Canada - USA Tour 2018 -part 4

Great Falls isn't as attractive as the name sounds, a busy quite large town and a tad soulless, we met some guys at our hotel who were doing a three countries run for charity, basically dipping their toes in Mexico, riding up through the States and finishing in Calgary, one of the was on a Ducati, only the second Ducati we'd seen so far on this trip. The following day after a slightly dodgy Mexican meal with the inevitable consequences we set off across the high plains, a couple from California we'd met warned us of roadworks on the I 15 so we took their suggested route of the 89, running up the side of the Glacier National park , a great road on the right bike in the right conditions but today it was windy and the Yamaha was getting blown about diminishing the fun somewhat, as we neared the park the road rose from an already quite high elevation and it got colder, eventually we turned off onto the Chief Mountain Highway and to the US Canada border post there, no dramas, a bit of banter with the Canadian border guard and we were in Canada. We were heading for Waterton Park not far away and I was looking forward to a heat, flurries of snow blew through and I thought this isn't what I signed up for! Fiona had booked the Prince of Wales Hotel in Waterton Park, itself a bit of a historic monument, we fuelled up in the town and arrived at the Hotel, far too early to book in the hotel was famous for afternoon tea which we were looking forward to. We entered the Hotel into the grand hall and were a bit pissed to find it was colder inside than out, like many a Scottish Hotel heating costs were probably exorbitant so they don't bother. Impressive views mind you but very touristy, high tea was excellent but on a bit of a mini scale compared to back home, very posh quartered sandwiches which barely filled the mouth but tasty, a step change from some of the mountains of inedible stodge we'd been eating.The staff were all kitted out in Royal Stewart tartan with the guys all wearing kilts, very bizzare, matter of fact that evening we were served by an Argentinian guy with a kilt, how we laughed! 
We finally got booked in and jacked the room heating up to max to shift the chilled bones feel. The following day we headed to Calgary to see our friends the Doyles, we'd met Kevin and Neville in Alaska a few years earlier and stayed with Kevin on the way down South, Neville and his cousin Jacylin had stayed with us in Edinburgh after that so it was great to meet up. First though a trip to Blackfoot Motorsports in Calgary to get warmer gloves and warmer gear if it was going to be this cold. After spending a small fortune on underlayers of thermal whatevers we headed towards Nevilles house , he wasn't going to be in until 6.30pm so we headed to the local Tim Hortons (a Canadian institution) to drink tea and chill out.
We arrived at Neville's house and the family came out to meet us, Kevin with a tumbler of Gin in his hand| great to see them all again and we spent the evening telling tales, laughing, drinking and eating a fine spread, Neville cracked the firepit up and the later part of the evening was spent outside around the fire drinking copious amounts of Neville's whisky and telling tales, so emotional was the evening that I failed to get any pictures, a major balls up!     

The high plains of Montana with Glacier Park in the distance

Trains and Cows provided a break from the monotony 

Straight roads into the Horizon

Heading towards the border, forest fires here would you believe

Cool car and caravan in Waterton

View from the Hotel

The Prince of Wales Hotel

Selfie time

Panoramic view

Yamaha and Fiona at rest

When we left Nevilles around 9am it was a balmy 4 Degrees C, bloody freezing, we stopped at Banff for breakfast before heading across country on Highway 1, twisting and turning through the mountains, a fantastic bit of road before stopping at Sulphur Hot Springs for the night, due to the abundance of bears and realising that although it was now 27 Degrees it would be near freezing again at night we opted for a wooden hut rather than the tent. Nice campsite run by a Chinese family only downside was no beer but I did have emergency rations of Whisky so all was good.

Leaving Calgary brrrr

Lots of roadworks so an opportunity for a selfie

Snow on the hills

Yamaha at rest at our house, fire ban so no fire that night

Fiona at rest in the Hot Pool, this one was at 40 Degrees C, braw for heating yourself up

Strange Mushroom

An attempt at art....

To be continued, last and final episode soon...........