Well that was quick!

Before I get into the news of the week, my Mom was asking about a few of the pics from my last post, so I will describe the photos in a bit more detail for her....

"THERE ARE A COUPLE SETS OF PICTURES THAT HAVE REALLY PEAKED MY INTEREST, MAYBE YOU COULD EXPLAIN THEM....THE TWO WITH THE FUNNY STATUES AND THE ONE WITH THE FENCE AND A CROSS"

The 'funny statues' are actually the Canmore Hoodoos - they are small spires of a conglomerate-type rock that stand on the Benchlands hillside overlooking the town.

The hoodoos are cemented glacial till spires made up of

mud, sand and scattered stones. The softer soil eroded

around them, leaving the random shapes.

I'm in these pics to give some perspective, and please note

I WAS NOT CLIMBING THE HOODOO!

Climbing them would damage these cool formations.

The fence and the cross are grave site markers within the historic section of the Canmore Cemetery.

This area of the cemetery gives a glimpse into the rich history of the railroad-turned-mining town, with headstones (and remnants of!) dating back to the late 1800's. It possibly sounds a bit creepy, but I recommend taking a walk through this incredibly interesting and beautiful place.

Okay, now onto current events. As per how things usually go in my life, one week I am griping that I haven't been on a trip in ages, and the next week..... BAM! Plane tickets are BOOKED!

Yes that's right friends, I'm headed to Belize. I have about three weeks to research myself silly and decide what to see and do, which of course is always exciting to me. I can't wait! In the interim, I've been able to score some lovely outside time, namely an extra-long weekend in the mountains. Even though this past Monday was a stat holiday and the weather was stellar, the beauty of shoulder season is that the towns and trails were virtually crowd-free!

How's that for eye-candy!

Tomorrow it's back to work, so wish me luck with trying to focus on my job.... LOL! And hopefully everyone was able to enjoy a nice Remembrance Day. I am so grateful for the freedom that was fought for by our Veterans.... I am thankful every single day for where I live and for the amazing life choices that are available to me, all because of those brave men and women. I will never forget.
  

Cheers.



October-less.....

I just noticed that my last post was waaaayyyyy back in September..... oy..... October went by so quickly that it almost feels like this year didn't have a tenth month! So now here I am, November is well underway, and I'm without anything super exciting to share. Prepare yourself for some randomness!

Shoulder season is upon us and the Christmas season is on the horizon, and I'm not sure what's on the books for the next couple of months. Work has been incredibly busy and I am looking forward to some time off  - I am missing my parents and need to go visit them. Plus I would love to plan a trip somewhere that requires airplane access.... of course I've been saying that all year and it hasn't materialized yet! So I better get on it, because before I know it, the datestamp will be 2019....


Cheers!

Five Days, Four Nights

Well, my solo road trip is nearing its end. I'm currently in Penticton, and early tomorrow morning I will make a beeline for Red Deer, after enjoying a lovely week of traveling through beautiful interior BC. Quite some time ago I had booked the days off, for an Alpine Club trip which unfortunately was cancelled at the last minute. I opted to take the opportunity and head west anyhow, so this past Monday I loaded up the 4-Runner and made Rogers Pass my first stop - at a place called Heather Mountain Lodge.

The view as I rolled into what is pretty much my favorite place - Canmore!

Lots of road construction - will it ever end!!

Heather Mountain Lodge

Heather Mountain Lodge

Coolest sauna ever!

A room with not a bad view!

The lodge is quite nice, with very friendly staff, a restaurant with absolutely delicious food, and rooms with really comfy beds. And the mountain views are decent as well! The highway noise was a bit of a bummer, as it made hanging out at the firepit or sitting out on the restaurant deck less than pleasant, however for just one night it was an awesome place to stay.

Tuesday was a day of lollygagging. I meandered along the Trans Canada, stopping at places that I've driven past a hundred times while wondering what they were like.

Hemlock Grove:

Giant Cedars:

Meadows in the Sky:

I spent Tuesday night in Lake Country, where I visited some friends I met on the Bugaboos trip last month. Wendy was kind enough to invite me for supper, and on Wednesday morning she and I went for a great wander along the east shore of Lake Okanagan.

Wednesday eve I caught up with Nichole in Kelowna, after which I made my way down to Penticton. I've wanted to pedal the historic Kettle Valley Railway ever since I first heard about it, so today that is what I did. And it did not disappoint! I rode the 85km section from Myra Station to Penticton, which sounds like a lot but isn't actually that bad. The old railbed is rocky and bumpy in some places and rutted and muddy in others, with the odd patch of loose sand thrown in, however the first half of the trail is virtually flat, and the final stretch is slightly down hill.... so it is not overly strenuous. Plus the scenery is stunning, which trumps everything!

Chute Lake - almost the halfway point.

The only wildlife we saw on the ride!

The weather was perfect for the ride and I would highly recommend waiting until this time of year if you ever consider doing it. Fall colors and later season trail conditions (meaning not dry and dusty!) made the day incredibly enjoyable.

Cheers!