On The Way to Golden

Made it over Kicking Horse Pass to get to Golden, BC in time to watch England v. USA from Raustenberg, SA

Rested for the Final Push

A wet day in Calgary. I took a long drive from Banff down to Calgary. Tried to find somewhere to get a picture of Martin and myself on a horse but no luck. Walked around Calgary and found an Irish pub that will please Rob when he gets here. It was only six degrees so pretty chilly but Irish stew and a pint of the black stuff made us feel better. We had some time to kill before picking up Ann and Wendy from the airport. We shopped a bit at the Hudson Bay Company then it was off to the airport. It has been three weeks since I have seen Ann, we're not used to being apart for that long. It's our wedding anniversary on Saturday; I thought it was Friday.

Guess which one used to captain the Springboks

Money for accommodation always gets tight toward the end

Back to the diet

The Hot Tub That Dare Not Speak Its Name

We spent Wednesday 9th June in Banff all day. Ended up staying around the cabin for most of the day owing to heavy rain. Walked around town for a bit but not a lot more. We did go into an art gallery; it will please Ann I did not buy anything. On a dull day where you think nothing is likely to happen, something did, another meeting of new friends. We asked a nice South African couple to take our picture (see blog entry below below) whilst canoeing. Later in the hot tub we had a bit of a "Small World" moment when this "Giant of a Man" turned out to be former Bok captain Theuns Stofberg. I hope to meet up with him again in Vancouver.

The justgiving.com donations are now up to 10k+; thanks to everyone for that. Kevin Leek sent me an e-mail which provided me with this little gem:

'History is how we view yesterday and tomorrow is a mystery. However today is a gift and that's why it's called the present.'

The squeamish should look away now

Lake Louise

The 8th of June has been a rest day in Banff. A day of not driving the 2CV. After starting my 48 hour diet (before Ann gets here) we headed of for Lake Louise about 30min drive. It's a great place to spend the day and, after being convinced I needed a walk around the lake, we went canoeing followed by a walk up the side of the lake. It seemed every tourist there where from the UK. Returning home for a hot tub and bed. Lloyd leaves Wednesday morning so last chance to do the dad bit.

Lake Louise

Three men in a boat

On the way back from the taxidermist!

TECHIE SPOT - The above captures the moment Martin climbs into the canoe and breaks the seat. Furthermore, he cannot turn on his bedroom light.

BANFFFFFFFFFF!

No miles travelled today apart for a walk to the hot tub. The view from the cabin is great! After our last drive Lloyd and Martin went for a walk in the mountains. My day was rest and a bit of shopping. We have started to feed the local crow family. Martin thinks they will be eating out of his hand by the end of the week. I managed to get a photo of what is I am told a prairie dog it looks more like a rat to me. Today is going to be a four mile walk around a lake. The sun is shining so it might happen. Last day here for Lloyd he flies back to Vancouver on Wednesday morning. Techie Spot: Martin attempted to operate the dishwasher.

Prarie Dog in a Chipmunk Suit

View from the cabin

Section 4 - Part 3 - Medicine Hat to Calgary

Mileage leaving Medicine Hat 36,363 miles, mileage arriving Calgary 36,559, total driven 196 miles

Left the 2CV at Calgary airport and we have driven up to Banff in the support car about one hour on from Calgary. What a birthday! It started off in Medicine Hat aiming to get to Calgary early afternoon. No hang over from my UK birthday party in Medicinie Hat so I am up for the drive to Calgary just to see some hills at least. Before I left I had a few birthday cards some physical, others by electronic. One I was told to look at on my birthday was on:

Happy Birthday, Colin! on Vimeo.

Have a look at it, it was a bit tearful for me.

We got to Calgary and there are the mountains; after leaving Winnipeg it was just flat lands but now this. I am going to drive my 2CV over these hills, no problem. My best move for the next few days is to stay in the mountains. Nenna found us a cabin in Banff. Parked the car at the airport for a well earned rest ready for the Vancouver bit on Saturday. My birthday meal was great as we have a kitchen in this cabin. Martin and Lloyd cooked us a bbq outside. Today will be a rest day getting ready for the wave of people come over later in the week. Lloyd wanted me to go for a walk today. He has not lived with me a lot in recent years so he has not got to know me when it comes to walking but I might do some thing like that.

We went to a WalMart just out side Calgary and parked the 2CV; the interest from people was amazing. I met a guy for Bedford and we talked as though we were there.

One thing we have noticed on the drive from Winnipeg to Calgary the fuel stations are owned and run by South Korean people (that's something for your pub quiz) and also the further west you go towards Calgary the happier people are. Not sure if it works like that in Lincoln.

TECHIE SPOT: Martin has been working out how to get the video on his camera onto a computer, so far failure!

Wine named after me

Friendly folk on the flat bit

Section 4 - Part 2 - Moosomin to Medicine Hat

Mileage leaving Moosomin 35,920 miles, mileage arriving Medicine Hat 36,363, total driven 443 miles

A long and, at times slow, drive; battling a head wind brought the top speed down to 40 mph. we were told by different people on the route how to deal with the boredom 'Look at the clouds' and Imagine when 'Indians used to run around here'. Lloyd and Martin started to keep a mental log of the dead animals on the side of the road.

The day started with meeting Chris, a cyclist riding to Vancouver. A lot of trains pulling the largest number of carriages I have ever seen; it takes two or three engines to pull them.

As we have now crossed 2 time zones and June 6th is my birthday. When we got here last night it was my birthday in the UK +7 hours from here. I'm looking forward to Calgary and some mountainous landscape. A few days rest in Calgary then I'll be joined by Ann, Wendy, Rob, Jeffrey, Paul and and Herman the German.

TECHIE SPOT - I think while Martin, my designated technician, is here I will need to have a techie spot in order to catalogue all his technological shortcomings. Everyday there seems to be another thing that he can't operate. So far these include a camera, wing mirrors on the hire car, under seat heating, (in fact, anything that is attached to the car), coffee machines in hotel bedrooms, air conditioning in hotel bedrooms.

We met up with some girls last night who where travelling north and after some cash. It seemed that if they did not get a lift they where going to jump a train. So it still goes on.

Chris on his 4,000 mile trip

Having a light lunch

Heading north

The way you spend your birthday in Canada

Just the start