It’s raining outside today.  Although I suppose it never rains inside.  I’m comfortably dry and warm inside my cabin kitchen, and even though it’s a little too warm and I just sweat my way through breakfast, I won’t complain, because I at least I don’t have to plant.  It’s mid-July, and hard to believe that there are still people willing to bend over 3000 times a day in the heat, rain, and bugs.  Or 7000 times if you’re Rob.  

We finished the Black Spruce contract on Thursday, July 4, camp moved to Atikokan on Friday, and helped Crossroutes finish their contract on Saturday.  Back in town on Sunday, we partied together one last time at a pub, drinking and dancing to the surprisingly good tunes of some local no-name Bluesfest band.  We said our goodbyes to good friends, and the next morning half the crew headed home, while the other half stayed to finish trees for Green Mantle, which ended on Wednesday.  And Wednesday was the day Jordan and I headed out to Manitouwadge to finish one more contract.   Black Spruce, Crossroutes, Green Mantle, Green Forest—so many trees to be planted! 

We’re now part of a 25-person crew that’s doing a contract that came up kind of last minute.  It should be short, and we’re planning to peace out next Saturday morning.  One more week to go!  We’re staying at a “resort”, and I say that with quotations because the Northern Ontario idea of resort is pretty different from that of someone from South-western Ontario.  However, for tree planting, conditions are pretty classy.  I’m cooking in a cabin, which also has a bedroom and bathroom, so I can roll out of bed, walk 10 steps to a porcelain toilet (!), and then 5 steps back into the kitchen and start breakfast.  No more scary trips outside in the dark at 3am, wondering if there’s a bear waiting for me under the kitchen trailer, or giant bugs in the outhouse, or Spencer hiding somewhere to jump out at me.

I do miss our crew though!  Green Mantle people have always been awesome, and this year was no exception.  The crew was full of generally happy people, very few were quitters, and they know how to have a good time.  With very little prodding, they dressed up for Halloween in the middle of May, just because their supervisor told them to.  On Sexy Saturdays they looked sexy.  Or nerdy.  Apparently nerdy is the new sexy.  On talent show night they whipped out skills like knife twirling (!?—didn’t know that was a thing), did impressions, or shared original lyrics to unoriginal songs.  They sang “Oh Canada” at the top of their lungs at midnight, and not even on Canada Day.  There were people like Nic and Krista, who are really cool.  Or Kraydrienne—three girls with a penchant for partying like rockstars, and who force everyone around them to do so as well.  Or the Frenchies, who invented town hall, and welcomed all to attend meetings.  Or Spencer, who kept me company during one too many rides from Thunder Bay to the shop.  Or Barnes, who accidentally steals treats, but replaces them with chocolate bunnies.  Or Jess, a sweetheart who left flowers for us to find at 4am.    Or Naomi, cook extraordinaire, who kept me sane, kept me motivated, kept me entertained, kept me company, and made delicious food all at the same time.  And a ton of other awesome people!   I knew I'd have fun cooking, but I didn't expect to make so many new friends.  What a treat!  Forever shout it loud and proud people—WE ARE GREEN MANTLE! 

Woman Day:  It poured and busses didn't get back til 9pm.  But there was sangria in giant margarine containers.  

Pizza Pizza Pizza

Day off on Mount McKay

Canada Day stop at the Terry Fox memorial to sing "Oh Canada" to Lake Superior and a handful of very confused tourists

Green Mantle planters go hard.  Dinner waiting to be served...at 12:11 am

Pretty proud of my Canada shortcake

Penny got tagged by a German skateboarding gang

Right now it’s 12:30 a.m., I’m sitting on the floor in Alia’s living room, and she’s serenading Tim and I with sweet melodies from her guitar.  She thinks she doesn’t know the right words, but it doesn’t matter.  The guitar strings can do the singing.  And her voice is beautiful, regardless of the lyrics. 

