Welcome To Canada...Lake Louise

On Sunday, May 25, 2014, we packed up, fueled up in St. Mary, and

made our way on 89N to the

Canadian border.  Wow, what an

easy crossing.  We were the first across, and while waiting across the street at the Duty Free Store, we watched as

as the others came through just as fast as we did!

And, with the

Stars and Stripes in our rear view mirror, and

Alberta and beyond in front of us, we

replaced the Next Exit with the Milepost and headed

North for new and uncharted adventures!

First, we had to familiarize ourselves with some

new terminology.

Wallace took the

lead and guided us along the Canadian Highways.

We made a stop at

Fort Macleod for a short

break.  Here we found a

 

replica of the original Fort Macleod.  The Fort/Museum features the history of the North West Mounted Police.  The original fort, named for Colonel J.F. Macleod was built in 1874 and was the first outpost of NWMP.

Time to

 

move on.  What beautiful country...and

I though Texas was cattle country!  The ranch land

in Alberta seems to go on forever.

We made a

lunch stop beside the road before heading on

towards our evening destination.

We made our way west of Calgary and enjoyed the

 

Cowboy trail, enjoying lots of beautiful scenery.

As we neared Banff National Park, there was the pure beauty of

majestic mountains, and serenity of the

rivers.

There was the uniqueness of the

overpasses.  These are designed just so the wildlife can cross the highway!

Time for a fuel stop...we had 2 tickets for $100 each (Canadian $$) or translated to the US $$...equals $5.00 per gallon for diesel.

Just down the road, we exited to Banff National Park.  We paid for 2 nights stay in the park system, the first being at

Lake Louise Campground.  Great wide pull through sites.  We shared this one with Bob and Molly. The sites were electric (30amp) only, but, it was all we needed.  Once we settled in, we headed out to take in the surroundings.  This river

  

flows just to the edge of the campground and these

little critters play along the bank and throughout the park.

The drive to

took us by surprise!  I never thought that

this is what we would find.  I don't think I have ever seen a frozen lake.  Wow, is all I can say.

What a beautiful

sight.  And, on it's banks sits the elegant

Chateau Lake Louise.

After a walk through the

snow, we headed back to the campground and...

the rain settled in, but, before we snuggled in for the night, we had chocolate cake and wished Mary at Happy Birthday.

What an awesome day!

On To St. Mary...

Yesterday, we were ready to pack it up and move out, when the right rear jack on the motor home had a different idea.  Darn those jacks!  We tried and tried, but, it wasn't going to budge.  Mark said the only solution was to disconnect it and remove it.  So, with the help of Wallace, Bill, and Bennit, and some tools from each of them, soon the jack was off and resting in the back of Jeep.  However, it took Mark and his frustration until about noon to level out.  But, as I posted on Face Book, this

beautiful scenery was calming to the crazy start to the day.

After the fiasco of the morning, we had a beautiful travel day.  We took the scenic route from East of Bozeman to Great Falls, we traveled Highway 89.  We saw

cowboys riding the range and

deer that crossed the road...right in front of Wallace...glad we were bringing up the rear!

The farther we traveled North on 89 the more

snow we begin to see.  This is Showdown Ski Area in the Lewis and Clark National Forest.  We stopped for lunch at

this pullout where we enjoyed this

beautiful site...wow, isn't it almost June!

We made a stop in Great Falls for a last Wal-Mart fix before the Canadian Border.

Then it was on to

our day's end at

Johnson's Campground in St Mary, Montana and just short of the Canadian border.  And, who could ask for any better accommodations that to have this site with this view of

Glacier National Park!

We decided to stay here for two nights.  So, this morning Bea treated the 12 of us to

 

42 homemade biscuits.  It didn't take

 

these guys long to dive in.  Especially, when there was sausage gravy and scrambled eggs to go along with the biscuits.  Eat up guys...you never know when the microwave Completes with come out of hiding!

After breakfast there were a few project to undertake.  First,

Bob and Mark replaced the control panel for our front a/c unit.  Then, it was on to

Bea's motor home where Wallace is replacing the driver's side mirror.

Both Mark and Bea are grateful for overnight shipping!

We also found

Mary cleaning their windshield.

And, when all the projects were done, we decided to take a little trip to the park.  However, everything around here is just coming out of hibernation and the Saint Mary's entrance to the park is only open 1.5 miles into the park.  We did stop at the Visitor Center so Molly could get her National Park Stamp.  Then it was on to Many Glacier Road out of Bapp.  There, we found the road into the park open for 12 miles.  It was a beautiful drive.  There were a few

 

locals, hanging out on the mountainside.  These critters are hard to spot in the rocks!

On down the road we found this

  

beautiful waterfall.  This one is for you Jim Meacham!

And, at the end of the road, is this beautiful

lodge!  What a beautiful drive.

Once we were back at the campground, it was time to think about travel day tomorrow.  There were some things to get

straight and things to protect.  Time to pull out the

 

road wrap to help

 

protect the front of the Jeep from the Canadian and Alaskan highways.

Tomorrow, along with our travel companions, Bob and Molly, Wallace and Wanda, Bennit and Bea, Rich and Mary, and Bill and Judy, we will make our border crossing...first stop, Banff.  Then we will head towards Jasper and beyond.  We will be turning off our phones, etc. for our travels across Canada, so we will be off the grid for the next 10-12 days.  If we stay somewhere there is Wi-Fi, I will try to post.  Otherwise, see you when we get to Alaska!

So for now, as the sun sets

on Glacier National Park, we are anxiously awaiting the next leg of our adventure!

See you all back here real soon!