Our Trip to Golden

We went to Golden for the long weekend with Bob and Sarah.
We left work at 4:00 and shipped off to relocate our camping gear from the hatchback to the SUV and drive into the sunset in hopes of finding a relaxing retreat. We got everything loaded up but had made the grave error of deciding to fill up the car just outside of the city - This was apparently everyone Else's thoughts as well! After a good 15min in the line up to fuel up the beast for the road trip we were back on the HWY. Our second error came when we decided that instead of stopping in Calgary we would get our weekend groceries, booze and a quick bite in the town of Canmore. This was where we found the rest of the people who were waiting in line for fuel! After a much emptied out Safeway and a looooooooong wait in the Wendy's lineup we were again ready to hit the road! I searched the hwy anxiously hoping to see my first moose or bear but we arrived at Golden without a sighting. The very nice hostess showed us to our weekend home which was a very lovely ground floor cabin with 1 separate room, a kitchen with another room and a full bathroom complete with shower. We got the fire roaring and were cooking up some much unneeded smokies in no time! Bright and early Saturday morning we were wakened by the Belgium couple on the top part of the cabin screaming at each other in other languages, this continued until they decided to redecorate their area by moving the furniture around.. At this point we decided to wake. I opened the window and was greeted by the faces of several horses feeding in the pasture. I decided to pet the horses (Because I'm me and I just can't help myself!) But I noticed every time I was leaning over the fence to coax the horses I was hearing this sound.. It wasn't until then that I realized that I was leaning on an electrical fence and I was feeling a funny sensation in my hip. Ok Fine! I wont pet the horses!! Just as I had given up hope there was a distant ringing of a bell. Kirby laughed and pointed upwards and just around our cabin outside of the fence stood a horse grazing with a large cowbell around it's neck. After I mauled the horse we got some breakfast together and got ready for our journey that day. We decided to do a 2 hr canoe ride down the Columbia river which was high and running very slowly. During our 40km van ride to the stream the owner of the lodgings told us lovely tales of recent drownings and people dying on the river. With a complete lack of confidence and a sure thought that I was not going to make it through alive we reluctantly got into our boats and paddled our way down the river. It was a beautiful ride in very calm waters and we had nothing to worry about. Again I scanned the waters edge for my moose or bear.. Although I didn't get a glance at those we saw a dear, eagle and an osprey which is a very large bird.
We went back to the cabin and had a nice long hot tub in a tub that is covered but has open windows facing the valley and mountain sides.. After a long day we played a quick game of Trivial Pursuit and off to bed. Sunday morning instead of a peaceful waking with birds chirping and light shining through the window we again got to listen to the Belgium's do their daily screaming as well as stomping around like hippos in concrete shoes. At least the early rising gave us ample time to make breakfast and check out in time. We took the long drive home stopping off at Emerald Lake in Lake Louise and then decided to partake in some Canada Day festivities by having some good pub grub in Canmore.
We got in around 7:00pm after a very eventful weekend and enjoyed every second of it!