Day 13: RIP Sandeep

July 5, 2012

The weather gods seem to finally be shining down upon us as glorious as the sun. We have had beautiful weather here in Banff for the last day and a half, although it has been quite cool. We wake up in the early hours of the morning absolutely freezing cold and shivering in our sleeping bags, despite the 2, and for some people 3 layers of clothing. Luckily this is nothing a little snuggling and then a campfire cannot cure.

I fear we have become a bit spoiled with wildlife. This afternoon we went for a dip at the Banff Hot Springs and at one point the whole pool become a flutter with activity, people were flocking en masse to one corner of the pool deck that overlooked a lawn on the outside. As best as we can guess, given the antler signals passed along, it was yet another elk. Given our experience of the day before we couldn’t be bothered to get out of the hot waters and join the crowd. Banff has been great, but it would be even better without the incessant crowds. Our indifference was somehow rewarded with a roadside viewing of a feeding elk on the way back home. This time we did stop to marvel, albeit for a short period.

Before our dip in the pool we paid a longish visit to Lake Louise and a rather short visit to Moraine Lake. Lake Louise is as magnificent as always and we enjoyed a nice stroll about 1/3 of the way around the lake. I can’t help but feel though that the lake is but a side attraction to the wonder that is the glacier at the far end. Flanked by mountain on either side and standing stark white and majestic against the blue sky it really is a marvel.

Lake Louise

Moraine Lake, about 14 KM from Lake Louise, looks like it would have been a great place to visit. Unfortunately, half of Alberta had the same thought. The parking lot is designed for perhaps 75 cars, but at least 200 wanted to visit. About 5 minutes before we got to the lake No Parking signs began appearing on the other side of the road. A little bit later we hit the first car parked on the side of the road, this continued for about 3 minutes before we got to the parking lot. In hindsight we perhaps should have stopped behind the first car we saw, but a sleeping Zaid and fussy Owen pushed us onwards. We caught but a brief glimpse of the lake before heading back down to the highway.

On the way back, a hungry Owen made us stop at the side of the road, a widened shoulder at a very tight turn along a very curvy road. While Haifa fed Owen in the front seat, having to lie down, feet on ground and head on gear stick, in order to get Owen to feed, I looked around our temporary sanctuary. Three things immediately grabbed my attention: the river at the canyon floor, a bouquet of flowers tied to a tree just over the cliff and a large memorial card to Sandeep resting against the 30 KM/H road sign. I look over the edge of the cliff towards the bouquet and notice a cluster of three trees missing bark on the lower part of the roadside trunk. Other, smaller trees were crushed and broken and a distinct lack of bushes was evident. Sandeep must have been trying to take the turn too quickly and skidded off the road to perish in the trees 5 meters down the cliff. Needless to say I drove very carefully for the rest of the day. Nothing makes a driver drive more carefully than these roadside memorials. I suggest Highways Authorities plant fake ones at dangerous intersections in order to help curb speeding. It would sure work way better than the speed limit signs nobody pays any attention to.

RIP Sandeep.