Adventures of WALL-E: January 2020

Feb. 05, 2019 - Once again we have begun planning what I now refer to as our "Rocky Mountain Trifecta". Two countries, Canada and US, and three Rocky Mountain National Parks in a little over three weeks, 24.5 days to be exact. This is our third attempt at this trip so come hell or fire water we are going! (The last two attempts we changed plans at the last minute because if forest fires). So it begins.....again.....

July 7, 2019. Have begun amassing our food stores/supplies and equipment for a 24 day trip. It does take some planning. Planning to carry about 2 weeks of food initially give or take a day or two. Will try to eat fresh food and carry freeze dried for emergencies or for those days we won't have a lot of prep time, or weather does not permit prep time, i.e. rain wind and yes maybe snow????

Our plan is to attend the National Parks in this order: Jasper, Banff and Glacier. Reservations have been made for stays at Jasper/Banff N.P. We did not make reservations at Glacier as not sure how long we will spend there. Figure it will be late enough in the season that reservations may not be an issue, also no reservations made for travel en-route to Jasper, that's all part of the adventure. We have been known to stray from our plans, so rather than be tied down we thought we would "just wing it"!

Highlight Adventures to our trip will include a full day hike on the Athabasca Glacier with a certified guide and a three and a half day Back Country Horsebacking trip. Wonder if riding a bike will prepare my butt for this??? Planning will continue up until we leave....

Sunday, August 25th spent this weekend beginning to finalize our route north and completion an inventory of what we will be taking. Always seems like a big task as even though we have been planning this trip for so long. Plan to leave Thursday around noon.

Getting car ready, fresh oil change, serviced transmission and then the process has begun packing. Going to take the topper, although we could get everything in the car, just easier to have a little room, then we are not looking for buried stuff.

Today we also did a final inventory of our food supplies, will carry between 7 to 10 days of food, will have to stop after we cross border to pickup, fresh veggies, fruit, meat and poultry, as they are prohibited to bring across border, I would prefer not to do this trip alone as I would throw Missy to the wolves (or bears) in a heartbeat!

Getting things organized. Seems like a good idea but after one of two days it seems to all change.

O.K. what did we forget????

A blurry picture. I can do better than this...

Getting ready to head off. Out the door and on the road by 1 PM. Notice who we left behind watching from the house, wish she could have gone with, but too ling of a trip for her...

Trip to Waseca MN. took about 4.5 hours. Had dinner with Leo and Sabrina Nissen, and Alice Bennie, Missy's mother in law. Stayed over night with Leo and Sabrina.

Finally made it to North Dakota on Friday afternoon. This trip has been delayed twice so this is a mile stone

A stop in Fargo ND at the visitors center. They have the original wood chipper from the movie Fargo here. Missy wanted to try it out, we went for the total experience.

Like our hats?? Heh der we up north now, don't ya know..

A stop for coffee in Downtown Fargo at Twenty Below, to carry us on another 3.5 hours to Rugby ND, we did make a quick stop at the Fargo Art museum so Missy could go potty, but no time for Art.

Arrived in Rugby around 7 PM, was concerned when I picked this as an overnight as it was free, with electric water and showers. Turned out to be a real gem. Only ones there. Nicely maintained, clean showers, no bugs no crowd no fires it was awesome. My kind of place. Located at the Piece County Fairgrounds.

We thought "no way this could be true" when we tried the doors to the bathrooms/showers, but folks in Rugby are trusting.

Clean as a whistle..

Unloading and making a quick dinner..

On to Canada tomorrow another long day in car, 8.5 hours, need gas, stop at Geographical Center of North America in Rugby, groceries, International Peace Garden and Breakfast...busy day

Geographical Center of North America, located in Rugby ND

Entering the International Peace Garden North of Rugby and located between the Port of Entry for the US and Canada.

Chapel at Peace Garden. Very well presented with famous Peace Quotes..

Famous quotes of famous people surround the inside of the chapel

Interior of Botanical Garden

Finally entering Canada, thought it would be a lot more difficult than it was. We were the only car in line and took about 2 minutes. Were concerned about how long we were going to stay, not sure if they really wanted us in their country, then asked about firearms..

Glenburn Regional Campground Regional Campground in Marmoth Saskatchewan. Just o.k. as far as campgrounds go, price is right at $16 US....clean but very tired looking

Not a bad site between two 5th wheels, families on either side of us, were very nice people.

Fog in the morning when we woke up.

Breakfast then back on the rode. Got to keep moving lots of miles to cover..

