Kelly Date June 29, 2009

I had a lovely day here in Beaconsfield, Quebec with Randy's Dad and Mom (Arnold and Anne Marie).  Beaconsfield is a beautiful community located on the west end of the same island where Montreal is located.   I arrived yesterday evening and had some time to visit and catch up but today we went to do some sightseeing.  St. Anne de Bellevue, Baie d'Urfe, and Pointe Claire.  I've included some pictures from each of these three places.  The shops, homes, and people were colorful and welcoming.  

                     

St. Anne de Bellevue           Baie d'Urfe

   Arnold and Anne Marie 

Oh, I almost forgot they treated me to a famous Montreal Smoked Meat sandwhich at a local deli/restaurant for lunch.  Wow, are they good!  I'd never had one before and I enjoyed every bite.  It has been great to spend some time with them and get to know them a bit better.  I also enjoyed getting a few nice pictures of them and have included one taken at Baie d'Urfe. This evening we are sitting around watching some television and Finnigan has made himself at home in Arnold's lap.  He seems quite content - I'm not sure which is the more content lol.  

Next Stop:  Montreal 

Daily Distance:  Zero 

Quality Time with Chelsey & Niagara Falls, Ontario

Hey I got to see Niagara Falls today. They are truly beautiful and I was delighted to spend a whole afternoon there. It actually took us three hours to get there from Oshawa with the heavy traffic but we made it and I think I got some decent photos. There were a lot more people there than I had realized there would be, but I guess and nice June day with good weather and of course there will be lots of people. Silly girl lol.

The whole area is developed beautifully with lots of open areas and many many places to view the falls from different perspectives. The Canadian side is definitely more substantial with the horseshoe shaped form of the falls. The American side is very cool as well and they have these nifty steps that you can take all the way to the bottom which you can't do on the Canadian side. We went down to the tourist area as well and had a nice meal at one of the many restaurants. It's very disneyland like with rides and ripley's believe it or not type places. Again I was surprised in the sense that I prefer a more natural setting, but regardless we had fun. We even went into one of the casinos and Chelsey and I dropped a grand total of $5.00 a piece for the experience. Trevor spent $20.00 and we departed. It was fun but I find these places so boring - never could see myself spending significant periods of time in these places.

We spent a lot of time trying to find a higher vantage point to take pictures from but were none too successful. All the higher points have been built on and access is either costly or impossible. Whatever, I think I did okay and I did get a couple more nice pics of Trevor and Chelsey and yes one of myself and Chelsey - oh yeah we're cute! It was a fun day and I can take that off my list of things to do and places to see lol. I'm either going to have to live longer or speed up my sight seeing activities significantly. I had a great day and slept all the way home.

Next Stop: Montreal, Quebec

Daily Distance: None at Trevor drove.

June 25 and 26, 2009

25th: Well, I made it to Oshawa on Thursday around 2:00p.m. It was a bit of a journey as I got turned around in downtown Toronto and ended up on Young Street and for the life of me could not figure out how to get back on the 401 east. I finally found a gentleman with the ability to give good directions and was able to sort things out after that. I didn't get a chance to look around very much while there as there was a crazy storm at that same time. Seriously, I ran 15 feet across the the sidewalk and was drenched.

I did make it to Chelsey's place though and had a great time seeing her new digs and meeting Trevor's (the bfriend) family. They took me for a walk down by Lake Ontario which was very interesting and very beautiful. It was such a nice day and the sun was out and we saw a huge turtle on the shoreline trying to get out onto the beach. I can only assume to lay eggs, but if that is incorrect let me know. Trevor and Chelsey also took me out to dinner and we had a great time sitting and chatting and just getting caught up on everything.

26th: Not much to report other than the fact that I got to sleep in this morning. Yea! But once up Chelsey and I made plans to go job hunting for her and that we did. We are supposed to be going to Toronto this afternoon but I have a feeling that might not work out. So I'm getting caught up on a few things at her place. I can't connect to the net from my computer here though so pictures will have to wait until I cant get access with my laptop. Just so you know, the weather is good and I'm starting to get a decent tan. :)

I can think of no other things to blog about so I'll sign off until tomorrow.

Next Stop: None
Daily Distance: Zero

Devil's Lake, Wisconsin

23rd:  I had a wonderful time at Devils Lake, Wisconsin.  Mine and Finnigan's last day there was spent lazing around and trying to stay cool.  Finnigan had a brief visit at the lake - he's not into the water thing so much but did walk out to his shoulders which is unusual for him.  We even managed to put in a two hour hike in the afternoon and visited the 'Devils Doorway' and the 'Balanced Rock'.  The scenery was again amazing but it was a difficult climb in the heat and the endless stone steps one has to traverse to get to the top and back down again.  I've included a couple of pics as I thought they were so nice. 

