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Abstract

some to relax in a hot-tub and look out at the mountains.</p><p id="5d43">A funny thing happened when it was time to go, however. Someone had either stolen my towel, or mistaken it for their own — my PJ Masks towel. Okay, it was my son’s towel from when he was younger, and he absolutely refuses to use it now because it is <i>totally</i> uncool.</p><p id="a63a">I’m fine with being uncool, so I use it… or at least I <i>did</i>, until someone made off with it. I hope it was a small child who grabbed it by mistake.</p><figure id="2c38"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*by0V0FbeGLzWXA64Wnh69g.png"><figcaption>Photos by author</figcaption></figure><p id="3b1b">By the time we returned to our campsite it was dinner, and I was exhausted. I think I slept nearly 12 hours that night to recover. It was a wonderful day, but it had been over 2 1/2 years since I’d been in crowds, and I did not miss them.</p><p id="8f32">My husband has taken to affectionately calling me his “<i>little hermit</i>”. I’m pretty sure my sister called me that when I was a teenager too, and I’m cool with it.</p><p id="671f">I am glad we took in the sites, but I am content to go hiking and sit by the campfire reading.</p><p id="317b">The next day our plan <i>was</i> to visit Lake Louise. My husband and I had been there over a decade ago and remembered beautiful green lakes surrounded by more incredible mountain ranges.</p><h2 id="2a83">Lake Louise and Johnston’s Canyon</h2><p id="c392">As we’re driving out there, we see signs indicating the main parking lot is full, directing us to go to an overflow lot to take a shuttle bus across.</p><p id="6791">Alrighty then, this is new.</p><p id="4b4f">Turns out we have to reserve a spot on the shuttle, and they are completely booked up. Things sure have changed a lot since 2011.</p><p id="a62e">We come up with plan B and hike Johnston’s Canyon, a gorgeous hiking trail along a rushing stream, created by powerful water flowing down from the mountains. Honestly, I probably enjoyed it more than I would have Lake Louise, given how busy it seemed.</p><p id="36b4">The hike was lovely, and we spotted a black bear on our drive from the overflow parking lot to the trail head! I took a quick picture from the car and we left the bear to its important bear business.</p><p id="3167">Our son found some kids to play with and enjoyed biking around with them. I may be a hermit, but I do love how family-friendly campgrounds are. Our son can almost always find kids to play with and we meet families from all over the world.</p><p id="3b19">The site we stayed in was “rustic” in the best ways. We were surrounded by spruce trees and birds flitting about.</p><p id="4bdd">Now we bid farewell to the mountains and head out for the next leg of <a href="https://readmedium.com/j

Options

illians-journeys-fc431ae92fc5">our journey</a>…. <i>stay tuned</i>!</p><h2 id="bf2f">Tips for fellow campers</h2><ul><li>It gets a lot colder in the mountains at night, so prepare for great temperature variations.</li><li><a href="https://banff.ca/">Check for information online</a> before you go, look into pre-booking options for popular activities.</li><li>There is very inconsistent cell service in the mountains, so have an alternative <a href="https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/ab/banff/securite-safety">plan for emergencies</a>.</li></ul><p id="a5ac"><i>Have fun</i>!</p><p id="3427">© Jillian Enright, Neurodiversity MB</p><figure id="19f4"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*KxRWK861nvrwM1JZmqvaOg.png"><figcaption></figcaption></figure><p id="0ed6"><i>When you join medium, as a member you’ll have access to unlimited reads for only $5 per month. If you use <a href="https://twoemb.medium.com/membership">my referral link</a>, I’ll earn a small commission, and you’ll earn my undying gratitude.</i></p><h1 id="e39d">Related Stories</h1><div id="60d5" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/our-cross-canada-mis-adventures-9a734d759e8"> <div> <div> <h2>Our Cross-Canada (Mis)adventures</h2> <div><h3>Jillian’s journey, day one (and a half)</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*9AdbkOT5KnK9PKuPmEkzmA.png)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="825d" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/were-not-stranded-7aa417be5357"> <div> <div> <h2>We’re Not Stranded!</h2> <div><h3>Days 3 and 4 of our Cross-Canada (Mis)adventures</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*9nozH8FeAEdqOJzHoTfYHA.png)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="ea27" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/planning-for-a-trip-while-adhd-7a1b64a07b1f"> <div> <div> <h2>Planning A Trip While ADHD</h2> <div><h3>Executive dysfunction and planning do not mix well</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*5obdc6XjC76w2yLZLlmjzw.png)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div></article></body>

We Finally Made It To The Mountains!

