Crossing Canada – Pt. 1 – B.C. to Alta.

Heading through eastern BC through the many mountains

So I left BC after 16 years.  Bitter sweet.  So sad to say goodbye to some amazing friends I have met in the last little while – Dave and Lucille, Alanna, Judy, Allana, Grin and Peter, Josee, Ken and Kathy, Mike and Marie, Wendy and Mark etc… so many of you.  You have all been so great to me over my last 6 years on Gabriola.  And that does not even begin to mention those elsewhere in the province.  But my time has come.

A picture is worth a thousand words

I came to BC expecting to stay maybe 4 years.  Well 4 x that amount and now I am off.  First stop, Canmore, to see my friend Melanie, whom I have not seen for 8 years but who was my maid of honour at my brief marriage in 1998.

These peaks I always remember as I get close to Canmore

Video #1 of me crossing Canada

Ahhh, the Rockies.  I love them.  Made me realize that the one thing that doesn’t change (or at least not very fast) are the mountains.  As I drove through these Rockies, I recognized peaks like old friends.  So amazing and beautiful.  BC and the Rockies through Alberta are simply spectacular.

Melanie and her two sons, Colin (11) and Graeme (14) at 6'1"!

It was great to see Melanie.  It is like no time has passed, except life experiences.  Her boys are growing fast, so fast.  The oldest, only 14, is already 6’1″.  Wow – wait until he is 18.  I wish I had had more time to visit but I had to make tracks across this massive country.  I wish I had planned it better.

Melanie and me being silly

I actually encountered snow in Banff.  But that was it and I got through the mountains without any problems.  Snow was creeping down the mountain tops but not quite to the point of the road.  Thank goodness.  So after a good sleep in Canmore, it was time to set off for a good 3 or 4 days of driving … depending.

Gorgeous Rocky Mountains in Canmore in the morning