                  

24th:  This was a driving day and I managed to go from Baraboo, Wisconsin to Attica, Michigan.  About 800 kilomters in all.  I'm not sure why but I was into driving and made pretty good time.  I did manage to get lost in Chicago area briefly but took the first exit and headed for the nearest hotel which was fairly easy and got back on track soon enough.  Thanks to Randy who gave me great directions and an IPod Touch to help me stay on track.  I have no finger nails left though.  Yikes, way too many vehicles for me.  

By the end of the day the Finmyster and I had both had it and tried to get some sleep.  With the doors closed and locked though it was so hot I had to open the door to get some fresh air.  That didn't work at all so I turned on the air conditioning.  Much better and I looked over to see how Fin was making out - he had his face about four inches away from his vent and his ears were blowing back off his face, flapping in the wind.  He was loven it lol.  Crazy dog.

All in all a good day and I'm looking forward to seeing Chelsey tomorrow.  

Next Stop:  Oshawa, Ontario

Daily Distance:  786 kilometers. 

Kelly Date June 21 and 22, 2009

Since it is late Monday evening I'll combine yesterdays and todays blog posts.  I didn't do much yesterday (Sunday) except re-cooperate from all the driving and stress of flat tires, crazy highways, and cracked windshields.  I spent most of the afternoon sleeping even though it was horribly hot, but felt much better for it and took a shower as well.  I had picked up a few groceries earlier that morning and went about making some lunch/dinner and just hung out playing around with the camera.  Still trying to work through the technical stuff.  There is a lot to learn.  I spent the late evening down at the chateau doing the chat thing with Carissa first and then Randy, but had to depart as the mosquitoes had discovered my hiddy hole.  All in all it was a great day.  

Monday was great and I went on a three hour hike with Mr. Finnigan.  Three hours may not seem like much but when you throw in the humidity and heat it was pretty brutal.  But the pictures and time spent just being in any other position than sitting worked for me.  Fin was not overly impressed by the end of it though.  I did manage to take some nice pics though and one in particular of and eagle on the east bluff I think is pretty nice. Let me know what you think?

The hike done, I hit the showers - believe me it was not pleasant being anywhere near me and a shower was high on the priority list.  After that we went to town to look around and take some pictures of the houses I'd noticed in that area.  A couple in particular were nice and I have included one in the blog of the front stoop of a FLW home in Bababoo I thought was cool.  Even better I had asked the fellow in the back if I could take a picture and he said I could, but then the lady of the house came out just as I was getting ready to leave, chatted for a minute and invited me and the Finmyster to dinner.  Her name was Sandra and I had the privilege of meeting as well, Pam, Victoria, Bruce, and Laura and several others whom I cannot recall their names.  They were having a 'cookout' and I enjoyed brattworst(sp?) and potato salad and baked beans in their company.  A wonderful group of people who made my time in Baraboo that much more memorable.  If any of you do check out the blog site - thanks again for a great dinner.  

   

The door stoop and Sandra.

So, I'm doing the blog thing at a little dinner called the "The Barn" and will shortly head for the campsite to go to bed.  Hopefully, I don't get a repeat of the lightening and thunder storm that occurred last night.  It kept me awake and I had to air out blankets all day today to get them dry again.  

Next Stop:  None

Driving Distance: 30 kilometers 

Kelly Date June 20, 2009

This will be a short blog as my whole day was spent driving from La Crosse to Baraboo, Wisconsin.  The plan was to stay at the Devil's Lake State Park, but it was full so I headed back to spend the night at the Ho Chunk Casino.  I spent the night in the parking lot with the rest of the parkees lol.  The rest of the day was trying to find wifi service.  I'm amazed at how many people don't know what wireless internet is.  I've received many questioning looks and a few 'well you can't hook into my system' - too funny.  It took me two hours to track down a place where I could connect.  I don't even have any pictures to share.  I did find a great little drive through though called Culvers.  Anybody familiar with it.  It's similar to a McDonalds, but a lot nicer I think.  I got a burger and shared with Finnigan outside.  Did I mention it's really hot here?  

