Part 3: STUCK in Canada – The Final Countdown
After waiting 144 days, we finally made it to our 7 day countdown to Italy! Now all we needed to do was ride 625 kms to Calgary on a motorcycle with nearly 150 lbs of gear. Easy Peasy.
For a bit of back story, our previous longest ride together was 34 kms. This ride would be 18 times longer. Totally doable.
My heart said ‘Heck Yes’, and my butt said ‘NO!’
I loved going for motorcycle rides before, so I figured it would be the same. Just longer. Well, it turns out that sitting on a fully loaded bike decked out in motorcycle gear is VERY different.
Since the total ride time would take 7 hours and we had 7 days to do it, we stretched it out over several days to enjoy the ride.
First stop – Revelstoke!
It’s a small, yet lively, mountainous town filled with so much character.
With a late arrival into town, we popped over to the ‘Big Eddy Pub and Liquor Store’ for dinner. Between the eclectic decor, tasty food, and locally made drinks, it was a winner in our books.
We stayed in the ‘Grizzly Cabin’ @ Base Camp Guest House and Cabins. It’s a simple, rustic spot directly located off the highway that was perfect for a one night stay. It’s not a particularly quiet place, but we lucked out and had exclusive access to a hot tub. It felt very rewarding after a long ride.
After fueling up the next morning at Paul’s favourite coffee shop in town, Dose Coffee, and some research at the local library, we were on our way to Lake Louise.
The ride through the Canadian Rockies was hands down one of the most breathtaking experiences of my life. I could sit in awe for days admiring the mountains.
We snagged the last remaining vacancy, a 4 bed loft style hostel room at HI Lake Louise Alpine Centre, all to ourselves.
Lake Louise is arguably one of the most picturesque areas in Canada, so it came as no surprise that the seasonally transient town was swarming with travelers attempting to get a glimpse of its beauty. It was a short, but sweet stay. We’ll be back again (hopefully) soon!
We decided to press on to Calgary that night for some much needed rest before taking off to Rome. With our Airbnb booked in Calgary and ideal weather conditions, what could possibly go wrong!?
It turns out that we rode just south of an area which had been hit with a tornado only 30 mins prior, so the winds that remained were…a bit nervous wrecking. With a heavily loaded motorcycle riding 100+ kms an hour, we were teetering the line of imminent death in the ditch. I just wanted to make it to Calgary alive!
As expected, Paul NAILED it!
We’re on the home stretch just minutes from our Airbnb. I can’t wait to relax in a nice comfy bed and maybe do ‘nothing’ for the next few days until we leave for Rome.
Just kidding. That would’ve been too easy.
We arrived at our Airbnb, and the following hours were filled with drama. The host had recently taken over the listing that was previously run by his brother’s ex, and I guess there was some remaining resentment. The Airbnb was a total disaster on arrival, so we were forced to find a last minute replacement on Canada Day!
Luckily, our hotel for the next 3 nights at Executive Residency by Best Western made up for the previous night’s headaches. With stellar customer service, a large pool and hot tub for relaxing, a delicious on-site restaurant with a daily buffet breakfast, airport shuttle service and various hiking trails tucked behind the property, I would return to this hotel in a heartbeat.
Calgary is less than a 2 hour drive from Lake Louise, so it’s an ideal starting point for exploring the Rockies.
With an international driving permit in hand (and passports!), Paul and I were ready to start our Italian adventure!
