An early “it’s always something” present.  This morning, when John opened the glass slide to unlock the door to take KatieBug out, it shattered.  Not a great way to start the day.

Left for Alberta, up over a few more mountains and into the prairie.  Most of the fields are not plowed or planted yet so you can see brightly colored yellow weed flowers alongside green grasses collaged across the land.  More road repair for about 20 miles, dust, dirt and gravel being thrown up in every direction but we side-stepped further chips and cracks to the RV windshield, however our car now has two small rock chips directly in the driver’s sight.   Good thing we bought windshield insurance.

We will overnight at Camp Tamarack RV Park in the Grande Prairie Region of Alberta, Canada.  Close to the highway again.   I drove into the park…no way was this a pull through!   Dropped the car after getting stuck between a metal poll and a huge tree stump, backed up, forward, backed up, forward and was able to squeeze in to settle for the night.   John washed Ribbit in their car and RV wash, then went grocery shopping while I wiped the dust that covered the inside of LilyPad’s every nook and cranny.  Again, an early bedtime.

Rise and shine for our journey to the Hinton/Jasper KOA in Alberta.  Some fancy maneuvering to get out of our site and a slight delay before leaving.  The tow bars jammed from road grime so it took a while to hook up Ribbit.  Smooth sailing for a while, then back to the oil fields and logging areas where the heavily laden trucks pock and squish the pavement.  Skirting Willmore Wilderness Park and passing through Little Smoky Simonette Wildlife Sanctuary with roads smooth as silk, easy to reach 95k (60 mph) so we sailed along.  Alberta has a group of wildlife sanctuaries that are called the Road Corridor Wildlife Sanctuaries.

Don’t know how many we drove past on our way but suddenly, off to my left, I spied a moose.  Sure that it would bolt, I slowed without using my engine brake and ta da!  It stood still!  I was stopped but in the other direction a big truck was coming.  It slowed, the moose turned, looked at the truck and bolted to the trees.   In the background were several babies not brave enough to venture outside the trees.  I got my picture and am once again a happy camper.

John had to stop to take a picture of the giant beaver alongside the road of the city of Beaverlodge as we made our way to our next overnight.  He also took a picture of what he thinks we should downsize to next.   Dream on hubby.

A few more mountain passes and some bridge work before we entered Hinton, crossed over a narrow wooden bridge and into our Hinton/Jasper KOA overnight.

Nicely cared for park with huge level pull through sites, great dog park, clean everything.  We talked to the owner about work camping here but we are American’s and not able to exchange work for a site in Canada.   KatieBug played on the dog gym equipment and walked with us around the park.  Another full day’s drive in the morning so we turned in for the night.

Early exit from this quiet and peaceful RV Park.  Loved our stay and plan to return one of these days.

Another full days drive, most through the Jasper National Park where we will hopefully spot some wild things.  It is said that the drive from Jasper to Lake Louise is the “world’s most beautiful mountain drive”.  Expansive, cloud piercing mountains are the scenes that surround you with glacier waterfalls pouring from, and down, the mountains the entire trip.   Bound for Lake Louise and four nights in the Lake Louise Campground.  Bit of a bumpy ride until we entered Jasper National Park.  They charge $20.00 per day for the National Parks Pass so we bought a pass for four days.   Shortly after entering the Park, we began seeing wild things.

Up ahead, while I was driving, we saw a large gathering of cars and campers pulled off the side of the road.  John got a picture from our window of one of the Elk surrounded by people standing just a few feet away from the Elk.

Pulling over further down the road, I got out to look around and spotted a Bighorn sheep up the mountain surveying the insanity of people jumping out of their cars to take pictures.

When I looked back towards the Elk, they all began moving from the densely peopled area, walking out onto the shallow water.

I was in the perfect spot to take pictures and the setting was awesome.

John likes the looks of the above pictures better.

We stopped to gaze at Bow Lake, said to be one of the most brightly colored lakes in the Rocky Mountains.

Further down John popped out to take a picture of Tangle Creek Falls and shortly past the falls, mountain goats were grazing on the side of the road.  They watched us but didn’t move even when people got out of their cars and approached them to take pictures.  I had an excellent vantage point for taking pictures from the driver’s window.

An interesting sight was the Weeping Wall, water escaping from solid rocks.

Across the road was the Stutfield Glacier.  We continued on Icefields Parkway to the top of the fields.  The ice field is huge and you only see small fingers of it from the Parkway.  If you look closely, you will see miniature buses and people looking the size of ants speckling the walking paths on one of the fingers.

Arrived at Lake Louise Campground and was greeted by a brave ground squirrel a foot from our motorhome.  The campground is known for large numbers of Grizzly Bear activity.  I noticed the giant sign that declared, “Trains pass close by the park day and night”.   I heard a long, loud, train whistle sound three times and the RV vibrated as the train passed.  They weren’t kidding!  Looks like sleep will have to be caught in cat naps for the next four nights.

Parked the motorhome and drove to Lake Louise to walk through the Chateau and stroll around the peaceful walking path that circled the lake.  Getting exercise and looking for wild things, I spotted a wolverine munching on something in the grass.   John took the picture but kept his distance, they are vicious little fur balls.

Peeked into some of the Chateau stores before driving back to our site.  10:30 pm, hello train.  Hot cocoa before bed and down loaded pictures till 12:10 pm.  12:28 pm, hello train.  Going to be a long night.  3:10 am, hello train.  3:30 am, hello train.  Where did I put those ear plugs?