We are often asked, “What was the favorite part of your trip?” That’s a difficult question to answer. We saw and experienced so many amazing things! Mountains. Wildlife. Waterfalls. Lakes. Glaciers. So many things. But if you ask us, “What was your favorite town?” That’s an easy answer. Well, two answers actually. Our favorite Alaskan town was Valdez. Our favorite Canadian town? Jasper. We loved the rugged surroundings, the relaxed atmosphere, the food, the wildlife, the local brews. Jasper has it all. So, when it came time to choose our route back to the Lower 48 it was an easy choice. Our last night in Canada would be in Jasper.
Mt. Robson (background), one traveler that is feeling 1000% better (right), and one traveler that is very relieved about the improved condition of the other traveller (left.)
We approached Jasper from the west and were greeted by Mt. Robson, the tallest peak in the Canadian Rockies. We stopped at the Visitor’s Center, and for the first time since we had left Jasper weeks earlier things felt… crowded. Over past several weeks we had become accustomed to solitude. Getting used to crowds again was going to be an adjustment.
Shore leave?
It was comforting to be back in familiar territory. It had been over a week since we had done laundry, but this time we knew exactly where to go. We must have looked like we knew what we were doing, because first-time visitors kept asking us questions! It was fun listening to Pati try to explain how much the laundry cost to a nice German couple. They spoke about as much English as we spoke German. Apparently having been here exactly once before was good enough to allow us to pass a locals.
We also revisited one of our favorite restaurants of the trip – the Jasper Brewing Company. I enjoyed the Rustic Elk Meatloaf; Pati opted for poutine and a sandwich. And of course, we had to check out the latest craft brews: the house Red Ale for me, a Babe Tangerine Dream for Pati. From the menu, “Babe Tangerine Dream. A crushable tangerine fruit bomb that tastes a little like your weekend mimosa and a lot like your new favorite beer.” I don't know about any of that, but both were very good.
For our last night of camping, we returned to Whistlers Campground just outside of town. Pati had to get up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom, and woke me up when she returned. “Hey! It’s dark out! I can see the stars,” she pronounced excitedly. It has been over a month since we had last been here. Time had moved on. The seasons were starting their relentless march toward winter. It was properly dark at night again. I asked if she could see the Northern Lights? That would have been worth rolling out of bed for. She reported that no, there were no Northern Lights to be seen. I rolled over and quickly back to sleep.
Preparing to break camp... for the last time.
The next morning, we packed up camp and stowed the tent for the last time. At least for this trip. It was bittersweet. We had become quite comfortable nesting in our rooftop tent. But from here on out it would be hotels all the way as we made our final push home.
Below the Line
Things that make go hmmm...?
The Canadian National Parks have come up with a very progressive way to take care of their excess dog population by using bear feeding stations in the style of Jurassic Park. Yes, that is a post with a hook to attach Fido's leash. This was taken outside the wash house, where no dogs are allowed. It's a hitching post for pups. It's not really intended to feed the bears. But, also...
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