Alberta's Heaven.... Banff

There are two sides of Alberta, there are prairies which aren't too exciting but then there are also the rocky mountains which are heaven. You can't help but sink inside when you see the Mountain view, it is just so goregous.

Leaving the Prairies behind, and Entering Heaven.

Now I have been to three of the national parks in Alberta. Waterton National Park, Jasper National Park and Banff National Park that i can cross off my bucket list officially.

Started out my journey at 7:30am - typed in the address of the Hotel i was suppose to go to for my interview and not long after my drive my GPS decided to go Flat on me. Stupid car's cigarette lighter had no power to it which would have been lovely to know before hand so i could have charged it the night before. But I was fine and actually knew where i was going without a map or somewhere telling me where to go. Good thing I am a born Albertan. But just in case i did purchase a Paper map, Yup i went back to those good old days where all you needed for a road trip was a map to see where and which way you were headed. I can't believe paper maps are still some what expensive, i thought they would have decreased in price due to the technical generation we are in now. $6 - do you think that is expensive or priced right for a paper map?

Also i had foursquare so I also used that as my Travel Journal to keep track of where I have been, wonderful tool foursquare is. - Rocky Mountain House - Caroline - Sundre - Cochrane - Ghost lake Village, Morley - Kananaskis County - Dead man's Flats, Banff - Canmore - Banff National Park Gate - Banff - BeaverTails - Banff Park Lodge - Nordegg.

I almost made it to banff on a one tank of gas but then i had to stop at a gas station on the side of Highway 1 from Morley the Ghost Lake Village turn off - which by the way it was the sketchiest gas station I have ever been to. Hold your purses ladies!

By then i was in the mountains and I keeping my eyes peeled for that Contiki coach - to be honest every coach that drove by i was looking. You get such a Rush of excitement that leaves you smiling for hours once you have spotted that Contiki Coach. Yes we have already established i am a contiki nut, I heart Contiki, but who doesn't.

Couldn't take a fast enough picture. Contiki!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Look what else I have spotted. Trafalgar :)

Now that I am in Banff, Which by the way it costs 9.80 for a day pass and that is good for all the national parks so if you plan on driving to all the national parks in one day but i recommend not to because there is a lot to see in just one national park. It was VERY busy little town and it is defiantly a tourist town, trying to find parking on the street which by the way is 2 hours max is very difficult. They also have paid parking garage but I wasn't there for that long so 2 hour parking was plenty. As i was making my second loop looking for a parking spot, guess what i spotted... Yupp Beaver Tails!!!!!!!!!! Oh my God i was ecstatic, My friends in ottawa was raving about them and i was not to lie getting a little jealous, i wanted to try a beaver tail. By then i had found a parking stall, and walked straight for those Beaver tails. 

I am Officially A Canadian, Eh! Haha

When you see a whole bunch of vehicles on both sides of the road that generally means tourists have spotted wildlife that they haven't seen before, so just slow down. And remember you are in Bear country. Black Bears are common to spot on the side of the highways and Mule Deer or Whitetail Deer. You may be able to spot a Elk or a Moose but it is not common on the side of the highways, but really in the National Parks there are a 50/50 chance of seeing every kind of animal if you keep your eyes peeled.

Where's the Black Beer?

 Where to Find:

Whitetail Deer  Mostly valley Bottoms.

Mule Deer Mostly valley Bottoms

Elk valley bottoms and open areas. Commonly sen around townsites.

Bighorn Sheep Near steep rocky terrain.

Mountain Goat Near steep rocky Terrain.

Moose Wet and marshy areas.

Wolf Mainly valley bottoms

Coyote Valley bottoms, well adapted to humans

Caribou Alpine and subalpine meadows. Threatened species. Only exist in Jasper and Mt. Revelstoke.

Red Squirrel Coniferous forests, scampering up trees.

Columbia Ground Squirrel meadows, roadsides and townsites in ground colonies.

Marmot Alpine and subalpine meadows, rock piles and scree slopes.

In the mountains the weather can be anything. It can be sunny and cloudy in one spot and Rain in another complete different spot. And there is no radio station reception so make sure you have that ipod or CDs or just enjoy the quiet and take in the scenery. The further deep you get into the mountains you will feel a chill in the temperature, no wonder these mountains can have snow on them all year around.

Mountain Top zoomed in.

What a great way to spend your Friday!!

Many more visits to come....