Calgary and BC Ski Trip – Day 1

Its 9:52am Calgary time and we’re sitting at Julie and Will’s kitchen table talking about skiing and catching up. Sue and I woke up at 8:15 because it was after 10:00am according to our systems. A fresh pot of Tim Horton’s coffee (would expect nothing less from Julie) and a slow morning is in order.
We’ll be heading out later today for B.C. Check-in late afternoon at the time share at Fairmont Hot Springs.
After coffee and a nice relaxing morning we packed Julie’s and Will’s Ford Explorer and loaded our bags into our rented 2009 Honda Civic, then it was off to get supplies for the week. 3 short stops later we were on the road to Fairmont. (2:20pm)
The sun was peeking through the clouds and the temperature was around zero Celsius while we wound our way through the foothills toward the mountains.
About 45 minutes later the mountains revealed their majesty and we began the trek through Banff National Park. We stopped in Banff National Park at the halfway point for a “Bio Break” then headed out of Banff national park toward Radium Hot Springs.
Radium is a small town that looks like it’s carved out of the rock and the buildings blend in with the surroundings lending itself to the look of a quaint mountain village like those seen in stories set in the Alps. The spring which gives Radium its name flows under the road into several beautifully maintained pools where people collect to bath in the radiance of natural energy. You could feel the humidity in the air and a slight temperature decrease mostly due to the absence of the sun being blocked by the mountains.
There is a spa at Radium that offers to pamper anyone needing a relaxing break from their daily stresses.
When we left radium we were graced with a breathtaking view of the sun beaming through a 70 foot high rock cut where the road winds its way out of radium towards Windermere.
Just past Radium a bighorn ewe and lamb stood munching pine needles posing for all passers by.
We continued on through Windermere and Invermere then to Fairmont Hot Springs our final destination for the day. The check in at Fairmont Vacation Villas was painless and not long after we were unpacked and enjoying a glass of wine to end our day of travel.
We continued enjoying wine and beer into the evening playing board games and euchre till the wee hours of the morning. What a perfect day!
Tomorrow it’s off to the ski hill for lessons as the adventure continues…

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