Finally, a brief moment of Internet service to squeeze in a quick blog just to let you all know we are still alive and well.  I have not posted anything since we entered Canada.  Not because we’ve been too busy, but because of internet issues.  International data rates are very expensive.  But that’s not all.  Canada has a lot of very remote areas and just finding any signal at all is tricky.  And it’s going to get worse before it gets better.  We have begun our trek up the world-famous Alaska Highway which begins in Dawson Creek, BC, and runs about 1,200 miles to the Alaska border through mountains and some very remote territory.

One of the first stops we made in Canada was to visit the RCMP Academy at Regina, Saskatchewan.  It was interesting but I had hoped to see some Mounties on the horses.  They used to have the horses here, but they have been moved to Ottawa now.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police Academy Parade

The visitor center at Moose Jaw, SK, hosts a 30′ moose at the entrance to the city.   We spent the day in Moose Jaw, taking a trolley tour of the city, and stopping for a piece of Saskatoon Berry Pie.

30′ Moose at Moose Jaw, SK.

Our drive through Canada has been much like that of driving through North Dakota and Montana until we got to the Rocky Mountain area.  We spent a few days exploring Banff National Park, Lake Louise, driving up the Icefields Parkway to Jasper.  What a beautiful place!

Downtown Banff, Alberta, CA

Lake Louise

Takakkaw Water Falls

Yup, we’re in bear country now.  This electrified fence surrounded the tent-camping area at Lake Louise.  I don’t know how well I could sleep in a tent even with that fence.  So glad to have a hard-sided camper.

Electrified Fence Around Tent Campground at Lake Louise

Peyto Lake

Half way up the Icefields Parkway is the Columbia Icefield Centre.  Here you can take a bus out into the middle of a glacier and walk around on it for about $50 each.  It looked like fun, but we saved our $100 and looked at it from the visitor center.

Athabasca Glacier

Elk Having Lunch on a Corner Near Jasper, Alberta.

We made it to Dawson Creek, B.C. where the Alaska Highway begins.   We are now 300 miles into it, only 900 more to get to the Alaska border!  This is going to be a very long drive, and very remote.  I hope to be able to blog more once we cross the Alaska border.

Alaskan Highway

The Alaskan Highway

Here’s another picture, out of order,  just because.

Lac Beauvert at Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge