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| 2019-08-31_11.50.14_OurOnlyRainyDayOfTheTrip.jpg |
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Banff was our only rainy day of the entire trip.
We planned to ride the Summer Gondola at Sunshine ski resort, but
ironically, it was closed for lack of sunshine -- too many nearby
lightning strikes.
We followed the advice of this hotel desk sign, and checked out some
lake drives and Bow Falls.
Not that different from what we would have done on a sunny day.
The Canadian Rockies are great for hiking, but Jerry wasn't up to
any serious hikes, so we spent most of the trip on driving tours anyhow.
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| 2019-08-31_13.11.59_TooloulousForLateBreakfast.jpg |
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Tooloulou's was a great choice for breakfast.
A little crowded -- line reaching out the door and down the block, but
fortunately they
have an awning to stand under.
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| 2019-08-31_13.12.14_AwardWinningTooloulous.jpg |
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Tooloulou's won a local Reader's Choice Award for Best Breakfast,
which they serve till 2pm.
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| 2019-08-31_13.23.34_BlueberryPancakesAndJambalayaOmelet.jpg |
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The food was great!
Well worth the wait.
Jerry had one HUGE blueberry pancake, with nearly 100 fresh blueberries
on top.
I had a great Jambalaya omelet.
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| 2019-08-31_14.25.21_DrivingToGondolaInTheRain.jpg |
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Driving to the Summer Gondola at Sunshine ski resort in the rain.
Probably not a good day to ride it.
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| 2019-08-31_14.29.27_SomeBlueSkyMaybeGondolaWillbeOpen.jpg |
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Maybe the sun will come out after all?
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| 2019-08-31_14.47.39_DirtRoadToLodgeAtTop.jpg |
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No, the gondola was closed.
They kept trying to open it, but kept getting one more lightning
strike in the area and having to restart their countdown.
Finally gave up and closed for the day.
Here's the dirt road that the shuttle bus takes up from the parking
lot to the lodge at the top of the mountain.
Maybe next time!
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| 2019-08-31_14.48.10_AvalancheZone.jpg |
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Lots of avalanche warning signs all throughout the Canadian Rockies
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| 2019-08-31_14.49.30_MountainsNearBanff.jpg |
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Multiple rows of mountains on the drive back to Banff
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| 2019-08-31_14.49.34_MountainsNearBanffCloseup.jpg |
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Funky shaped mountain peaks
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| 2019-08-31_15.20.53_AvalancheTrail.jpg |
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Avalanches clear out paths through the trees as they roar by
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| 2019-08-31_15.50.52_SightseeingChairLiftSign1.jpg |
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Maybe the Norquay Sightseeing Chairlift will be open, even though the
Summer Gondola at Sunshine ski resort wasn't?
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| 2019-08-31_15.55.05_SightseeingChairLiftSign2.jpg |
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Nope.
This one is closed too.
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| 2019-08-31_16.28.16_MinnewankaLake.jpg |
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So, we took a drive to see various local lakes instead.
This is Minnewanka Lake.
We also saw Two Jack Lake and Johnson Lake.
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| 2019-08-31_16.53.09_CloudCoveredMountains1.jpg |
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Clouds flowing up and over mountains
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| 2019-08-31_16.56.15_CloudCoveredMountains2.jpg |
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Maybe we're actually in the "Smoky Mountains", not the Canadian Rockies?
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| 2019-08-31_17.03.22_HerdOfElk.jpg |
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The elk love this weather!
Makes for a nice cool day to graze peacefully.
We saw lots of them as we drove the Minnewanka Lake loop drive.
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| 2019-08-31_17.03.31_HerdOfElkCloseup.jpg |
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Herd of elk grazing.
Video |
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| 2019-08-31_17.20.35_TunnelMountainSign.jpg |
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Tunnel Mountain -- where they almost dug a tunnel once, but decided to
route the railway around instead
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| 2019-08-31_17.20.49_TunnelMountain.jpg |
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Tunnel Mountain has lots of avalanche trails
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| 2019-08-31_17.21.03_TunnelMountainCloseup.jpg |
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Each avalanche trail has a waterfall on a rainy day like today
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| 2019-08-31_17.22.07_LookingDownFromTunnelMountain.jpg |
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Nice view down into Bow Valley from Tunnel Mountain
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| 2019-08-31_17.29.25_BanffFromTunnelMountain.jpg |
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Banff nestled in Bow Valley, seen from Tunnel Mountain
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| 2019-08-31_17.53.03_BowFalls.jpg |
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Bow Falls
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| 2019-08-31_17.53.09_DownstreamFromBowFalls.jpg |
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Downstream from Bow Falls
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| 2019-08-31_18.16.58_ElkOnGolfCourse.jpg |
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As we drove the Golf Course Loop Drive in Banff, we came across this
small herd of elk
Looks like a family -- one many-pointed buck, two does and one juvenile --
munching on the 15th hole.
Their golf caddies shooed us away.
Video |
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| 2019-08-31_18.29.07_BanffAndMountains.jpg |
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Mountains overlooking Banff
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