Got into Banff in time for the heaviest rains that I have ever seen in the Canadian Rockies. Wanted to treat Elaine to a Canadian Bagel Co. breakfast, only to find the outlet closed/out of business. Had breakfast instead at JOE BFTSPLKS, a 50's style diner on Banff Avenue. Great decor, okay food. Did NOT linger in the wet.

Hit the highway for Calgary to realize the limitation of 10" wheels on a badly rutted highway with standing water. Imagine pulling out to pass at 100kmh, hitting a water filled trench in the fast lane and have your left front wheel spin after punching the water. Quick note - the Trans Canada Hwy. is a disgrace to publics works management! Standing and flowing water on the highway was a problem, on and off, all the way to Medicine Hat.

Calgary merited only a fuel stop. Hwy. 1 via NW 16th Avenue is just plain awful! I must reset the rear suspension height to provide more clearance. This became painfully obvious when we stopped (in the rain, what else?) at the highways weigh scale. Fully loaded and with both of us in the car, we hit 940 kilograms/2,068 lbs.

Stopped in Medicine Hat and E-mailed you from the public library. Nice town, must go back for more than an hour. After fueling, we switched on the Cell because Colin Cook from Cold Lake, Alberta could be looking to make contact with us, in preparation for meeting in Moose Jaw...some 4 hours plus to the east. Colin's military training and career led to the call at 1800 hours as agreed. He was in Moose Jaw, had left Cold Lake at 5:30 a.m. We pulled into Moose Jaw at 22:30 local time after 1,016 kilometres! Met Colin, who has a very nicely done 67 Austin Mini Countryman, with a 1330 cc Austin America build up. Grabbed a quick cold one with Colin and gratefully hit the sack.

I have not checked the Mini's performance yet. Enough to say that Pooh loves the open road and has eaten up the miles without pause or complaint. Elaine drove the middle stint on the day, while I drew the morning through the Mountains and the haul to Moose Jaw.

The photo of Rick under the umbrella has him pointing through the rain in the direction of Banff's Upper Hot Springs. If we had stayed, we would have needed wet suits! Look for the photo of The Little Outhouse on the Prairie (also known as The House at Pooh Corner). Look for the Where's Waldo photo taken in Gull Lake, Sask. at 2000 hours (we crossed the border at 18:40).

After connecting with Colin it's..."Hallo Halloo and now we are two!"