Weekend Report - Friday

Roadtrip!

On Friday, I enjoyed another whirlwind road trip from Banff to Cranbrook to visit my Pa in hospital. I drove 3 hours, to visit for 1 hour and then drove the 3 hours return. Phew. The trip was totally worthwhile, but the day was a write-off. However, as with all roadtrips by ones-self, I did get to ponder many different random ideas in my brain along the way....

On the drive through Kootenay National Park, I was again treated to a wildlife show. Last week, I caught a glimpse of a cow moose and her baby and a black bear. This week, I saw 3 bears and a mountain goat! The mountain goat was a very cool thing to see. Usually, they are high alpine critters. This goat, was obviously an unusual guy because he was all alone and down at quite a low elevation. He reminded me of a gorilla: he was all shoulders and could move like a monkey. He was white, hairy, huge and totally out of place! At first I thought I was seeing a Yeti or the Abominibal Snowman but, d-uh, it coudn't be! Afterall, I was heading into interiour British Columbia which is the home of the Sasquatch and not The Yeti. No Kootenay Sasquatch in his right mind would put up with some white-hairy-monkey-man stealing his show.

Anyhow, I digress. While I was driving, I did have some random thoughts to share with you on how things are different in the National Park as compared to interiour B.C. As I was leaving the National Park driving through the town of Radium, I found myself in a traffic jam because there was a herd of Bighorn Sheep taking a detour down the middle of the highway! Shortly after leaving the National Park, there were a few noticable differences that drew my attention. Firstly, I noticed the clearcuts. Yep, those big giant ugly swathes across the mountains, just scream: You Have Arrived in British Columbia!! Next, there were signs and billboards everywhere, each designed to provoke, sell or just entertain.

The first sign I noticed read: Jesus is Lord of This Valley! Shortly after that, the road crosses through a First Nations Reservation, where a sign at the local race track proclaimed: Indian Outlaw Racing! Hmmm.....why do we bother being politically correct, anyways? The next sign proclaimed: Steak Buffet! Damn, I want to go to any restaurant that features All-U-Can-Eat Steak!

The next 20 signs were for new property developments, because the entire province of B.C seems to be for sale. All of the developments had creative mountain names like Wildstone, Copperstone, Sandstone, Flintstone....with a side of Serenity Ridge, Rocky Ridge, Eagle Spirit and Spirit's Reach. One of them proclaimed: Take Ownership of Your Vacation!!

If I was a property developer, I would definately create a name for my luxurious resort property using the formula of a animal name, a geology feature and some other word to best describe the place. For instance, let's use Bear, Knob and Big. You could buy a property at Big Bear Knob! How about that? Hmmm. How about, Spirit Cougar Crack? Stoned Moose Crack? MooseStone Bluffs? So much fun and oh-so-many options.

Anyhow, this is supposed to be a blog about running and my Runner's Brain was pondering many different future routes, runs and destinations while driving by a plethora of trailheads and beautiful places. Unfortunately, I was just driving by! But the exciting thing is: it looks like summer is finally here! I drove by many gorgeous places and trailheads and all-of-a-sudden....the snow has receded and all of the trails are becoming passable! That doesn't mean "dry" by any means, but passable and open are a start!! I can't wait!!