Back in the USA

We were on the road out of Kelowna by 8:45 this morning.  We crossed over the Okanagan Lake and headed west.  It was a mountainous route with strong crosswinds and few towns.  We realized just before we got to the US/Canadian border that we still had 60 Canadian dollars left.  We stopped at a grocery store in Abbotsford to buy snacks, sparkling water, etc.  We spent 58.76.  We are so impressed with ourselves!  We found the right line to join to cross the border.  Then we sat for a very long time. 

Gayle reminded me that it is not wise to be playful with border control.  After we sat there for a half hour I told Gayle that it was starting to actually cause me stress to be so serious for so long.  She reminded me that I only had to hold my playful nature in check when we were in the presence of the customs officer. 

It was such a slow process that I began to think there was something we hadn't done.  I am a worrier deep to my bones.  I tried, unsuccessfully, to upload an app.  We finally got to the front of the queue and handed over our passports.  "What was the purpose of your travel to Canada?" the border patrol officer asked us.  "Travel," we said.  "How are you related?"  "Sisters," we answered in unison.  "Besides memories what are you bringing back with you?"  Gayle immediately said, "Nothing."  "Really?" he said in a voice dripping with skepticism.  "Well, we have a couple hats, some refrigerator magnets and some water."  "Good for you," he said.  "Did you buy any medications in Canada that you are bringing with you?"  "No," we said simultaneously.  "That's all I got,"  he said.  He handed us our passports and we drove back into the United States of America.

We drove back roads towards Bellingham, Washington, enjoying the agriculture.  When we got to Bellingham we headed to Western Washington University.  Gayle's grandson is a student here.  He is not here this summer but she wanted to see the university he attends.  It is a large campus and we had to park and find a campus map.  We found the center plaza and gave ourselves a tour.  A deer walked up while we were there and enjoyed the plaza with us.  

We returned to our car and found our AirBnB.  It is on a hill above the Bellingham Bay.  We enjoyed the space before heading down to the Black Sheep Restaurant.  We are obviously in a college town. The restaurant was packed and so very loud.  We took the first table available and ended up sitting on the same side of the table so that it was easier to shout into each other's ears.  Gayle got nachos and I got a chopped salad. Both of them were so spicy that we left much of it behind.  I felt every one of my 61 years of life as we limped past all these young adults and headed back to our car.  

I stopped to enjoy the sunset view from our front deck.

Back at our rental we connected with the family members we will be visiting the next few days.  This is the family portion of our trip.  We headed to bed early.  We are both very, very tired.  It is amazing how much stamina is required to enjoy so much beauty, adventure and wonder.   

Wine Country

Because there are no curtains at the top of our little A-frame rental and I was sleeping upstairs I woke up early and rushed outside to see the sun shining over the mountains. 

Gayle and I knew we were driving longer than one hour today.  We are a well-oiled machine.  Our cabin had two bathrooms and so we were up and out by 8:30 a.m. -- plus we gain an hour today.  We hopped onto the Trans-Canada Highway down to Golden, BC.  I had been on this road before.  It was the summer of 1979 on a vacation with my parents.  It was a difficult trip that included my father spending five days in the hospital in Golden, BC.  I was eager to experience all I didn't get to enjoy that summer.  This section of the Trans-Canada highway was closed from Easter until this past Friday  (July 29) in order for the road to be widened and re-aligned.  We were grateful we were driving on it on August 1 but the construction is obviously not finished.

It is a very dramatic road.

We stopped at Roger's Pass in Glacier National Park in Canada for a photo op.  

One of the things we read about this National Park is that it is known for its very steep trails and prime avalanche terrain.  Every winter Parks Canada and the Canadian Armed Forces work together to release avalanches in a controlled manner before they become a threat.  We stopped to walk the Hemlock Grove Boardwalk but it was closed.  So we got off at the next exit to walk the Giant Cedars Boardwalk Trail .  We eagerly got out the hiking poles because a stroll through a rainforest seemed like an excellent idea.  However, this trail was also closed.  They had heavy rainfall and snowfall in the winter of 2021-22 and many trees fell and destroyed the boardwalk.  This National Park seems to be very threatened by its extreme weather.  We did our best to peer around the gate blocking the trail to at least get a peek. 

The next National Park we came upon on our trek along the Trans-Canada Highway was Mount Revelstoke.  We have now been in 6 National Parks in Canada -- Waterton Lakes, Banff, Jasper, Yoho, Glacier and Mount Revelstoke.  

