My best friend Chris reached out to me at the end of June with a plan to meet up at a midway point between his home in Edmonton and our home in Castlegar. He would be travelling with his significant other Billie and his brother Richard, and I would aim to bring Irene along for the trip. I had enjoyed our similar gatherings in the past and so plans were made.
Our biggest challenge when Irene and I both go somewhere together is figuring out how to have our animals cared for in our absence. It is pretty much a mandatory ‘live in’ situation with four cats and a dog needing attention nearly around the clock. For this trip we lucked out and had a friend that was willing to step in as caregiver for our small zoo. Val was wonderful, and left our house better than she found it and all of our critters were thoroughly spoiled.
Day 1- Tuesday: Castlegar to Radium
The first day was a travel day from home to the Bighorn Meadows Resort in Radium where we were gathering. We didn’t meet up with Chris and his family on this day but we did exchange some photos and text messages to plan out the next day.
Day 2- Wednesday: the Hotsprings
On our second day we joined Chris and family for a light “toast and coffee” breakfast then went to the hot springs. For folks who haven’t been there, the Radium hot springs are pretty well developed with a large shallow hot pool, a small cool dip pool, and a regular swimming pool for those who wish to partake of such things.
For myself the only pool is the hot pool, and we soaked for a couple of hours in it. The temperature is typically around 100 degrees. I did find afterwards that my skin had reacted a bit to the pool minerals or chemicals, I’m not sure which. But it was a minor problem consisting of some redness and a bit of itching that went away over the following couple of days.
After the pool we returned to our rooms for a bit then later joined Chris, Billie, and Richard for dinner at their suite. Chris treated us to excellent marinated steaks accompanied by potatoes and tomatoes from his garden. The marinade apparently includes 7-Up pop which is a “secret ingredient” I never would have thought of. I enjoyed the dinner and company immensely, and probably talked Chris and Billie’s ears off.
Day 3- Thursday: Bavarian Dinner
On Thursday we started out on our own, checking out the Golf course restaurant menus and confirming their hours of operation (more on that later) and then heading into the town to check out the info centre Museum. After that we wandered into a few of the shops including the Olde Tyme Candy Shoppe where we picked up a few snacks for later. Then we quite randomly ran into Chris and company as he alerted us to his presence by honking at us while driving by. A brief middle of the road conversation (Radium is quiet this time of year) and we decided to join up with them as they went to check out some sites near the town.
Chris is good at finding unusual scenic spots, but his usual luck was not holding up well this day. The first location he guided us to was I believe the Sinclair Canyon trailhead which took us past the scenic solid waste disposal centre. But the real problem was that the trail itself was closed- it was unclear if it was completely closed or if just that entrance way was blocked off for maintenance. Regardless, we had to find another scenic spot to view the valley.
The second destination Chris led us to turned out quite a bit better. It was the other direction on Forsters Landing Road down a section identified as an actual forestry road with radio callsigns and everything. But our journey didn’t take us too far and we got a nice view of the river as our reward.
After our adventure around Radium we went our separate ways again and re-joined each other in the early evening at the Old Salzburg Austrian restaurant. I had Schnitzel Oscar with spatzel and apple strudel with whipped cream for desert. I think it is safe to say that everyone was well fed that evening.
Day 4- Friday: Unexpected closures
Friday was a day of “surprise” disruptions, starting with the Springs Golf course Elevations restaurant. They were supposed to be open in the morning until 11:00 AM serving breakfast, but when we got there at 10:00 AM they were closed. The guy behind the bar told us the closure was “unexpected” and he didn’t have an explanation for it. So there went our breakfast plans.
Chris and Billie really stepped up, however, and offered to make us all eggs and bacon for breakfast. It was a tremendous kindness and a lot of work on their part, but they ran the kitchen like pros. There was a brief bit of excitement when we all realized Richard had gone “missing”, but he was found safe and sound at the front desk of the resort after only a few minutes of looking.
After our tasty breakfast préparé par Chris et Billie (hurray for Google translate) we went up to Panorama village near Invermere. Again we encountered closures: the gondola up the hill was closed so we had to drive up, the coffee shop in the village had just closed for the day, and the restaurant wasn’t open until after 4:00 PM.
After the disappointment that was Panorama we returned to Invermere and found a restaurant there that was opened- just barely. A place called Beginnings that serves breakfast and lunch and closes at 3:00 was still open and willing to serve us at 2:30 PM. I had a Reuben sandwich that was great along side a small Caesar salad.
After lunch at Beginnings we perambulated up and down the main street of Invermere. Our first stop was the Invermere Bakery where Billie bought Irene and I lovely baked goods for later. Somehow Chris and I ended up separated from Billie, Irene, and Richard, during which time Irene petted a three legged dog while Chris and I checked out a games shop.
Wrapping it up
Irene and I made our way home on Saturday after a heartfelt goodbye with Chris, Billie, and Richard. Our home was in beautiful shape upon our return: our house sitter Val had cleaned and polished things we didn’t know needed cleaning and polishing, and all of our pets were spoiled rotten. Toys were everywhere as were treats for them and us. I’m still shocked at everything Val did for us while we were away, and all we expected was to find our cats and dog healthy and happy upon our return.
The trip was a tremendous break in our every day routine, and I thank Chris for inviting us to join his family’s adventures. I enjoyed every minute of our conversations and the time we spent together. Not everything went perfectly, but the hiccups on Friday in Panorama led to some interesting discoveries and an excellent lunch in Invermere.
