Drive to Fernie, BC

Today we drove from Banff to Fernie, BC.  The skiing is supposed to be really good because there is lots of powder.  We left around noon and didn't get here until about 7:00pm.  My mom and me drove the van behind the bus because people were telling us that the road could be sketchy.  The road was fine, but part way through the drive, we had a leak.  We first thought the toilet was leaking dirty water, but it turns out it was coolant!  My dad figured out that one of the hoses that was under the bed was spraying coolant, so he worked on fixing it while my mom drove to the next town to buy a mini Shop Vac.  My dad fixed the problem and we were on the road again.  When we got to Fernie in the dark, one of the workers was leading us to where we were supposed to go to park, but we couldn't make it around the corner with the bus, so we had to back up.  It took us forever because my dad couldn't see anything, and Ben and my mom were directing him where to go.  It is really hard with a trailer attached to a big bus.  Good thing no one was around because I think it took us a hundred tries almost.  We took a different route, and that one was easy -- we went in the exit way.

Down Day

Yesterday, we didn't do anything fun.  Mostly school work, laundry, cleaning up.  Mackenzie had a bloody nose that wouldn't stop for hours.  There was so much blood and she was spitting out giant clots of blood.  My dad had to take her to the emergency room to get her nose cauterized.

Lake Louise Ski Resort

Today we drove to Lake Louise ski resort and met up with dad's friend Phil and his family.  When we got there I went to the Guest Services to check if my goggles were there because they fell off my helmet last time we were there. They told me ''no", they didn't have them there, but they would let me use one of the ones that they had there for the day. When Phil and his family came, we went skiing in the front of the mountain, and then went up a bunch of lifts to get to a t-bar like thing that went up a black diamond. It was so sketchy that I thought I was going to fall off. When we got to the top, me my mom, my sister and my dad went down a blue hill, and the others went down a double black diamond.  It was a cliff that went straight down the back side of the mountain. When we were going down the mountain, it was so windy that it started to push me backwards and I couldn't move down the hill. After that we did two more runs then went to the bottom to the lodge because the chair lifts were closing for the day. We went to the car and packed it up, then went to the Lake Louise Fairmont hotel for a little bit with the other people. After a few hours there we went back to the bus and I did the blog. Then my dad made some dinner and we went to bed.    

Calgary, Alberta-- Nena and Papa rent a car

Yesterday we went to Calgary to drop my grandparents off at a rental car place because they were going ahead of us to B.C on their own. When we got there, we had to wait in the rental car shop for about a half and hour. When we were there, they asked if we were all going in the car that my grandparents rented and how we were going to fit in the car. We told them that it was just the two of them (my grandma and grandpa) that were going in the car, but they still looked at us funny because the two of them had a lot of luggage. When they got the car, and everything in it, we all said goodbye and they left. Once they were gone, we went on our way to a mall in Calgary to find long snow pants for my sister and my brother, but when we looked for some, we couldn't find any good pairs for them. After that, we met up with Carol (my mom's friend) and we had lunch together at the food court in the mall. Then after lunch, we went to my dad's friend Phil's house and went to an indoor recreational center.  There we went bowling with everyone. After that, the kids went back to Phil's house and the parents went out to dinner.  Carol went to dinner with them too, and they went to a Mexican restaurant called, The Native Tongue.  At his house we made Kraft dinner and pizza for dinner.  As we ate dinner, we watched a movie on Netflix. Later the parents came home and we left because it was really late.

Banff

For the past few days we went skiing at two different ski places. the fist one that we went to was called "Sunshine Valley" and the second one that we went to today is called "Lake Louise". Yesterday we didn't go skiing, but everyone except my grandma (because she wasn't feeling so good) went to the hot springs. When we got there it looked  like a giant pool sized hot tub. in the hot springs my grandpa kept going under water and hold his breath to see how long he could hold it for. The first time he did that some of his body was floating above the water and a few people were concerned that he was dead or something and they were asking how was with him. Then he raised his hand because he could hear them under the water. Once he did that they were then saying that he is Houdini or a deep diver.