Days 5–7 of our cross-Canada adventures

Happy Canada Day!

For those following for my usual content (psychology, parenting, neurodiversity etc.), I promise to continue writing about those topics alongside my travel stories.

Banff National Park

We’ve been planning this leg of the trip for the past 2 1/2 years, but it was delayed when covid restrictions prevented inter-provincial travel. Our son, who has grown up in the prairies, finally got to see the mountains for the first time in his life. The scenery out here is absolutely gorgeous.

Yet I’m glad we’re leaving.

Not because we didn’t have a wonderful time — we absolutely did, and will likely be back again.

The reason I’m glad we’re leaving today is because it’s July 1st, Canada Day. The campground was slowly beginning to fill up, and it was crowded enough for me the past few days without being at full capacity.

Canada Day is the unofficial start of summer for road-trippers, campers, and children who are finally done another year of school. Banff National Park is one of the most popular campgrounds in Canada, so it will no doubt be incredibly busy.

No, thanks.

We went into the town of Banff on our second day here, before things got crazy, and that was overwhelming enough for me. We wandered the town and took in a farmer’s market, but we’re here more for the hiking and camping than we are for shopping.

Hot springs

We took a town bus to visit the hot springs.

I have to be honest, I’d never been to hot springs before. I was expecting something very different.

I had envisioned natural-looking hot springs in actual rock, somewhere in the side of the mountain. Or something.

I guess I should have remembered that it’s Banff, which has been taken over by the tourism industry. Instead of leaving nature be, we have to capitalize on it, of course.

There was a long line-up to get in and a fairly hefty per-person entry fee. The hot springs were definitely not what I’d expected. It was essentially a giant swimming pool style hot tub full of people.

I guess I’m grateful it is managed so there are people in charge of tracking the chlorine levels and such. The water was over 37 degrees Celsius, which is over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The scenery was absolutely gorgeous. It was pretty awesome to relax in a hot-tub and look out at the mountains.

A funny thing happened when it was time to go, however. Someone had either stolen my towel, or mistaken it for their own — my PJ Masks towel. Okay, it was my son’s towel from when he was younger, and he absolutely refuses to use it now because it is totally uncool.

I’m fine with being uncool, so I use it… or at least I did, until someone made off with it. I hope it was a small child who grabbed it by mistake.

By the time we returned to our campsite it was dinner, and I was exhausted. I think I slept nearly 12 hours that night to recover. It was a wonderful day, but it had been over 2 1/2 years since I’d been in crowds, and I did not miss them.

My husband has taken to affectionately calling me his “little hermit”. I’m pretty sure my sister called me that when I was a teenager too, and I’m cool with it.

I am glad we took in the sites, but I am content to go hiking and sit by the campfire reading.

The next day our plan was to visit Lake Louise. My husband and I had been there over a decade ago and remembered beautiful green lakes surrounded by more incredible mountain ranges.

Lake Louise and Johnston’s Canyon

As we’re driving out there, we see signs indicating the main parking lot is full, directing us to go to an overflow lot to take a shuttle bus across.

Alrighty then, this is new.

Turns out we have to reserve a spot on the shuttle, and they are completely booked up. Things sure have changed a lot since 2011.

We come up with plan B and hike Johnston’s Canyon, a gorgeous hiking trail along a rushing stream, created by powerful water flowing down from the mountains. Honestly, I probably enjoyed it more than I would have Lake Louise, given how busy it seemed.

The hike was lovely, and we spotted a black bear on our drive from the overflow parking lot to the trail head! I took a quick picture from the car and we left the bear to its important bear business.

Our son found some kids to play with and enjoyed biking around with them. I may be a hermit, but I do love how family-friendly campgrounds are. Our son can almost always find kids to play with and we meet families from all over the world.

The site we stayed in was “rustic” in the best ways. We were surrounded by spruce trees and birds flitting about.

Now we bid farewell to the mountains and head out for the next leg of our journey…. stay tuned!

Tips for fellow campers

It gets a lot colder in the mountains at night, so prepare for great temperature variations.
Check for information online before you go, look into pre-booking options for popular activities.
There is very inconsistent cell service in the mountains, so have an alternative plan for emergencies.

Have fun!

When you join medium, as a member you’ll have access to unlimited reads for only $5 per month. If you use my referral link, I’ll earn a small commission, and you’ll earn my undying gratitude.