Road Trip

8 books

5 provinces

5 people

1 Westy

10 days

= 1 Fabulous Road Trip

Andrew and the two oldest kids drove out West earlier this month in an old Westfalia. They were headed to Sylvan Lake, Alberta for Scout Camp - the Canadian Jamboree 2013, and had a great week out there with 6000 other scouts.

Our youngest and I flew out to Calgary the day the camp finished and we spent the next week or so driving back to Ontario, staying in a variety of campgrounds in every province, and giving the kids the opportunity to see just how big Canada really is. And how beautiful.

Lake Louise

Canadian Rockies

Drumheller Badlands

Cheesy Dino shot

Manitoba Moose

Gitchee Gumee

The kids enjoyed the trip, though were happy to get back to Ontario again. Each province has something new to offer, some new vista to admire, some new terrain to explore. We had booked provincial parks ahead of time, but found that our meandering schedule made it difficult so we threw that plan out of the window, and except for the two end point of our trip (Banff - where we had a condo for two nights - and Lake Superior - where we camped for two nights on the beach) let ourselves enjoy the luxury of stopping wherever luck or exhaustion left us. This meant we got to experience some fun camping experiences, such as the RV resort in Manitoba where a pool and tikki bar were lovely surprises, and where the sunrise over the lake in the morning was unbeatable, as well as a night or two at a hotel, just because we felt like it.

Home now, and already planning next summer's road trip...to Labrador and Newfoundland.

Goodbye, my Lady

A sad end to our vacation when we got back to my mother and father-in-laws to find out that our old Labrador had passed in her sleep earlier that morning. I will miss her.

Lady 2004-2013

Banff

It has been 20 years since I was last (and first) here and I am as in love with the mountains as ever. Driving up from Calgary this afternoon, and heading gradually into the mists of the foothills and then up into the winding mountain highways makes them seem elemental and natural; the rise and slope, hills and valleys of the Rockies.

Majestic and beautiful.

We rode up in the Gonola last night and watched the sun set, and then came back into town to eat and relax at the condo. We sat for a while and listened to a cellist playing on a street corner.

This morning we are going for a bit of a hike. Tonight, we are going to Saltlik, a fine steakhouse, to celebrate my new position as full time faculty that I heard about just before flying out here. And tomorrow, we are off to Drumheller to camp at the Dinosaur park.

We will leave behind the mountains. But will remember them always. Mountains do that to you.

Cottage

I had much to do last weekend. But on Saturday morning, after fighting a losing battle with the weed eater, I had enough, packed my overnight bag, and took off for the cottage. Grace was there - staying with my in-laws for the week - and I figured if I was going to drive an hour and a half to Ottawa to pick her up, I might as well drive two and an half hours to the cottage to get her and enjoy a day by the lake at the same time.

Though I told her I came to pick her up (true enough), the honest-to-goodness real reason I went all that way was for one reason only:

To dive quickly and cleanly into the deep cool waters of the lake.

Standing on the edge of the rock, poised to dive, feeling the breeze, knowing the water awaits....that's one of my favourite things in the world. That slight fear of how cold the water might be. The knowledge that you are going in regardless. The freedom of the leap, as if diving into the unknown. It's like a metaphor: the known and the unknown, the seen and the unseen.

Love that. 

So I picked up my daughter, visited with the family, enjoyed a campfire, wrote poetry. And mostly reveled in the moment of standing between two worlds. 

Want more about the cottage? Go here for poetry or here for the water or here for generalities.

Or just enjoy the view...

#longweekend