Thursday, Oct 1, 2015 - Starting from the Super 8 in East Kamloops, British Columbia, east to Emerald Lake (Yoho National Park), east to Takakkaw Falls (Yoho National Park), then east to the Mountaineer Lodge in Lake Louise, Alberta (Banff National Park):
306 actual miles; 5 hours 50 minutes driving
As we left East Kamloops, we heard that there were fog/cloud warnings on the road east. We soon saw what they were talking about:
The random lakes on Trans-Canada Highway 1 are pretty beautiful:
I saw a Bald Eagle in a tree by one of the lakes!!
Canada's National Park System is WONDERFUL:
We entered through Glacier National Park:
where we got our 3-day pass (72 hours, not "3 calendar days"), which is PERFECT because we entered at 4 PM Thursday 10/1 and will be leaving Monday afternoon 10/4.
Then went over the Columbia River (looking north):
It gets a little distracting when this is right in front of you!
In Field, British Columbia, the Kicking Horse River runs right behind the Yoho National Park Visitor Center (sorry, "Centre")
and right in front of Mount Stephen.
We learned that this turquoise water (which is FREEZING!!!) is actually GLACIAL MELT [which explains the FREEZING]. Suspended in the water is glacial flour, consisting of fine-grained, silt-sized particles of rock which make the water appear turquoise (or "emerald" if you want to get a little pr in there) in color (sorry, "colour").
Which explains why
Emerald Lake looks so
beautiful resplendent:
We walked around the Lake on a trail, and the view to the north is pretty awesome as well:
Got in the car and went down-over-and-up to
Takakkaw Falls
which you think are impressive when you first see them:
but get a whole lot better when you walk around!
Wendy likes this one because she likes the person-on-the-bridge reference point:
The Falls are going strong because they drain directly from Daly Glacier, in the mountain valley above them, so this is probably the best time of the year to see them.
The sun was going down, but I was able to get a couple of great "cliffs in the sunset" photos::
Checked in at the Mountaineer Lodge in Lake Louise, Alberta. WOW - Thank You GOD for a Really Great Day!
Music today:
Neil Young -
Everybody Knows This is Nowhere (1969)
ok, storytime - I still remember being in North Upper (St. Paul's School, Concord, NH Fall 1969) when Steve Woodbury asked Bill Damon and me, when we were downtown (Concord) to get him Neil Young's 1st and 2nd albums. I did, and recorded them as soon as we got back (my "fee") [and have enjoyed them ever since][and have seen old-weird-Neil at least a half-dozen times over the years, so I guess he got my concert $s].
and it is GREAT listening to "Down By The River" while we are driving "down by the river"!!
Wendy read Chapter 41 of
Moby Dick
Neil Young -
Zuma (1975)
Gordon Lightfoot -
Back Here on Earth (1968)
Gordon is CERTAINLY Canadian
"Long Thin Dawn" lyrics:
That long thin dawn
That long thin dawn
Is comin' on again
I've seen the hills of Frisco and the streets of Montreal
In every town I've been to I've had someone to call
From Winnipeg to Edmonton, Vancouver to St. Paul
I've had so many good friends I couldn't miss them all
And that long thin dawn
That long thin dawn
Is comin' on again
Right now I'm on a highway just east of Omaha
Riding shotgun on the biggest rig you ever saw
With forty tons of pig iron and a trucker known as Bill
All the way to Windsor, we've got some miles to kill
While climbin' up a hillside, Bill drops 'er down a gear
And the engine sings so sweetly 'tis music to my ear
I tell him how I long to be just like him if I can
Drivin' like the restless wind across this precious land
Bryan Adams -
Reckless (1984)
Bryan Adams is CERTAINLY Canadian, also
"Kids Wanna Rock" lyrics:
Around the world or around the block
Everywhere I go the kids wanna rock
