Look Back

First snow we have seen in 7 years!

Bow Lake, eastern side of the Canandian Rockys

This is Dawson Creek at Mile Post O., British Columbia, the beginning of our trip on the Alcan Highway to Alaska. Our trip had been great, especially visiting our friends along the way. We loved the Canadian Rockys and thats a trip all in its own. We have met up with the caravan and will leave here on Thursday. We got our name tags that we have to wear every day and Jack feels like a Bus person. We watched a movie on how the Arm Forces build the Alaskian Highway in 8 months in 1942 to protect Alaska against Japan during WW2. They had no map route or professional road or bridge builders. The Army just bulldozed their way north to Fairbanks and it worked. Luckily, its been improved. Hopefully we will have WiFi but you never know up here in God's Country. Love Gail

This is Jack's post

of all the things to take a picture of. That's right it's a garbage can in Banff. Having not traveling outside the U.S. in 35 years it's been quite an eye openinger. As you can see it's not that hard. One side is for paper middle garbage end for cans and bottles with the silver box for butts. I have only seen three people smoking and the street are spotless not because its cleaned by the city but people don't litter. nobody's overweight except for the tourist. When working in KW I remember tourist coming up and asking what to do with there cigarette butts which I can understand now. I can understand why people around the world have little respect for America's. Prices have been quite a shock. Cigarettes 13.00 a pack,gas 4.40 a gallon, 12 pack of miller bottles 27.40, 6 pack of cornona, 15.60 and a fifth of Bacarti 55.00. We're in Dawson Creek BC had to arrive early because the campgrounds in Jasper AL were booked for the week. So we're sitting at a gravel parking lot until Thursday. It's 55 degrees and raining not supposed to stop until Wednesday. Have met most of the people of coarse we are the young couple. On the way here fron Hinton to Grande Prairie about 200 miles we did see 3 moose. Very little traffic mostly coal mining lumber and natural gas. And by the way, Micheal this is where the satelite died. It's going to be hard not seeing CNBC for 45 days. We're getting bored so if I can Wifi tomorrow we'll probably do an update. later Jack

Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper

Hi, We are at Earl's Lounge in Jasper, Alberta and we finally have WiFi. The pictures are backwards, hopefully I'll figure this out. The last picture is the top of MT. Sulfer in Banff. We took a Gondola up. Yep, I did it! 360 degree view of Banff and all the way to Lake Louise. We took a 3 hour tour ($52.00 each) of Banff, Bow River Valley (that's us in front of the falls), Cave and Basin, where they discovered the beginning of the Hot Springs, Tunnel Mt. and Lake Minnewanka, where we saw Big Horn Sheep. Next is Lake Agnes Tea House about 3.5 Kilometers UPHILL from Lake Louise. The staff lives there, only walk down once a week to shower and do laundry, no running water or electricity, serves lots of different teas and the PB & J sandwich was $7.50. 90 minutes up and 40 down. No Bears! We spent Canada Day, July 1st (like our 4th of July) at Lake Louise. Beautiful lake between a Glacier and the Fairmont Lake Louise Chateau. We now know what the color Ice Blue is. We walked half way around LL about 2 miles and about a mile and half around Lake Moraine. This morning we hiked to the Athabasca Glacier in the Columbia Icefields. Freezing! Spending the night in Jasper and working our way to Dawson's Creek, BC by the 6th. Probably won't get WiFi til then so Happy 4th of July. Loved to hear from you all. Lynn, call Karen because she is the only one I can call with her 800#. The # is on a postcard. Love Gail and Jack

Canadian Rockys

HI, Not even 100 miles (160 km) into Canada, a big, big Bear crossed the highway in front of us. The picture is dark and a little "shaky" but he is the first.

The cell phone service here is 79 cents a minute so don't feel neglected if we don't call you. Unless it's important don't call us but we do get emails and would love to hear from you that way. Jack thinks it will be free in Alaska. Gas is a $1.11 per liter which works out to about $4 a gallon.

The countryside is so impressive. We stayed in Randim Hot Springs, BC. We spend about an hour in the spring and the water was about 104 degrees, very relaxing. They found Radon in the water in the early 1900s but there is more Radon in a watch battery.

We are now in Banff, Alberta. It's a tourist town open all year round. It's a lot like KW with tons of tourists, like a cruise ship is in. The homes are very close together like KW but it's very hilly here. Too hilly to even ride the bikes. Luckily they have a transit service thats inexpensive.

Beautiful weather and haven't seen one person on a cell phone and we are at an internet cafe and we are the only ones on a laptop.

Jack wants to do the Gondola ride, we'll see! Love Gail

Jac

Visiting Tom & Judy in MT

Hi, On our way to Tom and Judy's home in Missoula, we had breakfast with their daughter, Alison in Bozeman. We hadn't seen her in years. She is a beautiful, lovely woman. That is Tom and Judy on their frontporch with their dogs. Can you see the snow on the mountain. Tom took the picture of us having lunch at a restaurant in Lolo Pass, Idaho. Thats where Lewis and Clark mapped part of their Trail. It was a beautiful drive through the mountains. We had the Rig serviced today and will head for Canada tomorrow. It's been fun hanging out here. The views of the mountain ranges on both side of their house are awesome and love seeing Elks, Llamas and Horses everywhere. We might have trouble getting WiFi in Canada so if you don't hear from us for awhile, keep checking. Loved to hear your comments!!! We are headed for Lake Louise near Banff. Take care, Love Gail

Badlands of North Dakota

Hi, We left Tom and Dennis's yesterday. We had a great time with them. Lots of laughs and delicious meals. We drove across North Dakota in the rain to Dickinson, ND. I saw a double rainbow.
Today we are staying in Medora, ND in the Theodore Roosevelt National Park, which is in the Badlands of ND. It's a tourist town, western style. We drove the 36 mile Scenic Loop Drive through the South Unit of the Park. The scenery, wilderness and wildlife is unbelieveable. We saw Buffalos, Prairie Dogs, an Antelope and wild Horses. Jack is standing on top of a hike trail overlooking the Little Missouri River.
Tonight we are having Pitchfork Steak Fondue. The chefs load ribeye steaks onto pitchforks and fondue them western style in hugh vats of Sunflower Oil, while we will be serenaded with western melodies by cast members of the Medora Musical. Yahoo!!
The weather is beautiful and we will be here till sunday. Hope everyone is well. Love Gail

Still relaxing in Minnesota

Hi, Jack and I are still camped out at Tom and Dennis. What I forgot to write was that the guys built their home. They also have an outhouse (yes, they have an indoor one), outdoor shower and a garage with an office upstairs that they built last year.

There are some wonderful bike trails that go on forever. We are on a trail on a bridge overlooking one of many lakes. This lake is called Lake Bell Taine. We had lunch in Dorset at a Mexican restaurant.

Tom is not feeling well today. Jack and I helped Dennis with yardwork. First yardwork we have done in 7 years. And it is finally warm which means the mosquitos are out. The little "pests" figured how to get into the RV this morning at 5:30 thru the slideout in the bedroom. Once we slid it back they couldn't get in. Hopefully we will figure out that problem before Alaska!!!

Heading to Tom and Judy Rose's home in Florence, Montana this weekend.

We are getting too used to all this relaxing! Love Gail