In Jasper before the smoke

So what is it about libraries. Most of the systems across Canada have wireless access but they are so different about the way they let you use it. Some places have it broadcast to the town so anyone can take advantage, some give you a password and some don’t let you use it at all. Today I am sitting in a beautiful, new building and they will only let me use it for half an hour. Well, I can understand that if I am taking up space that someone else could use (although the place is empty)

I have my own computer, I say. Oh, she says, with you? Umm Hum says me. Ok, half an hour. She smiles. I smile. It is free, what can I say. So why am I talking about this…when I should be posting. I probably don’t have more than 20 minutes left.

Ice fields. The wind blowing off of the ice reminded me of winter. I really didn't want a lift out onto the glacier where people were wearing jackets and probably freezing.

I left Rocky Mountain House, which surprisingly is not so rocky and headed for Jasper. It is always amazing to me how suddenly you leave fields and farms and hit MOUNTAINS. As I drove, I marvel at the roads going through. When I fly over this area, on clear days I have my nose pressed against the window, trying to make out the roads, the chains of peaks and the valleys. I often wonder how the first map makers and road makers found the best ways to go through. I do try to pay attention to the road when I drive like that, but my mind is often in very different places.

Smoke from the hundreds of fires in BC obscured much of the view as I was passing Jasper and for the rest of the day. As I get closer to Edmonton today I can still see the haze but the acrid smell is all but gone.

I camped in a KOA campground last night. I have never been to one of those before and they sure have lots of services at not a bad price.  It really was like camping in a field though. The smoke hid the view that the proprietors told me was usually pretty amazing and the smell of burnt, was enough to bring tears to your eyes, depending on the wind direction.

Miette Hot Spring

Last year when I visited the Liard Hot Springs in Northern BC, I developed a real love for hot sulphery water.  Miette Hot Spring is almost at the north eastern edge of Jasper park and so I was passing right by it…kind of. I had to take a 18 km windy mountain road in, the speed limit was between 30 and 50km/hour. I was anticipating a remote little hot spring like Liard but that was not to be. It looked like 2 large swimming pools (with 2 hot tub sized pools with cold water in them off to the side). The parking lot was packed but the pools were not too bad. My body loved the heat. I guess I am a hot spring snob, but I would love another trip back to Liard where you really feel like you have stumbled across a secret pool.

On the road to Miette

Back on the road this morning, heading for Edmonton and then to catch a quick flight to see the grand babies in Whitehorse tomorrow, I watched the land go back to agricultural. I listened to CBC and heard again, “Being Jan.” It is a show with Jan Arden. She plays music she loves and talks to great people. She has a quirky sense of humour and if you haven’t heard it, you might like it.

Talk soon…or maybe not so soon. I will be back on the road on Aug 17 when I am heading up to the North West Territories.