Calgary area people: advice needed
 

I got my hostel reservations made and time off for work, so now I need to finalize my summer plan.

1) What's the best/easiest way to get from 541 (west of Longview) up to Calgary? Where I end up in Calgary is dependent on the next question.

2) Does anyone know of a company, or a reliable source to shuttle one's car from Jasper to Calgary? Obviously, we'd lose a day of vacation just doing a one-way car rental to fetch our vehicle, so we'd like to ride into Calgary to find our vehicle already there. If all else fails, we'll resort to the one-way car rental.

When are you coming up?

OK, Longview to Calgary ... I've cycled that! :D

From what I remember Longview wasn't much of a town, but maybe I didn't get into it very far. As you cycle out of Longview, up Hwy 22, you will climb a hill. Now you've got a choice ... you can take a right onto Hwy 543, which is a relatively deserted highway, and then turn left on Hwy 783 north into Okotoks (some big rollers there!). In Okotoks you can get whatever you need to get ... food, water, accommodations, whatever. Continue north onto Hwy 2. Hwy 2 is busy, but you'll only be on Hwy 2 briefly and then you're in Calgary.

Or you could cycle north out of Longview on Hwy 22 to Black Diamond (big rollers all the way). Turn left on Hwy 7 to Turner Valley ... that's a really nice bit between Black Diamond and Turner Valley. Then go north on Hwy 22 past Millerville up to Hwy 22X. That's also a really nice route - scenic. Then turn right on Hwy 22X into Calgary.

You can see some photos of both routes here: http://www.machka.net/2006/2006_200_Okotoks.htm

As for the car transportation, your best bet might be a rental. I don't know of any shuttle services.

We start cycling from Jasper July 6th. We're only planning to avg 40mi/65km a day so we have plenty of time to stop for photos and day hikes along the way.

I'm just a hop, skip, and a jump away from the Ice Field Parkway and will probably be making a day trip, or two, or three there in late June and July to ride the passes for hill climbing practice. :)


Here are a few photos to get you started ...

--The first is Jasper, taken from up at the gondola lookout. I'd recommend going up there, but probably not with loaded touring bicycles, it is a bit of a climb. However if you are camping, you'll likely be camping right at the base of that road, so you might be able to leave your stuff in the campground and cycle up.

-- The second is a beautiful little lake called Lake Annette just outside Jasper ... if you have the time, do the hike around that lake. It isn't long, but it is gorgeous!

-- The third is some of the scenery you'll see on your way to the Columbia Icefields.

And I've got heaps more!! :D
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So we're doing a one-way car rental to get us from Calgary to Jasper to start our ride. Now then, where is a convenient, safe place on the south side of Calgary (or someplace between the south side and the airport) to leave our vehicle? Or who do I contact to find that out? Alternatively, is there a good way to get two loaded tourers onto mass transit on the south side to the airport area where we'd presumably leave our car when we picked up the rental unit?

My friend's would be fine with you parking in front of their house. They live in a quiet subdivision on the south side of town. They are close to a C-Train station which you could use to get to their place.

You can take bikes on the C-train as long as it isn't the morning or evening weekday rush hour. I'm not too sure if th bus that services the airport will take bikes or not.

Feel free to PM me if you need any help or want to park your car. Have a great tour.