After that emotional tsunami family heritage tour in Saskatchewan, we decompressed by taking a long drive west into Alberta. It's a road we've taken many times, so no stops at the Biggest Ukrainian Easter Egg, or at The World's Biggest Indoor Mall, etc. Quite a relief to see some angry clouds and eventually some rain after days of dry dry dry air. The Rockies came into view as majestic as ever. We expected to see regal elk grazing at roadside, and did. What we didn't expect were the huge crowds in Jasper this late in the season. No hotels under $300, so on we went to Valemont --- a pretty alpine town. Will it be overrun and over-retailed like formerly pretty Canmore was?? The mountain air was bracingly chill, and in the morning there was frost on the pumpkin.
Through postcard beautiful Rocky roads to Okanagan Lake, thin as a pine pole but over 700 feet deep. Kelowna abounds in green spaces but also claims to be the home of Ogopogo, the mythical serpent that has been sighted since the late 1800's. It's also a major mural town alongside extensive demonstration gardens. That's Ogopogo again, with an admirer. The harbour is busy on land, sea, and air. Pat tickled the ivories with "The Ogopogo Polka"! I tickled the car with it's first wash since we left home.
Down at the bottom of Okanagan is pretty Penticton. One of the market vendors explained the advantages of maple syrup in a pouch. Kite surfers showed the advantages of a really windy day. Lots of cheap motels, this one with gardens still bloomin'.
Today is the annual Terry Fox Run for Cancer Research. The Registration Desk was impressed at how far we had come for their walk! (We join in every year to honour our sisters, all 3 of whom have battled this scourge...) But in a fitting coincidence, it was also the national TD Tree Day. At 150 locales in Canada trees are being planted for many good reasons. Before you could say"Saskatoonberry", Pat had a shovel in her hand, joined the volunteers, and voila! Another one bites the dirt.
The Sunday drive continued westward through bountiful fruit farms and more rain. The Terry & The Tree Day ends at the Abbotsford Inn, close to our final stop tomorrow...
Through postcard beautiful Rocky roads to Okanagan Lake, thin as a pine pole but over 700 feet deep. Kelowna abounds in green spaces but also claims to be the home of Ogopogo, the mythical serpent that has been sighted since the late 1800's. It's also a major mural town alongside extensive demonstration gardens. That's Ogopogo again, with an admirer. The harbour is busy on land, sea, and air. Pat tickled the ivories with "The Ogopogo Polka"! I tickled the car with it's first wash since we left home.
Down at the bottom of Okanagan is pretty Penticton. One of the market vendors explained the advantages of maple syrup in a pouch. Kite surfers showed the advantages of a really windy day. Lots of cheap motels, this one with gardens still bloomin'.
Today is the annual Terry Fox Run for Cancer Research. The Registration Desk was impressed at how far we had come for their walk! (We join in every year to honour our sisters, all 3 of whom have battled this scourge...) But in a fitting coincidence, it was also the national TD Tree Day. At 150 locales in Canada trees are being planted for many good reasons. Before you could say"Saskatoonberry", Pat had a shovel in her hand, joined the volunteers, and voila! Another one bites the dirt.
The Sunday drive continued westward through bountiful fruit farms and more rain. The Terry & The Tree Day ends at the Abbotsford Inn, close to our final stop tomorrow...
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