5:30 AM Mount Cheam taken from a moving car. We're heading through the coastal mountains to the interior plateau.
7:00 AM Forested mountains give way to sage-coloured hills and scrub brush. We pass through the Nicola Valley.
8:00 AM Time for a stop at Starbucks, east of Kamloops. Breakfast sandwiches, pretty good. But did you know that all the vegetables in a "Veggie and Cheese" egg sandwich consist of one miniscule piece each of tomato and pepper? Coffee for him, steamed milk for me - which I drank while walking around the mall parking lot.
10:00 AM We pull into Yard Creek Provincial Park and spend 20 minutes walking through the trees, gazing at the rushing creek, and
admiring small, intricate bits of nature, like these tree lichens.
Mountains appear once again, small at first, with pristine lakes at their base. Here's a lovely photo including the concrete barricades at the roadside.
Sharp, jagged peaks appear. We climb higher and higher, and travel through Mount Revelstoke Park and Glacier National Park.
11:35 AM Pacific Standard Time/ 12:30 PM Mountain Time We stop for lunch, a roadside picnic and admire the views, grand, as above,
and delicately small and beautiful wild chicory flowers. We continue on, east through Banff National Park and on to Calgary, then turn north to Red Deer.
Massive peaks change to rolling foothills and green fields of ripening canola, hay and grain.
After stopping for dinner en route we arrive in Red Deer at 7:30 PM, thankful for a safe trip and exhausted.
Today we're back in Calgary, and as I type we're in Tim Horton's watching a sudden storm. Rain pelts the windows and the Icy Berry Smoothie I'm drinking seems a bit out of place. But the sun is scheduled to return soon.
Thanks for your comments recently. I hope to visit you soon. But for now, it's time to enjoy my drink.
(Stick with Timmy's and you'll never be disappointed with a sandwich again. =D I don't believe that you'd be disappointed with coffee, either. Do you even drink coffee?)
ReplyDeleteGorgeous scenery and I appreciated the description of the land as you progressed, too. If I never see it for myself, at least I've felt as if...
Lorrie - I can't believe you went as far north as Red Deer and then were back in Calgary the next day. I hope that you enjoy your holiday in Alberta. You sure drove a long distance in one day but you picked a glorious day for such a long trip. Take care!
ReplyDeleteYou are in my city now...wish we could meet for coffee...don't know your location, but I am up Bow Trail heading west.
ReplyDeleteLet me know if you can.
Hope you have an enjoyable trip.
Hugs, Nancy
Love the pictures of this beautiful part of Canada. I also enjoyed the Harrison pics, as we often spent time there when my kids were little - although it was usually in the winter. It brings back memories.
ReplyDeleteLorrie, I'm so excited to see these pix, we've been there, too!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure that we RV'd along that same route although there wasn't a Starbucks back then!
Recognize some of this scenery . . . my Dad lives in Revelstoke. Hope you enjoy the time with family.
ReplyDeleteWow what beautiful scenery and weather extremes you are experiencing--all in one day it sounds like! The coffee sounds good too!
ReplyDeleteLoving the road trip and your stunning pics - one of the best areas for beautiful scenery --we love to drive there!
ReplyDeleteStay safe and enjoy each moment on the road.
Hugs - Mary
You left the valley a little earlier than we did that morning...but we took the same route as the first leg of your journey. We stopped at Tim Horton's in Kamloops...while you were at Starbucks. We drove to Scotch Creek...and you drove to Yard Creek. Hope you've had a great week in AB!
ReplyDelete