Mount Edith Cavell

Greetings Friends!

Our morning began promptly so we could beat any crowds to Mount Edith Cavell. We gladly paid the entry fee of a very curvy road to a sparsely populated parking lot. I must say these friendly Canadians are really taking good care of their National Parks. Roads are great and improvements constantly being made. The first leg of our hike was on a paved pathway. We are surrounded by massive rock mountains and glaciers. 

It is not long before our view opens to more greenish blue milky water, this time with chunks of ice floating! The massive wall before us is trying very hard to hang on to the Angel Glacier. One of the wings partially fell off in 2012, causing flooding and destruction. 

The weather could not have been better! The morning light on the snowy canyon walls was breathtaking. The temperature was comfortable and the sky blue with scattered puffs of white. We continued past and above the lake looking for more views and enjoy this amazing moment. Our legs burned and lungs worked quite hard, but it was worth it!

Darting along the rock scree a pika called out a friendly greeting. Kathy tried to squeak back, but the conversation ended there. Further up the path, and rather close, a marmot looked up to check us out. He seemed rather unconcerned with humans and provided several good photo-ops. 

We used quite a bit of energy, so lunch and a brief nap for Tim was due. Later in the afternoon we drove into the town of Jasper to explore. The tourist community is cradled in the mountains, very clean, and, on this day, not very packed with people. Lots of gifts shops, restaurants and outdoor supply stores. We arrived just in time to pop into a local farmers market to grab a few items. We eventually settled into a local wireless equipped coffee shop for a hot drink and computer time. The previous blog post came from there.

Our campsite placed our trailer very close to the neighbor. We both pulled in about the same time, so a hardy greeting was in order since we were going to be living close. Delightful couple from Australia on holiday for over a month. The night before their departure from camp they offered some of their extra food, since they are wrapping up their adventures in Canada. There seems to be a trend of people giving us food. Starting with Judy and Eric to Rest Area Joe, and now the Australians!

Today’s hike calls for this quote: Psalm 92:4 - For you have made me rejoice, Lord, by what You have done; I will shout for joy because of the works of Your hands.

Tim and Kathy

Beginning with Jasper

A second full day behind wheel! I love it when there is no excitement on the road. I also enjoyed the miles and miles of green agriculture lands with the mountains in the distance. Historic farm houses, modern estates, falling down barns, and rusted farm equipment. A painter’s paradise and photographers delight. We had miles to cover, so the pictures are only in my mind. For how long, who knows! 

Our lunch was at a roadside rest area parked between a bus load of Asian tourists and a small RV that housed a overly tanned shirtless local fellow that was also having lunch (I did not take a picture). We chatted briefly and exchanged some home made chocolate bark for a couple local peaches. He initiated this kind act of neighborliness by bringing over the peaches. As we drove off he was licking the last of the chocolate off his fingers with a grin and quick wave goodby.

We crossed the border into Canada with ease, but were asked by very kind border people to leave our home grown apples behind. We parked for the night in the Pinegrove Campground near Kamloops, Canada. This was a nice little family run camp that sat just below the highway and above the train tracks and river below. We heard a number of trains rumble through but they were out of sight. It’s getting a little cooler and sleeping is easy!

Before departure the next morning we enjoyed more of Eric’s amazing bacon! We were slept, fed, cleaned, and ready to get on the road again. This day will provide a most delightful panorama of new terrain and beautiful mountains.

Mount Robson

        We followed the Thompson River much of the time with the water becoming more milky as the miles rolled on. We stoped to take in the spectacular Mount Robson and eventually crossed the continental Divide and entered Jasper National Park. We settle into Wabasso Campground which sits near the shores of the even more milky Athabasca River. We get to spend the next few days exploring these beautiful Canadian mountains and rivers.

Tim and Kathy

The Canadian Rockies

Getting There

Following several days of preparation, the trip begins. All the key components checked and replaced as needed. Wheels greased and tires replaced. The wasps evicted from their homes and solar panels cleaned. The trailer storage is stocked with goods and supplies, the gas tank is full. Let’s roll!

