It was well after 12:20 when I arrived in Jasper. After retrieving the Bike and my duffel, I put on biking shoes and generally got ready to roll. A young man who sounded German made various comments about how he travelled with a bike trailer which wasn’t terribly helpful, or, for that matter, germane. I pointed out that I had behind using this system for more than ten years!
Among the passengers who disembarked was an elderly lady (closing ninety I would guess) who walked slowly with the aid of two hiking poles. I gently teased/flattered her by asking if she was off to climb Mt Robson. I think she was amused.
Once Leonardo was loaded, I headed off to the HI Hostel. However, I stopped almost immediately to take in the sight of a pair of RCMP officers in full red serge going down the street on horseback! While I watched, small children were handed up to the officers to have their picture taken.
It was too early to check in but I was allowed to dump excess gear. I returned to the town core where I raided the tourist information rack for pamphlets and repaired to a brewery to sit and have a sleeve of beer as I got to grips with being off the Train and start to plan the next phase of this trip in detail. This was partly aimed at killing time until I could check in.
I checked in using my HI Hosteling life membership (courtesy of Margo) for the first time. This hostel was so new, they are still working on it, notably the elevator. In turn, this meant that I got an extra 10% off. The place seems very well laid out with wide corridors and staircases. It still smells new. It also is a shade impersonal and cold. However, I suspect that once it is finished and the patina of use is allowed to accumulate along the random posters and bits hostels inevitably acquire it will be very nice. Certainly their bike locker is well thought-out and easy to use. Bike lock-ups are, of course, of capital importance to the making of a first rate hostel.*
I do have a few, very minor, complaints. The first complaint is that I was initially assigned a top bunk. When I came down from the room for my second load of clobber, I asked for and got a lower bunk. The second grumble is that I am at least among the ninety-fifth age percentile among the guests. I feel old here. ;-) Where are the grey-haired hikers?
* At least in my biased opinion ;-)
Their bike storage sounds a whole lot better than what we’re offered at a rather fancy pension in coastal southern Sweden. We had dived for shelter rather than camp, because it was raining cats and dogs. We were relieved they had a room, but when I asked about bikes, they said we could park them “in the garden”. It was still coming in torrents.
ReplyDeleteArrrrgh.
This is an establishment right on a major cycle route that draws cycle tourists from far and wide. The garden in pouring rain might be ok for their cruddy rental bikes, but I was utterly miffed and ready to grumble loudly at having to abandon my beloved bike, till C said not to. We parked our Surlys in the Lee of the garden wall and covered them with a light tarp we carry. Poooor bicycles!