I made it safely home! My adventure is complete and I'm so glad I did it. Thanks for all who followed. I don't know why the comments section would not work - I tried to enable them for everyone. This Google blog was new to me. I wish you all could have commented.
My last day was uneventful - the drive to the Calgary Airport. I was glad I had my GPS - things were not too well labeled. I was a little nervous going through Customs, but didn't have any problem.
From Calgary, I flew to Minneapolis-St. Paul. A big, burly guy sat next to me. He was headed to Buffalo, New York. He had been competing in the International Highland Games in Calgary. That is where they throw these huge poles (like telephone poles) and rocks and other manly things in kilts. It originated in Scotland. He had won second place and was a little bummed about that. He had been competing for several years. He was interesting to talk to.
On the final leg, I sat with a woman who worked at Stockyards Bank and had three Shelty dogs.
The flights were great and both actually arrived at the airport early. I slept most of the day yesterday.... It was a great experience.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Moraine Lake and Canmore
Today after taking a few sunrise pictures over Lake Louise, I headed for the final lake I wanted to visit: Moraine. It is found in a valley called the Valley of the Ten Peaks. After arriving, it was easy to see why. This lake was even more beautiful than Louise and the rugged peaks surrounding it were so majestic. There was a trail to a lookout at the top of a rocky hill overlooking the lake. I wasn't sure I was up for that climb, but I saw white-headed ladies coming down from the top. I had to do it. The thin mountain air made it hard to breathe, but I did it. The view was worth the effort. There was also a small lodge on the side of the lake. If I ever come back, I will stay here.
Next, I stopped at Johnston Canyon near Canmore. It is a limestone canyon with several waterfalls. I made it to the first one and decided to head on to the hotel. But the falls was gorgeous and in the spray of the water in the pool, I caught a rainbow.
Then, on to Canmore for my last night's stay. I had a float trip down the Bow River scheduled for 6:30 p.m. - a good time for wildlife viewing. I checked into my hotel and rested a while - the driving and climbing had caught up with me.
The float trip was great - the Bow is a beautiful river. We saw beavers swimming across the lake and I was lucky enough to snap a picture when one slapped his tail on the water as a warning to the other that our raft was coming through. It was a loud, hard slap and water flew. We also saw an osprey dive and come up with a fish in his talons.
Near the end of the ride, our guide had to navigate over and around a new tree that had fallen into the water. It made for some excitement. There was another single lady on my raft who had taken a long weekend to come down to Canmore from another town close by. We ended up having dinner together and had a number of things in common. She also worked for U of L - the University of Lethbridge and had one son. I enjoyed her company.
Tomorrow morning, I head to Calgary's airport for the journey home. It has been an amazing adventure. I have been blessed!
Next, I stopped at Johnston Canyon near Canmore. It is a limestone canyon with several waterfalls. I made it to the first one and decided to head on to the hotel. But the falls was gorgeous and in the spray of the water in the pool, I caught a rainbow.
Then, on to Canmore for my last night's stay. I had a float trip down the Bow River scheduled for 6:30 p.m. - a good time for wildlife viewing. I checked into my hotel and rested a while - the driving and climbing had caught up with me.
The float trip was great - the Bow is a beautiful river. We saw beavers swimming across the lake and I was lucky enough to snap a picture when one slapped his tail on the water as a warning to the other that our raft was coming through. It was a loud, hard slap and water flew. We also saw an osprey dive and come up with a fish in his talons.
Near the end of the ride, our guide had to navigate over and around a new tree that had fallen into the water. It made for some excitement. There was another single lady on my raft who had taken a long weekend to come down to Canmore from another town close by. We ended up having dinner together and had a number of things in common. She also worked for U of L - the University of Lethbridge and had one son. I enjoyed her company.
Tomorrow morning, I head to Calgary's airport for the journey home. It has been an amazing adventure. I have been blessed!
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| Moraine Lake and the Valley of the Ten Peaks. The water is really THAT blue!!! |
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| The Lower Falls of Johnston Canyon. |
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| Rainbow in the spray of the falls. |
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| The Three Sisters - famous peaks in Canmore. |
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| The beaver swimming - didn't have the telephoto lens.... |
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| The beaver warning his companion by slapping his tail in the water. |
Friday, September 2, 2011
Time to head south....
I said good-bye to my B&B hostess this morning in Jasper. She was originally from Wales, England but has lived in Canada for over 30 years. She has six children scattered from Edmonton to Boston to London. It was a great place to stay and my first stay at a B&B.
I headed back down the Icefields Parkway toward Lake Louise and finally was able to see the Columbia Icefields and Athabasca Glacier. (They were covered by the blowing snow last time.) There was lots of new snow, but no snow storm to drive through this time. I decided not to waste time riding the snowcoach up on the glacier - I wanted more time to spend at Lake Louise.
