Sunwapta Falls.

This is our second time down the Icefields Parkway so we thought we knew what to expect.  This day was supposed to be a 60 km ride to Sunwapta Falls with two medium size hills.  Ben of course had other ideas.  The night before, he asked if anybody was interested in first riding to Marmot Basin or Edith Cavell.  I was a little shocked but politely declined.  It was decided that Ben and Jake (who we were learning was in fantastic shape and a little crazy) would ride up to Edith Cavell before breakfast which they did.  It was decided that after breakfast and checking out we would ride our bikes a few km before securing them and Ben would drive us to Edith Cavell for a short hike and lock around.  The few km turned out to be about 5 km uphill to the trailer drop off point from where we were driven to Edith Cavell. 

From there we drove back to our bikes.  For our earlier efforts we were rewarded with a few km of downhill and proceeded down 93a to Athabasca Falls, a much quieter ride along the Whirlpool River with a moderate climb up to the falls where Ben was waiting with lunch complete with an umbrella.  

After lunch we continued on up the main 97 for about 30 more km with a longish uphill before a brief descent into Sunwapta Falls to the lodge where we were staying.  The lodge reminds me of places we used to stay at in the the 1960s on vacation complete with totem poles outside.  Despite this the rooms were extremely comfortable with a king size bed.  Ben suggested a hike up to a rock outcrop but beers on the deck sounded better and so we had two followed by a brief nap.  Supper was in the restaurant.  We spent the evening watching the Eskimos game resting up for the hardest day of the ride.