Welcome to the thirteenth instalment of my Thankful Thursday series, Road Trip!
This week I’m focusing on gratitude for the road trip to Calgary that I have done annually for the past two years (this is now the third time).
Here’s my Thankful Thursday for the weeks of July 13 – July 19, 2018!
Things I am thankful for over the past week:
- Early in my visit to Calgary, we went to watch my cousin Ty’s soccer game and I got some time with his family’s dog, Kobe. I just love him!
- Dad, Sharon, and I went for wing night at their local pub twice, and it was super delicious.
- I spent almost every afternoon reading and sunbathing in the back yard on a lawn chair, finishing 5.5 books!
- I got to see everyone in the family at least once, which rarely happens because they’re often travelling in the summer!
- One of those visits was a fun little trip to Fish Creek with one of my cousins and her two kids! We skipped rocks by the river and sat down for ice cream at Annie’s.
It was beautiful by the Elbow river, but buggy! - On Monday, we went to Waterton Lakes National Park. We intended to go down for canoeing at Cameron Lake, but when we got there it was closed because of bears! Instead, we sat on the beach by the main lake for lunch and then got ice cream at a place called The Big Scoop. It was lovely anyway!
The view of the lake from the beach. 
My view laying down on the beach looking up. 
Toasted S’mores and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice cream in a waffle cone from The Big Scoop. - We got some more family time (and Kobe time!!) later in the week.
He’s a little ham! -
He squeezed between Dad and I on the bench. 
His head was too heavy to hold up apparently, so he laid it on the table. 
Really into the scritches from Sharon. - Dad, Sharon, and I got a few runs in, even though it was super super hot! It felt good to be able to move my legs.
- This beautiful sunset!
- There’s a new movie theatre out by my parents’ house, and the seats are AMAZING. There’s a button you push and then they recline electrically!
And the theme for this week, Road Trip!
I know this post has pretty much all been about my road trip already, but I have a few things to be thankful for about the road trip specifically.
First, I just really love the drive. It takes me about 11.5 hours (with three quick pee/coffee/snack stops). I take my own lunch and snacks also so that I don’t have to wait a while at Tim’s for food. Most people exclaim various things about my craziness at doing a drive that long all in one day/alone. They also express surprise that I enjoy it, but I really do. I’ve always loved driving (as long as it’s not in heavy traffic). It’s almost meditative for me, but I assure you, I stay focused and safe.
Another thing I love about this long drive is that I pre-load over 100 podcasts into a queue on my phone and plug it in before I get going. As you probably already know from reading my other posts, podcasts are an obsession of mine, and long drives are a great way to get caught up. And if I’m not feeling something, I just skip on ahead using my radio controls!
Finally, if you’re going to do a road trip, the drive between Vancouver and Calgary is one of the best. You get a great rip (if the weather is good) on the Coquihalla Highway, where the limit goes as high as 120km/h. The ride through Glacier National Park and Roger’s Pass is stunning. The mountains and forests are gorgeous and ever-changing. It’s the opposite of boring!
Overall, this year the construction was the least intrusive that I’ve ever seen it. I only had to stop a couple of times, whereas last year I remember sitting and waiting for 15-30 minutes in some places. And the weather was pretty good. Fairly rainy on the way over to Calgary but not so much that it slowed me down, and absolutely beautiful on the way back to Vancouver.
There you have it!
So, that’s my Thankful Thursday list for this week. I hope it inspires you to make your own, and get on that gratitude train!
Peace and love,
Bee