Riding the Rockies
Date Ridden: 15th June 2012
Distance: 15.3 miles (24.7km)
Actual Ascent: 997 ft (304m)
I've spent some time riding around on my fancy new bike locally getting used to biking again before my first foray into the mountains. I chose a good route that I'd had my eye on since hiking Nihahi Ridge a month ago. It is a firm gravel road with an undulating profile through a beautiful area south-west of Bragg Creek. The trail starts from the Little Elbow Recreational area at the south-western end of Highway 66 (Elbow Trail) I rode for about 7km before stopping to grab a few shots of the surrounding mountains, it's a baking hot day over 30 degrees again and I find myself loving the two river crossings that splash icy cold water all over me.
the shaded areas in the deep valley were a little cooler than the more open sections but still incredibly hot. There are a couple of locations along here where the cobble stones combine with the steepness of the trail force me to get off and push for a short time, but I have no problem with that, in fact I kind of enjoy the change for a while.
then there are the fantastic downhill sections on good, well worn tracks (closed to traffic except ranger vehicles) I'm soon really enjoying the day, even in the heat. The beauty of the Rockies makes you forget about working the pedals but the additional altitude (6000 feet) still makes breathing under strenuous workload an effort in itself.
at almost 10km I saw a little bench beside the trail and stopped to take a rest and have a drink and a snack. It was odd to see a very good pair of trail shoes tucked in beside the bench, I wondered if someone had switched to hiking boots here and forgot them. As I looked out over the trail I saw a young man running toward me, sure enough the mystery shoes belonged to him, he was jogging the trail and had stopped here earlier and took them out of his backpack to get to his snacks... then forgot them. The poor sod had covered 2km before realising and running back. He had a break and we chewed the fat for a few minutes before he set off again.
looking down over the trail I see another one of those river crossings that provide a cold spray as you pass and I look forward to that, ahead of this is the forgetful jogger on his way again.
I couldn't sit on the bench and have a snack as it was baking hot there so I stood back in the trees taking advantage of the shade and admired the wonderful mountains of the front ranges
after a nice break from the heat and a couple of tangerines I set off again for a few more km knowing I would be turning around soon. It is tempting to carry on but I think I may return here with hiking gear and do a little hike/bike trip or two so I'll save any further discoveries until then. At the point where I decided to turn around the mountains continued into the distance in layers and below me a small lake was alive with fish breaking the surface.
On the return leg I couldn't resist stopping at the bridge across the Elbow River and showering my head and face with the icy cold melt water.....it was unbelievably cold and my face and hands felt like they had in wintertime....just the affect I was looking for.
I stood a moment in the shade of a large overhanging cliff as an eagle swooped down and stopped on a branch across the river. It was eyeing the water with real intensity as I tried to get the camera out of my back pocket, that slight movement was enough for him to notice me and he was long gone before the camera even switched on
almost back at the truck now and just taking a last look back along the Elbow Valley, with Forgetmenot Ridge and Mountain now fully clear of snow and the Elbow River winding its way along down below the trail. No matter how hot it gets or how hard you work out here it is still difficult to turn away and head for home, every time.
being so easy to get to and having such a good trail make this route one I am very likely to return to, maybe with the hiking boots in tow.