Fall Trip 1 - Heading West - Fav Photos 2015

Trip to the Pacific - Part 1 - Heading West

In the fall of 2015 we took a four week road trip across the country to the Pacific, and back again.
I took along a family group of six Iplehouse dolls, with the goal of taking photos of a 'family on vacation'.
My little family included; Leona, Owen, Milo,Holly, Coco, and Lonnie.

Northern Ontario - Wawa

After a day and a half of driving, everyone was ready for a break, so we stopped at High Falls and the Big Goose in Wawa

It was raining a bit, so only Owen and Holly went out to look...

"Wawa" means 'wild goose' in the native Ojibway language

"Wow, that is one giant goose!"

White River

Next stop along the Trans-Canada through Northern Ontario, was the small town of White River,
where we stopped to learn about the Canadian roots of Winnie the Pooh. In a roadside park they
have erected a larger-than-life statue of Winnie the Pooh. Holly was eager to take a look....

Leona read the plaque.....

"On August 24, 1914 Lieutenant Harry Colebourn, V.S.,of the Fort Garry Horse and Canadian Army Veterinary Corps, purchased a black bear cub at WHITE RIVER, Ontario, while enroute overseas. He named her WINNIE after his hometown, Winnipeg. WINNIE became the soldier's mascot, and was left in the care of the London Zoo on December 9th, 1914, while Lieutenant Coleburn served in France. In 1919, he gave her to the zoo for permanent keeping where she was watched and loved by many, including author A.A. Milne and his son Christopher.

In 1926, A.A. Milne and illustrator E.H. Shepard gave the fictional character WINNIE-THE-POOH to Christopher and the world for posterity. WINNIE entertained visitors to the London Zoo for almost 20 years, and lives on in the hearts of children of all ages."

"Wow! Winnie the Pooh is Canadian!", and Holly wanted her picture taken with his statue....

Terry Fox

As we approached Thunder Bay, the boys were excited to stop at the Terry Fox Memorial.....

The memorial, just east of Thunder Bay, commemorates the spot where Terry's cross-country Marathon of Hope ended. Terry Fox, who had already lost one leg to cancer, had started running across Canada in April 1980, to raise awareness and money for cancer research, but when his cancer returned in September 1980, he was forced to abandon his run, and died back home in BC several months later.

The memorial was originally just a statue on a pullout along the Trans Canada Highway overlooking Thunder Bay and Lake Superior, but they have since made a much larger park, on the other side of the highway, higher up the mountain, complete with a huge parking lot, manicured lawns and garden.

the Prairies

The Prairies of Manitoba and Saskatchewan are over 1,000 kms of, flat, and rolling farmland. For variety, and to take a break, we stopped in some of the towns to check out their grain elevators. Few of the old wooden structures are still left. Many of our favourites have been taken down in recent years. First stop was in Chaplin, Saskatchewan...

There was a cool breeze that morning....

Coco loved all the long trains, and as luck would have it, one passed by as we were there....

Next stop was Herbert, to check out their grain elevators. I caught the reflection in a pond on the north side of the tracks. Contrary to most people's image of the Prairies as being one endless flat, dry expanse, Saskatchewan is mostly gently rolling hills dotted with countless ponds and marshes.

Waiting for another train.....

Alberta

After two days of flat Prairies, we were more than ready to see the mountains, but the Rockies don't come into view until we are within 100 kms of them. So, with the mountain silhouettes finally in view, I decided it was our last chance to let the dolls see a wheat field up close. The wheat had already been harvested, leaving fields of short stubble - the perfect height for my dolls.

"Are those the mountains over there?", asked Coco, pointing to the west.

"Yes, they are! Let's get back in the RV. We are almost there."

Half an hour later, we were in Waterton Lakes National Park.

In southern Alberta there are no foothills, but the mountains rise directly out of the Prairies.
We booked a campsite and went down to the Lake to get a clearer view of the mountains....

The 'beach' was all rocks, and it was very windy. Waterton Lakes has a reputation for being
an extremely windy place. The end of the lake is in Glacier National Park in Montana (USA).

"Wow!" was all Coco could say.

Morning in Waterton Lakes

My favourite view in Waterton Lakes is from high up the road to the employee cabins. It offers a spectacular view of the Prince of Wales Hotel situated on a hill between Middle and Upper Waterton Lakes, surrounded by the lofty peaks of the Rockies.

I had in my mind the idea to recreate the shot taken three years ago, of my three adventurers hiking up the hill with this scene behind them. But that photo was taken in spring, when the previous year's grass was flat from the winter, and new grass had just sprouted. But now it was fall, and all the grasses were way too tall for a shot in that same spot, so we went higher up the hill to where there was mostly just gravel. There was a small log up there, perfect for a group shot...

Three of the kids posed for the camera....

I thought it was the perfect spot for a shot of just Owen and Leona....

"Let's try that again! Okay guys, now turn around"

But it was extremely windy, and their faces had harsh shadows, so I tried tucking
most of Leona's hair into the back of her sweater, and using my flash...

Cameron Lake

Next spot we went to visit in Waterton Lakes National Park, was Cameron Lake. The far end of the lake is in Glacier National Park in Montana, and in summer the lake is dotted with rented canoes, but it was off-season, so all the canoes were gone.

Then we decided to take some 'family portraits' in the colourful woods adjoining the Cameron Lake parking lot....

Back in Waterton Townsite

Back in town, first stop was Cameron Falls...

Then we went to check out the view from the Prince of Wales Hotel, which was closed for the season.

Enjoying the view.

Banff

It had been raining heavily all night, and was still raining lightly as we headed into the town of Banff.
With all the fog, and low clouds, the Banff Springs Hotel looked more like a haunted castle

The boys went to check out Bow Falls, which was heavy from all the overnight rain.....

"Let's hope it stops raining soon."

the Vermillion Lakes

The Vermillion Lakes are between the town of Banff and the Trans-Canada Hwy,
and are wonderful any time of year, in any weather. So that's where we headed next....