🎆Happy New Year everybody!!🎆

The plan…

This forms the basis of our Mountain Roads tour. We arrive in Vancouver a couple of days early so the actual road trip starts on day four of our time in Canada. We do not currently have any thing booked or planned for those two free days between arriving and heading out on the bikes, though a whale watching boat trip is high on the list.

Day One – Arrive Vancouver

After our arrival in Vancouver we will be transferred by private taxi to our first tour hotel thanks to Orange and Black. As we have arrived a few days early we have time to acclimatise and explore the highlights this beautiful city. No doubt we’ll be seeking out some vegan restaurants to visit🥗😋

Day Four – Vancouver – Kelowna

(400 km – 250 miles approx.)

This will be day one of the road trip. After collecting our bikes from the local Cycle BC depot, and loading them up with our luggage we’ll head east starting one of the longest days of the trip on the bikes on the Trans-Canada Highway, following the Fraser River to the National historic centre at Fort Langley. We will even have an opportunity to visit the Othello Tunnels in Hope, where Sylvester Stallone filmed First Blood, and ascend the Coquihalla Pass before arriving in the warm Okanagan Valley, famous for its sandy beaches, warm lakes, fruit orchards and wineries. I’m sure that we’ll hardly notice the miles as the roads will be superb, and the scenery stunning.

Day Five – Kelowna- Revelstoke

(205-350km – 125–215 miles approx.)

On day two of the road trip a choice of rides awaits us. We can ride north to Shuswap Lake, visit the beach in Sicamous, and then ride through the Monashee Mountains to the historic Last Spike, where the Trans-Canadian railroad was completed in 1885. Or, alternatively take a longer twisty route through the Monashee range taking in big lakes with interesting little ferry crossings before we reach the friendly town of Revelstoke. Option two sounds good to me… always enjoy a ferry crossing, it makes it feel like a proper adventure🚢😊.

Day Six – Revelstoke

(free day, 50km – 30 miles approx.)

We have our first Free\Rest day today. There is the option of a scenic 26km ride to the top of Mt Revelstoke National Park, and explore the glaciers, mountain roads and cedar forests of Glacier National Park. We could also try our hand at canoeing, white water rafting, hiking or flightseeing. Or just rest our weary buttocks in the hotel spa🤣

Day Seven – Revelstoke – Invermere

(280km – 175 miles approx.)

Apparently we are in for some spectacular riding today, the Trans-Canada Highway skirts Mt Revelstoke National Park before taking us through Glacier National Park to the historic town of Golden. Next it’s the Columbia Valley and the many lakes of the West Kootenays, and the natural hot springs at Radium before arriving at our pretty lakeside destination near Invermere.

Day Eight – Invermere – Banff

(155km – 95 miles approx.)

With an early start we may see bears (Kate keep your eyes peeled😊), deer and eagles here in the valley between the Purcell and Rocky Mountains. We’ll cross the continental divide, ride the Sinclair Canyon, see the Indian Paint Pots and Marble Canyon in Kootenay National Park. Then it’s on to Banff, one of the most scenic towns anywhere in the world with plenty of things to do and see.

Day Nine – Banff

(free day, 100 km – 60 miles approx.)

Another Free\Rest day today. Banff offers us plenty of options. Including a short ride where we can explore Lake Minnewanka, the Hoodoos and Bow Falls. Take the gondola to the top of Sulphur Mountain and soak in the hot springs. Or try our hand at horse riding, canoeing, hiking or mountain biking, perhaps finishing off the day with a tasty western dinner at Wild Bill’s. Let’s see what the day brings.

Day Ten – Banff – Jasper

(285 km – 175 miles approx.)

Today we ride what many consider to be one of the world’s most scenic highways, the Icefields Parkway, flanked by snow-capped peaks, alpine lakes and forested valleys. See the Crowfoot Glacier and famous Peyto Lake, marvel at the azure blue waters of Lake Louise and Moraine Lake, cross the Bow and Sunwapta Passes and stop at the Columbia Icefields Centre to take a ride or walk on a Glacier. Advice is to always keep an eye open for some of the diverse wildlife that frequently shows up on the roadside. This ride\day ends with a two night stay in Jasper National Park.

Day Eleven – Jasper

(free day, 50 km – 30 miles approx.)

Third Free\Rest day of the tour in Jasper and we have full day to explore more of the Rockies and Jasper National Park. We should have plenty of time take the mountain road to Mount Edith Cavell, hike the Maligne Canyon, or ride the Sky Tram and have lunch on top of Whistler Mountain.

Day Twelve – Jasper – Clearwater

(315 km – 195 miles approx.)

The Yellowhead Highway takes us to the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies, Mount Robson, then through the Caribou Mountains. Advice is to allow time to take a lake safari in the pristine wilderness before continuing along the Thompson River to Clearwater and Wells Gray Park.

Day Thirteen – Clearwater

(free day, 100 km – 60 miles approx.)

Our final Free\Rest day of the tour here in Clearwater before we head back towards Vancouver, and a chance to explore the magnificent Wells Gray Park, set in the heart of the Caribou Mountains. Apparently you can just feel the solitude in 530,000 hectares of unspoiled wilderness. Visit Dawson Falls where the Murtle River plunges more than 18 metres, see the Devil’s Punch Bowl where the force of water has pounded holes into the rocks, and visit Helmcken Falls, which is three times the height of Niagara Falls! We could ride out into the British Columbia Lake District or try some horse-riding, fishing, hiking, golf, kayaking, or whitewater rafting.

Day Fourteen – Clearwater – Whistler

(425 km – 265 miles approx.)

Longest day on the bikes today (425 km – 265 miles approx.), continuing through the Caribou with its many fishing lakes and forests we pick up the Goldrush Trail to the Coastal Mountains, with two hours riding mountain curves through great scenery to the ski and summer resort of Whistler. We’ll need to check out the magnificent Peak to Peak Gondola and take the ride if we dare.

Day Fifteen – Whistler – Vancouver

(140 km – 85 miles approx.)

We ride the famous scenic Sea to Sky Highway along the Pacific Ocean to Vancouver today. With a couple of possible detours to visit the Capilano Suspension Bridge and maybe Grouse Mountain before heading into Vancouver via the beautiful Stanley Park.

Day Sixteen – Vancouver

(free day, 50 km – 30 miles approx.)

We arrive back in Vancouver to do some more city sightseeing, Chinatown, Granville Island, Gastown and Robson Street should keep us entertained. We might even take the ferry to Vancouver Island and visit Victoria with its historic buildings, Fisgard lighthouse or just relax in Stanley Park.

Day Seventeen – Depart Vancouver

Time to return our bikes to the Cycle BC depot this morning, unload our luggage off the bikes and repack it into our suitcases ready for our flight home. Cycle BC will store your suitcases, and anything you wish to leave behind, for you whilst you are touring on the bikes. Unlike back in 2018 when we did USA Coast-To-Coast when we had to dump our suitcases in the hotel in Florida, and then buy more suitcases to fly home with in Los Angeles.

Total riding distance should be in the region of 2500 km – 1550 miles and should look something like this… traveling in an anti-clockwise direction from Vancouver on the west coast through British Columbia heading east to Banff, Alberta, then north to Jasper, and then heading west back into BC and returning to Vancouver.

Posts may become a little more spread out now I’ve relayed the initial news and information over the past couple of days. But don’t despair, I’ll try and keep the posts coming over the next few weeks\months before we actually head out.

Thanks for reading so far… and I hope you all have a fabulous 2024!!