On the Road-Victria BC-Jasper Alberta

LEAVING VICTORIA

Saturday Aug. 29th

We were warned that we better not take our car to the ferry too early on a Saturday morning or we would have to wait a long time. So we left in time to catch the 11:00 ferry and managed to get on the 1:00. For one thing there was an AC-DC concert in Vancouver on Saturday and it seemed that every young person on Vancouver Island wa aboard a ferry for this concert. When we landed back on the mainland(near Vancouver) we drove through what appeared to be uninhabited areas for long miles on the road and once in a while there would be a town. We stopped for the evening in a place called Merritt BC. It had very weak Internet connectivity and a Chinese restaurant that was terrible. We began our drive north and east to get to get to Jasper in the province of Alberta. All along the road were trees-a lot were dead- and beautiful mountains with striations of different colors horizontally on the rocks. Peaks of snow were often visible. Lots of reminders for snow tires or chains and gates that close off the road in winter.

JASPER ALBERTA

We drove many hours and we finally reached Jasper which is a national park. Before you enter the park ever one must pay a fee. You pay a fee for each day that you plan to be in the parks until you reach seven days and that buys you an annual pass. We drove into the park and we came upon the city/town of Jasper. Jasper is right in the middle of the park and the ranger station is right in the middle of town. David and I were delighted to see what a beautiful almost magical looking town that it was. All kinds of shops and restaurants line the first couple streets.

I was feeling as though we are doing a very long journey but that was before I met Albert and Marilyn. This couple who lives in Lincoln shire England bought themselves a motorcycle, flew themselves and the cycle to Anchorage, and are driving to Argentina. They have been on the road for just 3 weeks and re having a ball. Also at our hotel are a lovely couple named Gordon and Dorothy and they are in their 8o0's and are doing a road trip all across Western Canada.