 

It’s a typical weekend.   The convoy of busses, stake trucks, and a couple planter cars usually roll into the complex around 9 p.m. on Saturday.  We usually stop for DQ, then head over to Alia’s house, where it’s even more ridiculous to see a convoy of busses and stake trucks parked on a quiet, tree-lined neighbourhood street.  Alia’s mom is an incredibly gracious host, letting 8 of us dirty tree planters (er, 7 plus a cook) take over her house every weekend.  There are bags of dirty laundry in the entry way, sleeping bags scattered on every couch and bed, and beers stuffed in every open spot in the fridge.  Soon after arriving, there are 8 people also spread out on every bed or couch, minus the one in the shower.   Sometimes we head out for drinks and dancing, sometimes we crash and sleep off a long week.  Dancing with a bunch of tree planters is a great time, albeit a very sweaty time. 

Sundays I’ve been going to Grassroots Church in the morning, where it feels wonderfully like being at home.  Plus, who doesn’t like having a coffee / snack break in the middle of the service?  After church we find one way or another to chill and fill the day.  There’s usually a nap involved, and lots of hippie-like living room sessions, with someone on the guitar or the piano, and everyone else on slightly out of key back-up vocals.  Lee’s mom loves it. 

Sundays aren’t all naps and sleepy sing alongs, though.  One day I sat in Pink Penny where I had a great view of Sleepy G and Lake Superior, reading a book in the sun.  Another day I went for a skate around Boulevard Lake, and at the end the skies opened up and it poured.  It was delicious.  We’ve gone out to see a couple movies, although none have gotten me too excited yet.  Maybe because I haven’t seen Star Trek.  We’ve gone out for sushi (I just watched), and of course to the complex for a swim, although now it’s closed for a few weeks, and we’re not sure what to do with ourselves.

Mondays are a bit busier, with a trip out to the shop to get a vehicle, then pick up meat on the way back, then a few stops to get the last of the groceries.  I will always make time for breakfast at a diner, though.  Very sadly, the T Bay Restaurant is closed for good, but Miranda and Alia introduced us to this great new place, Norma Jean’s.  The walls are covered with posters of Marilyn Monroe and classic cars, the booths have faded plastic seats, and the food is deliciously greasy.  It’s the perfect morning-after breakfast place. 

At 4:30 the busses meet at the complex again and we all head back out to camp, and we get ready to start all over again Tuesday morning.   While I’m sure the planters are well aware of every grueling day out there, the days and weeks seem to be flying by to me.  When I’m tired and jonesing for a nap, time seems to drag by a little slower, but in general it’s hard to believe that I’m on week 7 of my menu plans.  And that Jordan is coming up here in one week!

Jordan came over his birthday weekend, the end of week 5.  I picked him up on Thursday morning, we grabbed a few mid-week groceries, a couple Persians, and headed back out to camp.  He sat on the cook shack counter, entertaining Naomi, Barnes, and I, while we made dinner.  Friday he planted, and managed to high ball most of the rookies, with a solid 3k by 4:30, even with a mid-afternoon cache nap.  He was tired when he got back though, so it should be fun for him to be forced back into shape when he gets here next week.  Saturday we barbequed burgers together, which could have ended with the cookshack burning down, thanks to the massive flames leaping from Jordan’s barbeque.  It’s probably best that he leaves the cooking to Naomi and I next time.   It was great to see him and sad to leave him, but we’re awesome, and love persists.  Not everyone may agree with us spending 7 weeks apart, but I truly appreciate it, because I know that when we’re together again, it’s that much more awesome.   I love my love!

A weekend with Jord

Some days it gets pretty hot in the kitchen

New camp has butterflies every where!

Heyo!

It’s the weekend again, and I’m curled up in Starbucks with a mocha and my laptop, getting caught up on all the facebook gossip.  It’s hard to believe that weeks 2, 3, and 4 have already come and gone since I last wrote about life in the bush.  The contract is half over!   So how have the past three weeks been?  I will tell you.

