East to West Glacier National Park (the long way round)

Our intention was to drive the shorter route through the National Park but when we got there we saw a sign saying Logan Pass was closed so we could only make it half way across. Later we found out Logan Pass visitor centre was 30 foot under snow with only the top of the roof showing.

As a result we went the long way round and it was miles of these burnt trees. A young tour guide told us stories about how in 1929 there was a fire in the park that burnt a lot of the trees but didn't destroy them, it boiled the sap which crystalised and preserved the tree trunk. Also in 2003 there were a lot of fires around this area, one of which swept through the area again. You can see secondary growth everywhere though and the landscape recovering.

Beautiful scenery in the East side of Glacier National Park.

Just had to take a photo of this tiny island called Wild Goose Island.

Mum and Dad relaxed in the sunshine (this is definitely going to be scrapbooked when we get home).

Dad being Dad. I wonder what he's found. Might be the beautiful pink stone in the area.

We took this picture to show how clear the water was.

We saw lots of these vehicles taking visitors through the park

In certain areas the ground was covered in these plants making it look a bit like a lunar landscape. They grow in clumps of roughly the same height.

Driving away from Many Glacier.

Having fun after a busy day. Everywhere we go there are these carved bears, this one is holding a fish.

Fire just lit, looking forward to a BBQ.

Back in the Wilds

Since Calgary was the furthest we'd planned to go when we discussed this trip, we sat and discussed the route we should take to get back to Seattle. It was decided on that we should go down into America for the leg back which was a new idea (based on the fact that we'd run out of Canadian dollars but still had American left) so we decided to go down to Glacier National Park then across from there. So we drove down into Montana and found a KOA in St Marys which is on the East side of Glacier with the plan of driving through the park to the West side.

This is Dad outside the KOA cutting out the Stampede advert on the beer tin for Mum and Sophie.

Another KOA surrounded by beautiful mountains.

Dad making the most of the shade.

Mum making the most of the sunshine.

Stampede Like A Pro

Having watched the Calgary Stampede Parade on the TV and saw Wills and Kate having a good time, we decided that was our next stop. So after arriving in Calgary to the Country music coming from the bar across the road from our hotel, we headed, on the train, to Stampede Park.

It was very busy there and the kids seemed to enjoy the funfair!

We looked around the arts exhibitions and the stalls (it was set out like a Country show at home). Having admired everyones RV's and Motorhomes over the holiday, we didn't want to miss our chance to go inside one. It's a wonder how these things even move, they were full of high tech gadgets and were pure luxury.

When we wanted to rest our feet, where better than in Nashville North, where the Country music stage was set up. We listened to one of the acts and watched the people dancing along (they were experts and impressive to watch).
The beer in Mum's hand had a Stampede advert on the side which we all liked and instantly ear marked for the scrapbook.

There was an Native section to the park where we looked around at the beautifully decorated tipis and hand crafted jewellery.

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We liked the board with the horns coming out of it. It showed who had won the different categorys of activities going on in the building behind it (where the Rodeo show was held).

If you're going to Stampede Like A Pro, as they suggest, you've got to wear the cowboy hat.
We'd seen someone wearing one of these small hats earlier in the day and wanted to know where they came from. We happened upon them in a souvenir shop in the grounds.



Back with a slow news day - Banff

Having been out of contact with everyone for far too long, due to an absence of good WIFI at our campsites and absolutely no Starbucks coffee shops to tap into their internet, we are back!
We left off in our last post at Banff and today is a fill-in with various pictures that caught our attention on our last day there.
We start off with a wedding cake idea - now we need to find someone who likes Madeleine cake for a bottom tier.
Not sure about Heather McCartney's latest job at the local shopping Mall.

Our B & B had this mosaic of the longhorn mountain sheep on the side wall.

Meet Alberta Bertie, who after many days since completion still cannot see - we remain hopeful that we will find a shop that sells buttons so the poor chap can gain insight on the world he has joined.  In this instance we thank our own professional model, Snowflake, who insisted we pay her if we were going to use her image in this way.  Bertie is very much looking forward to the flight back to the UK during which he just might receive his stuffing by way of flight pillows.

Mum had this Limoncello cocktail with her meal and has wanted to go back again ever since.

Banff and About

This was a quick snapshot of a mother bear beside the road with her two cubs. They were practicing how to climb (not quite there yet). The photo didn't turn out very well as the camera always seems to focus on the wrong thing but we were so excited to see cubs.

This is not us in a boat, just some other Minnewanka boaters. We can't stop giggling over the unfortunate name.

Another almost tame ground squirrel/chipmunk.

Darn, Mum's hair didn't behave for very long.

This curious cheeky baby mountain goat looks like it wants to come and say hello.

The wildlife seemed to come so close.

We spent part of the day in town, looking for postcards but not buying any and sitting in the garden with homemade cookies and iced lemon tea. It was too hot to do a great deal.
No sightings of Wills and Kate yet but we've got our fingers crossed for tomorrow at the Calgary Stampede. Hopefully we'll get there in time for the parade but some of us find it hard to get out of bed.

In search of Will and Kate

Our home from home for three nights - a delightful B & B in the centre of Banff.

We started off in seach of the hot springs and the Gondola ride up Sulphur Mountain, but quickly got sidetracked to see Bow Falls at the lower end of Banff.

Looking downstream from the falls, a couple of random oddities enjoy the view.  Behind Sophie lie the rafts you can go on a slow drift down the river, wildlife spotting.

The Banff Springs Hotel - the supposed location of the visiting Royal couple whilst at this end of their visit and before they move onto Calgary tomorrow to start the Stampede fun.

This was enough to make Sophie blush!!

Hotel from the Godola.

A couple of likely fellow travellers.

The trip up Sulphur Mountain involves a 5000 ft climb in quite fast time.  The view down towards Banff was worth seeing.  Behind the town is Tunnel Mountain where cougar have recently been sited (as in released into the wild) and also site of the largest campsite locally.  Rather those campers than us given the sightings!

Decadent picnic at the top.  Sophie had spent part of the previous evening making choc dipped strawberries and Lucky Charm cereal crispy cakes with Hershey bar chocolate (and very nice they were too).

Right at the bottom you can just see the Bow Falls.

Mum stayed at the top of the Gondola while Dad and Sophie went on up to the "Cosmic Ray Observatory" right at the summit.  Sophie looks down on where her Mum should have been.

 Nearly at the top.

Banff again.  We are staying right in the middle of the picture.

Summit shots.  Dad had gone back to the car just to put on his altitude tee shirt, and got the desired reaction from passers by.

Looking up to the summit from the Gondola deck.

Who's that girl?

A quick (?) trip from here into Calgary to visit a scrapbooking oulet followed, and having driven through the city preparing for the Stampede and a Royal visit it was a case of "Let's not bother".  Fortunately, after a bout of retail therapy and managing to book a hotel (which we had been told would not be possible) the Stampede trip was back on.  Dad found a completely non aggravating way out of Calgary to return to Banff and we have just finished a fantastic pasta bolognaise completely self made (by Mum).

Tomorrow is another day - call back to find out where we ended up.

Love to everyone.