Almost died... no big deal

I didn't almost die from the very best food I've ever had in my entire life in the Steakhouse at the Fairmont Lake Louise...

... But it was to die for...

I didn't almost die at 5 am in the morning when we got up to go canoe out on Lake Louise and watch the sunrise... though I felt dead at the wake-up call...

... It was cool...

I didn't almost die at the Banff Fairmont when we sat in the restaurant overlooking the 15th hole for an hour without getting service until we walked out...

... But I was hungry...

I didn't almost die taking Danelle shopping through Banff in the afternoon...

... But I sat outside more and more stores as the day wore on...

I didn't almost die just outside the door of my car that I left for a second to get a better view of the black bear as it wandered in the ditch... or again in a similar situation with the grizzly 5 minutes later...

... It was awesome...

BUT I did almost die at Johnston Canyon trails when midway up the path hurricane force winds blew over trees up and down the trail... lightning striking all around us... and rain soaking us unprepared t-shirt wearers that we were...

... Trees were completely uprooted... Trees had fallen on cars in the parking lot... Trees were swaying over the highway as we drove back to Banff... and suddenly in front of us three trees were fallen over blocking the highway...

... In the middle of a lightning storm about 20 or so of us guys... (asians tourists flashing cameras the whole time... European guy that chances are hadn't showered in a month.... Bikers on Harley Davidsons... Doctor guy worried about infections from tree sap... and Canadian families with teenage kids in tow ready to prove their toughness...) decided to act like men for ten minutes and pushed the massive, very heavy, very dangerous, trees off the road so the cars could get through...

... And job well done back in Canmore at our hotel we meet a couple whose daughter had just been married August 1st... a gymnist instructor... they offer out their place for a few weeks to us next summer if we want it... right on the #1 hole at Silvertip... and who they tell us Danelle should come and work with in Calgary if things work out for me there...

... This right here is why you can't help but love Canadians... the openness... the transience (as he called it in his thesis) of western people still figuring out their lives... the freedom of mobility... no factions... no stagnation... no structure... no cliques... no politics... at least not yet.