A bit of a Canadian Rockies Weekend

We bumbled our way across the US (and Canada) most of the day Saturday, eventually arriving in Calgary later that evening.  Normally this would have made for a relatively calm 90 minute drive up into the mountains, but due to the way the day’s timing worked out – we had to end up running our long run after the flight.

Which meant 2hrs and 45m of running. Non.stop.running.

Let me rephrase that. Non.stop.running in the dark.

Without lights.

It’s only the Rockies,  it’s not like there are bears or cougars or lost circus tigers.  No worries.

Actually, the area we were in was mostly outside of the mountains (even though at 4,500ft) – so we actually didn’t have to worry about the bears or cougars.  Though, lost circus tigers was certainly a consideration.

We ran around Cochrane, Alberta for what end up being close to 23 miles.  And it was absolutely beautiful.  Most of the route was along a (very cold) glacier fed river.  As you got right down near the water level you could literally feel the colder air coming off of it.  Like a moving valley of air conditioning.  While our run started in the light and warm (and at about 75-80*F), by time we finished, it was pitch black and rather cold (maybe 45-50*F).  It didn’t take long to get cold.

Towards the end I was running loops around the neighborhood, mostly because it was were the light was.  But still beats the humid weather of DC any day.

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Luckily one of the guys that lives in that area hooked us up with a place to run from (as well as pizza afterwards!).  So after the run we were able to change at his place before we continued on up into the mountains an hour away to Kananaskis.  Which is where we rode today on Sunday.

Since I’m up here for the ANT+ Symposium, the ANT+ guys were able to hook us both up with bikes.  Even better was that mine had a PowerTap for the rear wheel – a sweet surprise!  I simply added my Edge 800 and I was good to go.

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From there it was off for our ride.  With the weather again closing in on 80*F, you couldn’t have asked for a better day.

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Here’s just a handful of photos from our ride:

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Note, aside from the signs for elk, there were also those for Rocky Mountain Sheep:

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Given my bike didn’t have any aerobars on it, I’d probably lose versus the sheep’s horns.  Thus, I made certain to avoid them.

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And somewhere off in these woods lives Yogi bear.  The signs just in front of our hotel say so in fact.  There are some areas closed off up against the hotel due to bear droppings, with some temporary signs noting a recent bear sighting.

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Hopefully, he won’t make an appearance during any of my runs this week.  And if he does, I can only hope that I can outrun not him – but rather just my running companions.

With that, I’ve got a packed week, and the discussions already started this evening with really cool companies doing really cool things.  Some I can discuss…and some not so much.  More soon.

As always though, thanks for reading!

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13 Comments

  1. Anonymous

    Hi DC,

    You always seem to take amazing photos whilst out riding. What camera do you take with you?

  2. The scenery is gorgeous! Given that I’m running in a pool until my plantar fasciitis goes away, I am incredibly jealous. Thanks for sharing.

  3. AMAZING beautiful scenery! Almost unreal! Enjoy your trip!

  4. Anonymous

    Hey! That’s my backyard! Isn’t it absolutely fantastic? You nailed the weekend to come – changing colour of the trees and 30degrees celsius. Heaven! Hope you loved it as much as we do.

  5. Anonymous

    Yep on of the best rides around the Canmore area up and over Highwood Pass and return. You caught some of the best weather this summer. If you have time another great ride is from Banff to Lake Louise on the 1A.

  6. I agree with last post, Banff to Lake Louise is beautiful.

  7. It’s especially cool that there are no motorists in sight.

    Did you wait to get a clear road or is there really no traffic?

    I want to move to Canada :)

  8. Nice pics, that’s my back yard! I was browsing the Forerunner 305 eraser fix – life saver BTW – and saw this

    Next time you’re out in these parts & want to road or mt bike ride, holler. And the skiiing nearby in Kicking Horse & Revelstoke is pretty sweet…

  9. JoeMacchiato

    Wow, awesome view. What a great ride.

  10. I think it’s lovely place with great landscapping and scenery, wish i’ve been there but it would be my next holiday destination.

  11. What an ugly ride.
    I am kidding.

  12. Hi DC,

    Great pictures, I am glad you enjoyed Alberta’s K-Country. Speaking of secret gems some of us would like to keep it that way. So if anyone asks where you took those pictures please tell it was at Whistler.

  13. I agree. I don’t know why they haven’t done so already.