Day 4 - Banff to Jasper

We're leaving to go to dinner in a few minutes, of course. We didn't stop for lunch along the route from Banff, and although we brought plenty of snacks along with, we're all really hungry.

(Here in Canada, Oreos are made by "Christie," not Nabisco, and there is a fudge-y Oreo called Fudgee-o. We all bought Fudgee-o's to try them out.)

The Jasper Park Lodge is another wonderful Canadian Pacific creation. This is much, much larger than the Banff Springs Lodge, probably because it's much further from the town of Jasper. Restaurants, shops, and big grounds. Haven't seen much of the grounds because it's overcast and rainy, with cold rain. I felt sorry for the bellhop, who led us to our cabins on bicycle. Of course, he seemed perfectly happy to do it, so I don't know why I'm bothering to feel sorry for him.

On the way up here, we saw lots of signs to beware of bears. I kept on the lookout for bears but didn't see any. I needn't have bothered wasting my energy. We finally came across a bear and were fully alerted to this fact that both sides of the road were packed with tour buses and with other cars that had stopped in the middle of the road.

Tourists lined the side of the road, watching the bear eat. I'm sure the bear was quite excited by it too.

It's a bear, not a space alien, 'kay?

One guy was standing by the side of the road and waving his hand at us, as if to say, Keep going, keep going, nothing to see here. We all had some choice words to say about him, believe you me.

One of the reasons we could have choice words to say to one another, despite having two cars, was that because Darin's dad has worked for Motorola for just about forever, the family has long had the habit of using walkie-talkies to keep in touch. Or, as we like to say on this trip, "keep in constant radio contact." When there are three boys in the family, I guess you have to keep track of them somehow, and a high-powered military-style walkie-talkie is one way to do it. Plus, the boys think it's cool, so they'll use them.

Now we just use it to inform one another of which way we're headed and to comment on scenery and location.

            CAR 1
        Where are you?

            CAR 2
        Off to our right we've
        got some mountains, a 
        forest of sub-alpine fir,
        and some glacier water.

            CAR 1
        Okay, we know EXACTLY
        where you are.

In case you have never been to the Canadian Rockies, this is known as "inter-car sarcasm." Every single view in any direction usually consists of mountais, forests, streams, and ice or snow. It's ridiculously beautiful all the time.