The Canadian Rockies Birthday Adventure ~ Part 2

I woke up to this on my birthday.  My favorite blueberry pancake breakfast.  There was no way that my Canadian friends knew this.  Everything about this trip was perfect.  Such great people to spoil me so. 

Of course, I had to smother it in the good stuff.  When in Canada!

We were now on the third day of my trip.  Now, I have had a fishing birthday trip quite often in the last ten years...  I don't remember when I started this, but I figured that as I kinda share my birthday with my daughter whose birthday is a day before mine, why have another party during the week?  And I don't mind having a birthday fish instead of a cake anyway.  

It was time to launch!  What would we catch today???

 We headed back to the Bow River.  It was a pretty, but cold day.  We were hoping that the fishing would pick up since we fished it a couple days before.  We met up with another new friend, Doug, also from the Calvary area.  He brought me something special in the morning.  Birthday cake doughnut holes!   These Canadians are the best hosts...  Facebook friends become real friends.  =)

The cold front was definitely coming in on us.  I never though that I would need a winter coat on my birthday in August!  Haha.  The fishing was a bit slow, but we all hooked up with a few fish that day.  And it was great to see a new part of the river. 

Dougie kept bringing fish in from the back of the boat.  =)

Angie was great on the sticks.  She actually is guiding now up in Calgary.  She is so fishy and has a great sense of what is going on in and around the water.  We had such a blast.  At the end of the day, my birthday fish got hooked up.  I wasn't sure if I was going to find one of those big rainbows, but I did!  Thank you, Angie, for stopping and letting me wade a bit.  Perfect spot! 

It was here that I caught my birthday fish!

And Angie did a great job with netting the runaway.

  A nice rainbow for RD...

On  the final day, we hit Banff Natl. Park.  WOW.  That is pretty much all I can say.  It has been on the radar for quite awhile.  I wanted to see Lake Louise and Lake Moraine.  They are definitely lakes that are in the most beautiful setting in the world.  Hands down.  So, on a chilly summer morning, Angie and I set out to be tourists for the day.  The drive was amazing going up there.  The cloud cover didn't let me see all of the mountain tops, but I got the jest of it.  I decided that tourism is healthy in Banff.  People on every corner and long lines to get on the shuttles because the parking lots were full.  We did get to see Louise.  The lines prevented us from seeing Moraine.  Next time!!!

As we left the park, we had to stop and fish just for a little bit on the beautiful Bow River outside of Banff.  Ohhh my!  The glacial water is the most gorgeous color that I have ever seen...

My trip of the year.

Thank you, my dear friends, Angie and Joey...

It will always be remembered fondly.

RD's Tip:  Visit in July if you like short sleeve weather.  =)