Day 313. June 15, 2014. On to Banff!

LOCATION:  Lake Louise in Banff National Park in western Alberta

WEATHER:  Cold and rainy. Highs in 50s

We packed up from Waterton National Park and headed northwest.  We drove on the "cowboy trail".  Lots of cattle in the fields.  The few ranch houses we saw seem very isolated.

We stopped at a historic site called Bar U Ranch.  It has been preserved in the style it was around the turn of the century.  We took a walking tour of the stables, chow house, ice house, and iron smith shop.  

People in period dress explained things.  It was very interesting. We had cowboy coffee with a lady who told us about the round-ups.  We learned that these chuck wagons were converted from old ambulance carts from the USA.

Unfortunately, the weather was cold and we got rained on.  This ranch was the largest Percheron horse breeders in the world.  They still haul the tourists around.

We were able to take a mountain road through a pass that had just opened up today, after being closed all winter. It was a beautiful drive.

We had planned to stop at a provincial park along the way, but the rain continued.  We decided to drive on to Banff.  We are in the town of Lake Louise, famous for its beautiful views and lakefront hotel.

By the time we got set up, it was 8:00, so we just had dinner and read.  We plan to stay here a few days.  Hope the rain stops.

DINNER:  Don't laugh....I had planned to shop today and had planned grilled chicken over the campfire.  We didn't shop, and it was not good campfire weather, so I dug into my back-up food box.  We had scalloped potatoes with jalapeño SPAM, with a side of canned corn.