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| The island is Wild Good Island and is dwarfed by the majestic mountains of Glacier Nat. Park! |
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| The tour boats on Lake St. Mary |
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| Many Glacier Hotel - with the most beautiful views anywhere! |
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| Beautiful piano and violin music in the lobby |
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| They always have beautiful flowers outside in the summer. |
A neighbor camper told us he'd talked to an astronomer at the visitors' center who said we should be able to see the Northern Lights that night. The astronomer had viewed them the night before, and said they should be even better tonight from about 11:00 until 12:30. He was leading a group up to Big Chief Mountain for the best viewing. The group would not get back to the visitors' center until at least 2:00 a.m. As much as I wanted to go, I knew we would be getting up early to go to Banff. Phil needed his beauty and driving sleep! We had a good view to the north except for a slight hill and trees, so we thought we'd be fine. I was so excited!!!! I asked in Banff last year when they got to see the Northern Lights. They said the winter.
About 9:30 p.m. a group of boy scouts came and started setting up camp north of us. When 11:00 came, they were still setting up camp. There was one bright lantern and all the headlights they all wore. The motorhome beside us (north side) had lights on inside, too. Finally the boys settled down. We started seeing what looked like distant lightning. Some times after the flash, there was a shimmering of light, but no colors that we could see. We did see three shooting stars. I did not get any photos because the shimmering was the only thing that lasted and it was not very bright. So our experience with the Northern Lights was a little disappointing. We stayed up until 12:20 before we crashed. By the way, it was the first night I wore jeans and a jacket! It was very chilly!
The drive to Banff was uneventful, just the way we like it. Crossing the border was a snap. I had my potatoes, an onion, and part of a bulb of garlic in the backseat, if they asked if we had fruit or veggies to declare. Phil loves Tim Horton coffee (chain store in Canada), so we stopped at the first one about two hours into our drive. They have wonderful pastries, too, but we got a breakfast biscuit. The Canadian Rockies are visible almost the entire way, even though most of the drive until you are north/west of Calgary is just slightly hilly and a lot flat. Our GPS took us around Calgary, and it was much easier than last year. Last year we stayed the night in Calgary, and the GPS directed us right through the heart of the city – no fun pulling a camper! Today was a breeze on Hwy. 22X.
We have a lovely campsite at the Tunnel Mountain Trailer Court. I am so spoiled now with all my new toys that I love to have my hookups! We camped three nights with none, and that was fine. We enjoyed St. Mary, but I am glad to get back to my hookups! Phil laughed today at how last year I would bellyache about forking out the money for full hookups, and now I see no problem whatsoever with whatever we have to pay to get them! I love Social Security! I hope it does not go away!
For the rest of today, we will relax. Tomorrow I want to vacuum and mop the camper. I defrosted the freezer part of the frig after we got set up today. I am still loving having that large frig/freezer in this camper! I hope we will go down to Second Cup tomorrow morning, get some delicious coffee (maybe a maple nut muffin), and check our e-mail. I have not taken any photos today, but I'll be taking some tomorrow, I am sure!
At 3:00 p.m. in Banff, it is 68 degrees with a very chilly breeze. I love it!
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