Just passing through

Just as the rig’s odometer tipped 100,000 outside of St. George, we made the impulsive decision to head east into the national parks of the Canadian Rockies—we couldn’t help it and we had nothing but time. From the west, the entry into this glacially blanketed and snow capped region occurs via the Mount Robson Provincial Park. Robson is the tallest mountain in the Canadian Rockies and certainly looks the part with it’s steep faces and prominent features. Because of our proximity to Robson and the national parks, free camping in the area would have to be carefully evaluated. We’d be near the busiest parts of Canada aside from the cities. So, we headed a dozen or so miles back where we came to Valecourt where we were able to find a road to river access with signs of prior overnighters. The next morning, we found the courage to join the droves of tourists as we made our way down the Icefields Parkway. For the occasion, I ordered myself a chai tea latte from Coco’s Cafe in Jasper which was probably the best one I’d ever had (although I’m probably not the best judge of coffee drinks).

So, Lara and I are tourists. We can’t really deny it. We are not from here and are just passing through like everyone else. But after spending the last several years working in the outdoors leading trips, instructing various outdoor skills, doing trail work, NOLS, working on glaciers and rivers, etc., we don’t fit the typical tourist bill. After seeking out discreet places to camp every night, cooking food on the side of the road, and running on local trails, we both felt a little removed from the place. There were more people here than we expected for the time of year, but it was pretty easy to put miles between ourselves and them out on the trails. At the “main attractions”, it was just as fun to take pictures of the tourists as it is the natural surroundings. At the toe of the Columbia Glacier, we saw buses equipped to drive onto the glacier to give anyone who wanted to pay for it, the chance to say they were on a glacier. It wasn’t much different than the glacier dogsled experiences my summer employer offered. If they are here just to get the perfect picture to prove they were here, they are missing the point of these places entirely. Regardless, Lara and I had great time and enjoyed sunny weather. Oh, and Lara gave me a much needed haircut!

After a few days in the national parks, it was back to the uncertainty of the road. At dusk, we parked the rig outside of Golden, BC down a dirt road the GPS didn’t recognize. We followed it until it’s end which was farm property for sale so it seemed safe to assume no one would be driving down the road or bother us. Wrong. Two men with machetes came out of the scrub brush at the edge of an adjacent field. Just kidding, it was a stress and worry-free place to kick it for the night.

Highlights: People watching, people watching, people watching. #oldmeninshorts. Icefields Parkway. Running to Tim Hecker’s album Harmony in Ultraviolet alone and beyond Wilcox Pass. Seeing Mount Robson.