But I'm now signed up for the next three nights and plan on doing some sleeping, hiking, photography, and some swimming at Devils Lake.  This is a place Randy suggested I go to as he has fond memories of it from when he was a Boy Scout.  So far, I can see why he liked it so much.  I might even go to the extra effort to get one of the boats off the car and go paddling.  Yep, just might have to do that.  I like the little town of Baraboo.  Quaint, old school buildings that for the most part are very well kept.  Some are very nice and I will take some pictures today to share with you.  This is also the hometown of the Ringling Brothers Circus so I'd like to go there today or tomorrow and see that. Apparently, there is a World Crane Foundation here as well that come highly recommended and I'd like to check that out as well.  

If you have any other suggestions let me know.   It's raining so I have to go.  Sitting outside and getting wet.  

Next stop:  None

Daily Distance:  547 kilometers

Kelly Date June 19, 2009

This day started out great and ended great, but the middle part was highly questionable in my mind.  I started out at the furthest western point of Wisconsin on the I90 and made my way east.  The plan being to get to the township of La Crosse to camp.  However, I had another flat tire (the rear passenger side this time) and of course the resulting delays.  Ground control, i.e. Randy, called ahead to La Crosse to set me up with a tire dealership who could outfit me with two new rear tires on very short notice on a Friday evening.  Chaos ensued as I made my way via phone directions to the store, but everything went amazingly well all things considered.  (Thanks to Randy for this else I’d have been stuck until Monday morning.)  

But this was not the end of my day.  I figured out albeit painfully how to get to the Goose Lake Campground which is just south of La Crosse and signed myself away to a night of fun and campfires lol.  Half the fun of camping though is the campfire so I was determined to have one even though it was raining and they were predicting storms overnight.  So, thinking I was being quite clever I packed the logs onto the top of my car, on top of the kayaks actually so I could make my way to site #61.  Half way there one of the logs fell onto the windshield of my car shattering one corner.  This was a particularly duh moment and I spent the next hour berating myself for being so incredibly thick headed.  But I did feel good about getting the fire going with wet hardwood. 

A shower, that’s the ticket to feeling better as it is so hot and sticky here, so I collect three quarters so I can cleanse myself body and soul....so to speak.  All set to climb in and get wet only to discover I’ve brought three Canadian quarters that won’t work in the machine.  I have one tiny, lonely little American dime to cover the cost.  )(*&%^&%*$^$*&^(*^&%)  I had a total of two minutes to shower. I planned the maneuvers all out in advance to save time and did amazingly well but I didn’t quite get it all covered lol.  I was in the shower cursing under my breath and feeling very sorry for myself when Mr. Finnigan snuck his nose up from under the next stall to see what was wrong.  I  burst out laughing - how could I not.  Silly creature! Totally love that dog.  

As the evening progressed I realized the windshield could be replaced, I didn’t get creamed on the highway as I could have and I was in this amazing place that I never thought I would ever see, enjoying the company of a charming lady Linda, who had offered me quarters for the shower earlier but had turned down.  I was able to take incredible pictures of the sunset on the Mississippi River with some fishermen in the foreground to make things complete. Did I mention there are a LOT of mosquitoes here - yuk.  

I am thinking that I could make a calendar and use it to provide me with another source of funding over the fall months at school.  Any thoughts on this?  I could sell them at conferences and other places to cover costs.  Let me know what you think.  I would appreciate some feedback on this. All in all I had a great day.  

Note:  Thanks to Anne Marie for letting me know that is was President's Washington and Madison that I wasn't able to recall from the Mount Rushmore group.  

Next stop: Devils Lake, Wisconsin

Daily Distance: 587 kilometers

 

Kelly Date June 18, 2009

Good morning to you!  I spent a long day yesterday driving through South Dakota.  Over 830 kilometers in one day with only two serious pit stops.  

The first was Mount Rushmore, which is a place I had always wanted to see.  This too is a busy iconic American destination and it is a huge facility with over six levels of parking to accommodate all the visitors.  I had to park on the very top because of my boats which was too bad because it was in the hot sun and again I couldn't go in as it was too hot for the pooch.  So, we had a break in the parking lot and took some pictures.  This work out well though as the view was perfect from right where we were.  Ha, I can only remember two of the presidents - Lincoln and Jefferson: any takers on the other two?  No peaking on the net.

The next pit stop was the result of extreme weather warnings in the area of Sioux Falls.  They were breaking in over the radio waves to say that there was a tornado warning and that anyone in the area should take cover.  Well, to me as I was about 55 miles west of Sioux Falls that was the 'vicinity' so wasn't sure what to do.  I mean how close is close and exactly where does one take cover?  So, I pulled into a small town garage area in Alexandria to ask these all important questions and they assured me the storm would hit about an hour northeast of where we were.  They had this cool little doppler (sp?) screen they could view to see where the storm was located.  