We made no stops in Mount Revelstoke.  The pre-made tuna sandwiches we had eaten the night before were no longer sustaining us.  I had researched where to find the best poutine in the city of Revelstoke -- the Village Idiot.  We have very little time left in Canada and we really do want to see what all the fuss is about.  We arrived in Revelstoke just after 11 a.m.  We looked up the Village Idiot and Google said it opened at 11:30 a.m. So we went in search of gas and to re-fill our cooler with cold drinks.  The National Parks along the Trans-Canada Highway do not have many places to get gas or food.  We waited to get a gas pump.  We waited in line to buy drinks.  By the time we got to the Village Idiot it was 11:30.  A sign on the door said that they weren't going to open until 1 p.m. today.  We walked next door to an empty Chinese Restaurant.  We inhaled our lunch and got back on the road.  Maybe we can have poutine for lunch tomorrow.

The highway was packed with cars and was only one lane each direction.  It was slow going.  We headed south from Sicamous toward the Okanagan Valley.  The area surrounds the Okanagan Lake and Okanagan River.  The lake is 83 miles long and the river extends into north central Washington.  This area in Canada is known for its fruit orchards, vineyards and water sports.  It wasn't a long distance from where we spent the night but the speed limit is slower in Canada.  The highways have less lanes.  I have been greatly impressed with the average mileage I have achieved on a tank of gas.  

We made our way down to Kelowna in a long line of cars, enjoying the multiple lakes and all the lush agriculture.  We arrived in time to do some laundry and shake out our dresses.  We had reservations tonight at the Home Block Restaurant at the Cedar Creek Winery Estate.  We splurged and decided to go for the Library Experience -- a five course meal paired with their platinum wines.  They called us two days ago to check out our allergies and preferences.  Gayle is not a fan of meat so we asked to have a vegetarian experience. We drove beside the lake to get to the restaurant and the wind was incredible, like a Fall day.  Wind surfers were out on the lake leaping across the waves.

The hostess sat us on the patio with an incredible view of the lake.  

I am not a drinker.  I have no tolerance so I knew I needed to be careful.  Our first course was a roasted apricot with sage, goat cheese and honey.  I sipped my wine and didn't finish.   For our second course they brought us a crispy zucchini flower with favas and buffalo mozzarella.  I would have been satisfied right there.  Next was a pasta dish with truffles, morels and peas.  It was so good.  Fourth on our list was a lion's mane mushroom (a new taste for me) with a gorgonzola and red lentil stuffed onion -- not my favorite.  We ended with a fruit tart (red currants, cherries and haskap berries) with malted whipped cream.  It was exquisite. 

With each course we were brought a new wine and it was described for us.  Gayle and I just sipped our wines and then moved them to the edge of the table assuming they would take them away.  But they left them there.  It formed a wall of wine around the table. When the server delivered one of our five wines he called it a feminine wine.  I asked him what was meant by that description.  He said that wine is often described as having a masculine or feminine characteristic,  depending on whether it is bold or light.  He could tell I didn't like the description.  I said, "Can I swap out this glass for a non-binary wine?"  He expected me to argue with him.  He didn't expect that response.  He looked down at our wall of wine and said, "If you leave these glass of wine here long enough they can identify however they choose."

After 2 and 1/2 hours of dining next to this beautiful lake we finally paid our expensive bills and set off towards our sweet little VRBO rental.

Yoho National Park

We slept with the windows and curtain open.  It got down to 49 degrees last night and after the heat wave in the US it was fabulous to burrow under the covers.  We left the curtains open because we wanted to wake up for the sunrise over Lake Louise.  We woke up too late but there were no clouds in the sky and an awesome sunrise requires clouds.    I enjoyed watching the sun hit the mountains above Lake Louise.

At 8 am. all the bus tour buses began to arrive with their back-up beepers.

Gayle had paid for breakfast with our room at Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise.  We could go down to the main floor for a breakfast buffet or have in-room dining  We were so enjoying the view from our room so we ordered room service.  The person who delivered it set us up at a table looking out our window to the lake.  

We checked out of the hotel, put our bags in the car and then sat outside and enjoyed Lake Louise a little longer.  The lake was already alive with canoes.  

We had reservations to have afternoon tea in the main restaurant of the hotel.  

We had a nice array of tea choices.  Gayle ordered Jasmine and I ordered mint.  When it was delivered we were given a timer and the amount of time to steep our tea choices.  

We both loved the salmon sandwich and the lobster sandwich.  The scones were delicious.  Gayle is a huge fan of lemon curd and they fed her love.  

