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Relacja angielskojęzyczna z trzech miesięcy podróży po zachodniej Kanadzie i Alasce – Góry Skaliste, bajeczna Kolumbia Brytyjska, gorączka złota w Jukonie i dzika Alaska.<br />www.roadtrip2007.prv.pl

Canada-Alaska 2007. Story of a Road Trip. Part I - Canadian Rockies

W. Paczos
2008-03-25 17:23:08

Wyświetlono razy (ostatnio: )

Actually neither we planned nor wanted to stop. It was Marcel's independent decision (the name we gave to our new auto). It was kind of sad to realize that a day ago we'd purchased a broken car.

With some help from towing vehicle couple of hours later we arrived in Radium Hot Springs, but the mechanic was closed. In Radium we spent 3 days and $400 on a new fuel pump. And this was only the beginnig...
However, Radium turned out to be a very interesting place. We took our time relaxing in hot springs and cooking dinner on a fire with awesome views over Columbia River. On a hike to sawmill we heard some strange noises, that eventually turned out to be black bear running through the bushes...

Saturday afternoon we hit the road again. North to Golden. After two hundred kilometers we sighed with relief, new fuel pump works! We will make it to Alaska! Marcel however gave us no more than one day of joy. Next day in Jasper clouds of steam started to evaporate from the engine. For a day we ignored the fact, then we decided on a second visit to mechanic, that was in Prince George. Every day man learns something new. This day we learned that there is more than just one pump in the auto that can break down. This time it was water pump. And again $400. Unless... we wanted to fill-up radiator with clear water every now and then. As water is considerably cheaper, so thought we'd rather saved this $400. At first it was once a day, then twice, in the end every hundred kilometers. But Marcel was brave, and handled more than 7000km, nearly half of which on gravel roads. Then it collapsed totally, but now, we still had almost three weeks of fun before us.

Meanwhile we visited really awesome places in the Rockies. We drove north along Columbia River valley, then east along steep, twisting road leading up the Kicking Horse Pass. We were planning to do overnight hike in Yoho NP, but because of bad weather and days lost in Radium decided to drive on. Fortunately we found time to do couple of short hikes. We've seen enourmous Wapta Falls on Kicking Horse River. Takkakwa Falls were completely different, incredibly high and steep cascade of water. Next day it was raining most of the time. Columbia Icefield however beatiful might be, didn't impress us much because of its highly commercial character. Sunwapta Falls were much more interesting, but the best one that day was Maligne River Canyon. Moose running there and back on an empty road and a beer at Maligne Lake in the twilight before we called it a day.

www.roadtrip2007.prv.pl