Chester Lake Hike

This past Saturday, July 4, Tammy and I, along once again with friends John and Rebecca, decided to declare our own independance from the Stampede, and headed out for a hike in Kananaskis. As we travelled south from the Trans Canada down highway 40 through Kananaskis, the skies were looking dark and brooding. However, as we turned northwest onto the Smith Dorien road, things began to look better. When we reached our destination, the trailhead to Chester Lake, the sun was bright and warm.

As we strode up the refurbished trail, we paused occasionally to enjoy the flora (here some heather blooms), the scenery, and some oxygen.

In about 80 minutes, the just-past-prime meadows of glacier lilies greeted us, and soon after, Chester Lake itself.

We proceeded to find a very suitable picnic spot, content to enjoy the view and our lunch.

Satisfied, we began our trek back down the trail. Yola, however, had some unfinished business to deal with - the incessant squeaking of the pikas (similar to chubby ground squirrels). I think her dirt smudged smile says it all.

Her work done, Yola quenched her thirst in a refreshingly ice cold creek on the way down. Once back at John's vehicle, we followed the Smith Dorien into Canmore, for a (well?) earned beverage and some pub grub.

Stampede's in Town

Yes, for the next week, Calgary will be tapping once again into its' legitimate and also its' who-the-hell-are-you-trying-to-kid cowboy roots. Practitioners of the legitimate variety were to be found setting up their trailers at the staging area for the parade, etc. near the confluence of the Bow and Elbow rivers at the Fort Calgary grounds. One of the few areas in the centre of the city with good access to grass, water and a relatively quiet area for some exercise for the equine visitors (that's in addition to the politicians that flood into town to put on an ill-fitting white stetson and flip pancakes).
Yeee-haaww!

Happy Canada Day!

It's Canada Day, and how better can one celebrate on a beautiful summer's day (one where the low temp was 4.3 deg C) than with a little 1 on 0 street hockey, as my young neighbour down the way demonstrates. So get out and tug your zipper, roll some stain on that fence, plug that camera full of alkaline batteries, or tinkle the synthesized ivories - just revel in the wonders of Canadian invention!