Powderface Trail west of Calgary

McKonker · 05-21-2011, 10:52 PM

Couldn't stand letting the whole weekend go by without a ride. Konker is still not fixed, still waiting for the part so I rented this BMW and rode the Powderface trail. Its a beautiful winding gravel (and when wet muddy) road that takes you right up along the first snow capped peaks of the Rockies. It's still early spring up there, lots of snow around and no leaves on the trees yet. Saw a few mule deer and a horse that might have been wild. There are wild horses all up and down the foothills not sure if this one is or not but just a few hundred meters up the road there was a dead one who didn't make it through the winter. The BMW was actually pretty terrible as far as handling in the mud and gravel, very squirrley and unstable. It rained on me a few times but overall a fantastic day. I didn't take very many pictures, I need to work out a better way to carry my camera. Had it in a knapsack so it was not very accessible but here's a few shots from my first ride, I will put up a lot more when the Konker is fixed. Cheers!

FastDoc · 05-22-2011, 12:04 AM

Great report!

Thanks for taking us along. I'm sorry you could not use your own bike but you were wise to enjoy the day. Summer is short, and sweet.

I bet you liked the Beemer! 8)

MICRider · 05-22-2011, 12:34 AM

Awesome looking ride! Beautiful bike too! I suspect that a lot of it's inadequacies in the mud and gravel was due to it's street type tires. Just out of curiosity, what does it cost to rent a beemer for a day, and did they have 1200 Adventures?

SpudRider · 05-22-2011, 08:18 AM

Thanks for posting the great photos, McKonker!

I also am curious; how much did it cost to rent the Beemer?

Spud

McKonker · 05-22-2011, 11:33 AM

It was $204 for the day with taxes and burned about $10 for the fuel. I think that was the only BMW they had. It was for sure the only dual sport. They had a Ducati Monster but they wouldn't let me have it because they haven't cleaned all the gravel off the roads yet.

Weldangrind · 05-22-2011, 12:21 PM

Beautiful shots!

Is that Kananaskis country? I haven't been there in years.

MICRider · 05-22-2011, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by McKonker

It was $204 for the day with taxes and burned about $10 for the fuel. I think that was the only BMW they had. It was for sure the only dual sport. They had a Ducati Monster but they wouldn't let me have it because they haven't cleaned all the gravel off the roads yet.

Heck, that's a lot cheaper than I thought it would be! Well worth it to get some quality riding time in after such a long and drawn out winter

. I'd be tempted to rent one just to see what they're like, I've never ridden a beemer yet.

McKonker · 05-22-2011, 06:57 PM

Yeah Weldangrind thats Kananaskis. The BMW was really comfortable to ride. It is by far the biggest heaviest bike I have ridden. On pavement it was great, the roads through that area have a lot of texas gates, plus around here the pattern of melting and freezing means a lot of frost heaving on the roads so there's a lot of uneven pavement and nasty potholes about. Having a bit of travel in the suspension is always a good thing. On the way back I took the Trans Canada highway where the speed limit is 110 kph or 68 mph and for a stretch it was raining quite heavily with water pooling in the pavement and the high winds this area is known for. I swear I had to lean the bike a couple of degrees off center just to keep it going in a straight line. I wouldn't want to have been out there on the Konker that's for sure. I found if I went into a tuck the wind couldn't blow me around as much so thats what I did. As soon as I could I exited and took a route with lower speed limits, I don't care to go fast to be honest. The best part of the whole ride was the 34km Powderface, real wild country with mountain streams, meadows and mountains. Whats interesting is that there is a road that goes up over the mountains out there that looks like it would be an amazing ride.

Switchback at the top.

Trail at the top. One could ride to the trailhead and then hike this trail.

McKonker · 05-22-2011, 07:00 PM

[/quote]Heck, that's a lot cheaper than I thought it would be! Well worth it to get some quality riding time in after such a long and drawn out winter

. I'd be tempted to rent one just to see what they're like, I've never ridden a beemer yet.[/quote]

Yeah they had a bunch of different bikes to try, the Ducati Monster comes to mind as a really fun one to try!

http://allseasonmotorsports.ca/rental/motorycles.html

Weldangrind · 05-23-2011, 02:18 PM

Thanks for the detail; I love the Bragg Creek area. It seems to me that there's a small waterfall there, but I haven't been there in 15 years.

FastDoc · 05-23-2011, 03:02 PM

McKonker, I like your Avatar. Nice picture. 8)

