Good God Almighty, it's Banff at last!

Well, here we are in Banff. 1325 km from our start, 20 days ago. Average per day is about 70 km., and average speed about 18 kph. My maximum speed (down the hill coming into Banff today) was just over 67 kph. All very interesting.

More useful is that we are done, and have proven that we can still get ourselves (with

 essential support from Nancy) under our own steam from the Pacific and across the continental divide.

And what a ride it was. Twenty days of varied scenery, most of it wonderful (Canal Flats being a major exception). And this last few days through Kootenay national Park being a kind of highlight for us. As we went further up onto the Alpine meadows, with the Kootenay and

 Vermilion Rivers flowing through broad areas of the meadows, and the mountains overseeing all of this with majesty and incredible beauty. I will try to attach some pictures for your edification, but the eye of course sees a whole lot more. Hopefully the brain will remember it as well.

The day began quite early again, leaving Radium before 7 and getting on the road part way through the park by 7:30. We were again blessed by clear skies and an almost clear highway.

The biking was relatively easy, with some modest uphills and some lovely downhills. As I said, I broke my own speed record on the way down to Banff from the Divide. And it felt safe as well. Of course, we did not want to go on the Trans-Canada, so we took the Bow Valley Parkway which runs alongside the highway for most of its length. And it was a very nice ride at that. While there were no shoulders, the road was quiet, smooth, and the few cars that we met were

 polite and gave way easily. We stopped at many of the information places along the way (as is

 my wont) and also stopped to take pictures of the elk along the road. You can do so much more on a bike than with a car.

Weather was almost too hot yesterday. When we started in the early morning, it was only 7

 degrees, but by the time we got to Banff, it was 30! And riding on an asphalt road makes it hotter yet. So we were draining the water bottles, and looking forward to a beer when we got to Banff. We kept expecting to see the marching bands to welcome us, but there was nothing to be seen, so we went to our hotel.

Ceremonial pictures were done at the Divide and at the entrance to Banff. Also (after we each showered) in the hotel room, with the drink of champagne in the elegant tumblers that the

 hotel provided, and using the champagne that Nancy had bought for us to celebrate. We had some snack foods as well, and some pleasant conversation. I think that we are and should be proud of our accomplishment. Although we don't quite believe that we have done it. It's a long way to go.

That night, we treated ourselves to a meal at the Beaujolais, a fancy restaurant in town, which

 surprisingly had some wine as well.  A delightful meal was had by all, and we came back to our room content and full.

And so it ends. Tomorrow we will go up the Gondola and do some sight-seeing here, then into Calgary on Canada Day.