Ro Wells Travel

So there I was, sat in the hostel lobby in Calgary, wondering how I was going to get to Canmore in a couple of days’ time. I’m trying to be as smart as possible with money, and make what I’ve got saved stretch as far as possible. I went for a bit of a long shot and decided to chance putting a message in the hostel group chat offering a trade of gas money and snacks for a lift to Canmore if anyone was heading that way. And miraculously, someone replied saying yes. What followed was the most beautiful example of when you put yourself out in the world, good things tend to find their way to you.

A Mexican couple called Andres and Julia replied to my plea for a lift, offering to take me to Canmore with them. We had breakfast together, which I paid for as they were doing me a huge favour in driving me. Spending time with them, I quickly learned that they are two of kindest, fun-hearted, and considerate people on the planet. Throughout the journey, they offered me snacks, asked if there was anywhere I wanted to stop off and see and made sure I was comfortable. I had been feeling a little apprehensive about getting into a car with two strangers but they immediately put me at ease. On the way to Canmore, we pulled into a lay-by which offered a breath-taking view over a lake, full of Canadian geese.

Having got back in the car, we decided we wanted to go to Lake Minnewanka as it had been recommended to me by a friend I’d met in the hostel in Calgary. We originally though it was on the way to Canmore but a quick Google search told us it was actually north of Canmore, and therefore a bit out of Andres and Julia’s way to take me there. But they were super keen to see the lake as well so after a quick lunch in Canmore we headed off to the lake. And wow, what an incredible place. The views are stunning, and it even started snowing whilst we were there we just added to the magic. It was Andres’ first time seeing snow fall and watching his reaction, and playfulness in the snow, was one of the most heart-warming experiences I’ve had the joy to share.

On the way back to Canmore, we spotted a place we could go for a quick walk through the trees. We all fancied stretching our legs as we had been in the car most of the day. We set off, having a great chat and a laugh along the way. About 5 minutes in, Julia suddenly stops dead and says, “Did you hear that?” I had heard absolutely nothing so was a bit confused but we stopped to listen and after about 10 seconds, we all heard the noise again. Now I’ve not heard a bear before, but I would put money on it being a bear that we were hearing. Either way, we didn’t really fancy taking the risk that it was a squirrel with a previously unheard of deep voice so we turned on our heels and started a fast march back towards the car. One of the only things any of us knew about bears, was to make noise as you were walking so you didn’t suddenly surprise them. So we started singing “Ba-by Hike do do do-do do do” to the tune of Baby Shark all the way back to the car. Thankfully no bears were seen and only one song was butchered. Whilst I would love to see a bear whilst I’m here, I would like to see it from the safety of a car, not whilst I’m out on a trail.

Andres and Julia dropped me off right outside my hostel and we swapped contact details, saying we’d try and meet up again over the weekend. I wasn’t sure if it would actually happen or not but the next morning I received a message from them asking what my plans were. I said I was going to see if I could find a way down to Grassi Lake (another recommendation from a different friend I’d made in Calgary). They offered to drive me as they really wanted to see some more lakes as well. So off we went. We ended up at Whitemans Pond (not a pond, definitely a lake) as we didn’t fancy hiking up to Grassi Lakes (it would be quite a long hike which none of us were prepared for). Whitemans Pond was well worth the visit. There was fresh snow on the ground again, and the water was an incredible vibrant greeny-blue colour which, although I tried my best to capture it in a photograph, the photos really don’t do it justice.

Again, we decided to stop off at another trailhead and see if we could walk up to a waterfall as it didn’t look too far. I was once again absolutely stunned by the beauty of the scenery. It felt like I was walking through a Lord of the Rings set. The last of the afternoon sun was falling in beams through the trees, the last of the previous day’s snow was still clinging to the ground. The wind was biting at our faces and when we checked the map, we saw we were still half an hour from the falls and we were starting to lose the light so we returned to the car. I still thoroughly enjoyed the walk through the woods.

By the time we got back to Canmore, it was dark but we weren’t quite ready to call it a night. We decided to go and see an ice hockey match as Canmore Eagles were playing. As we hadn’t had dinner yet, we got ourselves a Dominoes enroute and I have to say, that walking into the rink with a Dominoes in hand, was one of the best feelings ever. Pretty sure we nailed attending that game. Especially when we found out they were selling alcohol as well. 

On Sunday, Andres and Julia were heading up to Banff Sunshine Village to see if there was enough snow for some snowboarding. I stayed in Canmore and had the most wonderful time wandering around the town. It’s a pristine, quintessential alpine town, full of wooden buildings, and coffee shops. I was about ready for another walk so headed down Spur Line Trail, having crossed the old Engine Bridge. About half way round, I notice some people heading up a mega set of stairs so checked the map (I think Google Maps is now my most used app) and saw that you could get up to a reservoir. So up I went. Almost as soon as I reached the top of the stairs and started along the trail, I see a sign in front of me saying “Warning! Bear in Area” I about shat my pants. I was walking on my own with no bear spray, and although most of the bears should be hibernating by now, I couldn’t guarantee it. But it was only about 200m up the reservoir, across open ground and I didn’t want to have climbed all those stairs for nothing. So I put my big girl pants on and carried on (possibly a little recklessly but the balance of probabilities was in my favour). I made it up to Rundle Forebay Reservoir without a sniff of a bear and was treated to the most spectacular mountain scene and breath-taking views over the valley where Canmore lay. Thankfully I made it back down to Spur Line Trail to continue my walk along the river without incident but I’ve since promised myself I won’t do any more hikes without bear spray and will strive to find hiking buddies wherever possible. It’s always more fun hiking with others and sharing the experience anyway, plus “safety in numbers” and all that jazz.

Sunday evening, Andres and Julia invited me round to their apartment for some proper Mexican nachos and a game of Scrabble. I cannot describe how grateful I am to have met them. They made me a part of their holiday, spending 3 days with me when they were only in Canada for 10 days. They made me feel incredibly comfortable with them and are an absolute joy to be around, bringing so much fun and laughter to our adventures. I’m planning on keeping in touch, and visiting them in Mexico at some point. I wish them love and laughter for their next adventure!