Day 378
Welcome to ‘The Best Place on Earth’
Finally we could delay no longer, we had to leave Jasper. We had loved it. Proper shops, a beautiful setting, coffee the same as home, and donuts. What’s not to like!
Tom3, who had ridden the road to Mount Robson, our destination for today, had advised that it would be busy and he wasn’t wrong. We had a wide hard shoulder so it felt sort of safe, it just wasn’t much fun. The views were awesome but there were few opportunities to stop. We had moments of excitement: we left Alberta and entered British Columbia, crossed the Continental Divide again, but at its lowest point, gained another hour as we rode into another time zone, even rode 12ft from a black bear, but the relentless noise of vehicles passing kept us in a low mood. Our campsite had just one walk-in spot, thankfully empty, and next to the showers. Our neighbours didn’t quite get how to keep a bear safe campsite. From a bag of rubbish hung on a fence, food and cooking equipment left out, and even a pet rabbit, it was like an advertisement on what not to do. Still at least the bears would head there first!
The following day it was back on the busy road but finally Komoot to the rescue and we left the main highway for what we guessed was the old main road. A good few miles of quiet traffic-free road was just what we needed. We had another short spell on the main road, and saw a memorial to Terry Fox, a young Canadian who lost his leg to cancer. He took on the challenge of running across Canada to raise money for cancer research. Sadly he was not to make it, after running 42k a day for 143 days he had to abandon his run due to the cancer returning. In the days before social media it took a while before Canada and the world took note of Terry’s Marathon of Hope, but boy they certainly did. He raised thousands but more importantly inspired so many. As a young 19 year-old girl in England I remember following his run, and like so many was saddened at his death the following June. The memorial is opposite the Terry Fox Mountain and every August there is a sponsored hike in his memory. His name has been mentioned time and again to us during weeks in Canada, his achievement still remembered today. His foundation has now raised over 800 million for research into ways to eliminate cancer. His name has been mentioned time and again to us during weeks in Canada, his achievement still remembered today.
Komoot then took us onto a dusty rutted track. We loved it and were sad when it changed back to tarmac. All to soon we were at our destination for the night, our Warmshowers hosts, Tom4 and Peggy. Both very talented artists, we learned that Peggy had painted the picture of Terry running that we saw earlier and Tom4 had designed and built the memorial that sits at the Peak of the Terry Fox Mountain. We had a wonderful evening in their company, over great food, looking onto stunning views we chatted about our upcoming route and received fantastic local advice, thanks so much! Oh and we also got to meet their fabulous dog, Lucy, and sleep in the hut that Tom4 built. What a night!
