Banff Bound

We left the window and the curtain open.  I woke at 6 a.m. to a beautiful view.  

I got dressed and went downstairs to find some coffee.  Neither Gayle or I can get going in the morning before a cup of coffee.  We ate breakfast in the hotel with this amazing view.

We bid farewell to men in kilts and headed to Red Rocks in the Waterton Lakes National Park.  The road to the canyon is beautiful, covered in wildflowers.  There are signs warning of avalanches along the way and they have wired stones along the road.

Everything we read warned that the parking lot fills up fast and it would be hard to find a parking space.  That wasn't our experience.  Red Rock Canyon is a beautiful place that a photo can't quite capture.

We got on the road to Banff.  It was rolling green hills and pastureland.  There are bright yellow crops we decided were canola.  

It is also a windy area and there were many wind turbines along the way.

I had read something online about the beauty of highway 40 so we cut over and went through Kananaskis Country. The road runs through the foothills of the Canadian Rockies.  It was beautiful. 

It is 1500 square miles the Alberta government designates for many different uses, including free range cattle grazing.  We had to pass over multiple cattle guards, called Texas gates here.  We saw mountain goats.

We saw Rocky Mountain sheep.

We made it to the TransCanada Highway in time to find gas and a bathroom.  We spent some time trying to figure out the gas pump and how much we were paying per gallon since the pump is in liters.  The sign in the bathroom said: "Please no standing on the toilet seats."  I wonder what happened to make them create that sign.  

To get into our hotel room, Gayle had to upload an app to use her phone as the mobile key to the room.  As soon as we got to our room I curled up on my bed and fell fast asleep.  I can't believe how tired I am.  I woke up very hungry.  We didn't stop for lunch.  Our hotel is located across an alley from the street in where the majority of Banff restaurants are located.   We walked over to Nourish Bistro, which happens to be a vegan restaurant.  We ordered the nachos which boasts 27 ingredients -- chickpeas, quinoa, mandarin oranges, pickles, cucumbers, beets (just to name a few) and the beet root bruschetta.  The bruschetta was incredible.  The nachos were okay.

We came back to the room and made our reservations for the Banff gondola for tomorrow night.  We had hoped to eat at the restaurant at the top but there are no available reservations until August 4.   There is plenty of food in Banff. We won't starve.  

 

Saturated in Beauty

I convinced Gayle (after some debate) that this was not the morning to move slow.  I wanted to be up and out of the rental by 8 a.m.  We had a reservation to drive the Going to the Sun Road in Glacier National Park.  The road didn't open for visitors until July 13, which is later than usual.  They had quite a bit of snowfall this year.  The number of cars that can use this road is limited.  We felt very fortunate to have landed a reservation.   We planned to avail ourselves of turnouts that didn't require too much walking to safeguard Gayle's back.

We entered from the west and our first stop was Lake MacDonald -- the largest lake in Glacier.  The water is crystal clear.  We went down to the water's edge and dipped our toes in the lake.  The reflection of the sky in the lake makes it look surreal.  There was a couple there with multiple fancy and expensive cameras getting the lake from every angle imaginable.  They may still be there.

At the eastern edge of the lake is MacDonald Falls. 

I had talked to a ranger at the Visitor Center and asked about how to navigate the park with a bad back.  She suggested we try the Trail of the Cedars (0.9 miles) -- a trail that wanders through cedars and hemlock and goes by the Avalanche Gorge.  We had seen photos of Avalanche Gorge and so we decided we would try it.  Gayle made it a short ways and went back to the car.  I promised her photos.

Avalanche Gorge is so beautiful.

Back on the road we pulled over every chance we got and took another amazing photo.  We kept sighing contentedly.

We saw hanging valleys, saddle valleys, weeping walls, many, many waterfalls, snow, mountains and glacial lakes with crystal clear water.

We both got teary at different times just being overwhelmed by the beauty.

It took us hours (because we stopped so often) to reach Logan's Pass, which is at the Continental Divide and around 6600 ft.  We got there right around noon.  There was no ability to park at Logan's Pass because the crowds were so dense. 

