Gorge Creek Trail



Gorge creek trail... gorgeous!



Even though the turn off to Gorge Creek was prominently marked with a "road closure" sign... I decided to head up anyway.  This route used to go all the way to Sheep river.   Beautiful country back there, fabulous views, always saw rocky mountain sheep perched on hillsides, great photo ops.  My first Canadian Biker story was in here.



single laner



It took about 20 minutes to get to the gate.  Perhaps barricade is more appropriate.  I parked the bike, got out my apple, and wandered around in the heat of the late day.  There is a hitching post or two and a wide gate for horses to enter.  I thought about riding my bike thru, but on a Saturday... I'm sure I would have found some opposition.  Too bad, this was a fab ride to the eventual pavement at Sheep river falls. 




crystal water

 

I remember several parking spots where hikers headed up into the mountainous back country.  What a shame to have this closed.

pretty serious stuff wot!

Apple finished, I retraced my steps to the MCT, turned right and left Kananaskis country.



foothill country



The foothills receded into farmland and good pavement.  At the junction to 762, I stopped for a few more photos before mounting up and making my way north once again.



in my case... leaving



Bunches of bikes of various descriptions rode by in both directions.

yeah... we know, is verboten!

Cafe racers, or sports bikes as they are now known, plenty of V Twin cruisers, a few touring types and one single other DP bike... a KTM 950 Adventure.



common AB sight.  gas plant, wide gravel to pavement  prairies



It was late afternoon when I reached Bragg Creek, having passed the same intersection many hours previous.  The P/U was gone from it's collision with that power pole, but the pole and wires were still down, crews working on getting electricity restored to the area.



be a great place for a home to hang your helmet eh:)



Alberta truly does offer a tremendous variety of riding opportunities.  There's room for the cruiser crowd, the adventure crowd and even the hard core dirt bikers, despite the obvious closures even in a confined space such as MacLean Creek.



prairie to foothills to mountains, yup that's Alberta



There is no doubt that I will miss riding here as the years go forward.  Maybe I'll leave a bike at my niece, Elizabeth's place in Leduc, and there is always my friend Ron or Dan in BC that have several bikes at their disposal, if I venture west again.

THE best thing to do on a summer's day!!!

Remember after all... as Holly so eloquently stated many years ago...

Home is where you hang your helmet!