Wow - did this country bumpkin feel a little out of place seeing the Chateau Lake Louise Hotel!! I got a deal on the internet for a room. This is absolutely the fanciest hotel I've ever been in. I got lost trying to find my room - it is in a new wing. This place is huge! The location is magnificent at the end of Lake Louise. My bathroom has a glassed in shower and a bathtub. The lobby is awesome. It has four or five different restaurants with menus posted in the lobby - you have to make reservations.
I chose the most reasonable (??) menu and went to make a reservation. When I was seated, I think the waiter thought I needed something to do since I was alone. He came back carrying a newspaper and asked if I'd like to read it. Since he went to that trouble, I accepted. The two sections he had brought me were sports and obituaries..... So I read that we recently lost the founder of Reynolds Wrap while I waited for my dinner.
I am really tired from driving so I think I'll rest well tonight in my amazing room. Can't believe I'm here! Tomorrow, I plan to see Moraine Lake which is near here and then work my way closer to Calgary for my flight home on Sunday. Hard to believe my adventure is almost over.
I headed back down the Icefields Parkway toward Lake Louise and finally was able to see the Columbia Icefields and Athabasca Glacier. (They were covered by the blowing snow last time.) There was lots of new snow, but no snow storm to drive through this time. I decided not to waste time riding the snowcoach up on the glacier - I wanted more time to spend at Lake Louise.
Wow - did this country bumpkin feel a little out of place seeing the Chateau Lake Louise Hotel!! I got a deal on the internet for a room. This is absolutely the fanciest hotel I've ever been in. I got lost trying to find my room - it is in a new wing. This place is huge! The location is magnificent at the end of Lake Louise. My bathroom has a glassed in shower and a bathtub. The lobby is awesome. It has four or five different restaurants with menus posted in the lobby - you have to make reservations.
I chose the most reasonable (??) menu and went to make a reservation. When I was seated, I think the waiter thought I needed something to do since I was alone. He came back carrying a newspaper and asked if I'd like to read it. Since he went to that trouble, I accepted. The two sections he had brought me were sports and obituaries..... So I read that we recently lost the founder of Reynolds Wrap while I waited for my dinner.
I am really tired from driving so I think I'll rest well tonight in my amazing room. Can't believe I'm here! Tomorrow, I plan to see Moraine Lake which is near here and then work my way closer to Calgary for my flight home on Sunday. Hard to believe my adventure is almost over.
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| Leaving Jasper |
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| New snow on mountains on the Icefields Parkway |
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| Lots of snow..... |
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| The Athabasca Glacier in the Columbia Icefield |
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| Cars were pulled off the road everywhere and cameras were clicking as this guy walked down the mountain. |
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| He was very busy eating and paid us no mind. (I had the telephoto lens on and was a safe distance away). |
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| I was so excited to see him and finally get some pictures of a bear! |
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| The Crowfoot Glacier (it is down to two toes now). |
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| Funny flowers along the road - no idea what they are. |
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| The Chateau Lake Louise |
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| The front entrance. |
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| The lobby. |
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| This little guy just popped up out of the rocks along the lake. He is a pine martin. (CORRECTION: He is really a weasel - I looked him up on the Internet.) I had never seen one before and thought they were much bigger. He was very fast - I was lucky to have snapped this in time. He was adorable! |
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Maligne Lake and other sites.....
Today was a beautiful day - a perfect day for my boat ride on Maligne Lake to Spirit Island. A picture of this lake I found years ago inspired the trip up here. The scenery did not disappoint. It turns out that Spirit Island is not really an island - its called an ismus. The way it came by its name is still debated by local historians, but one accepted story is that a photographer took a photo at the spot and entered it in a Kodak color picture contest in the 1950's. He won. He said the photo reflected the spirit of Alberta and so it became known as Spirit Island. No matter how it got its name - it is a lovely spot.
Even the road to get to Maligne Lake is awesome and it has a sister lake called Medicine that isn't too shabby either. I saw a herd of caribou grazing along the road. There are many caribou that live in the area.
After the boat ride and lunch, I headed to Maligne Canyon, named because the Maligne River carved it out and there are some awesome waterfalls. Parts of the canyon are so deep and narrow, you can only hear the water flowing.
Then, at the advice of my B&B owners, I headed up to see Mt. Edith Cavell - the tallest peak near Jasper. The road up was narrow and winding with several switchbacks, but had been newly paved. (The ride down was much more fun.) The mountain was named for Edith Cavell who was a nurse during World War I. She risked her life to help save Allied soldiers and was killed by the Germans for doing so. There was a huge glacier hanging from the side of the peak and another one at the base. Cold, clear water flowed into a beautiful lake downstream.
Mission accomplished today.
