Wike Family Happenings: McBride to Banff

I know, I'm getting tired of the vacation posts too. I'm almost done and since I just don't have the creative energy for any more scrapbooks, I'd at least like to document out trip through these lame and boring posts.

I actually have pictures from this day's ride. We had not originally planned to go to Banff but had extra time so we went. First we went through Jasper National Park. It was overcast so that was a bummer. Then I lost the ticket we bought to get into the park and thought we were going to have to pay twice but the sweet ticket taker took pity on us and let us by without a ticket. I love Canadians.

We hit our third province on this day.

Jasper was really beautiful but like I said it was overcast so I didn't get too many good shots. We did pull over at this waterfall.

Of course I get up there and my camera runs out of battery (which happens quite a lot, I think it's the constant turning on and off). So I had to trek back to the back. When I return, this is the site I see...

Yeah, that's Mike. Climbing up to the waterfall. Wait, it gets better...

He still has his helmet on!!!! What the #$%^!!!! He looks like a Power Ranger. I think he scared all the kids away. I don't know why he was acting so silly. So, from this embarrassing moment on, any time we stopped to take in the sites, the helmet stayed on!! Super fun!!

Lake Louise was in the area so we made sure to see it. No pictures posted though. This is a ritzy place with a Fairmont (very expensive hotel, google it). I really didn't see what the big deal was. So, then we were off to Banff. Banff is not but maybe an hour from Lake Louise and it too has a Fairmont hotel. We met a nice couple in Lake Louise who were from the area. They said that Banff has a lot of Asian tourist. They said that when times were good companies in Japan would send their executives and their families to Banff as a treat. Sure enough, there were lots of Asians in Banff.

This was just a random shot along the way.

We get to Banff and it is pretty small but a nice place. Below is the Fairmont they had. Just for kicks we stopped to ask about the rooms for the night. I think they were starting at over $400. We passed. This hotel is over 100 years old. We decided to try a bed and breakfast. The place we stopped was full for the night but the owner was so nice. She gave us a brochure of the B&Bs in the area, recommended one, and let us use her phone to call. She even gave us cookies too!!

We stayed in a ladies basement for $100 that night. It was very nice. B&Bs are the way to go. She was just outside of town but we could still walk into town for dinner.

This is the Fairmont in Banff.

This big fella was right in town. There is a river in the middle of town and he was just grazing by the river. Obviously hunting is not a big tourist activity in Banff.