Day 12- A Little Harley on the Prairie

Today was a beautiful day. We left Banff around 8:30 and continued our Southward journey. It was cold, but riding through the mountains was magnificent. We spent a little bit of time in the mountains, and then found our way into the open plains and grasslands. Just before we did though, we saw a few bears, a family of big horn sheep, and even the elusive moose! Some of the people in our group have been looking for moose for the last 3 years without luck, so seeing the moose today was pretty exciting!
Once we got out of the mountains and onto the prairies, the road stretched on as far as we could see, and at times we were the only people in sight for miles. We passed ranches, and cows, and horses, and cowboys. It was truly fantastic, and a totally new environment yet again. We were truly cruising. The open road, sun shining, wind in our faces, the roar of the bikes in the air. It was some tremendously enjoyable writing.
We made our way into Waterton National Park, and The Prince of Whales Hotel, an 84 year old hotel that sits atop a hill in the park. It overlooks a massive lake, and it is truly gorgeous. We arrived and relaxed for a couple hours, then we hopped back on the bikes and drove around the park for a while. We visited a nearby lake, beautiful of course, and spent some time walking around. On our way back, we encountered another Black bear foraging on the side of the road. It was amazing to see all of these animals in their natural habitat, a real treat.
We rode into the little town and had dinner at the Lakeside Chophouse. While we were eating, a couple of deer came by and hung out on the lawn for a bit. It was wild, and quite unique. After dinner we returned to the hotel, tired and happy after an incredible day. Tomorrow we say goodbye to Canada, and make our way into the big sky state, Montana. It is crazy to think how much I have already seen and done, and to think about how much still lies ahead. With that in mind I while say goodnight, and I'll be back in touch with y'all real soon, from the good old U.S.A.