Trans-Canada highway 1 (and only)

Trip Start Sep 03, 2008
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Trip End Oct 01, 2008


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Flag of Canada  , British Columbia,
Sunday, September 14, 2008

Well, today we make the trip westward across the Canadian Rockies, halfway to Vancouver from Calgary.  I expected the road to be 2-lane and winding, but it was a pleasant surprise.  The better part of it was 4-lane with the rest being 2-lane with an added third lane added periodically for passing.  It was a very nice drive among spectacular scenery on a beautiful, clear day.  Along with drop-down barricades to close roads, we have seen more unique Canadian roadway appliances on this trip.  Where the old 2-lane road exists, there are no fences along the road, just signs to watch for wildlife along the road. (We have seen precious little of that!).  Where they 4-lane the road, they put 8-foot high fences parallel to the road to keep the wildlife back.  Since this may cut them off from their Grandchildren (God forbid), they install giant culverts across both traffic lanes, and cover them with dirt to create an animal bridge over the freeway and through the woods, so to speak.  How very Canadian, eh.  We also passed through several "tunnels" in the mountains, that were not really tunnels More stunning mountain views
More stunning mountain views
 .  They were shed-like structures built over both lanes of the highway in places where tunnels were were not necessary.  They were cut into the hillside on the uphill side, but open on the downhill side.  They had a slanted roof, covered in dirt.  After several miles of being puzzled, we finally figured out they were there to keep avalanches from blocking the road.  Looking up the mountain, the trees were all knocked down in a path that led to the "tunnel".

We made more stops than usual, and made a stop at a small town grocery store as Sandy loves to see what other people have that we don't.  They had buffalo sausage!  Almost all of the towns along the road are railroad stations, as the road parallels the Canadian Pacific tracks through the mountains.  My guess, Alec, is that the trip West from Lake Louise is longer and more scenic that the trip East.  Am I right?

We arrived at Sicamous mid-afternoon, and Sandy is doing a load of laundry as I sit on the patio overlooking the river and do my blogging.  The temperature is around 70 and it is crystal clear.  This town is the "houseboat capital of the world" (self-proclaimed ), and there are a couple of houseboat manufacturers on the very pretty lake down the road.  There is a marina restaurant and bar that we will be trying out for dinner tonight This is a wildlife bridge
This is a wildlife bridge
 .  Bart, it reminds me of our days on the Tennessee river, and the trek to Zippy Cove!

Tomorrow is the last 300 miles to Vancouver, and the Pacific Ocean.  We rolled over 4,500 miles today, so our trip is half over, distance-wise.  The days are flying past, bu it is getting difficult to remember the first few days.  Denver seems like years ago.  The best part about being on the road is missing Southern Cal slaughter my Buckeyes, and missing what is sure to be a slaughter of the Browns by Pittsburgh (9 in a row, I believe it will be).  Hope springs eternal though.

Tomorrow Vancouver (for 2 days!)
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