Tuesday Morning, July 9

We had previously planned this day with Dan and Helen, and were anxious to see the Canadian Rockies up close.

We had been to Banff in 2000 when we saw the Rockies from the western side. This was our first approach from the east.

As we began our entrance into the mountains, I noticed some movement and saw two young mountain sheep.

Dan pulled off the road so I could get closer.

We didn’t see a lot of wildlife on this trip, so it was fun to watch them for a bit.

This area is beautiful and ever-changing with the sun and shadows

The Banff area is surrounded by beauty – in the mountains and in the valleys.

We stopped at a rest stop for a break and for directions to the hoodoos, so I took the opportunity to get some closeups.

We saw lots of these fluffy seed pods. The white fluff was blowing around like snow.

Dan and Helen had not been to the hoodoos for a while, so it took them a few tries to find the correct road.

In the meantime, we enjoyed the scenery.

A hoodoo (also called a tent rock, fairy chimney, and earth pyramid) is a tall, thin spire of rock that protrudes from the bottom of an arid drainage basin or badland. Hoodoos can range from 5-150 feet tall.

On the way back to our car I noticed some pretty wildflowers.

Dan was waiting for us.

With all the walking and activity of the past few days – chapel setup, dedication, and Calgary Stampede – his one knee was giving him a bit of “grief.”