Our first ride out, starting in Banff finishing 20 miles later at Spray Valley Campground plot number 9.

We started the day well as quick visit to the post office then on to the Banff Springs Hotel and the official start of our journey.

The route follows the Spray River Trail, a track generally rising (with cycling you come to realise everything is uphill) and on occasions rocky and or steep requiring pushing, a theme that is very likely to continue methinks.

A brief stop at the Spray River bridge (and who could resist cheese and peanut butter sandwiches).

Then ever upwards turning on to Goat (yes the cloven hoof animal) Creek Trail. More bridges and a nice waterfall.

A pannier malfunction forced us to stop and make a repair then off once more.

The weather is excellent, sunny and calm (if not a little too sweaty).

Three bridges later, much resting and much pushing we made it onto the Smith -Dorrien “road”, it is a very wide and very dusty track used by all of Canada’s 4 x 4 owners it seems, the drivers are very considerate but an incredible amount of dust is kicked up by them.
The road is very tough cycling (cycle talk for we ride very slowly and often push).

We even had a few spots of rain, which was good it damped the road down making it a little more pleasant. We were quite weary by the time we arrived at the campground.

Once a pitch was found tent was up and Martin was off half a mile down the track to the nearest stream for some water. The MSR filter is fantastic worth it’s weight in well, water. Surprisingly we went on to cook an edible meal.

Once fed all food and scented items were locked in a bear proof box we then retired for the night.

No bears to be seen but there was the howling of what we later found out to be wolves (they must have lost again).