Prairie Boy

Starting Friday June 14, 2012

We are off on another adventure on our new favorite mode of transportation….VIA Rail. The train offers such a slowed down, civilized, way to move from one place to another.  We arrived at the station in Saskatoon in lots of time to check in. Our first encounter with a VIA Rail person involved a hilarious exchange with a very relaxed employee who was having great fun hinting at the inevitable fate awaiting our bicycles stashed in cardboard boxes. As the train pulled into the station we observed Cathy’s brother John and his wife Diane waving at us from one of the cars.  They had boarded in Winnipeg and are travelling with us to Vancouver. Our next VIA personage could not have been more friendly and accommodating while he explained where our car was, how to access our reserved seats and where the amenities on board could be found.  It struck me that VIA Rail and Air Canada (motto ‘we’re not happy until you’re not happy’) may have divergent views on how to satisfy customers.

Trent and Cathy with boxed bikes.

Basking in the slow rhythm of train movement while visiting in the dome car the four of us spent an hour catching up before we headed off to our bunk beds, snuggled into our comfy nests and melted into the soothing sway of a moving train. As five o’clock am approached I was so excited about catching the morning sun wash its warm glow across the prairie/parkland that I unwound my carcass from the upper bunk put some clothes on it and headed for the dome car.  There, through the rain and fog I could make out that the train was still rolling along on its metallic ribbon headed in the general direction of Edmonton.  My momentary disappointment in arising to a grey cloudy day was soon vanquished as the sun slowly beat back the clouds and replaced monochrome with full color.

In Edmonton a Panorama car was added just ahead of our car and provided another great way to view the world according to VIA.

Panorama car as seen from the station in Jasper.

Viewing within the Panorama car

After a great brunch with linen table clothes and silver service (remember the comment about civilized?) we headed back to our beds for an afternoon nap (remember the comment about civilized?) in preparation for a walk in Jasper.

VIA rail dinner setting.

The train is running a bit late so our walk in Jasper is only about 30 minutes.

Main Street Jasper

We board the train again with the promise of ‘Bon Voage’ drinks and hors d’oerves in the dome car.

A glass of sparkling wine enables complete relaxation as the mountain scenery is rolled out in front and behind the train.

Suddenly there is great excitement as word comes from the conductor that a black bear is foraging on the side of the tracks.  Luckily I was on the correct side of the train to snap a picture. I swear the bear is blurry from the window glass refraction and not the wine!

Soon we are sitting down to a delicious meal of baked Salmon or Rack of lamb prefaced with soup, salad and finished off with carrot cake desert.

The mountain scenery continues to block the view, dumping gushing rivers, craggy peaks, brilliant green forests and tumbling waterfalls in front of our eyes obscuring the pastel shades of the familiar prairie grasses!

Pyramid Falls, B.C.