Gotta love a road called the Cowboy Trail.

We’d spent a couple of nights in a town called Drayton Valley. A strange sort of town with the Cowboy Trail road running round the outside. We needed good phone reception and wifi for a conference call we were due to take on Monday morning. Yes I know – work!!!

So we parked up at the City Campground with very low expectations. Actually it was great. Huge spacious pitches. Free firewood – trust me this is a bonus as we have paid $10 for a ‘bag’ of 4 logs at other sites.

The town had fantastic bike trails, which allowed us to have a good hour or so’s bike ride without having to hurl ourselves into the middle of the town’s traffic. Along the way we found a Skate Park, which pleased the boys no end. They spent a happy hour peddling up and down the ‘half tubes’ or whatever the hell they call them with the local kids.

Even John had a go…

Monday morning came and we had our all important conference call. One of the most surreal ‘meetings’ we’ve ever experienced. Kids crouched in the back of the van ‘being quiet’ while we sat on speaker phone trying to remember how to talk to clients!!

A few hours of ‘housekeeping’ including 6 loads of washing and a quick stop at the supermarket and then liqour store and we were on our way.

Now you may be surprised to hear this but I quite like that you can’t buy alcohol along with your weekly food shop. Has seriously reduced the amount of booze I buy in one go. None of that “Ooo, that’s on special so I’ll take 6 bottles to ‘keep’ for a special occasion”…. If you know you are going to want a drink you go and buy some. If not you don’t! Sure it has helped reduce my alcohol intake over the last few months.

Anyway so on Monday 11^th August we finally set off for the Rockies. We have glimpsed them from afar – from Calgary, Panther River etc. – but now we were going to finally ‘get in amongst them!’

What an incredible road and what breathtaking views – so good we even made the kids put their ipads down for a few minutes!!!!

Turquoise lakes along the roads edge, mountains still covered in snow and dramatic peaks as far as the eye can see.

Jasper was our first stop.