Day 33

I was up early this morning because of my snoring tent mate so I sat in the car writing and editing pictures until sunrise. I was hoping to catch some color on the still lake this morning but the smoke and the mountain weren't all that cooperative. However, I immensely enjoyed sitting there listening to the elk bugeling in the woods and the woodpeckers drilling their holes across the water. The sounds carried so beautifully across the water I almost felt like I was there!

We weren't planning on leaving Banff until 10:45 so we took our time getting ready this morning. It was chilly so I boiled some water for dishes and made some cinnamon swirl french toast. Our site was a walk-in site with clusters of tents together so we had some other campers eyeing our breakfast as they walked by with cereal! After packing up we all hit the showers and headed to the Indian Trading Post. Brayden's fascination with wolves and Laney's with native tribes necessitated a stop there. We walked out with only a ring for Laney though.





















We met up with Grammie, traded kids, and got on the road toward Calgary. We had strategically planned our departure from Banff to arrive in Calgary at 12:30. Our next stop was quite possibly the activity Dave was looking most forward to - The Skyline Luge. An hour later we exited the transcontinental highway and spotted the Olympic Park from the road. The kids were super excited to stand on the medal blocks and sit inside a bobsled!

 

We were to be riding special cars down the luge event site from the 1988 Winter Olympic Games and with our arrival timed perfectly we would be one of the first riders of the day. We weren't sure what exactly to expect other than some serious fun, but we were blown away by how awesome this was! We bought Grammie one ticket (and practically had to beg her to go) and we got tickets for the rest of us to go three times. We all put helmets on and rode the chair lift up. When the girls first saw the lift, this was the part that frightened them the most. Each kid paired up with an adult and found out it wasn't all that scary at all. Of course Brayden wouldn't really look down.

Laney, Brayden, and I got our instructions for our first time down and demonstrated we knew how to stop a couple times then we were on our way. My cart must have been ridden quite a lot because the vibration on my seat and hands was almost painful! I passed Laney (aka Driving Mrs. Daisy) quickly and was behind Brayden for the first half of the track. We had some pretty tight turns so I was going down pretty conservatively since we had two more tries. Dave came flying by both of us so I went ahead and passed Brayden right before a crazy 15 foot drop! We got to the end into the chute that collects the cars and everyone had big smiles, even Grammie!

When all the kids got off I knew this place was a hit. I couldn't believe how long the track was! The next life I rode up with Laney and we talked about how we were riding on a course that Olympic athletes were on not too long ago. I think we'll all watch the luge competition next year a little closer!

The ride down was pretty intense and required both hands on the handlebars at all times. This time down we tried to take video with the camera hanging on Dave's neck to show his perspective and see him pass all the kids. After showing we knew how to stop, we all took off again with Ryan and Brayden in the front. Laney was next but of course she was immediately passed. This time down right near the big drop we got held up by a group of slow pokes so after trying to pass them we just stuck around and enjoyed the rest of the ride down.

Dave watched the video to see if he got anything but the camera seemed to be at an angle that didn't work so we adjusted our camera strategy for the last run. The helmets had go pro slots on them but we didn't have it with us today so this would have to work. We also tried to adjust our spacing strategy as the course was getting busy.

The last chair lift the kids were brave enough to ride by themselves. Our last time down was everyone's fastest I think. Well except for Laney perhaps. We all let our carts go without much braking except around the obstacles and hairpin turns. Twice I had the cart up on two wheels, once very close to flipping! The big drop this time was the best eliciting yelps from all of us.

We all finished this run with the biggest smiles and anxious to see if the video worked. Soon, we'll have it up on youtube to link here as it worked great! We bought pictures of each of the kids and I snuck into Brayden's picture.

We hopped back into the car with our adrenaline highs and headed to our next stop. We drove through Calgary looking to get back onto the highway, but Grammie's GPS kept taking her through town. After about an hour she pulled over about to throw it out the window as it had us scheduled for 6 more hours in the car. She figured out a "no u-turns" preference was confusing it and we got back on the road to Medicine Hat, Alberta.

We pulled into the campground and it looked like a little neighborhood with beautiful trees with leaves just starting to turn yellow and kids playing on the playground. We shooed ours off to go play and set up the campsite. Ryan and Laney spotted a few bunnies to they took off with the camera. Since Grammie had power I took over her kitchen and made black bean tortilla soup and salad for everyone while Dave went on a local beer hunt.

We were just starting to eat when a line of classic 1950s cars started cruising through the campground. Dave said he saw there was some kind of meet up down the road and I guess they were just driving around the city tonight. We all waved as they passed by and Laney decided on a 1950-something Chevrolet convertible.

After dishes the kids headed back to the playground and we organized a little bit for the next day's drive. Brayden had some camp ball batting practice until it got too dark and the adults sat watching until dark while the kids played. They were going to some kind of team record on the hanging wheel. Once Brayden's hands were too blistered to continue, they finally decided to stop and get some sleep. We were going back into the states tomorrow!

