We check out… drive across the tracks to the local climb shop and bakery, Gear Goodness Rock Roll Bakery.
We drove north pausing to take a photo of a field, purple with wild flowers... Past the Blackfoot tribe's buffalo herd and through the town of Bxxxx with its sadly closed Tipi espresso, in a stucco tipi...
Beyond we passed though Babbs, with its Duck Lake resort, " open all year..." Then, to the international border... We don't have check out with US Immigration... Just on to Canadian Immigration... We play 20 questions... Why are you visiting, how long are you staying, where are you staying, where did you stay last night, have you ever been to Canada before... There were other questions about weapons and alcohol... Apparently we received a passing grade and were allowed to enter.
Now in Canada, the speed limits are in Klick's... Kilomiters... It takes a few miles to get used to... We drive though a fire zone... Full of ghost trees... signs say the fire took place in 1968... The fire cycle is different here.
We enter Waterton National Park, and have to pay an entrance fee... For the Magic card does not work in Canada. They take American dollars, but give change in Canadian dollars...
We stop by our hotel, the Prince of Wales... I am tempted to make a joke about the other Prince of whales... (With apologies to Grocho Marx)... We look around, make dinner reservations, then head for the hills to explore... We wander around the village of Waterton... Not just a park village, but at own with homes and stores and businesses catering to tourists, inside a National park... It's not the US model, but it seems to make sense here.
We drove up to Cameron Lake... On the way we encountered a herd of Mountain goats, including babies, licking the pavement, and in the process blocking traffic. I assume they were after road salt... Pictures were taken... The road ended at the lake, where we picnicked... Leaving the lake several cars were stopped on the side of the road... People out looking down hill into the forest... A bear had been spotted... We saw a big brown rump disappear... We watched from the road… then he popped up 20 feet from the road, and our car… He climbed a tree, dropped down and climbed a closer tree… then disappeared. The crowd agreed it was a black bear, rather than a grizzly... Someone said he crossed the road when we weren't looking.
Then back to the main road, and out Red rock canyon road, visiting the "first oil well in western Canada" historic site... Up to the end of the road where we hiked the Red Rock Canyon trail... Paved, with fences to prevent us from falling into the canyon, where people were playing in the creek... With a paved trail and people playing in the creek, we didn't expect to see any animals... But at the top of the trail we spotted a big white tail buck...
Back to the car, then down the hill, and back to the hotel... Our room was on the 6th floor... Facing the lake, with likely the best view we will ever have in any hotel room... But, the elevator only goes up to the 4th floor... And you have to have a bell hop operate the elevator, no self service, no buttons.. A bell, to be rung 4 times to call It to the 4th floor...
Down to the lobby, to the bar with an incredible view... for a drink, Tina wine, I have beer... Or two... Then dinner, and back to the room… I take a walk about in the fading light (staying close to the road in case Mr. Grizzly might be about) then climb the 6 flights of stairs to the room…
Randy
PS… you may have noted that the blog posts are a bit delayed… Internet connectivity is difficult here… post
are being written… eventually they will be posted… photos may have to wait…
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