As we head east from our home on Vancouver island, our destination is Jasper Alberta. The weather is making the shift from summer to fall. We have prepared ourselves and the RV for hot, cold and everything in between.
The drive today included the coquihalla highway pass. The immensity of this summer’s B.C. wildfires was quite something. It’s no wonder that the passes were closed as the fires came right down to the highways in places.
We are camped tonight at a lovely campground called The Dutch Lake Resort and RV Park, it’s on Dutch Lake just outside of Clear Water and has a restaurant called The Painted Turtle that would rival any fine dining at home. The meals were fabulous, served on an outside heated patio overlooking the lake. We watched loons and I hope to hear their iconic calls tonight.
Our first night in Jasper proved interesting. At the registration centre they warned that the elk bulls are starting to come into rut and so to be careful if a doe shows up. That’s what happened we had a doe across from our campsite and then an hour later a huge 7 point buck came right through our campsite while we we sitting at the picnic table. H was so quiet for such an enormous animal, he ignored us thank goodness, bugled once as he left. An amazing encounter in the Jasper National Park. We head to Milo for 3 days of spaniel trials , then will return to Jasper for a few more days.
We returned to Jasper after a great weekend of spaniel trialling but that’s another story. Peter, having lived and worked in Jasper was a great guide. We went to Buffalo Prairie, a hidden jem of a place and let the dogs run.
We explored Pyramid Island on Pyramid Lake, a popular spot for weddings.
We went to Maligne Canyon and tea house and Medicine Lake.
One evening we were treated to a first nations fireside chat hosted by Peter’s friend Matricia Bauer at Tekkara Resort. It was a beautiful night with a crackling fire, Matricia, her lovely daughter Mac and a few others drummed and sang. Matricia is a knowledge keeper for her people, she spoke briefly about the emotions and desire to “do something” about the recent residential school discoveries. Her advice from her own elder is: its too soon to do, just sit with your feelings and emotions, the time “to do” will come but first we must feel. This really resonated with me and released a pressure that I have been feeling.
Our final day we had tea at the Jasper Park Lodge and then some shopping in Jasper, the Bears Paw bakery did not disappoint!
Retirement Rocks 
Love it 🙂
Looks beautiful
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