Oh Alberta - a province with two faces. Coming from the East one enters the last of the Prairie provinces. A big part of Alberta is still vast, a bit more hilly, cattle and crop country.

But wait...what's that? Oil rigs, countless like mushrooms in the forest can be seen everywhere - in the midst of fields.
Well, not pretty but you get used to it. But then, the other face - the mountains, mighty mountains.

Before you reach Edmonton and if you follow TGT/TCT, you will have to conquer the Iron Horse Trail. Let me tell you...this is a nightmare. The small villages along make a sad impression. They slowly die. This trail could have a huge potential if it would be maintained and kept in a state, cyclists could actually cycle it. Families with their kids on bikes could go on it. But...the reality is different.
Check out following link of two other cyclists, riding the trail and taking a different branch of it. The trail splits at some point but the experience is the same.

http://bikebikeblog.blogspot.com/2020/09/critique-of-albertas-iron-horse-trail.html

Edmonton is big and has a good cycling network through parks and predominantly along the river. What you also see are huge industry complexes. Kind of impressive.

The Badlands are breathtaking, especially the Red Deer River Valley. Don't miss out Drumheller and the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology and once you are there - The Hoodoos.
All of that and more I feature in my latest video. Well, not the mountains. I am not there yet (virtually), hehe.

Enjoy!