Long Hike 
Last night we dealt with the mouse some more. Joe made a psuedo mouse trap out of an old yogurt container. Later we heard it chewing on some wrappers on the table and found that it was eating one of our granola bars we'd left out. We set that on the counter hoping to actually catch it with the flashlight if nothing else. I did finally see it. It is a mouse and is hiding under the bathroom, getting there through the stove (gas line) and then the wiring.
Hopefully we'll catch it tonight. Anyway, we started driving to Lake Louise. We took scenic highway 1Aand stopped at info spots. Then we stopped at Moose Meadows which was just past Johnston Canyon (where the parking lot was literaly overflowing with cars) and went for a 10-12km hike. We saw 'Ink Pots' which were really neat. It's where cold springs are coming up through the sand and something about minerals in the water makes the water different colors. Mostly just pretty greens and blues. We also saw Johnston Canyon. It was an exhausting hike and Joe got tuckered like an old man. Since we are both pooped after the long hike, we went back to the campground across from Johnston Canyon, stayed there and got showers. We set up a new trap tonight made of string, duct tape, and a bowl (see picture below) to catch the mouse. We used the granola as bait.
-Miranda


Our mouse trap that worked. The string was originally tied around the post and we just had to pull it to let the bowl down.

One of the ink pots.

Bubbles were coming up from the sand where the water was coming into the ink pot.

Panorama of the inkpot area (click on picture to see larger size).

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Banff 
We slept terribly last night because there was some creature making noise INSIDE our RV. It sounded like chewing. We took turns getting up with a flashlight to try to catch it, but never could. Joe apparently thought it was a cockroach or some big bug. I thought it sounded more like a mouse. After waking up we discovered mouse droppings.
In the morning We drove to Lake Miniwanka and we saw two Martens fighting. We then went to Upper Bankhead and biked down a very gravelly trail.
On the way back it started pouring so we got soaked! A little later we checked out Lower Bankhead and saw an Elk.
We drove around Banff then we up and stayed in the Upper Bankhead parking lot. The scenery was beautiful.
-Miranda


Beautiful picture of the mountains.

One of the martens.

The Elk.

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Last Day in Dino Park 
Today we stayed inside a lot again. Very hot. I did a lab tour and learned some about how they prepare the fossils for transport and what they do to display them in museums. Pretty neat. Joe found a dinosaur bone and reported it.
We left with the intent to head to Calgary and stay at a Walmart tonight, but Calgary was not very RV friendly. Very cramped feeling and the only Walmart we could find easily was in a mall and said no overnight parking. We decided just to leave. We ended up driving all the way to Banff and staying in Two-Jack Campground.
-Miranda

I found a Dino Bone!!! Whooo hoo! :)
-Joe


Joe's dino bone.

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First Full Day in Dino Park 
This morning I woke up at 6am and went bird watching down one of the trails that goes by the river. There were a lot of different birds and some really neat trees. The hike is supposed to take less than an hour and I was gone for two. :) Afterwards we went to the visitor center to see about tours.
Most of the park is a natural perserve and you can't go into it without a guided tour. So, we went on the Badlands Bus Tour. It was a lot of fun and we got to see and learn some really neat things. That was over at noon so we basically stayed in until evening because it is very toasty here.
-Miranda


Sunrise in the badlands.

Bird silhouette.

Mule Deer.

A 200 year old cotton wood tree.

A Yellow Warbler, Cedar Waxwing, and Grey Catbird that I saw on my walk.

Phred the camel (a hoodoo) with a pyramid behind him. :)

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Dinosaur Provincial Park 
We stopped at an awesome City Water park in medicine hat. It was only $6 admission!
Hot showers, rope swing, water slide, etc.. good fun. Afterwords we ventured off to the Dinosoar Park.
Jaw dropping terrain.. You drive through endless farmland, and then suddenly hit this!
we did a little hiking and saw some neat displays of dinosaur bones, still in the ground. We also saw an old quarry site.
-Joe


The trail near our campsite leading up to the visitor center.

Us during our eveningish hike.

View when first entering park (click on picture for full size).

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