Even the road to get to Maligne Lake is awesome and it has a sister lake called Medicine that isn't too shabby either. I saw a herd of caribou grazing along the road. There are many caribou that live in the area.
After the boat ride and lunch, I headed to Maligne Canyon, named because the Maligne River carved it out and there are some awesome waterfalls. Parts of the canyon are so deep and narrow, you can only hear the water flowing.
Then, at the advice of my B&B owners, I headed up to see Mt. Edith Cavell - the tallest peak near Jasper. The road up was narrow and winding with several switchbacks, but had been newly paved. (The ride down was much more fun.) The mountain was named for Edith Cavell who was a nurse during World War I. She risked her life to help save Allied soldiers and was killed by the Germans for doing so. There was a huge glacier hanging from the side of the peak and another one at the base. Cold, clear water flowed into a beautiful lake downstream.
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| Scenery along the road to Maligne Lake |
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| Caribou sighting |
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| Maligne Lake from the boat dock |
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| The end of Maligne Lake - it is surrounded by gorgeous mountains |
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| Spirit Island - isn't this amazing! |
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| Waterfall in Maligne Canyon |
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| Medicine Lake near Maligne |
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| The winding road to Mt. Edith Cavell |
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| Mt. Edith Cavell |
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| Glacier on the mountain side |
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| A friendly Golden-Mantled Ground Squirrel - they were everywhere |
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
The Road to Jasper...
Well, today has been an interesting day..... It started out with rain, but by the time I was half-way to Jasper I was driving in a snow storm!! From Banff, the road climbs into higher elevations and the Icefields Parkway is a good description. The mountains were awesome and there were real massive glaciers at the tops of some of them.
The highest elevation is at the Icefields Center where the Athabasca Glacier is. Unfortunately, I couldn't see any of it because it was snowing so hard! It was beautiful wet snow and was sticking to the evergreens but not the road (thank goodness!) My car temperature gauge read 33 degrees. I stopped at the Icefields Center where you can ride a snowcoach out on to the glacier and it was packed with people. No way was I doing that today! I asked at the Park Information Desk if they knew the weather report and what might be happening in Jasper. They said I was at the highest elevation and Jasper was much lower - it probably was not snowing there. Very helpful..... When I walked back out, I snapped a picture of a picnic table that had at least two or more inches on it.
This was the first time on the trip I had major nerves!! But, the roads were not slick and I had to go on. I was back into rain within a few minutes. WHEW!! I was glad I had my four wheel drive and I did feel safe. There were amazing lakes and waterfalls all along the parkway. Also, I got a glimpse of a black bear. Cars were off the side of the road, so I knew some animal had been spotted. I saw him walk into dense woods and then he was gone - no time for a picture. He was big and shiny black.
As soon as I arrived in Jasper, the rain had eased. I decided to try the tram ride up the mountain slope. It was snowing at the top (!!) so visibility was not good. But it was a fun ride and I saw a cute little Pika (looks sort of like a big hamster) at the top.
The B&B where I am staying is called Raven House. It is close to downtown and the owners are very friendly and helpful. There is another couple staying also and believe it or not - the wife grew up in Owensboro!! She and her husband live in Virginia now, near DC. We had dinner together this evening. Tomorrow, it is off to take a boat ride on Maligne Lake - the reason I wanted to see Jasper. I love this little town. It is not so touristy as Banff. I needed to do some laundry and even this was a pleasant experience. The place was an internet cafe and coffee bar, as well as a laundry!! You could surf and sip while your clothes were getting clean.
The highest elevation is at the Icefields Center where the Athabasca Glacier is. Unfortunately, I couldn't see any of it because it was snowing so hard! It was beautiful wet snow and was sticking to the evergreens but not the road (thank goodness!) My car temperature gauge read 33 degrees. I stopped at the Icefields Center where you can ride a snowcoach out on to the glacier and it was packed with people. No way was I doing that today! I asked at the Park Information Desk if they knew the weather report and what might be happening in Jasper. They said I was at the highest elevation and Jasper was much lower - it probably was not snowing there. Very helpful..... When I walked back out, I snapped a picture of a picnic table that had at least two or more inches on it.
This was the first time on the trip I had major nerves!! But, the roads were not slick and I had to go on. I was back into rain within a few minutes. WHEW!! I was glad I had my four wheel drive and I did feel safe. There were amazing lakes and waterfalls all along the parkway. Also, I got a glimpse of a black bear. Cars were off the side of the road, so I knew some animal had been spotted. I saw him walk into dense woods and then he was gone - no time for a picture. He was big and shiny black.
As soon as I arrived in Jasper, the rain had eased. I decided to try the tram ride up the mountain slope. It was snowing at the top (!!) so visibility was not good. But it was a fun ride and I saw a cute little Pika (looks sort of like a big hamster) at the top.
