Reviving the spirit

It's been a tumultuous spring, as June brought a veritable 100 year flood to Southern Alberta. High River had a call out for boats, an area absent of lakes, for rescue purposes. High River is a catastrophe.

 Here at home in Redwood Meadows our berm held back what is claimed to be an unprecedented swell of the Elbow River, only barely contained from inundating some 350 homes by the efforts of thousands of sand bags and well over one hundred truck loads of any material available.

 The volunteer base for sand bags and clean up was formidable!

 Many basements lost causes including my own. Sumps are still spilling crystal clear ground water onto my lawn providing the kids with a creek to play in much to my chagrin.

 

 This Canada Day weekend has been a back breaker for me; tearing up carpet, sub-floor and removing some drywall at the floor to get at wet insulation...good times.

  Disheartened by a house built on a river I got some friends and neighbors together for a ride. A few days of texting and a group had formed! One from Calgary on a meticulous Triumph triple, another from Bragg creek on a Buell fire Bolt, and an older GSXR 1000, KLR 650, Ninja 600, and FJR 1300 from Redwood Meadows. All we were missing was a cruiser!

Yup, it's June in Alberta

Rain is hitting us hard in southern Alberta! Highway 1A, which I road to Canmore just 2 days ago, is washed out at Exshaw - a section of blacktop washed away. Rivers are washing over banks in Canmore and have closed Hwy 1.

 This is the Elbow River near my place is in the same state:

My ride on 1A before all of this flood nonsense:

And now I have to drive home to address the panic at the house to make sure our sumps are operational.

Father's Day

The opportunity for a ride came up this Father's Day Sunday, when duty called to transport my oldest son to his mothers house in Calgary. He was quick to accept a ride on the bike instead of the caged confines of my (smelly) jeep. Even at 9:30 am the weather was proving to be more than mild. I had it in mind to go the distance after saying goodbye and ride to Nanton Alberta, an hour and a half south of Calgary. There are a couple roads I have been wanting to check out around Nanton and who knows, maybe a break at the Lancaster Bomber they have on display, among other once-airborne relics. Highway 533 going West from Nanton was suggested as a destination for a nice paved road motorbike tour and not far north from where it meets hwy 22 is hwy 532 going west again into the Rockies past Hailstone Butte and Indian Graves, on a potentially dusty gravel road.

 I never made it to Nanton, however, only getting as far as Turner Valley, as I was running out of time with things to attend to at home. But I did manage a ride west from Turner Valley on Hwy 546 into the Sheep River and Bluerock parks. I was looking for the entrance to Gorge Creek Trail but never went far enough down 546 to see it. Gorge Creek Trail is gated and for horses, hikers and cyclists only, unfortunately. But I have been toying with the idea of popping around the gate and riding the trail north to McLean Creek Trail not far from my place.

 So for another day, I have Nanton and Gorge Creek to explore.

  The weather was great and the bike was great. And the cow pies were plentiful!