I did get some cool pics through as I couldn't help but pull over to the side of the road to watch.  It was amazing really - for about an hour and a half the lightening struck every two to three seconds and I'm sure for the people living in that area it must have felt like they were in a war zone.  Wow!  I got a nice sunset pic as well at the same time as the storm. 

So, today I'm into Minnesota and I'm currently in a little internet cafe in Luvern.  A small but quaint town in the heart of farming/cattle country.  My goal is to get to Wisconsin today and spend some time camping there.  Did I mention I drove 830k yesterday.  Finnigan is hoping we don't repeat that again today lol. 

Anyway, have a great day and drop a comment if you have time.  Would love to hear from you.

Kelly

Next Stop:  Wisconsin

Distance:  830 kilometers

Flat Tires and Bad Roads / Kelly Date June 17, 2009

This has been a crazy day!  After leaving Cody and then Dayton, Wyoming I started over the 'hills' of the Big Horn National Forest.  The lead up to the 'hill' was amazing and wound through a series of deep canyons and gorges. However, shortly thereafter I started going up and up and up and up....you get the idea.  The 'upping' part was okay until I hit snow - this was not good but managed to get through it okay.  Then the 'downing' part started...in a downpour....in the midst of 10 miles of construction....in high winds....big big trucks....and lead footed non-tourists bent on chasing me!  

It was actually quite scary and there were hairpin corners and switchbacks that indicated I should slow down to 20 mph.  I complied happily.  Of course the worst corners had no side rails and overlooked drops of  300 - 400 feet straight down.  I was not impressed but I did make it. I thought I was in the clear until I hit 'extreme weather warnings' down on the flats west of Gillette, Wyoming - quarter sized hail was predicted and ntil I hit 'extreme weather warnings' down on the flats west of Gillette, Wyoming - quarter sized hail was predicted and this I heard just in time to get a flat tire right in the middle of it. Okay, I still remember all the horrid old movies I watched as a kid and they came flooding back to me with a vengence.  I yanked stuff as quick as anything out of the back of the car and set to getting the flat changed hoping no one would stop.  Focus Kelly focus lol.  

Just when I was almost done of course a truck pulls up and I had the privilege of meeting one of Gillette's finest, Mr. Kasey O'Dell who kindly helped me change the tire and let me follow him into town to not one, but two tire stores.  If you are reading this Kasey, you made my day and thank you again for your kind assistance.  I am however, $214.00 lighter in the wallet but I have two brand new shiny tires on my front end.  In reflection I am most grateful that this did not happen has I careened down that damned mountain.  Somebody up there likes me!

Anyway, I am safe and sound and hanging out at the Flying J.  Love this place.  Feeling much better for having such a hectic day but still smiling and soon will be off to bed in my FFF (Ford Focus Fort). I am totally exhausted but did find time to fit in a shower and something to eat and took Finnigan for a short walk.  We will both sleep better for you.  

Until tomorrow, this is Kelly signing off.......

Distance:  397 kilometers

Next stops:  Rapid City and Sioux Falls, South Dakota

    

Tall Tales from Montana / Kelly Date June 16, 2009

Good morning!

I actually made it to Ennis, Montana last night before finding a great little campsite right on the Madison River.  Ennis is a nice little western town with great shops and coffee places with wifi access. Yes!  

I got a bit of a late start this morning as I was up chatting with two gentlemen I met in the campground - Tom and Paul from Cincinnati.  They are cycling across the country together ‘for the experience’.  Ha, they are having a blast and left the wife’s and kids behind.  They have had their mishaps though and had great fun telling me about Tom’s seeming ability to ‘shit’ his wallet which he had thought lost to him until it was discovered accidentally in his lower drawers lol.  Paul is an ex-cop and I can’t remember what Tom does.  Great guys and I had a blast swapping travel stories.  

I’m off very soon for Yellowstone and can’t wait to get there.  I’m going to see ‘Old Faithful’ this morning.  And, I’ll see where the road takes me after that....  

I loved Yellowstone National Park, but was a little overwhelmed by the sheer number of people that were there.  Wow!  I had been told a lot of people visited the park but really had no idea of what that meant.  I entered the park at the west gate and headed for Old Faithful.  What normally should haven taken an hour turned into a 2.5 hour stop and start fest.  Some of that were the bison making their way across the roadways and the rest were people pulling on and off the road and any number of points entroute.  The park is quite large and all the major attractions are accessed by road.