Next stop is Edson, (545 mile day )stayed at a Lions Club Campground, they seem to be located at various places in Canada so thought we would try it. Not an ideal campground, again kind of tired looking, many pipeline workers staying here for extended stays. It had rained the last half of our day before we arrived here, hence all of the mud.

Missy got caught up on her journal. Been raining up here lots son campground pretty wet, rained again during the night.

Whenever I see one of these have to try it, "It worked", by gone era..

Missy pointed out as we left, vowing not to return, that we were actually in the "gated community" part of the camp ground.

Finally seeing some mountains as we approach Jasper.

Finally made it here, 2000 miles 3.5 days on the road so ready to relax some..but only 108 miles from Edson

Visitors Center in Jasper

Downtown Jasper, had lunch at Earls (corner)...very nice day 75 degrees.

Lunch in downtown Jasper,

Great campsite, we loved it here! Wapiti CAmpgound in Jasper NP. Site FF5, close to bathroom, showers were about 1/4 mile away near campground entrance, we typically rode our bikes there. Facilities very very nice and clean.

WE backed as far as we could into the site which put us well behind the larger RV's and made it feel like we were more secluded. Although the site are well spaced. Nice overhead trees here just loved it here.

Elk our very first day here!

Day two headed out to Lake Melaine to hike.

Ma Ma Moose on our way..

Trail to Moose Lake, about a 3 mile easy hike..

Not disappointed, while we were watching the lake she walked right up behind us!

Lake Moraine

My hiking partner! Hiking the Mary Schaffer Trailer another 4 miles.

Meadow and oh yeah....

Now we are looking for bears! I can out run Missy so nothing to worry about!

Lunch after morning hikes did about 10 miles this morn..

The afternoon it was Magaine Canyon, hiked to 5 of the six bridges. Know for vertical drop and water!

Hiking the Seven Bridges Trail, we got the first 6 under our belt and Missy picked the shortest way home, shortest but all up hill!

What a grand day it was...around 14 miles for the day...

Following day we took a trip up Whistler Peak on the Gondola, arrived around 10 AM. After the Gondola trip it was another 1500 ft (1.4 miles) of vertical hiking to get to the summit, but view was worth it. Overcast first part of morning, after our summit the rain and wind did move in.

Trip down uneventful, back to camp and rode our bikes into Jasper from the Campground probably a 2 mile ride on a combination of mountain trails adjacent to the highway and city streets.

Returned to camp and this guy drop in for a snack..

Next morning we were up early and started our day with a drive south on highway 19 on the Athabasca Icefield Parkway, headed to the Athabasca Glacier for a hike on the Glacier itself. Absolutely a gorgeous drive, apparently one of the top five drives in the world.

Glaciers along the Parkway are stunning..

Athabasca Glacier as we approached it. Meet our guide and the rest of our hiking group (10) in the parking lot at the foot of the Glacier. 100 years ago there was over 100 feet of ice covering this parking lot. It was about a mile hike fron the foot of the Glacier to the Tongue (where Glacier starts) of the Glacier

Small pond at the Tip of the Tongue, Did have ice on it. From here to the Ice Falls it was another 5 miles walking on the Glacier itself, so had to wear ice crampons.

Tasting the glacier ice, chopped by our guide...1000's of year old ice!

Road from the Athabasca Visitors Center. Only other way to get up close to Glacier is to take the large, I mean large, 6 WHEEL DRIVE BUSES..

This pole held by our guide represents how much ice has been lost in the last year!

Visitors Center Bus

We got quite a surprise when an avalanche occurred while we were hiking, first came a loud BOOM, which got our attention, looking up caught the snow fall..

Note the blue in the ice, very common on the Galcier

At the ice falls, from here to the top of the Glacier is 3,000 feet

End of the day, a long one. Day started at 0600, hike at 0830 returned to parking lot at 1600.
Returned to Jasper and had supper at the Jasper Brewing Company and watched the Packers beat the Bears...

Spent next day biking riding into Jasper. Left the campground and into town. Around Jasper there is an extensive bike trail of all levels.

Ride around Lake Edith.. fantastic morning AND WEATHER SO FAR..

After day riding, finished with a trip to the jasper museum. Great little Museum, spent a couple hours here. Not a huge attraction as they had to turn the lights on, but defiantly a diamond in the rough.

Ended the day with a visit to the Jasper Lodge, walked right in, explored the facilities and decided to have supper here, what a great experience. Great way to end our 6 day visit to Jasper, broke camp the following day and off to Banff.

We also said good bye to our newest friend Lil Shitski, during our stay at Jasper Wapiti Campground he constantly reminded us to keep a clean campsite and keep things bear proofed. If we didn't he just ate it and raided open backpacks, cars and campers...