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Old 06-18-2019, 01:28 PM   #1
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Must see in Alberta & BC?

During the 90's and early 2000's, before career moved me west, I had a close group of friends in VA and WV that were connected through the pastime of riding Harleys. As schedules permitted, we tried to work in a couple of one week road trips a year. Over the years, the group has shrunk and scattered and most have traded in two wheeler riding for some other hobby. Some years back, we lost the most adventurous of us to ALS. Since then, a core group of 3-4 of us still meet up every year or two for a trip in his memory to places we know he would have wanted to see. When we find the spot(s) we know he would have shouted out a big Yee Haw, we toast and scatter a tiny vial of his ashes. To date, he is remembered from Costa Rica to Iceland through eastern Canada and many points from coast to coast in the US.

I tell you all the above background because three of us are getting together the first two week in August for a road trip through western Canada. For those fine folks that live in, or well traveled through, this seemingly beautiful part of the planet, I would love to hear about you picks for must see or must do. It can be a scenic drive, vista point, hike, restaurant, snack shack, dive bar, saloon, tavern, pub, you name it.

We begin in Calgary and have 1-2 night stops in Banff, Valemount, Vernon, and Whistler. Then we ferry to Vancouver Island with stays in Nanaimo, Ucluelet, and Sproat Lake. Then we finish up with a couple nights in Vancouver before flying out in different directions. We tend to roll during the day, but evenings generally spent just sipping a little whiskey and telling (making up) stories. Even though my Airstream is not making this trip, I will be doing recon for a possible trip next year with wife, dog, and trailer.

Thank you for reading and for your feedback. I didn't intend for this to be so wordy.

David
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Old 06-18-2019, 11:35 PM   #2
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Not knowing your group's specific interests, here are some suggestions:

1) From Calgary to Banff, we like Hwy 40 (Highwood Pass) as an alternate, if you have time. Highest paved pass in Canada.
2) In Banff, we like the gondola up Sulphur Mountain. You can do a short hike at the top.
3) Lots of scenic spots from Canmore through the mountains travelling west. Many pullouts, etc.
4) You list Valemount, so I assume you are going up to Jasper then over to Valemount. Anywhere along the Icefields (Banff-Jasper) Parkway. Especially Sunwapta Falls.
4) I don't have any in Vernon, but if you carry on to Kelowna, you could drive up to the Myra Canyon trestles (the former Kettle Valley Railway) and walk the trestle path. The train is long gone. Park at Myra Station (access from the Forest Service Road) and walk the canyon. It is a horseshoe, so you can see all the trestles across on the other side.
5) On your way across Vancouver Island, stop in Cathedral Grove, before Port Alberni
5) Ucluelet is great. Suggest you go to Tofino as well, and Pacific Rim National Park (Long Beach) between the two. Not sure about Sproat Lake. It used to be cool to watch the Martin Mars waterbomber there, years ago.

Good luck, sounds like a nice drive

Jeff
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Old 06-19-2019, 07:46 PM   #3
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Highway 3A, Creston to Crawford Bay. If you’re riding motorcycles, it’s not to be missed.
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Old 06-20-2019, 06:55 PM   #4
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jcl, AlbertF,
Thanks for the great info. Our interests on these guy road trips are pretty basic. Avoid crowds and go where the tour groups and buses don't, when possible. Short hikes when time permits. Take in the scenery/landscape. Meet people. Enjoy good food and drink. We didn't book our lodging until a couple of weeks ago, so some of our selected stops were based on availability during peak travel season.
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Old 07-01-2019, 02:58 PM   #5
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I see you have Whistler on your list. Motorcyclists will enjoy the Sea-to-Sky route. Be sure to stop at Porteau Cove. It's a good place to stretch the legs and take in the scenery.

Restaurant wise, Vancouver and Whistler are foodie destinations (although Whistler is quite expensive. Be prepared to pay big prices for "taster" sized portions).

They say Vancouver has the best Chinese and sushi restaurants in the world. You will find a sushi place on almost every corner.

Another good motorcycle trip while in Vancouver is around Stanley Park and over the First Narrows' Bridge to the Capilano Suspension Bridge.



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Old 08-15-2019, 04:36 PM   #6
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Just returned Tuesday from our 14 day road trip of Western Canada from Calgary to the Pacific coast. Thanks for the travel tips. Spectacular scenery and the nicest people in every town and every stop. The first day out of Calgary, the route 40 to Banff was perfect. We stopped in Longview, figuring it may be our last town, picked up food to go from a great little market, for lunch along a river about half way to Banff. Hardly saw another vehicle. Banff to Jasper, beautiful. We knew we were traveling at the worst (peak) season, so most major attractions/stops were packed, but we still saw all the falls, lakes, and glaciers we desired. Valemount through Kamloops to Vernon put us on Lake Okanagan for a night. A lakeside bar and grill made a good ending to a day. Down to Kelowna, over to Merritt (gridlocked due to a music festival letting out on a BC holiday Monday), then routes 8, 1, 12 and 99 over to Whistler. That made for a long, tiring, but good day. From Whistler to Horseshoe Bay, a long breakfast in Squamish prevented additional stops to make our ferry. On Vancouver Island, Ucluelet and Tofino were neat towns, but packed due to time of year. Rented a pontoon boat on Sproat Lake. Idled up as close as we could to the Martin Mars Water Bomber for some pictures. What a beast.
3300 kilometers, 2050 miles, only one partial day of rain on a non-travel day.
Thanks again for the suggestions. David
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