Old Faithful was very cool as you can see from the picture. You can also see a small portion of the total number of people viewing the geyser action at that time.  I timed it quite well actually and within minutes of setting up the camera we were into the full eruption.  The main spout peaks off in waves and there is a lot of steam and hollering from the crowd lol.  The parking lot for this one attraction is the size of four gigantic Walmarts all put together and if I’m not mistaken the Old Faithful goes off approximately every hour 24/7.  Mr. Finnigan missed it as he was stuck in the car.  No dogs allowed, but at least it was a coolish day.

  

My next main stop (there were many minor excursions throughout the day), was at the ‘Grand Canyon of Yellowstone’.  I was told that this was a ‘must see’ and they were right.  Thanks for this Steve.  From the Lower Waterfall the Yellowstone River flows in a mad rush down between majestic canyon walls with steam vents on either side.  The kaleidosc

ope of colors, sights, and sounds made the trip most worthwhile.  I almost didn’t go as the weather had turned bad and it was raining so heavily I had considered booting it east to Cody, but I’m quite glad curiosity got the better of me this time. 

I didn’t see the whole park, but there are many cool things to see like the Dragon’s Pot, or the Mud Volcano, or the stinky cauldrons of sulphur.  One of the cutest things was when I stopped on the side of the road at Yellowstone Lake, just before leaving the park and there were so many frogs croaking that you could hardly hear for the racket!  It’s a cool place, but I would still consider the Waterton Lakes National Park my favorite so far.  I guess the high number of people and vehicles and general chaos didn’t work quite so well for me.  

Next Stop:  Cody, Wyoming

Distance: 343 kilometers

June 15, 2009

For the record I did make it Great Falls, Montana but couldn't easily find a place to pull over.  So I continued south a bit further to Cascade, Montana and spent the night at the local pool where the lady at the grocery store said people were allowed to park overnight.  

I woke up in the morning to realize that the load on top of my car had shifted at some point yesterday.  Oh, this was not good believe me.  So I spent the morning holed up in Cascade, Montana to see what remedies I could come up with.  I had to take everything off to see if I needed to fix or replace anything on the rack.  I first had to find an open area to do all the work and the lady at the local hotel said I could park just outside and re-pack the car.  Her name is May and she was most helpful.  There's even a little cafe across the street where I can get something to eat for breakfast.  This incident is the first glitch of the trip - well there had to be a least one right???

I started at 8:00 central time and finished up at 11:30 and was quite glad that nothing had broken and it simply had to be rearranged somewhat.  Well, rearranged a lot actually as I put the weightier items on the passenger side and one heavy bag inside the car to reduce any drag on the top.  Seems to have worked quite well, however Mr. Finnigan now has significantly less room to stretch out as I had to lose the laundry basket which had been his bed to date.  All the clothes were re-packed into any available space and I asked May if she could use a good laundry basket to which she replied delightedly that she did happen to need one.  My timing was perfect apparently lol. 

 

I have included a picture of May and her husband Roy outside the little place they run in Cascade called 'The Badger Motel'.  It's a great little spot and anyone headed their way would be pleased they stopped to say hi or even stay awhile.  It is such a pleasure to meet great folks no matter where you travel.

Not sure how far I'll get to day with all the delays, but I'm hoping to get to Yellowstone National Park by evening.  Should be a long day but so far the scenery has been incredible.  I even passed over the Missouri River and through a section of the old Lewis and Clark Trail.  This seems so weird to me as I've read about these places and could only image what they might look like.  Now I know - well kind of I guess as they have changed a lot since those old days.  

Distance so far today: 184 kilometers

Next Stop:  Yellowstone

Kelly Date June 14, 2009

Lower Waterton Lake, AB

There is no one on the beach at the Lower Waterton Lake this morning.  There is no wind and it is very quiet other than the lapping of the water on the shoreline.  Finnigan is sniffling his time away and I am waiting for the morning sun to get high enough to reflect off the mountain faces far across the valley.  As much as I enjoy photography it can’t quite do this place justice.  Wish you were here to see what I am seeing right this minute.  You take a breath - you breath it into you very soul.  

After a great start taking pics, I spent some time at the local cafe on the internet catching up on emails and my blogs.  Always fun but time consuming.  It takes about an hour and a half to do this and I’m off.  After consulting the area map on the side of the wall I decided to drive up to Cameron Lake as I’m thinking again to get some great pics.  It’s not too far and shouldn’t take any more than an hour there and back.  The drive up is very scenic and there are lots of places to stop for the day and picnic or just hang out.  I see several vehicles parked along the roadway taking one of the many hikes in the area.  