Day 32

Even though I went to bed early I didn't wake up until after then sunrise this morning - I guess I needed some rest! The view was smoky over the lake so I slipped back into my sleeping bag to warm up and read. I was in the best park of my book so I ended up reading a little later than I should have. I made myself stop and went to the car to check the time only to find out it was already after 9am! We were supposed to meet at Grammie's RV for her famous homemade buttermilk biscuits.

I grabbed clothes for everyone and we ran to the bathrooms to get changed. We hopped in the car and raced over to her campground for breakfast. The mountain that disappeared into the smoke was entirely visible this morning with blue sky we hadn't seen for days!

We pulled up 10 minutes late and Ryan poked her head out as if she'd been waiting for hours. After apologies for sleeping in we enjoyed a delicious breakfast and planned our day. Our first stop was Stewart Canyon for a hike. The view was so beautiful as we walked along the path to the canyon. The kids spotted a peninsula they just had to explor so we headed that way. I happened to find a rock that was just perfect for a bench for me!

While we were there we spotted what we thought was a broken kayak on the next peninsula but as we walked by we saw it was actually a sculpture. It's purpose was to concentrate the sounds of the water and wind and for everyone to listen. I listened and immediately thought it would be the perfect soundtrack to put me to sleep at night.

We moved along the trail and found a shelter the kids just had to go explore too. They were making big plans to change the world in there I'm sure.

We made it to the canyon bridge and stayed for awhile to enjoy the view of the water. The turquoise of the lake and this river looked like the Carribean to me!

The kids were walking with Grammie for awhile so Dave and I were enjoying the quiet and the view of the beautiful water on the walk. At some point I realized they were making plans to take over Grammie's house should a zombie apocalypse happen. They decided who they were going to have there to help and everything. This conversation ended up consuming them for the rest of the walk and back to our car. I'm glad they have a plan for me!



We dropped Lola back off at the RV then headed to the Cave and Basin National Monument next. We found out this was the first actual Canadian national area that inspired the national park movement there. The kids grabbed ranger books and began their searches to complete the activities. We learned all about the First Nation's beliefs and uses for the area as well as the discovery by European settlers.

We walked up the ramp to the cave and immediately walked into a wall of rotten-egg sulfur smell. The kids dramatically walked in making all kinds of noises while holding thier noses and back out as quick as possible. It was a pretty horrible smell but we got used to it after a few minutes. The water was that beautiful turquoise again.

There were a ton of other activites for learning about industry built around the springs as well as the railroad expansion in the area. The girls enjoyed walking around the camp set up like the areas the railroad workers would live in during construction. The tents were comically named things like "1st Class Hotel", "Finest Restaurant", and the girls played checkers in "The Boss" tent.

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We'd seen notices about Canada's red chairs at the visitor's centers so when the girls spotted them they had to get a picture. It's a great idea for social media for the National Parks to promote use of the parks and getting outside.

After everyone finished their ranger books we played a quick game of Snakes and Snails in the kids area while Grammie went upstairs for the view. They showed their books to the guide and received a fun dog tag necklace souvenier from the park. Outside while we waited for Grammie the girls found a fun time capsule from 1983 so they were calculating if they would be able to come back when it is opened in 2083.

We stopped at the little gift area for post cards and headed into town to walk around for the afternoon. As much as he does not like shopping (unless it's for toys), Brayden loves walking around different small towns. We were all ready for a snack when we came upon an ice cream place with a line out the door so we knew we were at the right spot. While we were wairing in line the girls picked up bottles of Raspberry Cordial from Anne of Green Gables, one of our favorite books. I didn't want to get them right then too so I whispered to Dave to find them as a Christmas surprise online hopefully.

Cows' flavors all sounded so delicious with fun names like Messy Bessy, Fluffer Udder, and Wowie Cowie. Of course Brayden picked the one with the most chocolate possible then the girls each picked the ones I was going with so I ended up with a pretty good caramel. The ice cream was really good, but the waffle cones were by far the best we have ever had. Banff would be a dangerous place for this ice cream-loving family to live!

Grammie and I were both looking for long-sleeve t-shirts so we were popping into each of the shops along the main street. Ryan went in one of the first shops with me and instantly fell in love with some giant bear feet slippers. They were an expensive thing for her to spend her money on so I asked her to wait to see if we could find them elsewhere and to make sure she really wanted them. We didn't find any shirts, but she did end up with her slippers!



Once we got back to the RV, Dave sauteed some shrimp to add to our clam chowder for dinner. Grammie and I planned out the next day on the road hoping to get away from smoke. After dishes there may have been a lot of camp ball batting practice in the middle of the road.

Back at our campsite we reorganized for the next day and went to the kitchen shelter to play games. We had a very long and intense game of Ludo that ended with Dave finally winning. I went to sleep telling my brain to wake up early for the sunrise since we were leaving in the morning.

