The scariest part of our trip?

Being saved from encountering aggressive bears as we approached Jasper's Athabasca River – by a local citizen I decided to ask for directions. He told us how he had recently met face to face with a grizzly at the river.

The luckiest part of our trip?

Leaving Banff, heading westward toward Jasper just a day before Banff and Calgary had floods unlike they ever had seen.  Another day spent in Banff, and we would still be there.

The second luckiest part of our trip?

Catching a Greyhound bus to take us on an eleven-hour trip to Calgary via Edmonton. All because the ordinarily four-hour direct route was flooded out.

The most exhilarating part of our trip?

Breathing in the cool, fresh air while taking in the expansive, breathtaking views of the snow- covered mountain peaks.

The most exciting part of our trip?

It wasn't seeing that mother grizzly and its cubs along the road.

It wasn't coming across that deer near the river, or the elk on the trail.

And it wasn't walking on that glacier.

It WAS what occurred when we decided to go for an after-dinner stroll near our hotel last night in Calgary.

We were attacked by swarms of mosquitoes! Luckily we made it back to the hotel safely.

A week away from home felt like a month. Now to work on that Shutterfly book of our wonderful trip.

Mr. Ebsen may be contacted at robertebsen@hotmail.com