On the return portion I say a sow and two cubs who were kind enough to keep right on cruising for green stuff while myself and two other vehicles could take pics.  The cubs are beautiful and look very healthy - one brown - one black. They continue to hang out and seem so not to care that anyone is even nearby.  But you can’t stare at them forever so I went down to the huge hotel that sits on the bluff overlooking the lake only to discover more bears.  When I pulled in off the highway I thought there was just a long walk up the driveway so got out of my vehicle to start the trek.  Having gone only about 20 feet or so I discovered this wasn’t the parking overflow, rather it was any number of men, women, and children standing outside of their vehicles to go and look at the two cubs 

ubs stuck in a tree not 5 feet off the driveway.  The mother/sow is just off from the tree watching her cubs but on the ground and not too sure what to do.

Okay, I find the scenario very upsetting and walk up to the first lady standing there with a young child (age three) running around and ask her if she realized how dangerous this situation was to herself and her toddler.  “Oh, yes but we can get in the vehicle in just a couple of seconds.”  Unbelievable!  I turned around and went and got back in my vehicle and slowly drove forward telling anyone who would listen that not only were they endangering their own lives, but the lives of the bears.  I was fairly upset at this point - what can I say, I like bears lol. I went up to the hotel and had them call the Park Warden to clear the 

area as it is a narrow trap that the bears can’t escape from without confrontation.  After causing even more of a fuss I departed, but the driveway was significantly less crowded.  Yea me!  

The rest of the trip was not nearly as eventful so will end it by saying I put in a lot of driving hours, Montana is beautiful and my favorite place so far is Waterton Lakes National Park.  

Total Distance:  388 kilometers

Kelly Date June 13, 2009

Celise and Kyle with Mr. Finnigan

l left Calgay shortly after 12:00 today but lost time trying to find the #2 Highway south.  I think it took me almost an hour to get out of Dodge so to speak. I headed straight south and then west on the #3 Highway to take in the Crows Nest Pass.  I took a short detour to the ‘Smashed in Head Buffalo Jump’, which turned out to be a disappointment as they have absolutely no services or areas available where dogs are allowed.  My only option was to leave the Finmyster in the car in temperatures exceeding 25 degrees which I simply couldn’t do.  I was really surprized to find out I could’t even walk out onto the bluffs with him to take few pictures.  

So back on the trail to the Crows Nest Pass I back tracked another 20 kilometers or so and arrived at the ‘Pass’ around 5:00p.m.  The area is very beautiful but I didn’t find it quite as spectacular as the Rogers Pass which is in the area of Banff and Lake Louise.  I went to the far side of the ‘Pass’ and turned around so I could make the Waterton Lakes National Park by sundown.  I did get a couple nice pics of the valleys in that area though as they are quite beautiful.

The trip into Waterton is truly amazing.  The fields and ranches go on seemingly forever and the endless mountain backdrop makes for some stunning scenery.  I managed to take a few incredible pics.  It costs $7.00 for a day pass and $27.00 to tent overnight in the park.  It seemed like a lot to me, but once you get into the little village site and the camping area it so beautiful.  Worth every penny.  It is much nicer than Banff in my opinion and the little village is very quaint and much smaller than the one in Banff.  There is a beautiful lake (Lower Waterton Lake) that you can easily walk to and Mr. Finnigan enjoyed this very much.  He was curious about the deer that you could walk right up to, but didn’t bark which surprised me totally.  He was very curious, but I don’t think he really knew what they were lol.Unfortunately I can't seem to put any more photos up as the connection is slow.  I have to get going sometime today lol.  

I will be up very early in the morning to take some photos of the lake and mountains.  Hopefully before the sun comes up so I can capture the morning light.  Perfect.  I love this place and I’m having a great time exploring.  

I’ll tell you all about it on my next blog.....

Crows Nest Pass

Kelly Date June 12, 2009

I didn't do much today but hang out with my daughter Celise and we had the most excellent time! We ended up going to get some groceries for my trip and a few things for a bbq later that evening.  It's fun to just spend time with someone special and that she is.  I have to leave tomorrow which will be hard.  I always find it hard to say goodbye when I know I won't see someone for a very long time.   

I plan on leaving around 12:00 noon on the 13th and getting over the Crows Nest Pass.  Apparently it is only about two hours away so if that actually works out I'll be able to get back over the pass and back down to the Waterton National Park by late that afternoon.  I'm going to try and go stateside by the end of the day.  I have noted links to a map of the park and southern Alberta below for those who want to see where I'm headed:

http://www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/ab/waterton/visit/visit1b_e.asp

http://www.discoveralberta.com/Maps/ProvincialMaps-Flash//AlbertaMap.html

Kelly WS signing off until tomorrow.......

