Aylmer Express "MoHo" Extravaganza 2006

I mentally prepared myself for a battle as we pulled out of Canmore on our way to Revelstoke in the heart of the Rockies. This would be the big test and might also give me a chance to give the transmission temperature gauge that I had installed for the trip a workout. Time would tell. We started off easy by heading into Lake Louise to drink in the beauty of that area “live” which I have seen so many times on posters and postcards. I must say, it did not disappoint. I think the most powerful thing for me was the colour of the water. The light bluish pastel shade of the water is just breathtaking. I found out later that this look is caused by the little particles of mountain rock that the water picks up as it flows down to the lake and these particles reflect this colour when the light shines on it. We had originally planned to hike or bike around the lake but some other travelers we met recommended going to Lake Moraine instead, which is nearby, since it is just as picturesque but less crowded. We took their advice only to find that perhaps everyone else was trying the same tactic. It appeared to be crawling with more tourists than Lake Louise! And then, as we started our hike around the lake, what started out as a nice sunny morning turned into a rather cold and very damp afternoon. It was at this point when we discovered how the lake got its name … Lake MoreRain. We had a good time just the same but a warm and sunny day would have highlighted the beauty of this area even further.
Then it was off to Revelstoke. Along the way we pulled in at a rest area to let some of the traffic we were holding up, get past us. Much to my surprise, this also happened to be a scenic lookout with a special “twist”. This happened to be the location of the very cool spiraling train tunnels. Those are exactly what they sound like. In an effort to reduce the steepness of the train tracks through Roger’s Pass, they redesigned this part of the railway line to include two separate tunnels that go into the mountain, do an almost complete 360 degree circle while gently rising and coming out just above the point where the train entered the tunnel. Of course I had to take some pictures of these tunnel entrances as best I could. And just as I was about to leave, what should happen? A passenger train came by and I actually got to see the spiral tunnel in action! Pretty cool. The only thing that would have topped that would be to have seen one of those long cargo trains go by so that I could see the end of the train still entering the bottom tunnel while the front of the train was passing it above. I wasn’t quite that lucky … but close! The rest of the trip was an absolutely gorgeous ride through wonderfully beautiful mountain scenery. It is very difficult to limn the natural and stunning landscapes we were presented with on our drive. When we were in Chicago we met Rene and Celeste who told us that they had driven through the Canadian Rockies for their honeymoon. They said the beauty was overwhelming and that just when thought they had seen the most amazing sight, they would round the next corner and be even more blown away … again and again. The beauty was almost exhausting! Now I am starting to see what they meant.

Today’s word:

limn \LIM\, transitive verb:
1. To depict by drawing or painting.2. To portray in words; to describe.