Rest Days in Lake Louise

Upon setting up camp in Lake Louise that first night I learn that in addition to my left foot getting wet, my Sleeping bag also got a bit wet. Hmmm.) Fortunately the Lake Louise campground has hot showers and excellent blow dryers. Heaven. 1 rest day in town has turned into 2, and I'm sooo glad I did.

It's a touristy town, but in a nice, manicured rather than overrun sort of way. There's good cheap wifi and Internet, an amazingly good bakery, and a visitor center you can sit in all day that has a good heater and  a very nice exhibit on the geology of the area. My kind of heaven!

It's kinda crazy how tired I am, but I was pretty tired when I started this trip, so I guess it makes sense that after the excitement of the first few days wore off, exhaustion would hit. As a result, I've spent a lot of time these two days figuring distances and coming up with a travel plan for the next week.

I've modified my original plans, and shortening my distances so I have more short days (including the days I arrive in an old mining town, and at hot springs- good planning there, I think!)

Lake Louise campground even has an electric fence around it to keep the bears out, so I've slept quite well.  The RV site next to the fenced in tent area doesn't have an electric fence, so they recommend you don't walk around at night by yourself, and that you carry a light, make noise if you do need to walk at night, that you stay out of the tall grass, etc.

I felt quite heavily laden with all my bags (4) when a couple brothers from NY on bikes showed up to share my campsite- they each only had 2 bags. Then I learned they didn't have a sleeping pad, stove, fuel, or much food. They must have been freezing last night (I was cold at times, and I have a 1.75 inch sleeping pad!), and they ate Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches for dinner and slices of bread for breakfast. I could probably travel with a bit less, but I'm not about to give up my sleeping pad, or eat mostly PB &J! (Am I getting old?)

View from the top of the nearby ski hill is great- they run the ski lift in the summer, but I didn't do much hiking at the top since you have to hike in groups- too many bears. Maybe a solo trip through this area wasn't the smartest move...

Sure is pretty, though.

They have a webcam too:  http://www.lakelouisegondola.com/webcams.php

Once I got to the top the clouds parted and I sat in the sun for at least an hour like a big, happy marmot. Ahhh.... Warmth. Remind me of this in a few days when I'm complaining about the heat after I drop a couple thousand feet in elevation!

This is the view from my seat at dinner- I forgo camp food and eat in the restaurant in town. Bonus, town is walking distance from the campground- it's fun to walk instead of bike!

So far, in the first 4 days I did about 140 miles, Jasper to Lake Louise. And did I mention the TWO mountain passes?? Next up, 9 days, two lesser passes, and 226 miles, and a lot of down and rolling flats. Whew.