June 5 Banff

 Tuesday, June 5

The Bow Valley Parkway is not open till 8:00AM, so we head that way early.  This elk is right outside our campground.

 We get to Bow Valley a tad early, so have some cereal and bananas while waiting.

We see a deer almost immediately and continue along till we come to a small road to Moose Meadow. When we pull into the parking area, we spot a big black bear munching away on grasses and dandelions  Greg positions the Trek so we can watch, and the bear seems unfazed as he munches, they lays down and eats everything he can reach before shifting to a new area.  Greg dubs him “L” for lazy.

We watch for 20 minutes or so and another couple arrive – they look like they might be headed to the trailhead, so Greg waves them over and makes sure they see the bear (which is right next to the trailhead).   A few minutes later another vehicle arrives and we bid farewell and continue back to the parkway.

Beautiful scenery – like Castle Cliffs, appearing on early maps as a landmark.  They were renamed Mt. Eisenhower after WWII but it didn’t “stick”. 

 Storm Mountain creates it’s own weather due to wind currents.

We stop at a statue of a workman who represents the 600+ men who lived in an internment camp here beginning July 1915 and built many of the park’s roads and bridges.  

We notice a few people stopped along the road and join them to see a huge grizzly bear some distance off, sitting and eating beside a railroad track!  Though we aren’t close, his size is apparent and in this blow-up of one of my poor shots, you can see his huge claws.

From here we head to Lake Louise.  It was cold and rainy when we were there five years ago.

 Today is still chilly and cloudy, but no rain. The glacial blue of the water is beautiful but could use a shot of sunshine.

Between the number of tourists and the gnats, we are a  little overwhelmed, so don’t spend very much time here.  Can only imagine the crowds in a few weeks!  We hear many different languages and see lots of buses and tour groups.

Moraine Lake is our next stop and it is less crowded.  We enjoy a hike along the shore and are amazed at a few folks doing stand-up paddle boards!  This water must be freezing as the high temperature today is about 52.

 We take some pictures for a family and they return the favor by taking one of us.

We hop back on the Bow Valley Parkway to head to the other end of the park and see two more bears en route.! This young and skinny black bear saunters across the road. What a contrast to his chunky cousin this morning

And then we see this cinnamon black bear eating in a meadow.  

We decide to stay in the same campground, so get our site before heading out again.  First into town to top off gas and get a few groceries.  Makes me realize how spoiled we are with our huge grocery stores at home!  We go to an IGA, the larger of  two options, and it is pretty sparse!  

 We do the short drive to Lake Miniwanka, passing Two Jack  Lake and Campground, which shows “FULL”!   We see some deer and these little mountain sheep. 

 I think that’s what they are – they aren’t Bighorn Sheep, but they aren’t Mountain Goats either….gotta ask someone.

And we see yet another beautiful lake. 

 The greens and blues of the scenery are so calming and ….nourishing?  I feel like I can just drink it in and feel energized and serene.

This is a scene just up the road from our campsite.  You will find pairs of red chairs throughout Canada.

Back to our campsite for a dinner of chicken and garden salad.  While washing dishes at their sink, we chat with another Roadtrek couple.  They are newbies from Lethbridge (the Buffalo Jump place) learning the ropes and  looking forward to retirement!