Week two’s daily mantra was “Today is going to be a good day!”  And it seems mantras work--every day was better than the one before.  Tuesday was a bit rocky, because we had to go back into town to pick up the other half of the groceries we couldn’t fit in the van on Monday.  So with the extra 3 hours of driving and 2 hours of groceries it was a very busy day.  However, we did get a free cup of coffee from a guy in town just because he recognized us as planters.  And the fact that it could rival Detour coffee made it all that much more enjoyable.  

Week three had a couple highlights too.  The health inspector did come back, and Ry, I took your advice—I gave him a krispie roll, and WOULD have offered him coffee, had he not helped himself first (yeah, he’s that kinda guy), but now I think I have a new best friend.  We also celebrated Man Day on Friday, complete with steak and man-shaped biscuits decorated with strategically placed peanuts.  They looked…manly.  Our creative juices are already flowing for the baking possibilities for woman day.  We need something to rival the Dolly Parton cupcakes of Black Bay for sure.  Anyways, Man Day was good, and the men chugged beer like a Barnes, but not better than a Barnes, as the staff team managed to pull off a win for the second consecutive year.  And as Brad likes to point out, his sixth consecutive year.  Fanny must be so proud!

By week three Naomi and I settled into a comfortable routine.  A lot of the planters have asked, “So what does your day look like?” and maybe you’re wondering too, so here’s our routine:

We wake up around 4 a.m., strap on our headlamps and stumble to the outhouses.  Nothing like a cold breeze brushing your bottom to wake you up in the morning.   On the plus side though, I got to see some incredible Northern Lights the other morning as my perk for being up so early.  Holly, it reminded me of when we saw them on our spontaneous camping trip in March last year, except these ones were so much more vivid. 

Every morning for breakfast we bake muffins or a loaf, bacon or sausage, and then something hearty and hopefully delicious, like banana pancakes, orange-honey glazed french toast, bagel BELTs, grilled cheese, etc.  The grilled cheese for breakfast deal I don’t really understand, but when we add bacon to it everyone gets excited, so we’ll just keep doing it. 

After the planters leave we clean the mess tent, do the dishes, put all the lunch stuff away, and then head right back to bed for a nap.  A couple times I’ve woken up with a start and shot up in bed, convinced that it was a new day and I had just slept through breakfast.  That is one of the most frightening feelings, but thankfully, one that has yet to be a reality.  

Back in the kitchen we make dinner, dessert, the next day’s snack, and the next day’s muffin batter.  Dinner usually consists of a salad, side, sometimes a vegetable dish, and a main dish with meat.  Or in the vegetarian case, “meatless soy crumble”, which is meant to look like ground beef.  To date we have pulled off some awesome dinners, including classics like shepherd’s pie, lasagna, sweet n sour meatballs, chili, chicken parmesan, and of course everyone’s favourite, taco salad.  For my vegetarian/celiac/lactose-free friends I’ve experimented in brand new territory, with ratatouille, tomato lentil stew, homemade granola bars, and something with a lot of beans.  Who knew there were so many different kinds?  I’ll admit was determined to dislike cooking a separate meal for 4 people, but when Page came in and said, “I’ve decided your food tastes so good because you cook it with love”, it melted my heart a little bit.  And it’s kinda fun to chop up a bunch of stuff, throw it in a crockpot—all with love of course—and then have someone rave about it 7 hours later.  It’s also been nice getting to see at least four people in the trailer every night at dinner, asking them about their day, and sharing about ours too.  There’s Page who melted my heart towards vegetarians, who’s been nicknamed Blind Page, because she's “Page with no i”.  There’s also Lindsay, who I planted with for a week last year, and who became a vegetarian this past year, which I totally thought was a joke when at Josh and Naomi’s stag n doe, she got caught without goldfish insurance and was called up to eat a fish.  It wasn’t a joke, and when she convinced Josh to eat a fish for her I thought she was the most brilliant person.  Then there’s Hope, who does a happy dance every time I tell her what’s for dinner.  And finally there’s Dave, the German, who is part of a skateboard gang--or as he prefers, “crew”--and who eats more food than any vegetarian or non-vegetarian I know. 

