Day 29, our first rain

Day 29, 4 August, 54.6km, 563m climb. Johnson Lake rec site to stealth camp along Kootenay Forest Service Road.

We woke up to discover that everything was as we left it although Gordon definitely heard footsteps around our bikes during the night! All was well though and Ethan gave us a cheery greeting as he emerged from his tent.

The day started with a wee climb out of the campsite then 22km of predominantly downhill sealed road to Canal Flats. My careful earlier scoping had identified a cafe and a supermarket in this wee town so we promptly made ourselves at home at the Cafe/bakery while we recharged our powerbanks and I did some shopping in preparation for the next 4 days off grid. 

We had thought we'd take the highway to Banff but we heard some good reports about the forest service road so decided we would take that. It's 77km of gravel before it rejoins the main road. Our goal is 50km per day so 3 nights and 4 days off grid.

We stocked up on food and yummy things from the Cafe and pushed on. We have stopped 30km up the road which winds along the beautiful blue Kootenay River. The scenery is stunning and the road in good shape. It is undulating and predominantly up but fairly easy riding. We have found a bach that is unoccupied but has a nice deck for the tent, an outhouse with toilet paper and a wee creek for water. There is a sign in the loo asking people who use it to put the loo paper where it belongs and leave things as they find it so we feel ok about borrowing it for the night.

Within an hour of arriving,  a thunderstorm rolled through so we rushed to set up the tent in time but didn't quite make it. We both got wet and the underside of the tent as well. The deck was not the best choice as it turns out! No worries, we are learning all the time.