IMPORTANT UPDATE (June 12/08):
Not much interest shown in picnic at Cochrane this Sunday during the Elbow Falls Ride, so we will just be doing the ride as was originally planned.
As the East Kootenay trip is getting closer we need to confirmation of who is planning on going on the ride. Please confirm with Graham Steckly by e-mail gsteckly@telusplanet.net or by phone 337-2113.
IMPORTANT UPDATE (June 10/08):
A great big thanks to Bruce and Chris Peters for volunteering to be our chase vehicle drivers and to Graham Steckly of Family Auto Sales for donating the use of a truck and trailer [way to toot my own horn ^_^]. I have been watching the 14 day trend for the East Kootenays, and the weather is definitely.. it's ... I CAN FEEL IT. it's... it's.... going to be fabulous... it's.. NOT GONNA RAINNNN! [...please remember to pack your rain gear]. For Friday night's supper, you might want to consider heading to the Platzal in Kimberly. There are several really good restaurants there. If you're wondering how many people will be coming along on this trip, loose count has it at 19 [approx 14 bikes].
**Don't forget, we have bumped last sunday's ride to Elbow Falls to this sunday [Father's Day].**
We are planning to have a picnic on the way to Elbow Falls at the little park as you enter Cochrane [cowboy statue on a hill, ya can't miss it]. Women and children of the family are welcome to follow along to Elbow Falls.
Please let Graham know if this is an interest to you and your family [403 815 3335].
IMPORTANT UPDATE (May 29/08):
If you are trying to book a room in Cranbrook for Friday June 20 you will find that most of Cranbrook is sold out due to Fort Steele Days (local fair). As an alternate we suggest Kimberley - several riders are booked at the Chateau Kimberley Hotel - phone 1-866-488-8886 and say you are with the ZEMC group to receive a special rate - the manager's name is Danielle. Rooms should be available for the evening of June 22 in Cranbook on the trip back as Fort Steele Days will be over. We will still be staging the second day of the ride from the parking lot at the Best Western in Cranbrook at 10:00 a.m. Please have your motorcycle fueled and ready to go. We are still planning to travel the Crowsnest Pass Route.
Thank you for your interest in riding through the East Kootenays. One of the things that I always appreciate about this ride is that it is not only visually stunning (scenery) but the smells of the various forests along the way are a treat to the senses. I have done all of this ride and believe this to be one of the best trips to take on a motorcycle.
The trip will start with a cruise down Highway 22 along the eastern slopes of the Rockies and turning west through the Crow’s Nest Pass with our first evening spent at Cranbrook. In the morning we will continue west through the Creston Valley and head over the Kootenay Pass. Many old mining slag piles are visible and add interest as we pass along small lakes, streams, and rivers, arriving at Salmo. At Salmo we head west and drop down through Montrose and Trail, BC. We will head north from Trail to Castlegar for lunch, and then on to Nelson for the night. Nelson is a jewel of a town, tucked away in a valley with a vibrant nightlife, eclectic flare, and lots of great places to eat. For those who have not had their fill of motorcycle riding, after dinner, a dip in the Answorth Hotspring is just the ticket (approximately a 26 km ride east).
Day 3 is truly a treat for the motorcycle enthusiast as we travel two of the top-rated motorcycle roads in Canada. It has been said that the perfect motorcycle road can never have too many curves, twists and turns. The section we will be riding will definitely leave you full and not wanting for more. When we leave Nelson, we backtrack slightly and head north towards Silverton on Highway 3A. Silverton has an interesting roadside mining museum that makes a perfect spot to take a breather. Just minutes up the road is New Denver (hippie capital of British Columbia). On a calm day, you can usually smell the wild wood weed wafting through air, haha. Let the curves begin! The stretch between New Denver and Kaslo (46 kms) is one of the most scenic, least travelled, curvacious roads of the trip. Kaslo for lunch and fuel is a colourful town with a paddlewheel boat and the usual weeds and seeds shops to entertain tourists. From Kaslo we head south along the Kootenay lakes, arriving at Balfour where we’ll catch the ferry across the lake to Crawford Bay (I have planned the trip to accommodate the ferry schedule). In Crawford Bay/Kootenay Bay we will take a break to see the Kootenay forge company and a boutique that custom-makes corn brooms. From Kootenay Bay to Creston is rated the #1 motorcycle road in Canada for its beautiful lakeside scenery. It’s a gas stop in Creston, and then back to Cranbrook for the evening.
Our final day will take us home through Radium, Lake Louise, Banff, and Cochrane. The following itinerary will give you a sense of timing as we go. I have scheduled gas stops, lunch stops, and overnight stays in such a fashion as to allow riders to travel at a comfortable pace (the speed limit) and not cover so much distance as to miss out on opportunities to enjoy the surroundings and take in the flavor of the East Kootenays.
Day 1:
Day 2:
Day 3:
Day 4:
IMPORTANT UPDATE (May 29/08):
If you are trying to book a room in Cranbrook for Friday June 20 you will find that most of Cranbrook is sold out due to Fort Steele Days (local fair). As an alternate we suggest Kimberley - several riders are booked at the Chateau Kimberley Hotel - phone 1-866-488-8886 and say you are with the ZEMC group to receive a special rate - the manager's name is Danielle. Rooms should be available for the evening of June 22 in Cranbook on the trip back as Fort Steele Days will be over. We will still be staging the second day of the ride from the parking lot at the Best Western in Cranbrook at 10:00 a.m. Please have your motorcycle fueled and ready to go. We are still planning to travel the Crowsnest Pass Route.