Even as I left Glacier National Park for Alberta, there was more to see.
Driving by Chief Mountain, I felt like I’d fallen into a painting.
As I neared the Canada border, free ranging cows roamed the sides of the road. One cow saw me coming, calmly walked out in front of me and stood, staring me down. I think he would’ve won that contest had he not decided he was done delaying me.
Once past the cow, I was on my way and soon crossed into Canada. Alberta is a gorgeous place, the Wild West of Canada. I had hoped to spend some time at Waterton Lakes National Park just over the border, but it was a very busy weekend and campgrounds were full for miles around, so I continued on. I found the small town of Pincher Creek where the town’s information center was happy to recommend a campground to me.
I spent a fairly comfortable night in Beauvair Provincial Park, followed by a gorgeous sunrise over Pincher Creek.
After that, it was on to Banff National Park and to meet up with my friend Dani (from the previous year’s Glacier National Park visit). I found a great campground in the park and spent several hours catching up with Dani before she had to head to work. I spent a few more hours talking with a wonderful woman (and a fellow solo-traveler!), Inge, from The Netherlands. Dani had told me before she left that there was a possibility of Northern Lights during the night, so I hit the sack at 9:30, setting my alarm for 1. At 1, I looked through the moon roof of my Element, saw clouds and decided to continue sleeping. An hour later nature called and on my way to the restrooms I ran into my new friend from The Netherlands, who pointed to the sky. And, so, at 2 am, Inge and I drove to the nearby Lake Minnewanka to view the Northern Lights. In the midst of taking one of my photographs, a shooting star passed our view, making just a wonderful first Northern Lights experience.
We were back to camp around 3 and both headed back to sleep. I was still very excited from the experience, so it was an hour or before I fell back asleep. Which gave me about an hour’s sleep before I was up at 5 am to go meet up with Dani to photograph Moraine Lake and Lake Louise:
I’m holed up in Canmore, Alberta, getting some work done on my laptop and looking forward to a good nights sleep so I can be up and out of here at 5 am again.
All these pictures are just stunning!
Wish I was there to see it with you.
Keep in touch!
~Amanda
Yes! Found you It was amazing the night at the lake and the northern lights How is your journey going? Was so nice meeting you! I have to fly home tomorrow… Cheers Inge – from The Netherlands
Yay! Hi! For some reason, I kept typing you were from everywhere but where you actually were from. In my blog, you have been from New Zealand, Wales AND Sweden. I’m going to put The Netherlands in. haha
That was SUCH a cool night. I’m so pleased I got to meet you and I hope to see you again somewhere in the world!
My journey has been wonderful and is nearing its end in a few weeks. I hope yours was full of wonderful moments. Safe journeys!