Tunnel Mountain Hike -- Rocky Mountains

Today my dad's friend, Phil, from university came to visit with his two kids, Bogey (14) and Tabby (12). We climbed up Tunnel Mountain. The mountain is about 1700  meters tall to the top. I got so tired climbing up it.  My grandpa was the first one to get to the top with my brothers and my dads friend's son.  My mom wasn't to far behind them. Well the rest of us took a way longer time. Going down the mountain was then best all.  The kids were sliding down the icy paths, and we got to the bottom first.

 

This is part of the view from the top of the mountain.

Banff National Park

We've been camping in Tunnel Mountain Village II, in Banff National Park.  For the past two days, we have been going in to town (Banff) where there are cute little shops and stores. The first time we went, it was just my mom, my sister, my grandma and me. That day the boys all went to Canadian Tire. The next time we went into town all of us went, and also my moms friend Carol came with us! Since there was nine of us we all couldn't fit in the car, so my mom and I went with Carol in her red truck. When we got into town we all met up at a cool bones and stones store.  After we went to a fudge place because my brother really wanted to go and get some fudge.  He got some Maple Caramel Fudge; I got some Cappuccino fudge.  My other brother and my mom got a thing called a 'snail' which had caramel walnut and chocolate.  Carol also got a treat like that.  My older sister didn't get anything because it a may contain peanuts.  After that we all kind of went to different stores.  At the end, me, my sister, my mom, and Carol all tried to fit in the three seat truck. When we got back to Flow, we actually had dinner early.  We haven't had dinner early since we left. We had salmon and pork tenderloin that my dad did on the BBQ.  Carol brought some doughnuts from her favorite doughnut shop, and we all got to have one! Then after a little bit, Carol had to leave so we said goodbye. When she was gone a few of us watched Little House on the Praire with Nena (grandma) in the back bedroom on the TV.  When that was done, we all went to bed.

Tunnel Mountain Village II, Banff National Park

Yesterday we drove to Calgary to put the brakes on the trailer for when we drive in the moutains. After that, we started driving again to a camp site that we were going to stay in for the next two weeks in Banff National Park. When we got to a camp site, there were mountains all around us and they were really pretty. Me and my brother played outside in the snow with two little kids that came up to us as we were out there. Well we were playing outside in the snow, my other brother was getting a haircut from my sister because he wanted a hair cut so bad and my mom said that she is not cutting hair in the winter (and he wasn't allowed to do it in the bus because there would be hair everywhere). When my brother came inside to see what his hair looked like even though my sister wasn't done yet according to her, I thought it looked almost like there was a mushroom on his head. They took like hours, and at the end she was trying to cut his hair in the dark, but when they were done the hair cut though it actually looked pretty good for my sisters first time cutting hair. well they were still doing that when me and my brother came inside cause we got cold. As we were inside we tryed to play hide n seek, but that didn't really work though cause we could find each other easily. When we finnally had dinner it was really late, so after dinner we all went to bed.

                                    

                                    

Pictures by Mackenzie

On the Reserve --Calgary, Alberta

We got on the road at 8:45 and drove all day.  We wanted to get to Calgary because we have to take the bus in to the Big Rig to get electronic brakes repaired for the mountains, and they aren't open on the weekend or family day.  The drive was kind of boring.  The land was so flat.  Papa kept getting excited when he saw different farm equipment, feed lots, grain elevators, cattle, and oil pumps. When we got to Calgary, we had a site booked at an RV place, and they said there was lots of room for us, but we didn't fit into the site, so we had to back up.  My dad did not like doing that.  So we decided to go to a truck stop, but we got lost.  The road we were on had beautiful mountains in the background. There was nowhere to turn around for a long time, but then we saw a rodeo place (Chief Goodstoney Rodeo Centre) that we could turn around in.  It was deserted, so we decided to stay there for the night because it was really pretty with the mountains and quieter than a truck stop.  When it got dark, a car pulled up next to us, and it ended up being the manager of the rodeo.  He said that we were in the middle of a First Nations reserve and that we would have to move.  My dad explained how we ended up here and he was really nice about it, and the manager was nice too, so he called the Chief, and the Chief said that we could stay the night.