The B&B where I am staying is called Raven House. It is close to downtown and the owners are very friendly and helpful. There is another couple staying also and believe it or not - the wife grew up in Owensboro!! She and her husband live in Virginia now, near DC. We had dinner together this evening. Tomorrow, it is off to take a boat ride on Maligne Lake - the reason I wanted to see Jasper. I love this little town. It is not so touristy as Banff. I needed to do some laundry and even this was a pleasant experience. The place was an internet cafe and coffee bar, as well as a laundry!! You could surf and sip while your clothes were getting clean.
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| Glacier on top of the Mountain |
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| Driving the Icefields Parkway in snow.... |
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| You are supposed to be able to see a huge glacier here somewhere..... |
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| Peyto Lake - it was cloudy so the beautiful color was not as visible. It is fed by a glacier which causes the beautiful blue. |
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| Sunwapta Falls |
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| Athabasca Falls |
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Banff continued.....
Tuesday, Aug. 30: Today started out with rain. Not a good thing, since I had a trail ride scheduled later this afternoon. I waited until I thought it was clearing off and drove out to see the Vermilion Lakes. These are a series of wetlands not far from downtown. Soon after I turned into the lake drive, I saw a huge bolt of lightning and it started hailing!! It didn't last long, but then the rain continued. There were several ducks and herons on the lakes, and they were pretty. Then, I decided to stop at The Cascade Gardens. That same couple that recommended the scenic route to Banff also recommended this. It was located near my hotel and it was free!! (Things are pretty expensive here.) The gardens were lovely and fortunately had little shelters throughout because it came another shower. I shared the shelter with a couple visiting from England and we talked about J.K. Rowling, Oxford, Lewis and Tolkien.
By 4 p.m., the skies seemed to be clearing again, so I headed to the stables for the horse ride and steak fry. I checked in and told the manager I did not like to get wet. He said I had the option to take the covered wagon out to the sight instead of the horse. It started to drizzle. But, when it was time to mount up, I said I'll take the horse. His name was Wilson - Mr. Wilson- and he was the biggest horse I've ever ridden. I had to use a step stool to get on him. But everyone said he was a very good horse. A few minutes into the ride, it started raining and continued most of the way in. I had come prepared with coat and hat, so it was tolerable. The dinner was steak, salad, baked potatoes, and barbecued beans with cupcakes for dessert. Yum! We were all glad there was also a fire to dry out by. I had mostly dried out, except for my jeans, when it was time to ride back. It drizzled again in the beginning, but then stopped and we finally saw some sun. Mr. Wilson was a good horse and it was another fun day - in spite of the rain.
Now, we are caught up with the Great Rocky Mountain Adventure. Tomorrow, I head for the Icefields Parkway and Jasper. It's supposed to be a little rainy tomorrow too.
Vermilion Lakes and Mt. Rundle
Downtown Banff
By 4 p.m., the skies seemed to be clearing again, so I headed to the stables for the horse ride and steak fry. I checked in and told the manager I did not like to get wet. He said I had the option to take the covered wagon out to the sight instead of the horse. It started to drizzle. But, when it was time to mount up, I said I'll take the horse. His name was Wilson - Mr. Wilson- and he was the biggest horse I've ever ridden. I had to use a step stool to get on him. But everyone said he was a very good horse. A few minutes into the ride, it started raining and continued most of the way in. I had come prepared with coat and hat, so it was tolerable. The dinner was steak, salad, baked potatoes, and barbecued beans with cupcakes for dessert. Yum! We were all glad there was also a fire to dry out by. I had mostly dried out, except for my jeans, when it was time to ride back. It drizzled again in the beginning, but then stopped and we finally saw some sun. Mr. Wilson was a good horse and it was another fun day - in spite of the rain.
Now, we are caught up with the Great Rocky Mountain Adventure. Tomorrow, I head for the Icefields Parkway and Jasper. It's supposed to be a little rainy tomorrow too.
Downtown Banff
Adventures in Banff....
Monday, August 29 continued....
After checking into my hotel, I headed for the Banff Gondola. It goes up to a view point on Sulfur Mountain and overlooks downtown Banff and surrounding mountains. I also saw the amazing Bow River Falls, which is near downtown. Also drove by the famous Banff Springs Hotel (a railroad hotel). I walked around the town for little - it was very crowded.
Bow Falls
The famous Banff Springs Hotel
After checking into my hotel, I headed for the Banff Gondola. It goes up to a view point on Sulfur Mountain and overlooks downtown Banff and surrounding mountains. I also saw the amazing Bow River Falls, which is near downtown. Also drove by the famous Banff Springs Hotel (a railroad hotel). I walked around the town for little - it was very crowded.
The famous Banff Springs Hotel
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