Welcome all from my Tobermory Cabin home, set in the beautiful upper Elk Valley, having just climbed to my first crossings of the Great Divide at Elk Pass & descended to this fine establishment and province of BC

Interior- after cleaning!

Temperature today was too bloody hot for biking making the climb to the pass feel eternal & much harder with my over packed bike. More unfortunate is that my left knee liked it less (recent cartilage op) and presently too swollen to peddle the 36 miles to civilisation at Elkford.

So to find the cabin vacant is blessing – it is literally the only one on route, it is free – & occupied on a first come basis. My plan is simple – rest up here tomorrow & allow the swelling to ease before peddling on to Elkford. Here I will downsize my kit before heading on. Meanwhile, I have 3 days food, water from the nearby stream, a good book on my iPhone kindle and the security of a solid roof over my head. Positives- no bears!

Momentous day!

First in setting off from the official start -Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, bro Allan’s birthday card in hand, then riding the many trails I had only read about in the trail books & blogs. This place has even more grizzlies than I feared. Three sightings today-one pulling at a tree just 3 meters away as peddled past. Ignored me completely thank god!

My day ended at Boston Creek. 50 miles on. A bloody long way loaded up and in my present physical condition. My destination was to be Mount Engadine Lodge @ 30 miles but they were full & it was made perfectly clear they were not going to help me. My choice therefore was to risk wild camping amidst the bears, cats, etc &, if I survive that, the chance of a $400 fine for camping in the NP. Alternate was to travel 20 miles on through this wild place – in pitch black all but for dim headlight. I did survive and gained a few survival lessons on the way – could be just the beginning of my education of the outback.

Today is my very last day before starting the GDMR & my 65 birthday. Its been well over a year in the planning and now, finally my bike is packed & tested, plus loaded with 3 days supplies. All in – about 30 kg. Tomorrow the adventure begins!

I feel the time is right to credit some of those people who got me to this start line. – Better I do this while fresh & positive rather than later on when cold, wet, lost and knackered.

 

First, thank’s Shona & Rich (Keep Pedalling, Manchester) for building my awesome bike (Salsa Fargo) & sharing your mass of knowledge; thanks Roy & Rory (Swynertons Cycles, Fenton) for helping set up the bloody Garmin Edge (a challenge equal to the GDMBR any-day) & for boxing my bike for the trip; thanks Paul Burton, for introducing me to Bearbones & their Welsh Ride Thing – my only multi-day ride so far but what a learning curve!! Bouncing seatbags, exploding tyres, excess baggage, essential kit – all addressed?! Thanks John Weckoski, for transporting me the length & breath of Pittsburgh (& for the metres of ducktape required to repair the battered bike box for my onward journey to Calgary). And most importantly, thanks Christine (my wife), for all your support and help – and for your understanding my need for this adventure.

Preparations now nearly all complete.  Just the last minute stuff to do!  Bike box is rather large – hoping the weight isn’t too great for excess baggage!!!

Thanks for joining me!