BC Car Camping Trip

While up in Calgary I got a chance to go on a bit of a camping trip.  We ended up taking the car and finding a spot on Crown Land in British Columbia.  Camping here is totally different, in some aspects, others not so much.  I can't say that I've ever done much car camping but one of the positives is the food.  The food is also so much better when you don't have to worry about carrying everything and there is a cooler.  Sleeping in the car...  not one of my favorite past times, but it worked.  It did get quite chilly on a few nights.

The best part about our location - the hot springs.  There were natural hot springs a 20 minute drive from where we were.  The second best part - there wasn't a soul in sight.  So, we pretty much had nature to ourselves, one of the aspects of camping I enjoy very much!  Also, Rebecca proposed to me at the hot springs - a pleasant surprise.  There were paper planes and paper boats and a necklace.  I'll have to see if I can find the photos from her proposal and put them on the following post.  Anyway, here are a few photos from our camping trip in BC on Crown Land.  

(Getting our beds ready for the evening)

(Dinner the first night - veggie sausages with cheese on cheesy rolls.  Quite tasty - even vegetarians can enjoy a tasty treat!)

(This vegetarian gave it the thumbs up)

(We built a little fire area complete with logs and a cooler for sitting)

(I was on breakfast duty which included making the coffee, cowboy style, and honky potatoes)

(I boiled the potatoes before I left so they didn't take as long and chopped up some mushrooms, onions, and peppers with a little bit of dill and some more veggie sausage - YUM!)

(Rebecca taking a moment to wake up and enjoy her coffee)

(Smoke shot...)

(Extra cheese - only happens with car camping)

(Coffee still hasn't sunk in yet)

(Time for a little hot spring action)

(The first time we went it was packed so we went on a little hike and came back later in the day)

("Most injuries in life are preventable.  Have a word with yourself."  Great life motto and mantra for a lot of people I know...)

(Lussier River hot springs, that's where we were...)

(Rebecca shot, I suppose...)

(Kissy time)

(We hiked around a lake, I believe Alces Lake or possibly Whiteswan, but my instincts tell me the former.  This was our view...)

(Another artsy shot from Rebecca)

(Jump shot time)

(Here, I had to throw pebbles into the water so if you look closely enough you may just be able to see the ripples...)

(A little pine tree action...)

(A little moss action...)

(Some more pine tree action...)

(Dead grass action...)

(Sweet reflection in the water action)

(And another...)

(Just kind of liked the way this looked on top of a log)

(Really???)

(I believe this night salmon was on the menu)

(Happy Happy Happy...)

(This, if I remember, was post coffee...)

(Had to look pretty...)

(A valley of sorts)

(Now, while this shot may not seem like much, as we were making our way down to the hot springs the final day we spotted 2 moose.  The jumped over the guardrail and took off into the wild.  This is the only photo I got, sadly...)

Devonian Gardens (Calgarian Oasis)

Rebecca's brother was in town, I believe from Victoria, and he mentioned that he made his way to the Devonian Gardens and recommended we do the same.  As a result, Rebecca and I made our way downtown and found ourselves in the Devonian Gardens, not before passing a few sights.  It only took about 30 minutes to walk downtown.  Also, it was surprising to see such a large amount of green inside a building.  There were some interesting plants and a few water features.  A great Oasis for downtown employees.  However, if you are short on time I would skip the Devonian Gardens, take a quick tour downtown and head out to the mountains.  We had plenty of time and here are a few photos:

(Train as we made our way downtown)

(Buffalo, because it is Calgary)

(Fort Calgary sign we passed as well as Fort Calgary)

(Sign as you enter Stephen Avenue)

(Metal Horse)

(Devonian Gardens at first glance)

(They had a few interesting masks around the Gardens, wood masks at that)

(We tried to do a few jump photos and this was the best one we got)

(A few of the flowers and they were planting a lot more while we were there)

(Rebecca jump shot.  I think she throws her legs up to make it seem as though she jumps higher)

(We took a few photos where we tried to match the faces of the wooden mask we were standing beside)

(Me trying to match this mask)

(Another jump shot in front of the plant wall)

(The Plant Wall - with Rebecca taking a photo for a stranger)

(Reflections)

(Inside the Core Shopping Centre - glass roof)

(Another shot of Stephen Avenue - always seems to be a character or something happening)

(A shot of... a tree?)

(Rebecca has some very bad ideas when we take photos.  For some reason I was supposed to give the Kanata - Canada store 2 thumbs down, may have been because of the Olympics)

(1 of the 5 ladies and countless others who fought for women's suffrage)

(Great focus on this photo)

(Another great idea - Rebecca joking)

(18th of October 1929 - Women are Persons...)

(Some interactive artwork)

(And a bird...)

Cross Roads Market

Playing catch up and will be for quite some time.  Still on my trip to Calgary which was back in April if I remember correctly.  It's amazing how easy it is to stop blogging.  I guess it's like most things in life, you either find time for it or you don't.  So, going to try and get back into it and see what happens...

There was a little market a few blocks from Rebecca's place.  It was called the Cross Roads Market.  Perhaps the most exciting part for me was the realization that Americans are not the only ones who value 'junk.'  I say this with the idea that one person's trash is another person's treasure.  I am just not a stuff kinda guy.  There was some fresh foods as well - eggs, produce, meat, and other tasty treats in the food section.  Anyway, here are a few photos.  

(Cross Roads Market)

(Here was a store with some stuff in it)

(This was mainly hockey stuff)

(More hockey stuff, because we are in Canada of course)

(Say Cheese, great name for a cheese shop)

(Candy Candy Candy)

(Honey - you either love it or you don't)

(More stuff)

(A little food hut)

(Banana Dog)

(More stuff, in the forms of comics or records)

(Rebecca before we left...)

(Not sure what this look was for...)