Whether you limit your road trips to a couple of hours or can't imagine life without at least a couple of weeks on the road each year, every road trip is a chance to keep the destination in mind while being flexible enough to explore and enjoy the things you discover along the way.
For a few days each May, cyclists can take advantage of the opportunity to ride Moraine Lake Road after it's plowed and before it's opened to motorized vehicles. It's a relatively short ride (27 km return), and a decent workout at >500 meters elevation gain. But it's a fair price to pay for the opportunity to enjoy Moraine Lake / Valley of the Ten Peaks views without crowds of people!
Some aspects of Parks Canada's 3-year pilot project for seasonal, vehicle-free cycling on the Bow Valley Parkway are less than ideal for families and casual cyclists. Make the most of the opportunity with careful planning and an adaptive mindset.
It's no accident that our home base is close to the Canadian Rocky Mountains, where adventure opportunities abound! Outcome, however, doesn't automatically arise from opportunity. That's why it helps to develop an adventure mindset.
Signs that spring has sprung in the Canadian Rockies: migrating birds, colourful wildflowers, foraging bears, and cyclists on roads still closed to vehicles.