The Rockies

What a contrast in scenery. We left Bassano on the prairie ( just as well cos thats where its always been). 100 km or so westward and the Rockies became apparent, a very welcome change after miles and miles of straight road and open dusty land. Eventually arriving at Canmore, still in Alberta, just. The town is like somewhere in typical Switzerland, log cabins and lodges with mountains for a backdrop, in fact a beautiful town. Flowers, green grass everywhere, a river and the obligatory railroad right through the centre. In fact, this town has everything from Safeways to an opera house.

Our next door campers, Tim, Mrs Tim and their three young daughters had come from Calgary for an ice hockey game on Sunday. He pointed out that one of my trailer tyres looked a bit dodgy in so much as it had a flat spot about 9 inches long, (due to the brakes locking previously, remember?) "You don't want to be driving through the mountains with a tyre like that, gonna be scary enough!" We carry a spare which is underneath suspended on a cable and bracket that was completely rusted tight. My tool kit is one small cheap adjustable spanner and three screwdrivers of varying sizes. I had more chance winning Eurovision than getting the spare off. Enter "one of those guys", you know the type, able to build a shopping mall from a biro, cornflake packet & a clothes peg! I really shouldn't mock him, he wiggled underneath the trailer, rubbed his chin, muttered something in Canadian and wandered off. He came back in overalls with a powersaw, a socket set Maclaren F1 pit team would drop a jaw at and a 3 tonne trolley jack.....oh and of course, a tin of WD40. 

In 30 seconds he had sliced through the tyre supporting cable, jacked up the trailer and changed the wheel, he then wanted to check the pressure as he had a machine what pumps up tyres, I think he might have had a lathe as well, mind you, he did have a very big camper type bus with a car towed behind. Never did ask his name but did give him a bottle of beer for his trouble.

Its now 32c so a drive with full aircon up into Rundle mountain to Spray Lake sounds cool. Didnt know it was 22km of gravel & dust road......however, worth every minute just for the isolation and vastness of the terrain. Saw mountain goats, deer and gofers, but no bears or cougars as warned.

Think we might stay for another night of cold beer, chicken salad around the firepit before tackling the mountain pass and into British Columbia and the sulphur springs.....shall we? Yeah.........