The final "course" was an incredible dessert buffet.  We could choose from macarons, macaroons, Madeleines, dark chocolate mousse tarts, lavender honey shortbread, and raspberry lemon tarts...just to name a few.  We did not overeat but we agreed we don't think we will need anything sweet for awhile.  

We finished our tea and stopped in Lake Louise Village to buy some groceries before we head to the cabin we have reserved for tonight, which is only a little over an hour from Lake Louise.  But we have plans to explore Yoho National Park.  Kootenay, Banff, Jasper and Yoho are contiguous National Parks in Canada. Today we were headed for Yoho, which is the Cree word for "awe". 

Our first stop was the spiral tunnel viewpoint.  In order to deal with a steep decline on the train line they created a spiral tunnel.  The train enters an upper tunnel and runs in a circular direction.  When it emerges form the lower tunnel it has doubled back upon itself 50 ft. lower.

Our next stop was Takakkaw Falls, the second tallest waterfall in Canada at a drop of 1,224 ft.  To get there you drive up a road with some intense switchbacks which, at one point, only allows one car to turn the corner at a time. The parking lot was packed.  We luckily found a parking spot.  We hiked towards the falls.  Gayle found a bench to watch two Saint Bernards down by the river.  

I hiked towards the falls but realized I would get pretty wet if I went any closer.  It was impressive without hiking all the way.

Next we stopped at the Confluence of the Yoho and Kicking Horse Rivers.  The Yoho is more white and less turbulent.  The Kicking Horse is more glacial blue and more wild, thus the name. I tried to hike down for a view but it was way too steep.  I tried to find an opening in the trees but it was difficult to see.

Natural Bridge is a great example of the power of water.  Even stone cannot survive water.

Gayle and I had seen photos of Emerald Lake.  We both wanted to see this jade-colored lake.  The parking lot was completely full and there were cars parked along the side of the road for a long way.  I drove into the parking lot and Gayle got out and I circled around.  She took a quick look at the scenery and brought me back a photo. We had no desire to fight the crowds for a parking space.

We headed towards our cabin for the night, which is the first exit when we left Yoho National Park.  

It is a lovely cabin but without an air conditioning or fans.  It was 90 degrees when we arrived.  This is not an area of Canada used to heat.  We sat on the front porch and ate sandwiches we had purchased back in Lake Louise Village.  I convinced Gayle to try the hammock seat.  She looked so blissful.  Another beautiful day in a beautiful place.

 

From Heli to Heaven

Gayle and I both woke up a bit frantic.  We had each done some research individually and realized that the journey to the heliport was a bit longer than we were thinking.  We weren't sad to leave the Fairmont Jasper....

...but we were looking forward to not rushing around.  We decided we didn't want to eat breakfast at this "hotel" and so we loaded our things and drove into the village of Jasper.  We found something to eat for breakfast and ordered sandwiches to go at the Patricia Street Deli. We were their first customers of the day.  One of the co-owners waited on us but before he made my sandwich he asked about our trip.  I told him I was on a 6-week retirement road trip.  He asked me what I did.  "I was a pastor," I said.  His eyes lit up with delight and he gave me an elbow bump.  This is such a different reaction than I have gotten from other people I have met along this journey.  

It isn't that I walk up to everyone and say, "Hi! I'm a retired pastor on a six-week road trip."  That would be just a tad bit creepy. But I have found that people in service jobs in Canada all engage us with questions like: "What are your plans for today?" or "What did you do today?"  When we tell them what is on our itinerary for the day the next question is always: "Where are you from?"  We explain that we are from Kansas and California.  That seems odd to them that we are from different places so I follow up with something about being on a sisters' road trip in honor of my retirement.  The inevitable next question is:  "What did you do before you retired?"  I don't hesitate to tell them I was a pastor.  The usual reactions are very unlike the one from the co-owner of the deli.  The female bellhop at Prince of Wales Hotel in Waterton had a follow up question:  "What denomination?"  I said: "Church of the Brethren." She laughed and said: "A female pastor in a church called Brethren.  Now that's funny." Tonight our waiter had the very same conversation with us only when I said I was a pastor he said:  "I could make fun of you for spending your life doing that."

With our bellies full and our sandwiches in the cooler we headed to Rockies Heli for a 30 minute helicopter tour to view the Columbia Icefield.  We traveled back down the same road we traveled north on yesterday.  We marveled at how different and just as beautiful the journey south was from the journey north.  We made several stops along the way to take photos but we stayed on task.  We didn't want to be late for our ride.  

We arrived a half hour earlier than our designated arrival time so we pulled out our sandwiches and ate them at one of their picnic tables until it began to rain.  We went inside to use the restroom before it was our turn.  We both took photos of the sign above the toilet.

