Stupid things to do before turning 60

[Richard Moore]

This was Sunday at Kicking Horse Mountain in BC. Over 4000' foot drop from the top of the Gondola. I managed the descent three times before my arms and wrists yelled "No more!" (still a little sore).

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BTW...If you haven't ever travelled the Icefields Parkway between Lake Louise and Jasper (and back), put it down as a must do. 140+ miles of stunning, magnificent scenary. Just a taste...

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[kurt]

So, who's the punk on the bike?

[fqp25]

BTW...If you haven't ever travelled the Icefields Parkway between Lake Louise and Jasper (and back), put it down as a must do. 140+ miles of stunning, magnificent scenary. Just a taste...

What time of year would you suggest?

Frank

[Richard Moore]

BTW...If you haven't ever travelled the Icefields Parkway between Lake Louise and Jasper (and back), put it down as a must do. 140+ miles of stunning, magnificent scenary. Just a taste...

What time of year would you suggest?

Frank

We've only done the area this one time, so I'm no expert. Right now (last couple of weeks or so) was awesome enough, but I suspect it's even prettier with a bit more snow on, and melting from, the mountains...say late spring when the various waterfalls are at their most forceful.

[waynesoper]

Richard, you da man!!! NIce stuff. Cajonesgrande muchcacho!!

[Brandon Whitmore]

Got any brake pad left?

[emalernee]

Richard,

I'm 60 and my question is; What, the gondola won't take me back down the mountain? With my bad back, the only bike I see me riding is one of those three wheelers around Sun City. I will put the road trip as one of the things to do when we visit my son in Mountain Home, Idaho.

Ezra Malernee

Canton, Ohio

[Jim Morrison]

What? There are more stupid things for me to try? I thought I was done!

[Erby]

So how come was it you didn't ride UP?

Pretty country there!

[Richard Moore]

So how come was it you didn't ride UP?

I did ride up in the gondola! Oh, you mean on the bike? No, with the bike, the wife and myself in the gondola, there wasn't enough room for riding.

Seriously(?), we did enough hiking UP things on the trip that I wasn't feeling the need for any more exercise. I actually can't remember being on a bicycle for at least 30 years prior to this little bit of senile bravado. Between trips to Bannff and Jasper, we were staying with a couple who live at the resort (used to be our next door neighbors). He is now an interpretive guide for the Grizzly bear refuge ( http://www.kickinghorseresort.com/activities/bear/ ). Anyway...after watching the mountain bikers (all much, much younger) from various vantage points for a few days, and knowing there was a relatively easy way down, I decided to be the old fart man of the mountain.

Brandon asked earlier if I had any brake pad left. Good question! The bikes have disc brakes...very good disc brakes. I'll admit my first few yards were an undignified, over-braking, skid down a steep and rocky bit but I soon learnt to let it go and trust the full suspension. I still used a lot of brake before corners and, certainly, didn't set any local speed records or "grab any air", but by the third run I actually managed to beat the wife to the bottom (she rode the gondola down).

If I was half (or a third) my age I could really get into this downhill biking thing but, sadly, I'm not. I have about 2½ weeks left before hitting the big six-oh. I had the motorbike out today for a cruise in the sun. That's more my actual speed.