This is the fifth in a continuing series about our trip through Canada to Alaska
All day long it felt like we were driving into a postcard.
Had there been more places to pull out of traffic, the 168-mile trip could have taken two days or more. We envy the bicyclists chugging up mountains on their overloaded bikes. They got to be in the moment for hours.
Monique called our route though the top of the Okanagan Corridor and into Canada’s Glacier National Park (not connected to the U.S. version) “Waterfall Alley.” The melting snow streaming and tumbling down steep mountainsides fed into jade-green shallow rivers. It seemed endless.
Add to that the picture-perfect blue skies and you couldn’t find more beautiful scenery. Last night as Monique and I sat around a campfire with four young travelers from Switzerland, we asked, “Why would you come here? It looks like Switzerland.” The response was, “There’s more of it here!”
Enough terrain-talk. Now for a few comments. I’m sure there are several readers who would like to have a map of our route included with these articles. That was my original intention, but there hasn’t been enough time to work on one … and then it occurred to me that a map isn’t a good idea. Going to Alaska is about exploring, and plotting a course based on our travels would diminish the adventure.
When you’re planning your trip, the first place to start is the book “Milepost,” which is an incredible source of information about every road and every stop along the way, plus lots more. Canadian and Alaska tourism offices are glad to provide information, and, of course, there’s the web. You can browse for hours finding out about what to see while moseying on up to Alaska and back.
And besides, traipsing along behind a caravan isn’t really fair to Adventure Caravans, is it?
Forget what I said yesterday about cellphone charges. There are apparently more options I didn’t know about until this afternoon. Check with your service for the right information.
Today we learned that the cost of a 7-day national park pass is $57.00 (Canadian) for seniors … and that’s per person. Then, there are provincial parks that have different fees. If no officers are around to put a ticket on your vehicle if you don’t have a pass, you can take a chance on stopping at some of the breathtaking sights. Otherwise, you need to pay.
Rushing Jade Waters
Speaking of cost, we’re still learning the conversions. I stuck a speedometer sheet on my steering wheel, e.g., 100 Km/H equals about 60 mph in the states. And, of course, all the distance signs are in kilometers, and everything has the French translation attached. We have a pocketful of $2 coins and some pretty paper bills. We’re using our ATM card when it’s more than $20 for fuel, food or a fishing rod & reel.
Our route today was dotted with massive construction projects, with heavy equipment operating even though it is Sunday. The road-widening work is impressive and didn’t cause us any delays.
Enjoying Our Trip With a Circle of Friends
We are continuing to enjoy all aspects of the trip so far. Gotta go. It’s 11:00 and finally getting dark up here.
From the “Never-Bored RVers,” We’ll see you on down the road.
Continue to Part VI – “Our Alaska Trip – Banff & Lake Louise”>>