After dinner we do a ton of dishes, or rather, Naomi does a ton of dishes while I find other things to make me look busy so I can get away with not doing dishes.  That girl’s a saint for putting up with me, I tell ya. We get everything cleaned up, set up for breakfast, and then head out sometime between 8 and 10pm.  

The day’s are long, but we’re able to work at a comfortable pace now, and we get to sit outside in the sun for lunch, or take a mid-day sink shower, or do menu planning on the stairs while waiting for the bus.  I really enjoy the variety for work, every hour or so it’s on to the next thing.  I’m on to the next one.  On to the next one. 

I’m sure this week will be a lot of the same, so next week I’ll tell ya what we’ve been up to on the weekends.  And about Jordan visiting for his birthday! 

For now, the promised photos of us doin our thang, and a couple extras.  Cheers!

The view from the kitchen in the morning.  I like it.

Bread Mountain.   Warning:  Do not climb.

Burger Day, our favourite.

Boterkoek, Oma style (10 at a time).

I staked a flag in Cookie Mountain.

A day in the life.

Man Day!  

Man welcome sign.

Man biscuits.

Man meat.

Man chugging beer.

Our kitchen, looking unusually sparkly.  (Inspection day).  

Bagel BELT day.

Tea to fend of the plague (unsuccessful) and ratatouille.  

What happens when you make banana bread at 1 a.m.? You need to start over because it's the consistency of wet sand.  

One afternoon we finished early and I got to enjoy an hour in Spence's hammock.  Heaven on earth.

Thunder Bay May 2013

So I’m up in Thunder Bay again. 

I convoyed up in Pink Penny with five other guys last Monday.   Good driving,  gorgeous views through the Shield, but definitely still lots of ice on the lakes.   When we arrived, my plan was to stay in a trailer at the shop and to cook and wash in the reefer kitchen, but in fairly predictable fashion, the kitchen was nowhere to be found.  So Naomi, my assistant cook, welcomed me to stay at her place. 

The first week was a lot of errands, and planning, and it was great to have a home base at Naomi’s house.  She lives on a farm 20 minutes outside of Thunder Bay, nestled inbetween the Nor’Westers.  It’s the kind of place where there’s a bucket of fresh eggs inside the door every morning, a box of kittens in the kitchen, and something freshly baked cooling on the counter.  I’ve decided that happiness is curling up in a beat up recliner beside a woodstove with a mug of tea, taking in the view of rolling pastures and a pink-purple evening sky.  Alice and Fritz are wonderful people with a wonderful home. 

Monday we headed out to the bush with our 15-seater diesel beast of a van loaded to the racks with groceries.  Our camp is an hour and a half from Thunder Bay, just off the highway that heads towards Armstrong. The camp is nothing too special, just a gravel pit left behind by loggers.  Accommodations are pretty fantastic though—we have a staff trailer, complete with beds, heat and hydro!  And it’s parked up on a bit of a hill, so I really feel like the king of the castle when I come out and see all the lowly planters in their tents below.  Just kidding, I love planters. 

So…cooking.  That’s the big reason I’m here.  To summarize: the week was long, and stressful, but ultimately rewarding.  I know that I should have known that things wouldn’t go quite as expected, but there were a lot more challenges than I was prepared for.  We have a crew of 65 planters and 9 staff, so we’re cooking for 75 people, though originally I had been told 40.   People told me, “Well, just make double of everything!”  Making double of everything takes twice as much time my friends, and unfortunately the time in a day is not doubling as well.  So over the course of the first three days I got a total of 11 hours of sleep.  Needless to say, when I napped on Friday, I napped HARD. 

Two days before we headed into the bush I found out that there is a vegan on our crew.  Not to worry, I spent several hours in Chapters reading about vegan cooking and assembling a mix of recipes.  One I arrived in the bush I found out that there are also two vegetarians, a girl that is lactose-intolerant, and a girl that is lactose-intolerant, celiac, and vegetarian.  So I am currently honing the skill of inventing foods with flax seeds and coconut butter. 

