Lake Minnewanka - just a few miles from campground here in Banff

Aug. 8 - We got up early (for us) and drove the Icefields Parkway to Banff. That drive is extraordinarily beautiful. There are about 10 ice fields in the area, but the Columbia is the largest. We pulled off a couple of times for some photos, but I took most while riding. The township of Banff is larger than we thought it would be. The campground is very nice, and it is nice to have full hookups in a national park campground. We were also surprised to get a few television stations. Soon after we got set up, it started a light rain that continued most of the day.
Aug. 9 - We slept late and well. It has been really chilly the last few nights. We have needed both quilts. At 3:30 in the afternoon, it is just 61 degrees. We went downtown and walked around and went to the visitors’ center. We found out two coffee shops offer free wifi, so I may get these posted while we are here! We are also plotting what we want to do while we are here. There is so much beauty! We have great views from our campsite. We hope to spend a day going back to the Columbia Icefield Centre. For $49 plus tax, we could take a bus tour of the ice field and walk on ancient ice. I imagine we will pass. I would also like to go to Yoho National Park and go to Emerald Lake. There is a drive close by to Lake Minnewanka Loop that would be scenic. Of course, we want to take a day to go to Lake Louise. There is also the Bow Valley Parkway that we would like to drive. It was nice this morning, and then poured rain for a couple of hours this afternoon. I think there is a chance of rain or storms every day this week until Sunday.
Aug. 10 - We explored some more of Banff and found the Banff Springs Hotel - HUGE! Then we found Bow Falls and walked up steps to the top and got some photos of it and the back of Banff Springs Hotel. I got a photo of a male deer grazing right off the trail to the top of the falls. Then we went back and ate a sandwich and drove the Lake Minnewanka loop. When we pulled in the parking lot, there was a bear crossing the parking lot. I did not get a great shot, but I got a few of him or her. We also got some shots of a group of female bighorn sheet and one baby. Lake Minnewanka is beautiful and the largest in Banff National Park. There will be dragon boat races there this weekend. I imagine with its limited parking, we will miss it (but I’d LOVE to see the race!!!). My niece Lindsey does dragon boat racing with her club in Charleston, SC. We started to turn around and go back through the loop in the opposite direction, so I could take some photos as we rode over the dam. It was starting to get cloudy, so I told Phil we could do that another day. Within five minutes of the time we got back to the camper, it started storming. There was a good bit of hail mixed with the hard rain. I think after tomorrow, the chances of rain go down. I hope so! I’d sure like to see a caribou, wolf, and male bighorn sheep! Tomorrow is supposed to be downright rainy. We are going to try to go to one of the coffee houses and get on the Internet tomorrow morning. Then I can post the blog. I wish I could start posting photos! I can’t imagine how much time it is going to take to post photos since Kalispell!