Day 83: Jasper to somewhere off Hwy 11 East, CAN

Friday, July 22, 2016
Nordegg, Alberta, Canada
We were out EARLY this am - 10:15 on the road! But I did wake up to a pleasant surprise - after having my leveling boards taken yesterday, I tried putting a sign on my windshield that said, "Leveling boards taken, Still need them, please" and there they were in front of my RV this am! I had thought someone might have believed they were left behind since our RV was gone all day, and I saw the couple across the road from us scrutinizing our sign last night, but they didn't bring them over then. But to his credit, they were at our site this morning and he even came over and apologized - I thanked him graciously, but he did have a little trouble with speaking English, so maybe he was translating my sign last night, and that's why they weren't returned til morning. But my faith in fellow campers is restored, and I have my boards back! We were driving south again on the Icefields Parkway that runs from Jasper National Park to Banff National Park, 153 miles of mountain driving - good road but all 2 lane, and with occasional wildlife traffic jams. We stopped briefly at Athabasca Falls again, just because it's sunny today and Linda wanted to try a couple pictures with better light (sun always makes the scenery prettier), then a stop at Honeymoon Lake, then on to Sunwapta Falls where we spent longer since there was a mile hike down to the lower falls (and a 2 mile hike back up, or so it seemed!). The lower falls and the hike there were definitely worth the effort, and Sara enjoyed the less crowded trails and the family from Hawaii who stopped to hug and pet her. She sure makes friends wherever we go! But the walk up put us a little behind on our drive to get to the Skywalk by 2:30pm, so we were one of the few cars to pass up the bears off the side of the road - but did clear out all the traffic ahead of me :). However, we did have to stop for the mountain goat Mama's and babies on the side of the road - we saw the cars stopped at the pullout and thought they were looking in the canyon, and almost missed the close up of the goats. Later, we heard that it is quite a rare site to see the goats on the road - but Linda got some great pictures! Driving on, we actually passed the Glacier Skywalk off the side of the Parkway, but had to drive on another 2 miles to the Icefields Center where you park in a huge lot, hoof it to the lodge at top of the hill, then run quickly to a line having last call for 3:00 tickets, load on a bus, and drive 5 mins back up the parkway - then go to the ticket taker who notices our tickets were for yesterday! We bought them at 4:50pm yesterday and she must have typed in the wrong date - could have been a big hassle, but ticket taker barely questioned it, and sent us in - phew! It was a nice long walkway leading to the glass Skywalk, they gave telephones out that explained the animals, geology, fossils, and history of the area and details of this construction feat. Then you get to the area where you walk out onto a glass platform about 1000 feet above the Sunwapta River gorge. For a girl with height fright issues, I did very well! But even Linda was holding the edges, especially since the platform bounces a little as part of it's construction! But I concluded there really is no way to share this experience by photograph, except maybe to take pictures of people's reactions - the Indian couple whose husband was about to step out when the wife bailed, and I thought he was going to topple when he realized he was stepping out alone! And the other daredevils lying on the platform trying to take selfies through the floor! I'll be sending cousins Scott, Pat, and Sydney (the family architects) the details about construction so they can get this project going at their lake house! We spent about 2 hours total, but declined the "bus trip on the glacier". But the mountains and glaciers around this Skywalk are beautiful as well. We got back to find Sara standing in the front window, anxious for our return. It was 5pm so we headed south for about 30 miles, looking for the Highway 11 cutoff ("turn left at Saskatchewan Crossing") and go about 30 more miles to David Thompson Resort and Campground. We passed through an area called Kootenay plains where the land has suddenly flattened out with the Candian Rockies towering above and the N Saskatchewan River running through. And then, like a Motel 6, we see David Thompson Resort in the middle of nowhere - looks like Wally World with a huge playground, motel, gas station, restaurant, and store. But we have hookups and can't wait for a shower with hair washing and drying! Our site is next to a friendly camper family from Edmonton - she invites us to come over to eat with them when I say that eating and a drink are my first priority since we didn't have time for lunch today - she sets out a full meal for us and I share the Crabbie's Raspberry Ginger Beer I found on yesterday's shopping trip. They have 3 adopted native Indian children, ages 5-7, and one is autistic. The kids were all very bright and fun (brought out the Legos for us), but the autistic one doesn't speak yet. But we had a fun time sharing stories and experiences - Diane could not have been more friendly and sent us away with cherries for breakfast!! I showered tonight, feeling good now, and Linda gets a turn tomorrow! Sara is in line also, so hope it's sunny for another day!
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