Despite bringing two vanloads of food into the bush, we were running low on several items by Thursday.  So we switched our dinner plans to something quick and easy, and drove back into Thunder Bay for the afternoon to buy yet another load of produce, eggs, and bread.  We’re currently trying to work out the logistics of driving a week’s worth of food in the van in a single load, when the van is only big enough to hold half of them.  #cookproblems

Making the food is the fun part.  I love baking, enjoy cooking, tolerate lunch prep, and despise dishes.  At 4 am it’s hard to WANT to get out of bed, but by 4:15, once I have a coffee in my hands, I really enjoy making breakfast.  Especially when we nail it, like we did with the honey and orange glazed french toast.  Unfortunately, the generator has killed that joy on several occasions this week, crapping out just as we reached the peak of breakfast rush.  Few things stress me out more than telling 65 planters there will be no coffee.  And walking empty-handed into the food tent, while a group of them unknowingly give me puppy eyes, holding their empty plates.  My goal is to make more than enough food every morning, and it’s brutal when it’s just sitting on the counter, unable to bake in time for bus departure because we have a crappy old generator. 

The crowning glory of the week’s problems was on Friday when the generator quit AND the water pump broke.  So we had no power or water.  Oh, and then Friday afternoon, while our supervisor was in town trying to get everything fixed, the health inspector came to camp, and Naomi and I were the only ones there to deal with him.  We didn’t dare start cooking while he was there because we didn’t even have water to wash our hands.  So for two hours we sat outside and waited.  And discussed how people would feel if we made peanut butter sandwiches for dinner. 

But Saturday we killed it.  Lasagna, garlic bread caesar salad with real bacon bits and homemade croutons, and banana cream poundcake for dessert.  Everyone ate til they were full, and even the guy who hates lasagna said he liked it.  Big W for the kitchen! 

So all in all it’s been challenging, but worth it so far.  I’m meeting some great people at camp, having a fun time in the kitchen with Naomi, feeling large and in charge, and pulling off some stuff I didn’t think I could.  C’est bon!

Went for a skate around Boulevard Lake

Checking out the crazy amounts of water in Kek

Farm life

Don't miss that

Photos of us actually cooking food another time.  

Summer 2012--Banff to Vancouver...and back

Wednesday:  Ultimate highlight of our trip!  Wednesday we went white water rafting down the Kicking Horse River near Yoho National Park.  We were on a raft with 6 other people and a guide.  We started at their basecamp….or at least where the basecamp used to be before it was washed down river a week earlier.  Because there had been so much rain in the area for about a month, the whole river was shifting and growing, and was especially full and fast—perfect for a fun ride.  As we started we asked how big the rapids would be.  There are 6 classes of rapids, 1 being moving water, getting progressively more fast and strong until you reach 5, which means “your middle name is Danger”, and 6 which means “you’re an idiot, you’re going to die”.  We were going to hit class 3 and 4, which turned out to be some pretty awesome rapids!  The raft slammed up and down through a stretch, soaking everyone with waves of shockingly cold water, and nearly sucking Jordan out to sea.  The water was freezing—“just melted this morning”—so I’m glad we managed to stay in the raft til the end.  Seriously amazing trip! 

Thursday:  We’d set up camp the previous night in Yoho, so Thursday we drove through the park to see he sights.  First stop, the town of Field, for real coffee.  Next we stopped at Emerald Lake, found a shady little nook and spread out to read with a perfect view of the mountains and turquoise water in front of us.  Then we headed up to Takkakaw Falls, once the tallest falls in Canada.  I dunno how other ones became taller…but it’s their claim to fame, and it gives some perspective on what Jordan proceeded to do.  As we walked up the path towards the scenic lookout people passed us muttering, “…like a shower…a really freezing, cold shower.”  We made it to the look out, got misted by the very cold water, then began to climb up to the base of the falls.  I made it about another 200 meters, before I gave up.  I was slipping on the loose rocks, soaked to my underwear, and the gusts of wind from the falls were strong enough to send me looking for shelter behind a big fallen boulder.  But not Jordan.  He made it another 200 meters, all the way to the very base of the falls, where for a few heart pounding moments, he disappeared from view.  He came back down soon after, drenched and shivering, and very proud.  I’m so glad I was not his mother.  Props, Kim.   

