The Journey Through Sleet and Rain to Hot Pools

Day 2 Thompson Creek to Fairmont Hot Springs

Well maybe not so much. Last night was really cold. I bundled up in three layers under two down comforters and my usual pillows so I was nice and warm but when I woke up in the morning I was worried that the pipes had frozen.  I turned on the heater to warm the place up and luckily no problem but when I packed up and started the van the warning light was on for the two back tires. Since it was both tires I figured the cold must have done them in not a puncture. I drove to Saskatchewan River Crossing and luckily they had air.  It was really cloudy and dark especially to the south.  I asked them about the weather but they only knew from there to Banff and said it might have snow and ice at the pass but the sanding trucks would be out.  Not a big comfort but having been through that before I was ok with it although would have been more confident with my convoy. 

                  Num Ti Jau Lodge where we stayed when my son was 9 months old only the red            chairs seemed new 

At any rate the clouds stayed at bay and at Bow Lake I stopped to visit Num Ti Jau and walk around the lake having a great time taking pictures and knowing no bears would likely be up that high this time of year. On the way back I came upon a paddle boarder doing a photo shoot with his friend and he was glad to have me taking pics too.  Then along came a group of army cadets who had been training up at the glacier in snow almost as deep as their waists.  They were parked next to me and were glad to have someone to tell their stories too. 

Behind me the army cadets with full packs truged down from Bow glacier above

And in front of me the eternal paddle boarder

It was beginning to sleet so I took off and sure enough a big sanding truck was waiting at the bottom of one of the passes. I made it down to the Trans Canada. It rained hard until Radium. The forest fires a few years ago must have been terrible. The burns in places went on for miles and felt quit erie.

 I had forgotten what a steep drop it is from the TC down to Radium and the dramatic opening of the valley leading down to Fairmont

I am happy to be here tonight. Talk about one extreme to another. I liked the feel of Tompson Creek but in this cool weather power, internet and the hot pools are just fine.  It is also good to have family and friends be able to email and call to check in and let me know what is going on in their world.   

I did some homework tonight to make sure there are campgrounds still open on my route as just about everything on the way down was closed.  A dip in the hot pool and writing this in front of the fireplace at the Fairmont Resort is a great end to this literally up and down day.