Year Four - Day Twenty-Nine

Summer's View

This morning we decided to go to the Freightliner shop and hang out in their lounge until they get the RV ready. After talking to them, we found out they didn’t even look at it yet, after having it ALL day and night yesterday. A mechanic finally started on it just before lunchtime. Their customer lounge has reclining chairs and a big flat screen television. It even has a bath with a shower and a laundry room. I take this to mean that they are in no hurry to repair anything! At least we have wifi so we can do our work, and Sam can be entertained.

After spending the entire day hanging out there, they finally declared the RV was repaired. Then the mechanic took his 30 minute lunch break (at about 7:30 pm), after which he then spent about 30 minutes writing up his report. His report then went to the front desk clerk, who had to transcribe it into her computer to make up a bill, but first, HER 30 minute lunch break. After that, another 30 minutes for her to write up her report and bill. We finally got out of there around 9:30 pm. We headed back to Mountain View RV park to spend the night before leaving Calgary in the morning.

Year Four - Day Twenty-Eight

Summer's View

We drove the RV back to the Freightliner shop early this morning to make sure they could have it right away to do the repair. The part came in yesterday, so hopefully they will get it in soon.

We spent the day hanging around McDonald’s, going to the car wash, doing a little shopping, etc. Finally, we decided to get a room at the Econolodge again when they still hadn’t even put it inside the bay by 4:00 pm.

Year Four - Days Twenty-Five thru Twenty-Seven

Summer's View

On Saturday morning, we decided we would pick up the RV and limp it 10 miles down the road to Mountainview Campground for the weekend so we could sleep in our home and not a hotel for 3 more nights. After two hours of wrangling with the garage, who didn’t want to let us have it, we finally went to the campground. At least we could relax a little more while waiting. While staying in a hotel, we couldn’t leave Buster alone in the room, so he had to go everywhere we went. He is comfortable staying in the RV when we leave for a while, so it was better for everybody.

Nothing much happened over these three days. One day we went to Pearce Fish Hatchery and the discovery center there for a few hours. The tour of the fish hatchery was cool. This particular location just raises the eggs into small fish of a certain size and then they are distributed to closed lakes and ponds in southern Canada.

 

 

Sam enjoyed a little time at the discovery center there, and we all enjoyed strolling around the grounds and along the bike path nearby. It was a beautiful day, and the poplar trees are shedding their cottony seeds in the wind, so it looks like snow!

 

Year Four - Day Twenty-Four

Summer's View

We drove back to Calgary this morning, thinking the RV would be diagnosed and hopefully they could repair it today.  After waiting around all day, then finally settling in to a night at Econolodge, we received a call from the garage around 11:30 pm that they had finally found a problem with the cooling fan clutch. The part was ordered and would be in on Tuesday.

Year Four - Day Twenty-Three

Summer's View

It stopped raining for the first time since we've been in Canada! Wow the mountains are breathtaking!

We are going to ride the gondola at the Lake Louise Ski Lodge into the grizzly bear area which is off limits to hikers and hope to see some bear action! Since Buster cannot come with us, he is spending the day at doggie day care here in town.

We drove the Bow Valley Parkway into Lake Louise because it is supposed to be good for wildlife viewing.  After catching a glimpse of a mule deer crossing the road, and a few Columbian ground squirrels, we saw a big black bear crossing the road!  He just waltzed across like he owned the place!

We had a lunch buffet at the ski lodge, which was excellent, and then went up the mountain in the gondola after about a twenty minute wait while it was down for repair.  Hmmm...we were a little wary, but we made it up without a hitch.  No bear sightings on the way up.

Sam and Daddy played in the snow for a while. Yes, snow! They just had their last snowfall three weeks ago! After checking out the exhibit center, we rode an open ski lift chair back down. About halfway down we did spot a grizzly bear! Woo hoo!

 

Driving back along the Bow Valley Parkway, we spotted TWO black bears together on the roadside! One was black and the other one brown - awesome! That is five bear sightings in two days!

A little later, we were crossing a bridge area and in the road trotting along in front of us....a HUGE black wolf!  He just trotted along the road with us following him for a few hundred feet before he jumped off into the woods. Sam snapped some pics from the open sunroof, but got a little nervous when we got really close to him. :)

The last animal we saw of the day (besides Buster) was another big horned sheep under the overpass.

We picked up Buster at the doggie day care, but he was not a happy camper.  The sitter said he cried the entire time we were gone, so we can't leave him again. Bummer.

It was an awesome wildlife day for sure!

Year Four - Day Twenty-Two

Summer's View

It took over two hours to go about 55 miles, but we limped the rv into the shop in Calgary.  While we wait around for them to diagnose it, we are hanging out in the local McDonald's to use their wifi, and trying not to stuff our faces with French fries.  :)

Three McDonald's and several hours later, they have determined they think it is the water pump, and we will not have it back until Friday. So, we packed up some stuff, and headed to Banff to spend three nights in a hotel that is pet friendly.

We are at the Red Carpet Inn in downtown Banff.  It is reasonably priced, for this area which is expensive, and in decent shape. I did have to laugh when I found the previous guests leftovers in the fridge, and Buster found a plastic fork under the bed. No-no's in the industry!  :)

As usual, it is still raining, but we are settled in to relax for the night.

Year Four - Day Twenty-One

Summer's View

Today we just hung around the rv, watching it rain all day. Can't beat this view, though!

Sam and I managed to get out for a short walk between the raindrops along the railroad tracks for about 30 minutes. Even the local rabbits are finding it hard to stay dry!

 

 

We decided to go on a wildlife tour this evening in Banff, even though it has been rainy. We figure the animals don't care about the weather that much. It was a good idea! We saw a big horned sheep ram with huge horns, a herd of elk, a couple of mule deer (in town in someone's yard), and a grizzly bear!