Our drive home was pretty uneventful. Sal did lots of napping. I just enjoyed the drive. The sky was big and cloudless as we drove into the sun and east. I have to say I was a bit down knowing the big adventure was almost over. We stayed in Brandon again Saturday night, had no weather issues in fact no rain until Kakabeka. Leaving Brandon on Sunday morning only one other car was sharing our side of the highway in all of the 2 hours to Winnipeg. The time seemed to fly by until we hit Northern Ontario. I think I'd rather drive the prairies than tree lined highway. In total we added just over 8,000km to the odometer of the Impreza. I didn't want to jinx the little blue car at the time but now I can say it really proved itself. Comfortable, great gas mileage, climbs like a billy goat and not even a hiccup in nearly 3 weeks.
In all it was a great trip. Mike and Mel's place is ideally suited to having company. They are pretty easy going, don't mind letting the old folks rest up now and again. Mike was pretty game letting me drag him for an 80km. ride, his third in 20 years and 3 days. Our time with the Wicklund's and their hospitality was a bonus.
I've always wanted to make the drive through the Rockies to the coast. Canmore, Rogers Pass, Kicking Horse Pass, Revelstoke, Kamloops, the Fraser River, the Thompson River...all names I've known for years. Now I can say been there, done that...can't wait to go back. But the real kicker was Banff. Memories are sometimes more spectacular than the going back, and perhaps better left as good memories. But Banff surpassed those withering synapses in the old noggin', it was everything I remembered and more. They have done a tremendous job keeping the park beautiful. I saw a show about it the other day, the population of the town of Banff is capped at 10,000. You have to work in the park to live there and the town boundaries cannot expand.
I have every intention of going back but if that never happens my memory is fresh. Plus I have pictures to back them up if the hard drive between my ears starts skipping now and again.
