Day 4 - Swift Current to Banff, Alberta

Today began cool (50's) but dry. After some time on the road we stopped for breakfast at a little restaurant in Gull Lake. We then struck out for Calgary and points west. About the time we crossed the border into Alberta the wind began. It's hard to imagine the joy involved with with riding down the highway at 12o kph (as Charlie so aptly put it) 10 degrees off plum. At the town of Brooke, we decided to stop so I could contact MasterCard (Oh, did I tell you that MC locked my card because it was being used on a cross country trip?). While waiting for me to make the call, Charlie had a cup of coffee and a piece of lemon meringue pie and was presented with a $7.98 check (Canadian). I thought the lad was going to punch the manager out after questioning whether the bill was a joke. He only announced his thoughts on Canadians in stead.

By the time we reached Calgary the wind began to lessen and the temperature dropped 10 degrees in 15 minutes. This of course should have been a clue that there was to be a problem ahead. Of course, the problem was rain. As we left Calgary (right at the point the Rockies would have shown there magnificence) the skies opened up. After donning our rain gear under an overpass, we forged ahead for the remaining 35 kilometers pelted by rain and road spray from every manner of vehicle imaginable.

As soon as we arrived in Banff, the rain stopped and after a period of overcast, the sun once again shown. The town is beautiful and ringed by spectacular mountains. I snapped a picture or two and will try to include a couple with this post.

I hope the weather tomorrow will be as pleasant as it is right now, because we're spending the day here tomorrow too and plan on a run up to Lake Louise to scope out the scenery there (maybe from a gondola).

We're getting better at using their Loonies and Toonies up here, but the dollar exchange is still something of a mystery (currently $1.04 U.S. to $1.00 Canadian)..

Today we logged 350 plus miles.