We started down the other side, looking for a place to eat our lunch.  We finally found an empty picnic table that had some shade and devoured the sandwiches we had brought with us. Back on the road we stopped at St. Mary Lake to take a boat ride.  As they were loading us on the boat an adolescent grizzly bear ran past the end of the dock.  I decided I need to be even more bear aware.  The lake was beautiful.

We passed Wild Goose Island.

We made one stop to walk to Baring Falls.  Gayle stayed at the water's edge and I promised photos.  

On the return trip a bear was swimming about 50 yards from the shore.  It turns out they are great swimmers.  The trip back to the dock was just as beautiful.

Back in our car we set off for the Canadian border.  We entered at Carway.  We had to use an app called ArriveCan to enter our vaccination status, passport numbers and then agree to follow customs rules.  When we made it to the front of the line we handed the customs agent our passports and promised that we weren't bringing any weapons with us.  She nodded us through.  

We arrived at Waterton Lakes National Park by 6 p.m.  We are staying in this beautiful, old hotel called the Prince Wales.  We were greeted by men in kilts.  That is when I knew I would love this place.  Our room is very small, with the sink at the end of the bed.  There is no air conditioning but I seriously doubt it will be a problem.  The high here today was 65 and the low tonight is 39.  

We have a balcony that overlooks Upper Waterton Lake.  This is the view from our room.

We headed downstairs to find food.  We were both famished.  You have to buzz the front desk to have a bell hop (in a kilt) come get you in the elevator.  We had a great dinner looking out over the lake.  There is one gorgeous view here after another.

I wanted to see the Waterton Glacier International Peace Park -- an UNESCO World Heritage Site.  These two National Parks (Glacier and Waterton Lakes) while located in different countries are connected.  They work together, under some guiding principles, to maintain the ecosystems of each.  We discovered that the Peace Park is very close so we hopped in the car and went to see it for ourselves.  It is a lovely little peninsula that honors peacemakers and cooperation between countries.  

At the end of the park are two red chairs.  Parks Canada puts two red chairs in many locations throughout Canada.  The message is rest, relax and discover the beauty Canada has to offer.  Maybe we need to work a little harder on the rest part!

UTV or UTI?

I got up this morning singing Banana Pancakes by Jack Johnson:  Can't you see?  Can't you see? We've got to wake up slow.  I finally got myself together and we went out for brunch at the Buffalo Cafe.  They make a dish they call buffalo pie.  Of course, I had to order that dish.  I noticed that there was a bookstore next to the restaurant.  I was attracted by their window display.  There was a notice on the front door that read:  White Supremacy NOT welcome.  Don't leave your pamphlets here, you spineless, gutless wieners. -- The Management.  We spent quite a bit of time inside and I came out having bought enough greeting cards to restore the drawer of greeting cards in my home.

Back when my sister and I were planning our sister vacation part of my road trip together she asked me how I would feel about getting a UTI while we were in Whitefish together.  I told her I was not interested in getting a UTI on our trip.  She seemed surprised.  "Have you ever had one before?" she asked.  "Sure," I said.  "It was fun wasn't it?" she suggested.  "Absolutely not.  I refuse to get a UTI while we are on this trip," I said.  I thought she had lost her mind.  Later that day she texted me:  "Not a UTI (urinary tract infection) a UTV (utility task vehicle)."  I texted back:  "That makes more sense.  Have you ever driven one?"  She replied: "I have several of them." 

So Gayle reserved a UTV for today.  We drove up the 93 for several miles to a place where we no longer had cell service.  There were a couple families in front of us.  We were given a side by side with a map and instructions.  We headed out.  I admit I was pretty nervous.  I wanted to make sure we followed all the rules. Gayle was not intimidated in the least.  Our first stop was Upper Whitefish Lake.  

We got out and skipped stones (unsuccessfully) and waded in the cool lake water.  The UTV was beastly hot and very dusty.

