We pulled out of camp at 8:45 with an outside temp of 56...46 when we got up this morning! Absolutely gorgeous day...

Well, I might as well confess this right up front ...we stopped about twenty miles up the road in Whitefish in order to get a (you guessed it!) chocolate chip frappe! After all, we were going into a vastly foreign country and who KNEW when we might be able to get another?? While we were there we met a very nice couple who had quite a tale to tell. While they were in Custer State Park in South Dakota earlier this month, they were almost rolled over in their RV by a buffalo (I know Laura...BISON!)!! We couldn't believe it, but they have the dings in their Road Trek to prove it! Wow! Apparently two bulls had a slight altercation right next to them and their unit as they were driving slowly down the road. Somehow, one of the bulls ended up with his horns under the wheel well of their RV, and for a few seconds they really thought they were going to roll. Luckily it didn't happen but they said they were really shaken up by the experience. The fun part was calling their insurance agent...wouldn't you love to have been a fly on the wall for THAT conversation!


Once we left Whitefish, we were on highways that we have never been on before which always tickles us . Other times when we were going to Banff, we went up the Calgary side of the Rockies getting into the vast plains south of there pretty quickly. This time we drove up the western side and had an absolutely delightful drive today. Again, pictures don't do justice to anything that we saw. There were rolling fields, very large evergreens (many were lodgepole pine) with large mountains outlining the whole area. There was a gorgeous lake in the little town of Trego, MT. We also drove through Eureka, MT where I took a couple of shots. It is a very cute little town...lots going on there it appeared. Stopping for fuel in Eureka, we paid $3.65/gal. Don't know our mpg as John accidentally hit the button yesterday so we didn't have an accurate reading. Life goes on!

Getting to the international border in Roosville, MT at 11:30, we had an hour and a half wait in line, crossing into Canada at 1:05!! Sheesh!! It was a tiny little border crossing and the only thing we can figure is that there was something in particular that they were looking for . Haven't watched TV in a couple of weeks so have no idea if something drastic has happened in the world! Our border agent was very nice as the Canadian Border Patrol tend to be for the most part. There was a very large percentage of RVs passing though the border...everyone out on vacation before school starts perhaps? 

There were many large trucks hauling logs as we drove north, and we also passed large lumber yards. Crossing the Kootenay River several times, we were once again struck by the smokey green tone of the water which is caused by glacial silt coming down from the mountains above. The water is so clear, you can almost count the rounded rocks on the bottom. Beautiful! This is also a "braided river" which is a characteristic of glacial streams. There again, the huge mountains seemed to surround us on all sides most of the time.

There was finally a scenic stop (first one we saw today...guess there are so many spectacular views here around every corner there is no way to make pull outs for all of them!) and we pulled over and I took a few photos and John took a video . This scenic stop was above the town of Canal Flats overlooking the Columbia Lake. This area is considered the source of the mighty Columbia River that empties out into the Pacific Ocean at Astoria, Washington which is also the end of the Lewis and Clark Expedition before they started home.

Notes of (more or less) interest: 1) It feels funny not having the use of a phone. 2) We saw a Tim Horton's on the way to camp...gazed at it just for you Betty C. 3) I am sitting out on our deck writing this and can see (and hear!) a VERY long train down next to the river! Cool!

We arrived at our campground, Radium Valley Vacation Resort, in Radium Hot Springs, British Columbia at 4:20. This is a nice campground and we have a fantastic view from the back of our shed/deck on our lot. I am writing this on the deck, and I feel almost decadent! I hope I can get at least the written part out...will try in a few minutes. If not...you know the drill...I will get it out when I can! We do have wifi here in the park we are in tonight, but it looks to be very weak. I will be lucky to get this blog post out. Then I will try pictures but I am betting there is no way the video is going to get out. We shall see I guess.

Our original intention had been to make it to Banff today but the long wait at the border changed our minds. As I said yesterday, IF we can get into the National Park tomorrow we very likely will not have wifi, so there may be a day or two break. I am giving you fair warning (unlike my dear friend Mary R. who dropped off the grid for several days and almost gave several of us heartburn worrying) so don't worry!

We drove 221 miles today.