Our pilot was a 30ish person named Kyle.  We got our safety instructions and got into the copter for our 30 minute ride.  

We were the only passengers on the helicopter and we both sat in the front.  Gayle insisted I sit by the door because I would get to see through the side window and the front window and she has been on a couple helicopter rides before.  The beauty around us was amazing.  There is a lake right next to the heliport that is human made and is the color of a glacial lake.  It is the reservoir that provides water for all of Alberta.  

We flew right next to amazing glaciers.

Kyle, in the most calm and steady voice, gave us an explanation of how these mountains were formed; how they are different from each other; for whom they were each named; the age of the glaciers we were seeing; how Banff National Park used to bring all their "pissed off" grizzly bears and relocate them to a certain valley; how tall the waterfall was; and why a certain lake was lime green instead of glacial blue.  

I was terrified the whole time.  When I am truly frightened I get quiet because I am having a conversation inside my head trying to talk myself out of my fear.  I remember very little of his descriptions but the steadiness of his voice assured me that he was not frightened by how windy it is as your fly over ice covered mountains. 

But we safely made it back to base camp.  We thanked Kyle for the good ride and got in our car to head for Lake Louise .  We are spending the night at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise.  A night in this hotel is Gayle's retirement gift to me.  We are on the fourth floor with a view of the lake.  I have always, always wanted to stay here.

We got dressed up for dinner in the hotel's Lago Restaurant.  We didn't need to dress up.  We could have worn shorts. It was the best meal we have had so far on this trip.  We had a grilled watermelon and feta salad.  When we asked our waiter (the one who thought my vocation was hilarious) about this salad he said, "You can't really grill water but it is delicious."  It was.  We also had a mushroom ravioli that was so good I wanted to lick my plate but refrained because I had a dress on.  

After dinner we walked around the hotel to get a better understanding of the lay of the land.  

There is a nice garden out front where only registered guests can sit.  There is live music.  

The lakefront was stunning.  

We took photos of each other and laughed hysterically about how not photogenic we are.

I got a great one of Gayle.

We walked along the rest of the lakefront so my sister, who is a licensed contractor, could understand how this hotel was constructed.  But the rest of the lakefront just required more photos.

Then we passed back into the registered guest only section.  

It was an odd feeling to have this boundary.  It reminded me of a time I traveled with my son Matt after I had gotten global entry and he didn't have it.  I went through the pre-check line at TSA and then waited a half hour for him to get through.  He said, "I was in the peasants' line. Now I will go wait at my gate until they call group 6 and when I get on the plane the rest of the passengers will throw rotten tomatoes at me and yell, 'peasant'".  

Back in our room we watched the sunset from our "exclusive" room.

Jasper

We ate a big breakfast in Banff because there are such limited services on the Columbia Icefield Parkway.  We have said we need to try poutine while we are in Canada.  We had the breakfast poutine.  We decided that this was not really poutine and we would have to try it again.  We were on the road by 10:30.  

The route between Banff and Jasper, without stops takes about 3 1/2 hours.  Gayle had researched the route and made a list of those things that we would like to see and would have the energy to enjoy.  Our first stop was Herbert Lake.

We had both read that Peyto (pea-toe) Lake was a must see.  It was an amazing turquoise color.

Mistaya Canyon was too much of a hike for Gayle's back.  I headed down a steep hill to find the canyon.  Every woman my age that I passed I asked if the hike was worth it.  They all agreed it was.

Tangle Falls was right beside the road.  You can't see too many waterfalls.

So we stopped to see Sunwapta Falls.

And Athabasca Falls.

We didn't stop to see the Columbia Icefields because if all goes well with the weather we are taking a helicopter ride over them tomorrow.  We made it to Jasper six hours after we left Banff.  We were very excited to arrive at our hotel.  We were tired and hungry and we had booked a room in the Fairmont Jasper.  We had seen the Fairmont Banff Springs and we were expecting something similar.  It isn't similar.  It reminds me a bit of the Kellerman Resort in the Catskills from the movie Dirty Dancing.  There is no air conditioning and Jasper is having a heat wave.  The buildings are spread over 700 acres.  Our room is nothing special.  We are quite a ways from the main lodge.  We called for help to get to dinner and we were picked up in a golf cart. We sat outside with a lovely view of Lake Beauvort and had a delicious dinner. 

We got a golf cart ride home and watched the movie Everything, Everywhere, All at Once.  I had seen it before but it is the kind of movie you have to watch a second time, a third time and in every universe.