Day 31

Our mountain home was pretty dark in the morning until about 8am, but my internal alarm went off and I got up to start packing for our drive. We were also pretty excited to get moving to our hike this morning. After breakfast we were derailed quite a bit on a search for Brayden's glasses. They weren't in the car, in Grammie's RV, at the campsite, in the tent, they had just disappeared. We all retraced the steps of the previous day and decided to pack up and search the couple places we'd stopped. We had the responsibility talk again on the way and didn't find them anywhere.

After a quick stop at the post office for Canadian stamps, we were on the road to Alberta. Our first stop was another of my most anticipated hikes of the trip to Stanley Glacier. The smoke was all around us still, but I was hoping we would at least be able to see it once we got there. If we didn't my people were going to strangle me as it was about a 5-mile hike!

This hike was rated "moderate" by the park service and I could certainly see why within the first 2 kilometers of straight up switchbacks! Our altitude-challenged crew were needing quite a few breaks as we kept going up and up. We got a peek at the cascades of the Stanley River on the way up as we recovered.

About an hour later, we made it to the river crossing and I promised Laney we would stop there for a snack on the way back. Our next 30 minutes were on the trail through a meadow where we tried to spot some wildlife but with no luck.

The trail then became very rocky as we climbed the last kilometer to the glacier viewing spot. Dave was the first to spot the waterfall off the side of Stanley Mountain so we knew we were close. The smoke had settled in quite a bit since we first parked but we could still see the glacier nestled in the mountain. Ryan wanted to go touch it so I contemplated adding at least an additional 2 hours to the hike while Grammie and Dave waited for us.

The kids were already tired, out of snacks, and we still had the trek back so I decided against it. Dave took a picture with strategic placement of Ryan's finger and the glacier to prove that she "touched" it.

I decided to hike in a little further to show the perspective of the mountain and glacier. It was difficult to capture with the camera because of the smoke, but we are the little people waving on the trail about 1/4 from the bottom of the picture. This place made me feel so small!!

We enjoyed the view for a little while longer then decided to head back. We still had a drive to our next campground today. We were much quicker on the return making it to the river in record time even with Brayden stopping briefly to take pictures.

The kids immediately all took off their shoes and stepped into the freezing glacier water. The look on each of their faces was priceless as their feet immediately and painfully froze.

The kids thawed their feet while I captured a visitor lurking in the woods hoping we might be having a snack. When I turned around to capture them they didn't even roll their eyes!



















We zoomed through the switchbacks with ease and very quickly because we all needed to pee by now! Ryan paused to watch her stick in the river then we headed to the car for the remainder of our drive. We all emptied what was left in our backpacks so they could be put away. Ryan decided to make a little design with her remaining water. How could you not smile seeing this?

I was actually not smiling at this point. After this long hike I was so ready to change into flip flops but I couldn't find them. It seems I was so frustrated and consumed with taking to Brayden about losing his glasses that I lost my flip flops. Life has a way of always keeping me humble. 

Before much more time on the road, we were crossing the border into Alberta. We were surprised to be able to see two of the highway wildlife overpasses along the way!

We were following Grammie through Canada because my GPS didn't allow download of Canada maps. When we arrived in Banff we stopped to take a picture at the sign and she promptly lost us. We were in Banff National Park but also in the city of Banff, Alberta so we drove around a little bit until I spied the park information center. I ran in and grabbed a map of the area to see if we could find our campground.

It took me a few minutes to figure out where we were supposed to be going but I finally got us to the area of the lake where we would be staying. This pretty girl was blocking the road for awhile, but we enjoyed watching her!

As we pulled into Two Jack Lake Dave and I were both taken aback by the large "closed" sign at the check in station. I thought maybe the station was just closed so we drove into the campground a little bit to find other roads closed as well.

It all seemed wrong to us so we went back out and stopped at the maintenance area where we saw a few trucks. I was worried the campground had been unexpectedly closed and was resigned to asking if we could stay on Grammie's site.  A man greeted us to help and he cleared up everything for us. Apparently we stopped at "Two Jack Lake" and we were supposed to be stopping at "Two Jack Lakeside". Crisis averted.

We were setting up within a few minutes at our assigned site nestled in the trees of the campground just off the lake. I was already excited to see the sunset or sunrise if the smoke cleared. Next we headed over to Grammie's spot to cook dinner but she'd already started tuna burgers. It was perfect timing as it was ready shortly after we arrived and we were all stuffed about 10 minutes later. Ryan and Brayden claimed they had a separate area for storing dessert so Grammie obliged with the rest of the peach and blueberry cobbler. Now we were really stuffed!

We headed back to the campsite and visited the lake for a few minutes before Dave and I immediately went to bed and Brayden and Laney went to read in their tent. I believe I woke up a little while later and told them to go to bed or I may have dreamed that!