Kelly Date June 11, 2009

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!  

I turned the wonderful age of 49 today and I am loven life. On this morning I found myself in beautiful Golden, BC which of course makes me curious about where I'll be when I turn 50 - should be good.  I was actually able to sleep in today and woke up at 6:30 a.m. instead of 5:00 a.m. which was nice.  As it was so late already I wanted to hit the road asap and didn't get a chance to stop back at the 180 cafe for that coffee, but I did leave a nice thank you note on his door. 

I was on the road at 7:30 and heading for Banff.  I had asked a young lady the evening before 

how far it was driving time and she indicated that it was about an hour to Banff and another two 

hours to Calgary.  Ok, so  she was wrong.  What with all the construction and the stopping and starting I didn't get to Banff until 10:30.  Some of this was my fault though as there are so many gorgeous places to stop and take pictures.  I did see a bear and a doll sheep along the way but wasn't able to stop at that point.  There seemed to be more than enough vehicles on the roadside at the time and I didn't feel good about adding to the melee.  I did get to photograph an agreeable little gopher though lol.  He was so cute I have included his mug shot in today's blog. (Pic: Agreeable Gopher)

I decided to not go to Lake Louise on the way to Banff as I had been there a couple times before, but did take a detour to Moraine Lake which is in the same area.  I got some great shots there which is fairly easy to do as everything is so grand and amazing.  The mountains are so close and so huge its a little overwhelming actually.  Banff is great but its a pretty busy place even this early in the season.  I stayed only long enough to get something to eat and take Mr. Finnigan for a walk and headed out to Canmore to find an internet cafe that was more accessible than the ones in Banff.  I was in Canmore working for about two hours and headed off again for Calgary.  I would have to admit Canmore is pretty cool and the scenery is totally amazing. (Pic: Moraine Lake)

Okay, I hit Calgary during rush hour traffic which was exceptionally bad timing on my part but I did managed to navigate my way over to the Deerfoot and up to the northeast area of the city without incident. 

I met my daughter at a little gas station and we had a great reunion.  I've never visited her in Calgary before so she was excited to have mom come and stay with her for a change.  As it was my birthday she took me out to dinner and we had an amazing time chatting and catching up on all the things girls like to talk about i.e. men ha ha ha.  We solved absolutely no problems, but went to bed content and happy.  

Distance Travelled:  328 kilometers

Next Stop:  None, hanging out in Calgary with Celise.

Kelly Date June 10, 2009

    Rogers Pass                    Saddleback Mnt.                    Mr. Finnigan

After finishing up all my work in the morning and saying a last farewell to my almost lost relatives I headed out around 10:30.  My destination at that time was to make Revelstoke, but I actually exceeded my expectations and made it to Golden, B.C. later that evening.

The day went extremely well and I managed the winding road without incident.  I put on a total of 413.6 kilometers over the course of the day.  The various pit stops along the way included Cherryville, Needles, Nakusp, Revelstoke and of course Golden BC.  You have to take two short ferry rides to get over the Monashee highway to Revelsoke.  The first is in Fauquier and the second about 30 kilometers past Nakusp.  It was exciting actually as it is an open ferry that serves as part of Highway #6 east and as such it is free.  The body of water that you cross in both places is called Arrow Lake and is approximately 120 miles long.  The First Nations people call the area ‘The bay of quiet waters.’  

I met an elderly gentleman named Tom at one place I stopped to take some pictures.  He told me the mountain I was photographing was called ‘Saddle Mountain’ and he pointed out the last remaining forestry station on the highest peak.  He said he had worked in the area his whole life and when he was younger remembers using the waterway as a transportation route for logging.  It was a delight to speak with him.

After that I made good time to Revelstoke and Golden and got a bite to eat at a local cafe/restaurant.  The 108 Cafe has wireless internet service and a super friendly owner/operator who told me where I could camp out in my FFF (Ford Focus Fort) for free.  I am presently at that location which is beside a beautiful river and park area which I would never have found without his help.  

I plan to get another coffee there first thing in the morning time permitting.

Next Stops:  Banff and Calgary, Alberta (Approx. driving time 3.5 hours.)

Until tomorrow.......

