MT: Big Sky Country

To sum up our Montana travels- rainy, rotten weather, a teaser peak at Glacier,  and a joyful reunion.

The small community of Whitefish and hip Bozeman were the favorites; maybe due to the break from the rain, or maybe because we enjoyed their local breweries best. 

My dad and Sarah met us in Bigfork- hooray!- and we attempted to take in the beauty of Glacier despite heavy clouds and spitting rain. It made for an adventure as we all piled into the bus to see how far we could climb before the road closed. A shout out goes to Grace and Matt who recommended the huckleberry ice cream and Mckenzie River Pizza Co. 👍

With so much driving lately, we craved some solid down time. We found it about 15 miles outside Helena at a lake that was vacant due to recent government closures.  We had the place to ourselves. The dogs ran free. We made dinner in the bus, and we drank wine around the bonfire.

BANFF & Our Greatest Investment To Date

Here's the thing. This trip was originally set for a July jump off date, which means when we envisioned touring the Canadian Rockies we honestly didn't predict the desperate need for a heater. Cut to the end of September when we actually arrived (yes, I am an incredibly delayed blogger... But who can blog when there is so much to see out the window). It is seriously chilly. The drive looks surprisingly a lot like Wyoming and I love it. Unfortunately, the wind is also similar to home. Cuts to the core. Neither of us have taken our long johns off for days. It was time for our biggest purchase yet. Flannel sheets. They are absolutely the best $35 I have ever spent. So to date, our only souvenirs are these sheets and a Bigfoot magnet. I'm not complaining.

BANFF

Wow. Sometimes I feel like an outdoor snob because I find myself comparing places to the epic Wind Rivers in Wyoming, but this place was no joke. Stop one was picturesque Lake Louise. We tried our hands at some canoeing. As I paddled, mesmerized at the pale teal water from the glacial silt, Ben set about to getting to the end and back in record time. Other highlights include closing down BANFF Hot Springs, waking up the following morning at 1:30 in the afternoon (time warp?!) and Bloody Mary's for breakfast. If it were a tad warmer we would have loved to have taken some longer treks and backpacked for weeks. Another trip I suppose. We rolled out as the snow rolled in and had to defrost our toes at Radium Hot Springs. Seriously. The place was named after traces of radon was discovered in the water. 

Bighorn sheep bid us farewell as we journeyed back south, hoping for warmer territory.

CANADA West Coast Edition

After being forced to pitch our firewood, we crossed the border and wandered through Vancouver. Stanley Park was a nice stop for beers and cider, though they are quick on dealing out parking tickets. I should note that we are yet to see the repercussions of not paying the absurd fee. We figure we are exempt now that we returned to US soil.  The pups loved the smells from the Seawalk. Todd Barry was showing at the Comedy Club, so we parked downtown and had to get up early-8am!!- for the first time on our trip. Seems my body has gotten used to a full 10 hrs of sleep, and not a minute less.

The Museum of Anthropology was a highlight with totems and artifacts of the native Pacific Northwest and Inuit people. After teaching about these civilizations for years as a 6th grade teacher, it was fun witness the detail first hand. After, we found an incredible dog-friendly hiking area with lush forest and trails just down the street.