California to Alberta

We’re off on another adventure! After blasting up highway 5, we arrived in Washington for some good time with family. We enjoyed spending time at the Anderson/Syre picnic NE of Bellingham near the Canadian border on the Syre farm. Rico has posted a picture from that picnic on Facebook.

Joanne & Kirsten

Fred, Chris & Dave

Dave & Margit

We also enjoyed some excellent times at Shirley’s. Thank you Shirley!

Then on Monday August 2 we headed off into the Okanagan Valley in BC. To be met by smoke from the 400 some forest fires burning in BC; the result of dry lightning strikes. As we were out for a walk, we watched as one of the fires started! We enjoyed visiting wineries in this rich valley area on our way through Kelowna and on up to Jasper. Where the smoke finally cleared out for us on Wednesday – but not for the folks in BC. As of the 9th they are still fighting forest fires in that province, although Chris’ cousin in the Okanagan Valley says the winds have shifted and the smoke is not too bad.

Ice field Highway. We enjoyed our drive down near to Banff, seeing bears, glaciers, lakes and many other cool sights on Thursday. Following are some shots taken from the Icefield Parkway:

We stayed at the Johnston Canyon Lodge, which although the room was quaint, the surroundings were wonderful. A 2+ km hike up the canyon allowed us to see six or so waterfalls and some very interesting walkways built out from the canyon walls. An excellent construction job by the parks’ folks.

Friday found us in Yoho Park in BC, then spending most of the day at Lake Louise. A bit damp at times but we had a wonderful late lunch in the grand hotel there with a table smack in front of tall windows looking out over the lake and the glaciers beyond. On a sunny day that table would have been deadly from the sun, but on a cloudy day it was great.

Saturday we drove down to Banff. On the way we saw a huge elk on the roadside. As he walked past our car, Chris could almost reach out and touch him.

The day was spent learning about Grizzly bears at a museum, walking about and enjoying a drink at the luxurious lodge outside of town. No free lunch there; parking was $3 per hour in surrounding parking lots. As we were paying another couple came up and the man had a major problem paying. His wife was walking toward the hotel and he said “I’m leaving.” So he kind of drove off and his wife walked ahead toward the hotel. We don’t walk fast as Chris is using a cane. By the time we got to the main hotel entrance a man in a car was honking at the curb making a ruckus; the bellman ran over and asked him to knock it off. Apparently he asked the bellman to flag down his wife who was near to the entrance door – he did and she said “I have never seen that man in my life”. A spat of sorts. So he tore off down the street and we later saw her wandering about in the bar. Such is life!

Saw lots of weddings in Lake Louise and Banff, seems the apots for destination weddings. At our short time in the Cascade gardens in Banff, we saw 3 wedding parties!

Sunday on to Rocky Mountain House to learn about the fur trading business in the early 1800’s, then on Cochrane. Monday we drove the southern part of the Cowboy Trail (Hiway 22) and learned about the history of settlements in the western part of Alberta in the late 1800’s. At the Bar U ranch. Very interesting. Cowboy country. In Longview we bought an Ian Tyson CD. He’s the Ian of Ian & Sylvia and the song “Four Strong Winds.” So we drove through cowboy country listening to cowboy music.

Tomorrow, off to Waterton National Park, the Canadian Half of Glacier NP in Montana (Canada has their own Glacier Park in BC.)