Alberta, Canada
Hmm., I thought that Alberta would be a little bit primitive, but. . . . This sign says, "Please do not climb on dinosaur." This is Milk River, Alberta. I stopped here to exchange some $ at a bank. Milk River is interesting, as it is the _only_ river from Canada that flows into the Gulf of Mexico; as such, it has been under EIGHT flags. (!!)
This is the Lethbridge wind gauge.
If the ball hangs at 22 degrees, a Lethbridgian considers it "calm." At 45 degrees, a Lethbridgian considers it "moderately calm." At 90 degrees, a Lethbridgian considers it "partially breezy." If the chain stretches, a Lethbridgian considers it "moderately windy." If the chain breaks, a Lethbridgian considers it "pretty windy." :) As you might have guessed, Lethbridge is Canada's windiest city--due to the Chinooks that flow off of the Rockies. Picture a month where the _average_--AVERAGE--wind speed in 27+ miles per hour. (!!!!) Also picture a place where the temperature can raise as much as 50 degrees Farenheit in a few hours. (!!) Because of the constant wind, over 11 _billion_ cubic miles of air pass over Lethbridge yearly. Lethbridge also receives more sunshine per year than anywhere else in Canada. It is also built on the location of "Fort Whoop-Up" (no joke)--where the locals illegally sold liquor to the Indians.
I knew you would never believe me if I just told you guys. Here is Cowboy Jake at "Head Smashed-in Buffalo Jump."
This isn't a very good picture, but here is Cowboy Jake at southern Alberta's "Happy Farm."
The farm has a big smiley face on it, which you can just barely see if you look closely. -I _knew_ I should've gotten closer for this shot. . . .
A note here: Calgary BITES!! -Avoid it like the plague; don't even drive through it. Here was the only other time where I nearly got in an accident on this trip (somebody almost rear-ended me.)
Banff, Lake Louise, Jasper
I took this picture @ 75 miles per hour. . . . 
. . . Because I thought [the mountain(s) over the sign] looked like a RHINO!!!!
Okay, this needs mentioning--Banff just plains blows. It SUCKED!! -Don't waste your $. I had to spend $5 (Canadian--you know, play money) just to get into the place--and it wasn't even worth that!! The only cool thing was that I was _actually_ _able_ to talk a chipmunk out of his burrow. That was pretty cool.
Wanting to make sure that I got my money's worth, I drove just about everywhere in the park. Finally I saw something worth seeing.
This is Cowboy Jake at Castle Rock--which I thought was really cool. :)
And this is Lake Louise:
It was pretty cool, too.
Much later that evening/early the next morning, I saw an awesome auroral display, north of Edmonton. It didn't just dominate the northern horizon, it WAS the northern horizon. I stopped in a place called Whitecourt for gas, and the dude there was downright offended at my suggestion that he wouldn't be interested in the fact that there was a display going on. "I _love_ the northern lights," he said. He also told me that the Inuit say that if you whistle at them [the lights], they will come down to steal your soul--but it you snap your fingers, they will go back. Hmm. -I'm going to have to try mooning them sometime. . . . :)