News from Jasper
Well another quick one unfortunately, glad to hear from everyone, including Granddad, Dad, Mum and Charles. All is well here, I am now very tired!!!!!!!!!! I have had a very busy week since I did the Cory Pass in Banff (remember - that killer 13k walk with an elevation of 900 metres!!!) well the day after we hiked up near Lake Louise which is beautiful with a clear blue colour, this was around a 4 hour hike (12km), with an elevation of 300-400metres or so, going pass some very nice lakes indeed.
Then, the next day (yesterday) we packed up our tent in Lake Louise (only stayed there one night after Banff) and moved on to the Trans-Canada Highway, which is described as the most beautiful road in the world (no trucks allowed as it goes through two national parks). Many of us on the trek kept our eyes peeled for the elusive grizzly bear but we didn't see much apart from some mountain goats. On our way to Jasper on this highway we stopped off at Athabasca Glacier, which was amazing. Most tourists got a special bus along the side of the glacier to the top, but we used a tour guide who took us over the glacier. It was a real experience and I learnt a lot, so that was the activity of the day. We walked around 4km up and then 4km back. The whole glacier is around 6km in length so we saw a lot. A lot of water run off, small crevaces, bore holes, the tour guide was excellent and told us a lot.
In fact, the glacier is one of several in the area which stems from the Columbia Icefield, which is massive and we could not see it from the ground. It is also the hydrological apex of North America, as the glaciers around it are the source of many major rivers in America and Canada. The glaciers also explain the blue colour found in the lakes which is the result of silt from the glacier which runs into the rivers and lakes. So it explained or summed up many of the lakes such as Lake Louise or Peyto Lake (the bluest lake in Canada) that I have seen as well as rivers such as the Hudson River in New York, so a great experience!!!!
Then we set up camp after that and went out for a meal and a few drinks, our first so far since most of our meals are cooked on camp, we've had a few mexican and bbq's so far!!!! Lots of food to go around. Yesterday we saw our fifth bear, again from the van and today I have seen a lot of elk for the first time, Canada is like a zoo!!!
Well today we had an epic bike ride from up in the Rockies down to the town of Jasper. We hired bikes from Jasper and loaded them onto the top of our tour van, then our tour guide kept on driving for some time, we were begging him to stop and let us off!!!! But he drove to the normal stop at a nice lake and so we rode all the way back, this was a crazy 47kilometres. I led the way, all the way!!!! A few of the girls on the tour gave me a run for my money though!!!
It took us around 3 hours with some hills to tackle, some flat parts and some nice downhill spots. Now I can feel it in my legs right up to my eyes!!! We need a good sleep tonight, it was quite cold on our last night in Banff. I was lying there in my sleeping bag and could not muster courage to get out of my sleeping bag to find some more clothes!!! Then Lake Louise was also quite cold and last night at Jasper was not too bad, a little better!!
The hot springs at Banff for our final night was good, we stayed in for around 2 hours (recommended maxium time was 20 minutes!!!) it was more like an outdoor swimming pool but it was good fun and soothed all those aches and pains!!!! We have been getting around 6 hours sleep a night, we wake up just before 7am most days, especially if we have an activity planned or if we need to pack up camp again!!!!! It is all great fun though.
Okay, glad that Chess is looking after her kittens very well (six I can't believe it). Dad hope your relocation is going well and Mum hope all is well with you too. Edwin I imagine is happy with having the kittens around!! I will send him a postcard in the next few days. Charles, hope work is going well in London, sounds very good and nice to keep in touch with a few of the old Vee-TV guys. I have had half an hour to check emails and write this, not too bad, now going to meet my group to head back to camp after an exhausting few days!!!!!!! I set up my tent on a few pine cones yesterday that I could feel right through my thin 1cm so-called mattress!!! I don't think I'll even care tonight!!!
Having a great one, feels like a long time since I was in England, so many stories to tell, been taking lots of pictures so will hope to show you all some soon. Take care, and let me know how things are going.
Then, the next day (yesterday) we packed up our tent in Lake Louise (only stayed there one night after Banff) and moved on to the Trans-Canada Highway, which is described as the most beautiful road in the world (no trucks allowed as it goes through two national parks). Many of us on the trek kept our eyes peeled for the elusive grizzly bear but we didn't see much apart from some mountain goats. On our way to Jasper on this highway we stopped off at Athabasca Glacier, which was amazing. Most tourists got a special bus along the side of the glacier to the top, but we used a tour guide who took us over the glacier. It was a real experience and I learnt a lot, so that was the activity of the day. We walked around 4km up and then 4km back. The whole glacier is around 6km in length so we saw a lot. A lot of water run off, small crevaces, bore holes, the tour guide was excellent and told us a lot.
In fact, the glacier is one of several in the area which stems from the Columbia Icefield, which is massive and we could not see it from the ground. It is also the hydrological apex of North America, as the glaciers around it are the source of many major rivers in America and Canada. The glaciers also explain the blue colour found in the lakes which is the result of silt from the glacier which runs into the rivers and lakes. So it explained or summed up many of the lakes such as Lake Louise or Peyto Lake (the bluest lake in Canada) that I have seen as well as rivers such as the Hudson River in New York, so a great experience!!!!
Then we set up camp after that and went out for a meal and a few drinks, our first so far since most of our meals are cooked on camp, we've had a few mexican and bbq's so far!!!! Lots of food to go around. Yesterday we saw our fifth bear, again from the van and today I have seen a lot of elk for the first time, Canada is like a zoo!!!
Well today we had an epic bike ride from up in the Rockies down to the town of Jasper. We hired bikes from Jasper and loaded them onto the top of our tour van, then our tour guide kept on driving for some time, we were begging him to stop and let us off!!!! But he drove to the normal stop at a nice lake and so we rode all the way back, this was a crazy 47kilometres. I led the way, all the way!!!! A few of the girls on the tour gave me a run for my money though!!!
It took us around 3 hours with some hills to tackle, some flat parts and some nice downhill spots. Now I can feel it in my legs right up to my eyes!!! We need a good sleep tonight, it was quite cold on our last night in Banff. I was lying there in my sleeping bag and could not muster courage to get out of my sleeping bag to find some more clothes!!! Then Lake Louise was also quite cold and last night at Jasper was not too bad, a little better!!
The hot springs at Banff for our final night was good, we stayed in for around 2 hours (recommended maxium time was 20 minutes!!!) it was more like an outdoor swimming pool but it was good fun and soothed all those aches and pains!!!! We have been getting around 6 hours sleep a night, we wake up just before 7am most days, especially if we have an activity planned or if we need to pack up camp again!!!!! It is all great fun though.
Okay, glad that Chess is looking after her kittens very well (six I can't believe it). Dad hope your relocation is going well and Mum hope all is well with you too. Edwin I imagine is happy with having the kittens around!! I will send him a postcard in the next few days. Charles, hope work is going well in London, sounds very good and nice to keep in touch with a few of the old Vee-TV guys. I have had half an hour to check emails and write this, not too bad, now going to meet my group to head back to camp after an exhausting few days!!!!!!! I set up my tent on a few pine cones yesterday that I could feel right through my thin 1cm so-called mattress!!! I don't think I'll even care tonight!!!
Having a great one, feels like a long time since I was in England, so many stories to tell, been taking lots of pictures so will hope to show you all some soon. Take care, and let me know how things are going.
posted by Adrian at 12:52 pm
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