Writen by: Mom and Megan

Regina, Saskatchewan

Yesterday, at the hotel we got free breakfast, since Mom and Dad were staying in the hotel that night. They had a lot of different things to choose from, I had an egg, some fruit, orange juice and a yogurt. After breakfast my brothers and I went to the water park, and we mostly played on the slide. It was fun because we would wait for the water to stop flowing in the slide, then when there wasn't any water flowing through it, we would try to slide down it. After a little while one of my brothers went up to my parents room to take a shower but me and my other brother kept going down the slide and playing in the whirl pool till we had to get out and take a shower. After, we started driving, heading to Regina. As we were driving, for lunch, I made everybody a sandwich if they wanted one.  We stayed for the night in Regina at the Walmart.  We went shopping at the grocery store and Winners.  My mom and sister almost got hit by a car when they were crossing a busy road.

A Big Day! Winnipeg, Manitoba

 Yesterday (Valentine's Day!) was a big day for us, we did quite a bit. In the morning we started to drive to Winnipeg, but we weren't even driving for a long time before we heard something that sounded like lightning and thunder! We realized it was the awning cover that fell off. Since the bus is so big, we couldn't turn around, so we kept driving till we found a spot that we could pull over and check it out. My dad and grandpa went out to check it out and said that the awning just unrolled from the wind and that they could try and fix it. Then a truck pulled up beside us and a man came out to help us fix it. His name was Joe and he was very nice and helpful. Once they got it all back together and tied so that it wouldn't unroll again we started driving. On the ride, my grandma was hungry, so my sister made her a sandwich, but the plate kept moving around so my sister took her gum out of her mouth, and stuck it to the bottom of the plate and then stuck the plate with the gum  on it to the table and it didn't move again. After we were driving for about five hours we were in Winnipeg, but somehow, we ended up right in the heart of the busy city because that is how "Waze" GPS took us.  I don't know how we made it around all those corners!  We parked at a Marriott hotel because my mom and dad were staying in for the night, and we slept in the bus again, It was all worth it though because there was a water park at the hotel. Pretty much right when we got to the hotel we went swimming till ten o'clock it was super fun because there was a slide that went super fast and a swirl pool, and then after we were done swimming we ate dinner at  about ten thirty, after dinner we went to bed.

Happy Valentines Day!

Happy Valentines Day everyone I hope you are all having a great day and are having lots of fun!

Fixing and Swimming -- Thunder Bay, Ontario

Yesterday early in the morning, about 7;30, started driving to a mechanic's garage that repairs big trucks and other big things. We had to go there so early in the morning because my dad wanted to  get the water pump put in that we ordered. When we were there, we were allowed to stay in the bus most of the time just not at the end when they were finishing up. The problem for us was the repair  took almost nine hours to do!  (It was only supposed to take 3-4 hours.)  When they were done it was almost 6;00 so we went swimming again in the same Olympic sized pool we went the day before because they had an open swim from seven to nine.  When we were done swimming we went back to the Walmart parking lot that we've stayed in for the past few days.  We ordered Chinese food and they delivered it right to the bus.  The delivery guy, who owned the company for 11 years, said delivering to a bus was a first for him!

Swimming!

Today we just got back from a swimming pool at the Canada Games Complex in Thunder Bay.  It is really fun in the swimming pool because they have a bunch of different diving boards and a water slide.  I recommend if your in Thunder Bay and want to go swimming you should go there. Also we are still waiting in Thunder Bay for a water pump that we need to install in Flow (the bus).

Cooking on the barbecue!

Tonight my dad is cooking meat on a barbecue that we bought today and he is cooking it in a Walmart parking lot were we are staying tonight.

also a shout out to all the cousins!

Keeping our Fingers Crossed

We woke up this morning (parked in New Liskeard) and discovered that the engine was leaking coolant.  Called a mechanic, and he said that sometimes it can do that when it's extremely cold outside.  We're getting it checked out right now just in case.  After being delayed about a week on our departure, we are all hoping that this is normal -- or at the least-- a small fix. Keeping our fingers crossed.

North of North Bay

Right now we are in a truck stop north of North Bay.  It is freezing outside! -30!  My dad almost got frostbite when he was outside checking on the generator.  We are staying warm in Flow though.  We are loving the bus becuase it is fun to travel in it.  There is lots of room for all 8 of us (my Nena and Papa are with us until March).

getting everything set up

Hi!  Sorry we haven't been keeping you posted with our trip.  We had some difficulties getting the blog to work, so we are hoping that from now on, the blog will keep working for us to keep you posted.