Then we traded seats and I got to drive us up to Red Meadow Lake.  

Red Meadow Lake was beautiful.  We had a conversation with a man walking his Great Dane.  He knew the area and made suggestions about where we might go next.  He also told us that Glacier National Park transports their "bad bears" to this area.  We decided to be more bear aware.

Then we headed to Werner's Peak.  It was up a very steep, rocky, narrow, potholed road with a cliff on one side.  Gayle drove and I prayed that she didn't want to Thelma and Louise this trip. We kept thinking we were almost to the peak when we saw the lookout on the top of the mountain-- just a speck and miles yet to go.

You can't go all the way to the top by UTV.  You have to walk the last bit.  We stopped near the top and enjoyed the view.  We were almost above the tree line -- around 6500 ft.

We had to return the UTV by 5:30 p.m. and we didn't turn back until 4:30.  We knew it was going to be tight.  I drove us back down.  It was good for me to feel the need to hurry a bit because it made me braver. At 5:25 we were 1/4 of a mile from returning to the rental place when a met the UTV driver who had been sent out to find the two old ladies who must be lost.  Actually he didn't say that but it sure seemed to be what happened when he immediately flipped a U-turn and followed us back.  We were so hot and so dusty and so wonderfully invigorated by the experience.

We drove back to Whitefish and ran several errands so that we will be ready to head to Glacier National Park in the morning.  We came back to our rental and cleaned up and packed for tomorrow.  At 9 p.m. we drove up to Whitefish Lake.  The sky is filled with clouds and we decided it would be a great night to view the sunset across a lake.  We were not disappointed.

The Pie Journey Continues

We were in no hurry to get around this morning.  We have been getting up and getting on the road fairly early for three mornings. I puttered and wrote thank you cards.  Gayle caught up on the news.  I used the stopper on the bathroom sink this morning to soak some things and then I couldn't get the stopper to open.  So I asked my sister (who is eight years older than me) to help me figure out what to do.  She was down on the floor with her head under the sink before I knew it.  We eventually got the stopper up and then Gayle researched the problem so she can communicate with the owners using all the right terms.

We went to Loula's Cafe for brunch.  It is around the corner from our rental.  It was a half hour wait time so we took a quick drive to see Whitefish Lake, which is considerably smaller than Flathead Lake.  We had to stop for a deer to cross the road.

We returned to Loula's.  This restaurant was on my list because Food and Wine considers their huckleberry pie to be the best pie in Montana.  When we finished our food we ordered two pieces of pie to go -- Huckleberry Mixed Berry and Huckleberry Peach.  

Then we headed off to take a drive around the entire Flathead Lake.  We read that it would take two hours if we didn't stop anywhere.  We planned to make multiple stops.  We were in search of the best place to watch the sunset across the lake.  

We made multiple stops to make sure we would be able to see the sunset in the northwest without trees blocking the view.  We entered several of the state parks along the road to check out the exact location we would return to in the evening.  The sunsets around 9:30 p.m. here this time of year.  

On the east side of the lake there are many cherry orchards.  We stopped at a roadside stand and got Bing and Rainer cherries.  Gayle quizzed the people working there to ask about optimal locations for viewing the sunset.  They confirmed what we had already discovered.  We journeyed on around the lake, eating cherries, which were incredible. There is something magical about eating fresh fruit, ripened on the tree.

When we got to the southern part of the lake I told Gayle I really wanted to hike down to the viewing point for the Kerr Dam.  Gayle has a bad back and has had a back surgery.  She has problems if she spends too much time vertical.  She was fine with waiting in the air conditioned car and letting me hike to the view.  Right when I started I met a couple on the steep steps who gave me advice on the best way to descend.

It was 180 steps down to the viewing area.  The dam is on the Flathead River.

It was worth the hike down to see the dam.  Montana is dealing with a drought and there wasn't much water pouring over the spillway.

The view was worth the descent but I began to wonder if it was worth the ascent up all those stairs.  When I was almost back to the car Gayle called me.  She said the couple I had met on the way down was concerned about me making this hike on my own.  I assured her I was fine and would see her in 30 seconds.  