Just for the record, we pull out of the driveway on Thursday, the 28th of August, Tim’s dad’s birthday. We leave the property in the able hands of our son Brian and gleefully hit the road. It feels really good to be behind the wheel of the Toyota Tundra traveling with my sweet wife!  

We spent the first night in Albany and enjoyed cruising the backroads the next day to McMinnville through vineyards, hazelnut trees, ornamental nurseries, and crops we could not identify.

Domaine Drouhin Vineyard

Kathy’s brother recently completed the build of a new home in McMinnville, Oregon. First on our agenda is to explore their new home, neighborhood and community. This delightful suburb forty miles southwest of  Portland sits in the middle of one of Oregon’s prime wine countries.

Just like what we left behind in Medford, their home is surrounded by new construction complete with many, many workers. It was so great to celebrate with Curtis and Stephanie, the joy of a brand new home. They have done an incredible job of working through all the decisions required to complete this major project. Great Home, Great Community, and mostly, Great People.

     Our tour of homes also included a recent purchase and move by Tim’s sister and husband in Happy Valley, OR. Another great home that looks to be exactly right for their needs. Gardens producing incredibly well, a green house in the works, and Theo the cat guarding the land. Maybe even the neighbor’s land! As always Eric and Judy treated us to delicious home grown meals and warm hospitality. I really need to learn to BBQ like Eric. He is the grill master!

Our last night in the United States is in Mt Vernon, Washington. One space left in the park was all we needed. Lot’s of traffic today, a number of accidents, and one skidding stop for us, but all is well!

As we head into Canada I hope to post periodically depending on wireless service, so stay tuned!

Tim and Kathy

Dayton, Ohio and The Wright Brothers

The birding trip has ended and we travel south to the Cincinnati area to visit our friends, Paul and Jo Marsh.  The first few days are spent relaxing and taking walks in some of Ohio's wonderful parks.  On Friday, May 31 we drove to Dayton, Ohio to visit the Carillon Historical Park.  Its most noted feature is the Wright Brothers Museum.  But they were also highlighting some of the other contributions the inventors of Dayton made to the world.  Not only the airplane, but the cash register (NCR) and the self-starter for the automobile.  This is the original 1905 Flyer III that was built and flown by the Wright Brothers.

Orville Wright flying the 1905 Flyer III

Grayling, Michigan

We ate at a Goodale's Bakery in Grayling.  Wonderful pastries!  There were a couple of interesting wall hangings.  Apparently this used to be a Ford dealership.  Wouldn't we like to buy a touring car for $450!

Mio and Grayling, Michigan and the Kirtland's Warbler

May 23-24, 2019

Our goal for today is to see the rare Kirtland's Warbler.  The bird has a very narrow habitat range and seems to like Jack Pines that are around 5-10 feet high.  Once the pines get larger the birds move to another spot.  The forest service manages the forest here just for the breeding of the Kirtland's Warbler.  They winter in the Bahamas.  We begin with an introduction at the Forest Service and we then follow the Forest Ranger to a site where they have been seen.  We are fortunate to see the bird pop up and sing for us.  But alas no photo op!  We stop in the town of Mio and get a photo of the Kirtland Warbler monument.  We have some fun with Diane as she finds a lucky penny!

After lunch we head to Hartwick Pines State park to look for more birds!  They have some feeders up at the visitors center so we are able to get some good looks at the Evening Grosbeaks and the Rose-breasted Grosbeaks.

Evening Grosbeak

Blue Jay

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

A black squirrel!

Travel Day

May 22, 2019

We spent today traveling from Oregon, Ohio to Grayling, Michigan. We stop at this place near Houghton Lake to look for Soras and Rails. We didn’t t find any, but we do see many Red-winged Blackbirds and some good looks at some Swamp Sparrows. We had to walk along a dike that had e
Reclaimed grey water that supplied the water to the marsh.  We also stop on a road that fellow traveler Diane saw on eBird that they had seen a Cerulean Warbler. We don’t find that but do see a Black and White Warbler, a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, many Yellow Warblers and American Redstarts.

American Redstart 

American Redstart

The group searching for birds near Houghton Lake

Walking along the dike