Waterton Lakes NP (Take 2)

[MikeRC]

I'm thinking of starting a series of "Fernando's Tank Bag Trip Reports". If you couldn't tell already, I'm more into the "touring" part then the "sport" part You can click on pictures below for the larger (800x600) images.

 

Weather cleared up again (at least for a few days) so I headed out early Good Friday for a ride in the foothills. Darn it, but the sun kept shining and I had to keep going, under a mostly clear blue sky.

Near Longview Alberta on Highway 22

 

Got down near the Crowsnest Pass. After two hours on the road hadn't seen one other m/c

 

Oh, guess what the Crowsnest Pass / Pincher Creek area is known for?

Wind Turbines near Pincher Creek

 

South to the Canuck half of the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park - A World Heritage Site (try repeating that 5 times over). Very little traffic, bright sun and just on the cool side (about 50F). The Park is really quiet from September to May, they don't even have anyone at the Park Gate. There is only one Hotel and a few B&Bs open in the winter. The Park info centre was closed. There is a road to the Prince of Wales Hotel (which is closed until late May) opposite the info centre, but it was blocked off and still had some snow on it

Waterton Lakes Info Centre

 

On through the marble/gravel covered streets in the townsite to Cameron Falls

Cameron Falls

 

And the shore of Upper Waterton Lake. The mountain in clouds on the left is Mt Cleveland, the highest peak (at 10,466ft) in Glacier NP (Montana). The US/Canada border is about 3miles south of where my m/c is sitting in that picture.

Upper Waterton Lake looking South

 

The trees beside the lake take an interesting "slant" on the prevailing winds off the lake.

Upper Waterton Lake looking East at Vimy Ridge - the Canadian one

 

Off back home. Saw a few more m/c as I got back on one of the main highways (Harleys!).

 

As I was heading west on Highway 3, I saw a car coming towards me pulling out to pass a tanker truck on the outside of the curve. i.e the driver of the car couldn't see traffic coming towards them because the tanker was now between them and their view of the road ahead! Luckily they had cleaned the gravel from the shoulder on that section. I slowed about 40 kph, pulled onto the shoulder and the car (looked like a young woman driving) barely pulled in front of the tanker (horn blaring) in time Thank goodness those defensive driving/riding tactics stuck somewhere in my brain

 

It actually got colder as I got closer to Calgary, went through some rain and hail, and got back about 7 hours after leaving. 600km (360mi). I have to pay for that by doing yardwork all Saturday but I'm going out on Sunday for a few hours before getting back to the grindstone for the next few weeks (and weekends).

 

Mike Cassidy

 

[TNT]

Nice pic's Mike. Keep them coming!

[ian408]

Wow! Nice pix!

 

ian

[ericfoerster]

OK..I've seen all of your awesome pictures I can handle...I am on my way up !

Very nice !

[1st Shirt]

Mike, really nice pictures!!! What camera are you using? Digital? If so, what settings are you using? ie. Size and resolution. I have a new Nikon digital camera, but the camera is like the cockpit of a F18. I've got alot to learn before I'll ever be flying.

 

By the way, nice touch to use the sidestand in the "leaning tree" picture. Your bike is leaning right with the trees

[TNT]

Yes I'm with 1st Shirt, What is the camera if its a digital camera? I just have a old ClickSmaert 510. It love Batteries! Are all digital camera like this??????

[PeterScottNJ]

Here's what I want to know. How is it that some people manage to get their bikes to the middle of nowhere, OK somewhere, and they look like they just cam off the show room?

 

BTW, great pictures

[MikeRC]

In answer to most of the questions:

 

I have a fair amount of amateur photographic experience, but went "digital" three years ago when I got tired of carrying around an SLR and 3 lenses. I'm presently using an Olympus C-2040Z, which is only a two megapixel camera but has a very high quality fast lens and full manual control. If the exposure time is going to be less then 1/60th of a second at the aperture I want, I use a small tripod. I use polarizing and/or haze filters depending on the outdoor conditions. Polarizer adds a bit too much pink, but it's worth it for how much it increases contrast, decreases haze and darkens the blue in sky pictures. Also very good on water to decrease reflection. I have Photoshop, but use mostly Photoshop Elements on the photos. To tell you the truth, now that I know the camera well I don't have to do much other then resize (from the original 1600x1200) and tweak the brightness and contrast a bit (+/- 5 to 10%). Usually the smaller pictures need to have the sharpen filter applied.

 

I only noticed the RT was at the same angle as the trees as I was taking the picture I didn't want to put it on the centerstand because that was a gravel parking lot and I thought it would sink down too far or get off balance

 

And Peter, you would have been happier with how the bike looked when I got home after going through the rain and hail

 

Back out to Kananaskis and Canmore tomorrow with some fellow beemer owners!

 

Mike Cassidy

 

[BMWRich58]

Mike, I was there just this past summer, and exactly like you said, not very busy at all. Border crossings from the U.S. very easy. Plenty of wildlife,even saw a Grizzlie w/ baby,and Deer roam around the town like stray cats! People were all very friendly,(good lookin' female Park Ranger wanted a 'scooter ride after work!)

I had taken some similar pictures but not with a digital camera so I can't share.

What " NO " pictures of the Hotel???

Hotel is Beautiful,like imported from Europe!!!

This is one destination you shouldn't "miss"!!!

[1st Shirt]

Filters - I've got to get some filters! I've already told the SO that when we get back to the U.S., I'm sending her to classes to learn this stuff. My camera is a 5 megapixel camera, but I'm a 1/4 megapixel guy. Maybe she can get up to speed.