Back in Canada

 This summer is different than what we had originally planned. But life can suddenly change those plans in an instant. It was Joe's idea to do another "road trip" since he wouldn't be on his honeymoon with his beloved Allegra. He suggested we return to Canada, but this time we go to Banff, Canada's first national park. It's not a true road trip, since we don't have enough time to drive to Canada, so we hopped on a West Jet flight yesterday afternoon and started a weeklong adventure in Alberta, Canada.

We landed at Calgary International Airport around 6:30 pm. Once we went through customs,  picked up my gigantic suitcase from baggage claim (I had to pack for three trips over a 16-day period, more on that later), we got our car and drove the hour or so drive to Dead Man's Flats right outside of the city of Canmore where our Airbnb is located. It was a nice drive, and we even saw a billboard that said "Honk for Joe, Canada's Number #1 Shaft." Apparently, a shaft is a hard coffee.

We are staying at a complex of apartments called Sparrowhawk Lodge. We have a lovely two-bedroom/two-bath suite complete with a living room, kitchen, and a small patio with a BBQ grill. It will be a great home base for the next few days.

It was nearly 10:00 pm, but we really hadn't eaten all day, so we drove into Canmore to the local A&W Root Beer fast food for a late-night meal. It didn't feel that late, because the sun hadn't fully set yet, and the place was busy! As we left the restaurant, it was dusk, and a half moon was shining bright over the
mountains that towered over the parking lot.

We slept in a bit, but are now headed back to Canmore for breakfast, grocery shopping, and some exploring as we get our bearings in this beautiful Rocky Mountain area.