Go West!

Oh my gosh- I've been neglecting this space lately- I know, but really I just have been full up with things to do besides blogging, and though I fell guilty enough to fess up to the neglect- apparently I don't feel guilty enough to actually post, (by the way this is exactly how I feel about washing the floor too- guilty when I don't do it often- but not guilty enough to break out the mop bucket) so anyhow- I'll just continue on like nothing happened okay? okay.

We went for a trip out west a couple of weeks ago- I was so excited to drive through the mountains, we actually only went as far Kamloops- so we drove through the Rocky Mountains, but not the Coastal Range, and I have to say I think it's an essential thing to do. I've driven through them numerous times, mostly with different people, and then a couple of time with K. I was born in Manitoba, which is the quintessential Prairie province; flat vistas, big sky, lots and lots of Horizon, and then we moved out to British Columbia when I was 8. I love both places, even though I moved back to Manitoba right after high school, but there could not be two more different types of landscapes.

If you are Canadian and have not driven through the mountains, I strongly recommend it, there is nothing so shocking as seeing these giant mounds of rock spring up out of the gradual rolling hills. When you drive from the flat lands to the foothills it sort of changes slowly- there is no moment when you can say  "now it's hilly" but the mountains are just suddenly there looming in front of you, or receding into the rear view. Also we are lucky to have really great roads through the mountains, I mean really great- with regular weather updates- and even a giant screen in most major mountain towns that advises you of road conditions, it's fantastic.

Travelling across the provinces really gives a sense of just how vast, and vastly different each part of this country is, but despite that difference, or possibly because of it, it's all uniquely beautiful.
Though if you have small children you should not expect them to be as awestruck as you are by the mountains- and your trip will go much smoother if you can manage not to be offended when your excited ravings about the mountains!- or the eagles! or the elk! are basically ignored because your child looks like this for the entire trip:

 (well, pretty much the entire trip, only looking up from the movies to snatch a cheese string from your hand, pretty much ignoring the world outside the portable dvd player- which may make you feel like a questionable parent- but will likely make your spouse rave about " making good time")