05-21-2011, 10:52 PM	#1
McKonker Join Date: May 2011 Location: Calgary, Alberta Posts: 51	Powderface Trail west of Calgary Couldn't stand letting the whole weekend go by without a ride. Konker is still not fixed, still waiting for the part so I rented this BMW and rode the Powderface trail. Its a beautiful winding gravel (and when wet muddy) road that takes you right up along the first snow capped peaks of the Rockies. It's still early spring up there, lots of snow around and no leaves on the trees yet. Saw a few mule deer and a horse that might have been wild. There are wild horses all up and down the foothills not sure if this one is or not but just a few hundred meters up the road there was a dead one who didn't make it through the winter. The BMW was actually pretty terrible as far as handling in the mud and gravel, very squirrley and unstable. It rained on me a few times but overall a fantastic day. I didn't take very many pictures, I need to work out a better way to carry my camera. Had it in a knapsack so it was not very accessible but here's a few shots from my first ride, I will put up a lot more when the Konker is fixed. Cheers! __________________ Honda Z50/Yamaha MX100/Suzuki RM80/Konker KSM200/Suzuki DRZ-400SM
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05-22-2011, 12:04 AM	#2
FastDoc Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Southeastern Washington desert Posts: 14,761	Great report! Thanks for taking us along. I'm sorry you could not use your own bike but you were wise to enjoy the day. Summer is short, and sweet. I bet you liked the Beemer! 8) __________________ Happy to serve.
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05-22-2011, 08:18 AM	#4
SpudRider Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Idaho Posts: 25,054	Thanks for posting the great photos, McKonker! I also am curious; how much did it cost to rent the Beemer? Spud __________________ Spud "Never argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level, and beat you with experience." Mark Twain 2015 Zongshen ZS250GY-3 (RX3) 2006 Zongshen ZS200GY-2 (Sierra 200) 2005 Honda XR650L 2004 Honda CRF250X 1998 Kawasaki KDX220 Mods made to my Zongshen ZS200GY-2: http://www.chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=6894
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05-22-2011, 11:33 AM	#5
McKonker Join Date: May 2011 Location: Calgary, Alberta Posts: 51	It was $204 for the day with taxes and burned about $10 for the fuel. I think that was the only BMW they had. It was for sure the only dual sport. They had a Ducati Monster but they wouldn't let me have it because they haven't cleaned all the gravel off the roads yet. __________________ Honda Z50/Yamaha MX100/Suzuki RM80/Konker KSM200/Suzuki DRZ-400SM
	0

05-22-2011, 12:21 PM	#6
Weldangrind Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Sardis, BC, Canada Posts: 25,977	Beautiful shots! Is that Kananaskis country? I haven't been there in years. __________________ Weldangrind "I figure I'm well-prepared for coping with a bike that comes from the factory with unresolved issues and that rewards the self-reliant owner." - Buccaneer
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05-22-2011, 12:34 AM	#3
MICRider Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Alberta, Canada Posts: 3,274	Awesome looking ride! Beautiful bike too! I suspect that a lot of it's inadequacies in the mud and gravel was due to it's street type tires. Just out of curiosity, what does it cost to rent a beemer for a day, and did they have 1200 Adventures?
	0

05-22-2011, 06:57 PM	#8
McKonker Join Date: May 2011 Location: Calgary, Alberta Posts: 51	Yeah Weldangrind thats Kananaskis. The BMW was really comfortable to ride. It is by far the biggest heaviest bike I have ridden. On pavement it was great, the roads through that area have a lot of texas gates, plus around here the pattern of melting and freezing means a lot of frost heaving on the roads so there's a lot of uneven pavement and nasty potholes about. Having a bit of travel in the suspension is always a good thing. On the way back I took the Trans Canada highway where the speed limit is 110 kph or 68 mph and for a stretch it was raining quite heavily with water pooling in the pavement and the high winds this area is known for. I swear I had to lean the bike a couple of degrees off center just to keep it going in a straight line. I wouldn't want to have been out there on the Konker that's for sure. I found if I went into a tuck the wind couldn't blow me around as much so thats what I did. As soon as I could I exited and took a route with lower speed limits, I don't care to go fast to be honest. The best part of the whole ride was the 34km Powderface, real wild country with mountain streams, meadows and mountains. Whats interesting is that there is a road that goes up over the mountains out there that looks like it would be an amazing ride. Switchback at the top. Trail at the top. One could ride to the trailhead and then hike this trail. __________________ Honda Z50/Yamaha MX100/Suzuki RM80/Konker KSM200/Suzuki DRZ-400SM
	0

05-22-2011, 07:00 PM	#9
McKonker Join Date: May 2011 Location: Calgary, Alberta Posts: 51	[/quote]Heck, that's a lot cheaper than I thought it would be! Well worth it to get some quality riding time in after such a long and drawn out winter . I'd be tempted to rent one just to see what they're like, I've never ridden a beemer yet.[/quote] Yeah they had a bunch of different bikes to try, the Ducati Monster comes to mind as a really fun one to try! http://allseasonmotorsports.ca/rental/motorycles.html __________________ Honda Z50/Yamaha MX100/Suzuki RM80/Konker KSM200/Suzuki DRZ-400SM
	0

05-23-2011, 02:18 PM	#10
Weldangrind Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Sardis, BC, Canada Posts: 25,977	Thanks for the detail; I love the Bragg Creek area. It seems to me that there's a small waterfall there, but I haven't been there in 15 years. __________________ Weldangrind "I figure I'm well-prepared for coping with a bike that comes from the factory with unresolved issues and that rewards the self-reliant owner." - Buccaneer
	0

05-23-2011, 03:02 PM	#11
FastDoc Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Southeastern Washington desert Posts: 14,761	McKonker, I like your Avatar. Nice picture. 8) __________________ Happy to serve.
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