From Kelowna BC to Canmore, AB
We left early because of the long drive so didn’t get to see Kelowna. It was another sunny day. Not including the deluge on the mountain summit, this was 14 days in a row of sunshine for driving.
* Leave the Holiday Inn West Kelowna – close to the highway.
* Stopped in Vernon, BC for breakfast at EATology – terrific.
* The Last Spike
* Canmore, Rocky Mountains Plaid Goat Mountain Bike Festival
* Our luxury, chalet style condo
Driving Music was Tom Waits. Somehow Tom and mountains seemed to fit.
When I was teaching English as a second language, one of my lessons was on The Last Spike. It was the point of completion for the trans continental railroad. Therefore, the site of the Last Spike, Craigellachie, BC, was on my bucket list. When we pulled into the parking lot, there were two busloads of tourists just getting off. They were all headed to the washroom. That gave us a chance to get some pictures done.
They train track is behind a fence but they don’t point to the exact spot where it happened. There are a few signs around like the one above. One of the bus tourists was kind enough to take a picture of us and the caboose.
Our first view of the mountains in Canmore. This is outside of our rental. Needed to get Raisin and Eve higher to get our first mountain pic.
Our room wasn’t ready but we were early – they said it takes longer because it is the pet-friendly unit. Must have been a grumble of pugs shedding hair all over. We headed to the Nordic Centre to the Plaid Goat Mountain Bike Festival.
Not sure if some mountain biker was going to use this but it was easy for Raisin to walk up.
Had to get some more pug/mountain shots.
I’m in the beer garden while Eve and Raisin waited on the other side of the fence. But they got French fries after.
There wasn’t much happening at the bike festival. Guess we were too early. We headed back to our apartment. We were staying at the Paradise Resort Club. I booked this place for 2 nights using my Air Miles. With all the driving, I needed to relax for a couple of days. It is a condo suite with a living room…
… a fireplace and TV…
…a complete kitchen…
… and a separate bedroom with a king size bed…
After a long, hot bath with a glass of wine, I put on the bathrobe…
However, this was the main reason I booked this – the in-suite laundry machines. You were probably wondering how, after 2 weeks, I had any clean clothes. After today, I’ll be set again.
Had soup and a sandwich for dinner and fell asleep around 9.