William and Angela Part 3

Yesterday's adventures included breathtaking views from the Hoodoos trail and the loop around Lake Minnewanka, but after riding 20 miles over all types of terrain (and being rained on during the last hour of the trip and almost freezing), William and Angela decided that they needed a gentler activity for this morning.  So far they had seen elk and/or caribou, deer, bighorn sheep, marmot, and numerous types of birds, but they were still hoping to catch a glimpse of a bear.  They decided to paddle by canoe from the Bow River up to Vermillion Lake in hopes of finding some more wildlife to admire.

A few minutes into their trip they came across this deer feeding near the banks of the river.  Can you see him hidden in the grasses?

It took about 20 more minutes for the two to reach Vermillion Lake.  The mountains formed a bowl around the lake, so that no matter which way you looked, you always saw cliffs and peaks.

After taking lots of pictures and general silliness (though nothing so silly as to cause them to capsize in the 8 degrees celsius water), they decided to be own their way back down the river.

All of a sudden Angela noticed a furry ball on the side of the river and they immediately did a U-turn to get a closer look.  Do you see their furry friend hiding under the bushes?

Right when the canoe was within striking distance, the muskrat looked up at them and casually dove into the water.  He started swimming right towards their canoe, which gave Angela a little start, but before she knew which action to take he had disappeared under their canoe never to be seen again.

 Can you find him under the water? Look closely...

It wasn't long after the muskrat ordeal when they saw a bird soaring high overhead.  They noticed immediately his white head, and both stared in amazement at the Bald Eagle playing in the heavens above.  Though they watched him play for many minutes, soaring this way and that, they weren't able to take a reliable photograph.  So...you just have to take their word for it.

Well, that was the end of the canoeing adventure, and I am sad to say that neither William or Angela ever spotted a bear that day.  Nonetheless they were happy with the wildlife they came in contact with.

After returning the canoe, William walked back up the mountain, past the tee-pee, to the conference center to listen to presentations and prepare for his own.  Meanwhile, Angela decided to take one last adventure on her own.  As soon as the Sulphur Mountain bus drove through the town, she hopped on, and enjoyed the view to the Upper Hot Springs.

The Upper Hot Springs are natural mineral springs that keep a consistent, year-round temperature of about 100 degrees Fahrenheit.  It is a historic site, and so Angela played the part by renting a historic swimsuit to wear.

Then she climbed in the pool and enjoyed the hot springs and an amazing mountain view.  She floated on her back, then on her stomach, and then did a few twirls in between.  All in all it was lovely and quite worth the trip.

 Then it was time to meet back up at the conference center to listen to William perform his paper, and support him as he received the Gilbert Fite award, which was a whole 'nother adventure... full of close encounters with the unpredictable creatures known as "agricultural and rural historians."

When the dinner was over, even though it was 8:30, they still had two hours of daylight left, so they took a meandering path down the mountain, and then a lazy stroll through the town, and said good-night to Banff.

 They went to bed with a happy, yet sleepy feeling in their gut.  They would miss the Australia of Canada (something they joked about because so many 20-30 year-old Australians live and work in Banff. Most of the servers and salespeople were from down under.)

Cheers, Mate.