Emerald Lake--the gorgeous view while we read

Jordan hiking to the base of  Takakkaw Falls

Our setup in Yoho

mmm...re-fried spaghetti...

Friday:  Friday was another driving day, and we made it all the way out to Vancouver to stay with the Harskamps.  What an incredibly hospitable couple—we were immediately sat down with a glass of wine and a beer, then served a delicious salmon dinner. 

Saturday:  We explored a corner of Vancouver by bike, touring around Stanley Park, stopping to enjoy an hour on Third Beach, the “hipster beach”.  We managed to blend in, although we forgot to bring a joint.  Wow.  We spent the other half of the day on Granville Island, checking out Buskerfest and the market, particularly appreciating the donuts.  That night we headed over to Burnaby to visit Alaina, Greg and to meet Owen, who is 2 months old and about as adorable as they come.  They served us an amazing meal, (which we appreciated after some of the dinners we had at camp) and I think they appreciated having a couple of friends who know how to play euchre.  Al and I kicked the boys’ asses, in case you were wondering. 

Biking the seawall in Stanley Park

Sunday:  We joined Al and Greg for church and got to see where he works as a pastor at Willingdon.   We headed into Vancouver afterwards to explore Gas Town a little bit, an area lined with cobblestone streets, and unique shops and restaurants.  We curled up in a snazzy coffee shop to read.  We also spent a couple hours at the Vancouver aquarium, which was another high light.  There were so many types of fish!  One of them was the biggest in the world, and was probably as long as our car.  These other one were tiny eels that burrow their tails in the sand and then poke their heads out.  All in a row they looked like adorable blades of grass with tiny eyeballs.  So many strange and cool sea creatures, loved it.

Gas Town, Vancouver

Cutest eels ever, right?

Monday:  Said good-bye to the Harskamps and the Rockies, and drove all day to Calgary.  We rolled in to meet Jesse for dinner and drinks.  He took us around his neighbourhood, showed us where he works and hangs out.  It was great to catch up, since it’s been a couple years.  Also, he has an amazing cat.  It’s like a baby leopard crossed with a genius house cat.  It can jump and it’s smart.

Heading east for the first time

Morning drive out of Vancouver, clouds climbing the mountains

Enjoying the view of the Rockies one last time

Tuesday:  drove all day to Estevan, Saskatchewan.  Fairly uneventful. 

Salt flats in Chaplin, Saskatchewan

Happened upon Dog River and Corner Gas

Wednesday:  drove all day to Minneapolis to visit Anneke.  She and her boyfriend, Jeff, took us out to a local pizza place, and then an amazing “make your own Sunday” bar.  But better than the great food was catching up after another half year of not seeing each other.  It made me wish for a rainbow bridge from Hamilton to Minneapolis, because it sucks having to go so long without seeing a good friend.  We enjoyed it for the 10ish hours it lasted though.

Getting flatter, still pretty

Thursday:  drove all day to Hamilton.  It was long.  And our 4^th anniversary. 

An amazing trip, all in all.  I feel spoiled to have seen so much of Canada, and even more, to have done it all with my best friend.  To many more years of adventures and anniversaries, love!

My best friend

Summer 2012--Thunder Bay to Banff

Wednesday:  Jordan picked me up Wednesday morning.  It was glorious!  I got in the Subaru while everyone else got on the bus.  Suckers!  He navigated the windy gravel roads away from the misery- and mosquito-ridden camp, and then I took over in Long Lac so he could sleep, since he’d driven through the night to save me.  We made it to Thunder Bay by noon, and headed straight for the Hoito for a deliciously greasy breakfast.  We stayed the night in Kakabeka Falls, enjoyed some sub-par Shake Shop icecream, as per planter tradition, then really enjoyed watching Spiderman, since we were rained out at our campsite.   

The Hoito in Thunder Bay--up for best greasy spoon against the Thunder Bay Restaurant.

