Born to be wild in Jasper
Photo courtesy Jasper Motorcycle Tours
Anderson Vacations is happy to give clients a somewhat low look at some indisputably high sights.
The Calgary-based tour operator’s Rocky Mountains program has it work with Jasper Motorcycle Tours on excursions of one hour or more that have people explore Jasper National Park by Harley-Davidson motorcycles equipped with low-riding sidecars.
A Jasper Motorcycle Tours driver/guide can take one passenger in the sidecar and have a second sitting behind him on the actual bike if clients wish on tours that can showcase such scenic Jasper sights as Maligne Lake, the Athabasca Valley and Mount Edith Cavell, one of many towering peaks in the lofty Rockies.
The tours run from mid-April to mid-October.
“There is no better way to explore Jasper than in a sidecar with spectacular scenery all around you,” says Anderson Vacations’ Darcie Guarderas, who adds that the owners of Jasper Motorcycle Tours are “extremely passionate” about what they do.
“There are one-, two- and three-hour sidecar tours. I think everyone should go no less than two hours because once you are on the journey, you just don’t want it to end! These tours explore the areas around Jasper, including Marmot Basin Road. You can even ride 100 km on the famous Icefields Parkway, and this tour just happens to be recognized as a Signature Experience” by the Canadian Tourism Commission. It is breathtaking!”
Jasper Motorcycle Tours shares Guarderas’ enthusiasm for Jasper National Park, declaring it the “world’s most desired setting” and the company’s website shows riders travelling through Jasper’s often breath-taking landscapes and spotting a bear and bighorn sheep, the type of wildlife sightings Jasper is known for.
“We invite guests to separate from the crowds (and) step out of their comfort zone.”
Clients can opt for a single motorcycle experience or travel convoy-style as part of a group. Jasper Motorcycle Tours reports sidecar riders have ranged in age from two to 90.
The coronavirus pandemic has resulted in Jasper Motorcycle Tours sanitizing equipment after each usage and insisting that masks be worn when dressing for the ride and through the orientation.
Guarderas — whose employer can arrange Jasper hotel stays for guests — praises Harley-Davidson as an “iconic” motorcycle and is confident that those who sign for one of Jasper Motorcycle Tours’ excursions will find it rewarding.
“A sidecar tour is the ultimate way to explore Jasper and the surrounding area,” she states. “Wind in your hair and fresh mountain air on your face, it’s truly magical. For those that choose to drive the motorcycle, I can only imagine the freedom they must feel,” Jasper Motorcycle Tours adds.
