From Here to There and Back Again

Day 24 ... 31 years later ...
We left Vernon after a terrific visit with Gladys, Sheila and Jonathan but not before I got to golf another amazing course called Predator Ridge. OMG...

The vistas of Okanagan Lake and the surrounding mountains were nothing less than breathtaking. The course was in fantastic shape and it was a real treat to play. I played with three members who were a lot of fun to play with.
We left Vernon on July 11 heading to Jasper. On the way we were held up by construction. A large group of workers were breaking down some of the rock on the side of the road that goats had knocked down. Apparently sometimes they get skiddish on the ridges and start small avalanches. None of these goats were to be seen this day. However, we were also held up further up the Icefields Parkway where we stopped to admire a grizzly cub feeding just inside the tree line.  Unfortunately we were not able to get a decent photo.
We have been camping in Whistlers campground just 2 kms from

Jasper. These were our dinner guests the other night. Apparently they live in the campground. I wonder if they got a season's pass...

We got off to a late start on Wed morning to go to Maligne Lake where we met up with hordes of tourists. We we unable to even find a parking spot. We travelled along a bit to one of the walking bridges that crosses the Athabasca River and off we went on a hike along the river...all was well and fine but we missed the marker for the return loop and went farther than expected...but if we had not gone this far would not have seen a bear cub and heard the mother crashing after it. It crossed the path in front of us and we quickly retreated talking very loudly about anything we could think of. Yesterday we bought bear bells and pulled out the bear spray that a Dutch woman had given to us because they did not use it. Sorry...we were in a hurry and there are no pictures of this encounter...
Because there had been such a load of tourists at Maligne, Pauline made me agree to get up early the next morning so we could beat the crowds and it was totally woth it. It was gorgeous.

We had breakfast on a bench overlooking the lake and the mountains and it was a much better experience.We hiked Lake Edith and lunched at Lake Annette.

Back in Jasper we parked the car and took the bikes into town. So...31 years ago was the last time I was here. At that time the main street ran parallel to the railway track...it still does but there are a number of streets that run farther back away from the tracks and the town is crazy busy. But as I remembered the mountains are all around you no matter where you look.

It is still my favorite mountain town.

Tomorrow morning, I agreed to get up early again to hike the Sulphur Ridge on the north east end of the park........and then a soak in hot springs.

Talk to you later