Thursday:  Drove to Brandon, Manitoba.  Uneventful.  Campground was crap—they had a swampy pond for a lake.   Totally lame. 

Manitoba:  Subi crossing the country like a champ.

Friday:  Drove to Lethbridge, Alberta.  Arrived to find Robyn sitting on the fence waiting for us!   After crossing 4 provinces in 2 days, it was great to stop and take a break.  Robyn’s family were gracious hosts, immediately feeding us, and then Robyn took us out to see a bit of Lethbridge.  We climbed part of the deathbridge (any higher, and I likely would have re-created my anxiety-panic moment on Ree’s roof), caught up over drinks at Robo’s favourite café/bar place, then headed back to watch a movie. 

Saskatchewan

Alberta

Weekend: Robyn took us to Writing on Stone, which was amazing!   In the middle of flat Alberta, there is a valley with hoodoos—oddly-shaped pillars of stone—carved out by the water and wind.  And you can climb them!  Jordan was in his glory, I definitely a bit more tentative (heights…anxiety-panic thing…)  Such a neat geological feature though.   Then it was off in the other direction to Chinook Lake to camp for the night with Robyn’s brother Josh, and his wife Tori.   It was amazing to watch the mountains get closer and closer, bigger and bigger, until were were right in the middle of them.   Camping turned out to be a DeGroot family affair, as Robyn’s brother Pieter and sister, Meaghan were there as well.  Great company, and a great day at the beach on Sunday.  We read in the sun, surrounded by mountains (which I couldn’t get over), learned how to play spike ball, and jumped in the glacial lake for all of 20 seconds.   After they left, Jord and I decided to stay another night, and we pretty much had that loop of the campground to ourselves.  It was both eerily and beautifully quiet.

Jordan in his glory

Robyn, the fearless guide; me, the very timid follower

Chinook Lake, Alberta

Monday:  Drove to our next destination, White Swan Provincial Park in B.C.  We heard that it had hot springs that weren’t as touristy as the ones at Radium or Banff, so we decided to check it out.  To get into the park we had to drive down a logging road that wound through the mountains, getting increasingly higher, and higher, and with decreasing safety barriers.  At one point I could look down out the passenger window, and about two feet from our tires the road just dropped off….about 500 meters down to a river bed.  It was so freakin’ scary!  (Again, heights…anxiety-panic thing… There’s a great video I made where you can hear the fear in my voice.)  But we made it in alive.  Only to find out that the hot springs are currently cold.  Go figure….It was a gorgeous campground—turquoise lakes very literally hidden in the mountains, a carpet of green going up on every side.  But we decided to head to Kootenay to camp instead, so we took Death Road back out and headed further north.  We found a campsite, again very eerily alone, and then headed to Radium to relax in some very touristy, but hot hot springs. 

The road into Kootenay National Park

Relaxing in Radium Springs

Thumbs up for big horned sheep walking down the centre lane.  They don't even care.

Tuesday:  Enjoyed a lazy breakfast at our campsite, then did a bit of touring.  We saw Moraine Lake, another gorgeous blue-green lake, and had lunch sitting on a log in the icy water.  We considered hiking a steep trail to a glacier in Kootenay, then decided, hey, it’s vacation, let’s sit on a beach in Banff instead.  And it was awesome.   We came back to our site to find that the dishsoap we left on the picnic table had attracted a bear, who ripped open and guzzled the entire bottle.  He also dragged our stove into the woods, shredded our doekjes, and poked a hole in our mattress.  Somewhere in the forest a bear was burping bubbles.  We did eventually hike later that evening (since it doesn’t get dark til 11), which included crossing a suspension bridge that was closed because of a giant hole ripped  in the middle, with a freezing river rushing below (again, excellent film footage covering the feat if you’re interested).   We made it across alive and back to our site to enjoy s’mores….and to discuss escape routes if a grizzly visited our site that night.

Moraine Lake, Alberta; floating on a log as we eat lunch.  Delightful!

Can't get enough

We so B.A.

The fate of our dishsoap.  Luckily, we lived to see Wednesday.  More stories to come!