Banff National Park

Banff National Park has some of the most beautiful places in the world. We made a quick trip to some of its highlights on our way home. In the above photo we are along the Bow River Parkway between Banff and Lake Louise.

The Bow River makes its way through the valley with stunning mountains all around.

Rosie captured me on a rock near Moraine Lake.

I think Moraine Lake is the most picturesque spot in North America. It's arresting blue/green color and the surrounding peaks that shoot straight out of its shore along with the evergreen woods make for a scene that is unparalleled.

Lake Louise is absolutely beautiful as well

Glacier National Park

We drove to Glacier National Park on Thursday night for a long anticipated trip to one of the crown jewels in the National Park System.  Rosie spent many summer vacations early in her life in Montana and visited Glacier a few times. I had never been there and was very excited to see its mountains, waterfalls, rivers and glaciers.

When we got there Thursday night we rode our bikes along the shore of Lake McDonald.

This was a warm up for my big ride the next day.

For years I have dreamed of riding the Going to the Sun highway which runs east to west through the heart of this beautiful park. It is considered by many to be the most beautiful road in the entire country.  It is 50 miles with almost 4,000 feet of elevation gain and every inch provides a gorgeous view. The road is only open a few months of the year -- because of snow -- and bicycles can ride only on limited hours until after Labor Day. So our timing was perfect for this adventure.  It was a bright sunny day with temperatures in the seventies and eighties after the morning cold wore off.

It took 12 years to construct the Going to the Sun road and it opened to the public in 1933. It is a narrow two lane road with serious exposure to the side in most places.   

Designing and engineering this road was a major challenge.  Above are arches that were built on the side of the mountain to give enough surface to make it wide enough for a two lane road. Remarkable!

Rosie joined me for much of the first part of the ride that included the glorious views of Lake McDonald, the surrounding mountains and crystal clear rivers and waterfalls. 

Every mile was stunning. It was hard to concentrate on the road.

The "Red Rocket" poses for a portrait on the ascent.

The road was cut in the side of the mountain and is very visible in the middle of this photo.

I only saw one other bike at the summit -- Logan Pass. Compare it to the "Red Rocket".  I have no idea how he even got on that thing, let alone pedaled it to the summit. There is a sign on the bike by his helmet that read, "Tips appreciated".  I wonder what would happen if I did that with the "Rocket".

While it was a bit hazy and the sun was not perfect for a photo, one can appreciate the beauty of St. Mary's Lake from this spot along the way.

We stopped for a picnic lunch and photo at Logan Pass.  Rosie also rode the last few miles of this adventure with me.  She was a perfect support person -- as she is in every aspect of my life.

After our Going to the Sun adventure we drove to Waterton National Park across the Canadian Border. They have built a wonderful bike trail from the park entrance into Waterton (five miles) that is almost like an amusement park ride.  It has the perfect amount of curves, ups and downs to make for a very fun experience and the views along the lakes with the rugged and beautiful mountains are incredible.

Here we are right before sunset outside the Prince of Wales hotel where we spent the evening after a truly unforgettable and wonderful day. We went to sleep that night with an even greater appreciation for God's creative genius.

I never would have guessed that we would go to Glacier and not hike one bit. But our bikes made up for the hiking shortfall.

I wanted to add my take.  This trip for me was the celebration of our 33rd anniversary.  We had a busy month of August with girl's camp and family reunions.  So when Brad talked about wanting to go to Canada on a trip I told him I would love to celebrate our anniversary.  Now one question I asked was if you had to choose between the red rocket and me which one would you take?  I am not sure he answered the question but obviously He got both! The difference between Brad and I here is that I like going on a "bike ride".  He likes living on his bike!   I got to do some things I wanted to do while he was fulfilling his dream and it was a win win!  I recommend every married couple finds a way to have a get away and make each other a priority!  Rosie

Bears, a Temple and an Andre Rieu Concert

This was a most memorable day with a roller-coaster bike ride, an encounter with a mother bear and her cub, a visit to the Cardston temple and a wonderful Andre Rieu concert in Calgary,

We knew it would be great when we saw the sunrise from the Prince of Wales hotel,

The setting of the Prince of Wales is truly spectacular -- on the prominent ridge overlooking one of the most beautiful lakes in the world with steep rugged mountains that jut straight up.

Here's the view Saturday morning as the sun came up The town of Waterton is on the right. The lake has the appearance of an infinity pool doesn't it? The mountains are layered in such a way that it gives it an endless mystical look.

The first rays of sun hit the majestic Prince of Wales hotel.  Rosie came here as
a child and it was my anniversary gift to bring her back to stay here! 

To begin the day we hopped on our bikes and rode into town-- stopping at this beautiful waterfall just off the main street.

After exploring the small downtown area we went back to the picturesque and wonderful bike trail that leads into town. Rosie is bundled up to stay warm on a cool morning. The Prince of Wales hotel can be seen on the ridge in the middle of the photo.

This is the best bike path I have ever been on.

I encountered a mother bear and her cub as I rode along the path.  They were only 20 feet away when I rode by them and it put a bit of fear in me.  While I wanted to stop and take a photo with my iphone (the only camera I had)  I knew that would not be wise at such a close distance.  So I doubled back along the road above the bike path to take a photo. When the mother bear saw me at about 25 feet away she gave me the "stink eye" and I got on my bike and sprinted in the opposite direction. Once I was far enough away to feel safe I pulled out the camera to take a photo.  The mother was lumbering across the road. If you look closely you can see her right in front of the truck.  The cub ran across the road a couple of minutes later.

Cardston, Canada is a small town (4,000 people) some 25 miles east of Waterton National Park. Its proximity to the incredible beauty of Waterton is not an indication of the terrain around this flat and dry town that is the home of the sixth temple of the Mormon church.  It was dedicated in 1923 and stands on a prominent hill in town.  It is 88,000 square feet and is beautiful inside with exquisite hardwoods used throughout the temple.   Cardston is the place where Grandma Miller was born.

We drove to Calgary to attend the Andre Rieu concert.  Rieu is the Dutch violinist, conductor, showman and musician who is  Billboard's sixth largest selling musical performer around the world. Over the last year we have fallen in love with his performances on DVD that blend classical, opera, Broadway, spiritual, marches and popular music into a moving and inspiring experience. Most of the stuffy classical critics abhor the way he gets the audience involved in his music but that is part of what we love (especially the dancing!).  His music has brought great joy to us and seeing him in person was everything we had anticipated.  We left the concert uplifted and floating on air.