeans (and everyone else) like it, as it reminds me a lot of ski villages in Switzerland and Austria. The old hotel where the route starts is fabulous, and just for fun, I asked how much a room was for the night. It was only $1,058 (Canadian - approximately $800 U.S.). Needles to say, we didn’t stay there for the night. Riding into the area, and seeing Kelly at the “finish line,” was something I hope stays with me for a long time. I was so happy/exhausted/relieved I couldn’t help but scream for joy. Sorry to all of the rich people I might have scared!
After we took a few pictures at the finish, we rode back to the truck, and then walked around downtown Banff. We found an Italian food restaurant that had a rooftop patio, and were seated at the railing, allowing us to watch all of the foot traffic below. We had a very nice meal, and I kept thinking “I can’t believe we are done!” I’m sure the memories will fade over time, but it was a great experience, and really, really challenging.
Miles for the day: 52.81 Feet climbed today: 1,975
Total miles ridden: 2,434.97 Total feet climbed: 143,285
