Hit the road early leaving Calgary in rain and very low skies. Visibility also impacted by smoke. Wild fires are a natural annual feature of Canada. Everywhere you look or hike are the remnants of some previous decades fire. Trees are standing ghosts or on the ground in amongst regrowth of fir trees 30years+. Seemingly 1971 was a very bad year we were told. Gigatonnes of carbon goes into the atmosphere each year from the fires. Other than the smoke haze over the country we have only seen past fires.
We noticed in Calgary and other towns houses are generally all of one colour in various areas. Bylaws have a range of olive, dull brown and grey palettes with the occasional splash of vanilla. Our scoria red house would never be allowed!!
Made our way on the Trans Canadian highway to the town of Golden for a coffee stop. Rather eclectic cafe and good coffee.
Love the "not closed"
The town also has a roofed river bridge. Theory is that the bearers last longer if snow and ice are kept off them.
As is everywhere Canada is all about winter activities. Snow tires and chains 1st Oct to 31st March.
We noticed in Alberta, other than being one hour ahead, that cars are not required to have a rego plate on the front of cars? Brought in 20 odd years ago to "save money". Their fuel price is 30 cents less than British Columbia. Every province you must pay before you fill petrol by inserting a debit card and nominate an amount. Attendant not required other than store sales. British Columbia is known as BC - bring cash as one wag told us. Differences are federal taxes and provincial idiosyncrasies.
Salmon Arm was a utilitarian town as are many but did have some whimsical features we enjoyed.
All along the Trans Canadian highway we are driving the Canadian Pacific railway is never far away. We see trains all day and took note. 207 heavy goods wagons being hauled by 3 engines with 2 engines at the back. Then 164 double stacked sea container wagons being hauled by 1 engine at the front, 1 in the middle and 1 at back. We are not trainspotters by any regard but epic amounts are hauled throughout steep mountain passes on spiral tracks.
Food in the south of British Columbia and Alberta has changed from the north in so far as
heat attack burger and fries has an alternative they call "glory bowls". This is salad, nuts, seeds, say shredded carrot, beets and you can add tuna, prawn or chicken. Really good. A God send really as we are Caesar Saladed out. There is area in BC that is a wine tour area locals rave about. We have tried a Canadian wine and it was ghastly, no other words would describe the thin sweet liquid. On menus here there maybe one alternative to the said ghastly wine from say Argentina or Chile. Even at times the NZ bulk plonk from Kim Crawford or Oyster Bay.
We have driven 5,000 kms thus far (yes Jeff's driver extraordinaire) and seen basically no road kill. Only in the last week we saw a wolf and skunk dead on the road. Given the traffic, road use astounding. So many big rigs/trucks there are lines of them. We notice they put on all indicators when going up any hills to show they are crawling to other traffic.
Birds....other than migratory we do not see or hear many. Small birds barely present in towns reflected by crabapple trees retaining all the fruit, in NZ they are stripped by passerines i.e finches, sparrows. Many crows here though.
We have been passing large RV (recreational vehicles) parks throughout our travels. During covid whereas in NZ we got a dog in Canada more RVs were purchased. Now many are not required so they park them in lots as bylaws in most places do not allow parking in the driveways or on the street hence RV storage. There are literally thousands of these beasts.
Still like each other so far!!
Now in Premberton, small town to the north of Whistler. Not so rapacious. Tomorrow we will drive to the Sea to Sky gondola (recommended by friend Peter Johnson) on the outskirts of Vancover, to hike the 7km up and take the gondola down. Contrary to what most others do but we like to be contrary.
