The Canadian Rockies

After an incredibly hectic summer, my beautiful bride and I decided to dump everything and run away for a week. Our initial plan was to hike Mount Robson (the world famous Berg Lake Trail) but bad weather encouraged us to change our minds.

Instead I decided to give T. a weeklong discovery of all the best parts of Jasper & Banff National Parks. T. had very little camping experience, so it would be a welcome "shakedown cruise" to sort ourselves out, as well as an opportunity to explore through the Canadian Rocky Mountains.

One thing new for me too...since I've always preplanned trips, I figured I'd throw caution to the wind and just wing it.

No preplanning.

No schedules.

No booking ahead.

We decided to just wake up each morning and ask each other "What do you want to do today, Darling?" Strangely enough, it actually worked! Every night we found a great place to sleep. Every day we found a new campsite, trail, hotspring or other activity to engage our minds and relax our hearts...

This photo essay is the chronicle of our adventures together.

Jasper Park's East Gate (from Hinton)
Rainy, windy, chilly day in Jasper

The getaway vehicle
These sheep almost caused a huge pileup.

Near the headwaters of the Athabasca River

Approaching the Columbia Icefields

The Columbia Icefields and the Athabasca River

Just entering the treeline again

"The Racetrack"

A huge sweeping switchback dropping down a steep sustained grade

More dropping down...

Towards Wenkchemna Pass

Moraine Lake and the Valley of the Ten Peaks.

This scene is famous in Canada as it was printed on the back of our old $20 bills
Valley of the Ten Peaks.

Tammylove admiring the view

Looking towards the Consolation Lakes and Paradise Valley

Moraine Lake

Hiking up the Rockpile

Beautiful Bride and me

Our Tacoma at Lake Louise town

Temple Mountain is the big mountain at left-centre and Victoria Glacier can be seen

just above the treed ridge in the distance
Mountain scenery at Bow Lake

Bow Lake

Headwaters of the Bow River

Johnston Canyon

Johnston Canyon

At the top of Johnston Canyon

Johnston Canyon

Some Mountain Freak

Johnston Canyon

The town of Banff

Banff National Park is Canada's oldest national park (1885) that was

originally set aside to protect Cave and Basin Hot Springs

Tammylove's hand cooking supper at Two Jack Lake

Supper.

Tammylove's campfire cooking experiments were a complete success!

Some weirdo that Tammylove lets hang around.

Proof that if you feed a stray, he'll come back.

Lake Minnewanka, near Banff

Banff Upper Hot Springs, Sulphur Mountain

The mountain in the left distance is Cascade Mountain that you saw before from downtown Banff. Tunnel Mountain is the low ridge just above the trees.

A slightly different view (turned to the right a bit) showing Mt. Rundle.

The valley heading off to the right is the Bow River Valley that leads to Calgary, about an hour's drive away from Banff.

Miette Hot Springs.

This little cabin was my treat to Tammylove for camping with me.

These cabins were built in 1938 and have had only minimal upgrades.

Our Son's Graduation

Jonah, our son, has now graduated from High School.

I have no way of expressing either the heights of my pride at his accomplishment or the depths of sadness at the pending loss of him from home as he pursues his dreams. Jonah is quite a talented drummer and loves playing heavy metal music...so I cannot imagine how we'll manage to keep him in this tiny farm town we call home.

C'est la vie is such a civilized way of saying "Too bad, so sad, Dad." My loss is my son's freedom.

Here are a few pictures of his special day!

Fort Edmonton Park

For the Victoria Day Holiday (24th of May) I took my beautiful bride to Fort Edmonton National Historic Park. http://www.fortedmontonpark.ca/pages/FortEdmonton/default.aspx

Fort Edmonton Park is Canada's largest living history museum and is a fantastic example of "history in motion". An interactive museum spanning many decades of Alberta's capitol city, Fort Edmonton Park has four primary features: 1920 street, 1905 street, 1885 street and the original Fort Edmonton (built in 1795 and shown as a fully functioning post at the height of the fur trade in 1846.

The following photo essay is only a small collection of the photos we took and the experiences we enjoyed that day, but I hope it educates and entertains you with Alberta's history!


I'd say the sign is pretty self-explanatory...

Fort Edmonton Park entrance. This building is a refurbished (and actively used by the park) railway station.

1920 Street.

Time period automobiles and motordrome, circa 1920.

1920 Street.

The cap badge of the Loyal Edmonton Regiment (aka "The Loyal Eddies"). The LER was formed at the start of the First World War as the 49th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force. The motto of the Loyal Eddies is "Fear No Foe".

The Loyal Edmonton Regiment still exists as a Reserve Force Regiment in the Canadian Armed Forces, and forms the 4th (Reserve) Battalion of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI).

Talking with a local actor portraying his own grandfather, who fought in the First World War with the Loyal Edmonton Regiment.

This intrepid young man has looked high and low for authentic uniform pieces to complete his post-WW1 uniform, and has almost completed the uniform - at his own cost.

Typical Edmonton street - including electric streetcars - circa 1905.

Edmonton council chambers circa 1905.

Tent camp where new settlers could stay until they could build a house. Many a shopkeeper, accountant or bank clerk stayed in these tent camps with their families for months at a time.

Bachelor's pads haven't changed much in the last 100+ years.

1885 Street.

Northwest Mounted Police outpost.

Typical tack of the NWMP circa 1885.

New construction methods for the 1880s.

Bellerose schoolhouse built in the 1880s.

Typical "land yacht" of the mid-late 1800s which many settlers used to cross the continent before the railway was completed.

Plains Cree trading camp located just outside Fort Edmonton. First Nations members participate as living exhibits of Plains Cree culture at the height of the fur trade at Fort Edmonton.

The refurbished Fort Edmonton, built in 1795 and exhibited at it's trading height in 1846.

Typical accomodations for fort-dwellers.

The fort's main square the the Governor's house.

Metis blacksmith working. The red sash he is wearing signifies his status as a Metis (halfbreed).

Emergency stores, no doubt!

Fort Edmonton's storehouse.

Another view of the Fort and the adjacent Cree trading camp. The Cree Indians would trap furs throughout the winter months, then trade them the following summer, when they could return by the rivers, the original "highways" of Canada.

New Truck.

Hey Y'all!

It's been awhile since I last posted. The winter was spent working and conducting cold weather experiments (shelter, footwear and clothing).

Our car died...and let me tell you that you haven't lived until you've had a towering Trinidadian Honda Technician lean over you and tell you somberly in his thick accent "I'm sorry but your car is dead. I can't believe this car has worked so long! the Honda Gods have sure been looking after you!" A surreal experience to be sure...

HAHAHA!!!

Accordingly, we were forced (yes, FORCED, I say!!!) to purchase our dream truck ahead of schedule. It's a 2009 Toyota Tacoma TRD (off road) pickup. For you techies & geeks out there, it's a V6 auto transmission - meaning we get the six foot box. The truck comes with everything you could want and some stuff you probably don't. Good safety features, including 3 airbags per passenger: front, top and side). Yes the stereo rocks. We drove it home rocking to Dire Straits for 400kms! The TRD Off Road package means it's designed for towing loads and travelling - well - off road!


I never said I was eloquent.

We'll be putting a canopy on it soon, thus making it our ultimate bugout getaway vehicle, including T's "armored tent" so she can sleep peacefully in the great outdoors.

Yes, it's comfortable, strong and a great ride...that's why we bought it!

You'll be seeing our getaway truck featured in our survival, travel and recreational adventure posts coming up!