By the time we got back to our rental we had been gone for seven hours.  We decided we had no desire to go out to dinner.  We ordered ribs from a restaurant nearby.  When I went out to go pick up the food I needed to wait until this buck moved on down the alley.  

We spent time this evening making plans for the day we leave Whitefish.  We will be driving through Glacier National Park on the Going to the Sun Road.  Then we will cross the border into Canada.  We are required to use an app called ArriveCan and upload our passports and vaccination records within 72 hours of arrival.  We spent time doing that so we could receive a receipt that will make that crossing possible.  

I got out the two pieces of huckleberry pie and we tasted both of them.  We were of one mind.  Huckleberry mixed berry is better than huckleberry peach.  The pie crusts were excellent. I admit that I am partial to rhubarb or lemon meringue but I am enjoying the search for the best pie.

 

The Garden of 1,000 Buddhas

Our AirBnB in Bozeman had a checkout time of 9 a.m.  We made it.  Our destination for today is Whitefish, MT.  We both wanted to stop in Missoula for lunch.  I had read on Eater that there is a great Farmer's Market there on Saturday mornings and we should get the breakfast sandwich from Ninja Mike's.  When I was in the passenger seat doing the navigation piece I used my Apple Maps app and we ended up getting off the I-90 and driving out of our way.   All I can say is that it was a beautiful drive.

Finally, back on the I-90 we arrived in Missoula at noon.  It was a decent farmer's market.  We got some fresh Kombucha and some baklava and sat in the hot sun to eat and drink.  Strange combination, I know, but for some reason both of these things appealed to us in the moment.  There was no Ninja Mike's.  We sat down in front of the carousel next to the farmer's market to figure out where to get lunch.  The carousel is beautiful and has a lovely story.  A local cabinet maker approached the city council and offered to provide the horses and all the mechanisms if the city would provide a permanent home.  They agreed.  

After eating brunch we headed for Whitefish.  We noticed a sign that the Garden of 1,000 Buddhas was ahead in four miles.  We decided to find out what it was.  It is located in the Jocko Valley and is surrounded by farm land.  The location and architecture came as a vision to Sang-ngag Rinpoche, as a child.  The Buddhas are arranged based on the eight-spoked Dharma wheel.  

On the hill above the Garden of 1,000 Buddhas is a construction of prayer flags.  

It was an amazing experience.  It was the quote on this stone leading into the garden that made me break down and cry.  You can search throughout the entire universe for someone who is more deserving of your love and affection than you are yourself, and that person is not to be found anywhere.  You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection. -- Buddha

We got back in the car and continued on this journey of life and learning to love ourselves.  When we crested the hill above the south end of Flathead Lake, which is 16 miles wide and 30 miles long, we were aghast at its size.  We drove around the west side of the lake towards Whitefish, oohing and ahhing around every curve.  It is bigger in surface than Lake Tahoe.  The Wild Horse Island in the middle of the lake is a state park.  We may explore this lake more in the coming days.

We got to our rental around 5:30 p.m.  We were hot and tired.  The code they gave us to open the door didn't work because someone had locked the bottom lock.  We called all the emergency numbers until we finally got someone to help us find a key for the lock. The car unloaded, we went in search of dinner.  Huckleberries are in everything here.  You can get an elk meatloaf with a huckleberry demi glaze or a huckleberry mojito or huckleberry bbq or huckleberry pie or huckleberry ice cream and on to infinity. We got salads.

Back at our rental we settled on watching Nathan Fiedler's new show called The Rehearsal.  This show and his previous one called Nathan For You are those kind that make you laugh, make you uncomfortable and make you shocked that anyone would go along with Nathan.

We have made no plans for tomorrow.  We will not set an alarm.  We will not get in the car to drive to another destination.  We are staying in Whitefish for three nights and no other day we are together will we drive more than 5 hours.  I think our vacation together is about to get more relaxing.