Parts BC / Kelly Date June 9, 2009

I was up at 5:00 a.m. this morning.  Simply could not stay in bed another minute.  I could hear the Loons calling and had to get up and take some pics.  Once I had accomplished that it was a simple matter of putting the bed back to order and heading out.  My next pit stops were Kelowna and West Bank which were surprisingly beautiful.  I’ve been to a lot of places in British Columbia, but I was amazed at how nice the whole area was.  Mind you it is early June and not too hot yet.

After a few stops and starts I ended up in Lumby, B.C. and on the hunt for some long lost relatives.  You know the kind.  I met them last when I was 10 or so and only once since then.  Joy and Arnold have lived in Lumby most of their lives and are dear folk who want to chat and have you stay for coffee.  I had a great visit with them. 

The best thing in Lumby, aside from the great scenery and the hospitable people, is the local health food store.  Not only will you find great items for purchase, but Betty is a wonder and has provided free wireless internet for guests.  Needless to say I spent more than an hour or two at her establishment drinking coffee and eating great shortbread cookies.  Homemade cookies I’m guessing! I had two lol.  

Right now I’m sitting in the Lions Campground enjoying the sound of the stream next to me and Mr. Finnigan is staying out of trouble and guarding the FFF (Ford Focus Fort).  He is a great little companion.  Stay tuned for Finster pics lol.  

I forgot to mention that one of the main reasons I came through Lumby on my way to Calgary was because this is where my mom grew up and is also the place where she met and married my father.  While here I stopped at the old home site (long gone), but was able to see the old willow tree my grandfather planted many many years ago.  See pic.  I called my mom while standing there to let her know know I was thinking of her and gramps.  

Next Stop:  Through the Monashee Mountains to Revelstoke, British Columbia, Canada

This is Kelly signing off until tomorrow’s adventure unfolds..........

To Infinity and Beyond...& the Ford Focus Fort

I would have to admit that leaving Nanaimo was difficult.  Leaving the important people in your life behind is always hard and a bit scary.  However, every time I camp out I'm reminded of a very special someone's (Randy) efforts on my behalf.  Due to his time and genius I now have a "Ford Focus Fort" (FFF) which is totally cool.  While it did take he and I over 12 hours to accomplish I am now packed and outfitted with a full bed for sleeping inside my very little car whenever I so choose - out of the rain and safe from harm. 

So, having left Nanaimo I made my way to Merritt, BC and stayed at the Lundbom Forest Reserve Recreation Site for the night.  It might be a bit out of the way but totally worth the extra effort to locate.  For the grand total of $5.00 per night you too can stay at this beautiful location complete with the haunting call of Loons to greet you the next morning.  There are only about 10 sites but each has a view of a small lake for which I do not know the name. (Oh yes, the designated fee collector forgot to show so it was free!)

I was able to sleep in my ‘Ford Focus Fort’, however I did have to contrive a way to close the passenger side door after pretzelling my way into the bed as I couldn't reach it.  This was made possible with a length of rope tied to the door handle which I pulled shut once in the bed.  Worked like a charm!   

Mr. Finnigan had his little space next to me upon a stack of boxes and seemed none the worse for the experience.  At least until he got cold in the middle of the night when he snuffled his way under the bed clothes to get warm. 

Next morning I took some pictures, but I’m not sure they are the best they could be.  Anyone with some expertise may want to provide me with some pointers.  I am shooting with a Canon EOS 50D with a EF70-200mm f/2.8LIS USM lens.  I’m still very much a beginner and would appreciate any extra help.

I have attached a link to a map of the Okanagan for those who would like to see where I have been and where I am headed to. http://www.hellobc.com/NR/rdonlyres/EAB3BFD6-C396-495A-AD97-B486327BA414/0/region_tota.jpg

Next Stop:   Lumby, British Columbia, Canada  

Birthday Girl / Kelly date June 8, 2009

Allow me to introduce myself.  My name is Kelly Whitney-Squire and I am currently on an epic journey across Canada and the United States to attend school in Nova Scotia!

I will be turning 49 on June 11th and starting my master of recreation this September at Acadia University.  As they say, it is never too late to learn something new and amazing.  My dilemma of course, is that there are so many new and amazing things to learn, see and do!  

Regardless, my path is set and after completing my degree in tourism management this spring at Vancouver Island University in British Columbia I am off on another fantastic adventure.  

If you would like to check out my blog as I travel across Canada and the United States I would be happy to share my thoughts and adventures with you.  I will be traveling in the company of my faithful friend Mr. Finnigan (my puppy) who will keep me in good company throughout.  

I will be adding pictures and posts every day or two as I find a wireless connections so stay tuned.  If you know people who might be interested in my journey please feel free to share the blog address with them.  

To my family and friends I send my love and a promise to drive carefully!