Well, kinda. I was going to get back in the US today, but the border closes at 11PM, the USA will not re-open till 7AM. So another night in Canada. This is the most backwater border crossing I have gone to, so no real surprise.
Started the day an Kamloops. Had a long drive to get to Banff NP (canada's first NP, and the world's 3rd) before sunset. Made pretty good time, smooth driving for all purposes. Banff sites in the Canadian Rockies. It's basically like our Glacier NP. But they also have their own park named Glacier NP, (completely un-related to ours). I drove through it before getting to Banff. Basically a long path of ever bigger mountains, and more impressive forest, more snow on the peaks and eventually you get there. They are building a very impressive 4 lane highway through the park. To upgrade the old 2 lane. Very impressive project, and will surely make things better. One thing they missed was pull offs. You have stunning views, but no way to stop and enjoy it.
But one part they are getting right is "green bridges". I've not seen these in the US, but I know of them being done in places like Germany. What is a "green bridge" well see below.
Green Bridge
This isn't an overpass or tunnel. It's a man made tunnel they plop over the road ways, then cover with dirt and then plant trees and so forth on it. Then you take the fences that keep critters and connect them to the green bridges, now all the furys can pace over the highway with ease, because it's just like woods. Smart idea. The place them ever couple miles. It's cheap and easy and looks nice. Hope to see this in more places.
Along the way I stopped at the "last spike" of the canadian trans-contentail railway. Unlike the USA version of this, the Canadian one is still in us, as the main rail line goes right by the marker. Promontory Summit in Utah is defunct, you can't even get a train there as the track is gone.
Along with Green Bridges, the road has lots of snow sheds. They have some areas where they are all over (to protect you from avalanche. Along with keeping you safe, many are also like green bridges in that they put trees and plants on top. I guess this is so a mountain goat can natural have a path to fall off a cliff, instead of having to get across the road before falling off the cliff.
Going through a shed
Eventually made it to Banff before sunset. Timed sunset well today. Very nice park. They clearly have been getting snow. And I didn't have much time, so all I could do is drive around some. Very worth the trip though.
View from a lake with big un-pronouncable name.
Drove on to Calgary. Which also means no more mountains. Just like Denver in the US. You have plains, then a wall of mountain. Calgary is in the rolling plains, mountains in the distance. Drove by the olympic park. The Calgary olympics where the first Olympics I remember, and is pretty much the only thing I know this city for. And now in a few months, the next Providence over (BC) gets to have them.
Next was to head back south to the US. Go visit Glacier NP (US version) quick in the morning before heading East again. But the border is closed, so I had to get a room. Which may be just as well, as I don't think there is much motel options close to Glacier, and it's cold, so a nice warm room is a good thing. I had planned to only get to Banff today anyways, so now I'm ~4 hours ahead.
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