Banff, Alberta, Canada

The perks of being the self-employed wife of Mark Vigoroso are endless. A few weeks ago, I got to tag along on a California trip and spend time with my sister and her family in Rancho Cucamonga. This past week I was able to fly to the Canadian Rockies and enjoy breathtaking scenery while Mark presented to a bunch of food service executives at the Buffalo Mountain Lodge in Banff.

Some of the highlights:

· Watching mule deer and elk graze what grass they could find amongst the masses of snow right off the back porch of our room.

· Walking the two main streets and many side streets of the town of Banff and exploring each and every shop along the way.

· Taking the frozen trail around Bow River in Banff and walking out on the river itself to get a better view of the countryside.

Our two nights in Lake Louise were amazing. Mark had finished his work at the conference and we were on our own to make the most of the weekend—and that we did!

· The first thing we did was check out Lake Louise itself. The lake was frozen solid so we were able to walk right out to the middle of it. Cross country skiers, ice skaters, horse-drawn sleighs and mommy-pulled sleds all occupied various spaces around the lake. It was spectacular. We were even able to get close to a massive frozen waterfall at the back of the lake cascading off one of the surrounding mountain sides.

· On our last day, Saturday, we did it all. We took a dog sled ride through a mountain pass to the Great Divide into British Columbia. Mark and I even got a chance to drive the sled ourselves!

· Then we drove out to Johnston’s Canyon, passing Moose Meadows along the way. It was at the meadows that we saw a lone moose standing by the side of the road. I was so excited because I had never seen a moose in its natural habitat.

· The walk to the lower falls at Johnston’s Canyon was quite interesting. We opted not to purchase the shoe covers that provide traction on the ice. So we shuffled, slid and slipped up the walkway to the falls in our sneakers (not too smart on our part). The railing became necessary for survival. I clung to the metal rail using it to pull myself up the inclines and to safely slide myself down the declines. Needless to say, I was exhausted by the time we got to the actual falls. You will have to see the photos to believe it. The water gushed behind a beautifully draped covering of ice.

Now it is back to Boston for less than two weeks before the big move.
Thanks for taking this adventure with us.
Love, Sharon & Mark