Jasper National Park Alberta

One June 20, 2012, we visited Jasper National Park. On our way we stopped at Lake Louise, and several other attractions. The views of the rockies and the wildlife were spectacular. We saw several black bears, elk and cariboo, mountain goats, and big horn sheep. We also viewed several falls and gorges in the park. Here are some pictures of our trip: Jasper National Park is the largest of Canada's Rocky Mountain Parks and part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Jasper spans 11,228 square kilometres (4335 square miles) of broad valleys, rugged mountains, glaciers, forests, alpine meadows and wild rivers along the eastern slopes of the Rockies in western Alberta. There are more than 1200 kilometres (660 miles) of hiking trails (both overnight and day trips), and a number of spectacular mountain drives. Jasper joins Banff National Park to the south via the Icefields Parkway. This parkway offers unparalleled beauty as you travel alongside a chain of massive icefields straddling the Continental Divide. The Columbia Icefield borders the parkway in the southern end of the park. Large numbers of elk, bighorn sheep, mule deer and other large animals, as well as their predators make Jasper National Park one of the great protected ecosystems remaining in the Rocky Mountains. This vast wilderness is one of the few remaining places in southern Canada that is home to a full range of carnivores, including grizzly bears, mountain lions, wolves and wolverines. Park Highlights In such a large and spectacular area, there are many sights to see and plenty of stories to be told. A few of the highlightes are listed here: •The highest mountain in Alberta (Mt. Columbia, 3747 metres); •The hydrographic apex of North America (the Columbia Icefield) where water flows to three different oceans from one point; •The longest underground drainage system known in Canada (the Maligne Valley karst); •The only sand-dune ecosystem anywhere in the Four Mountain Parks (Jasper Lake dunes); •The northern limit in Alberta of Douglas-fir trees (Brûlé Lake); •The last fully protected range in the Rocky Mountains for caribou (Maligne herd); •The most accessible glacier in North America (the Athabasca). Did you know? Jasper National Park protects over 10,800 square kilometres of the Rocky Mountain ecosystem which includes a diversity of wildlife, plants, rivers, lakes, glaciers, and magnificent mountains. Jasper National Park offers over 1,200 kilometres of hiking trails, with scenery ranging from cascading waterfalls to alpine meadows carpeted in wildflowers. Jasper National Park is one of four national parks (Jasper, Banff, Yoho and Kootenay) and three B.C. provincial parks (Mount Robson, Hamber and Mount Assiniboine) that make up the Rocky Mountain World Heritage Site. On September 14, 1907, the Dominion Government established Jasper Forest Park (later called Jasper National Park), setting aside an area of about 13,000 square kilometres. The National Parks Act was passed in 1930 and Jasper was officially established as a national park, with a final area of just over 10,000 square kilometres. The Icefields Parkway, Highway 93, stretches for 230 kilometres (130 miles) between Jasper townsite and the town of Lake Louise, following the shadow of the Great Divide. The Icefields Parkway crests two passes; Sunwapta Pass at 2035 metres and Bow Summit at 2069 metres. These passes take visitors to the very edge of the treeless, alpine tundra. In the Canadian Rockies there are 69 naturally occurring species of mammals. It is very common to see elk, deer, bighorn sheep, coyote and black bear throughout Jasper National Park. The largest glacial fed lake in the Canadian Rockies is found in Jasper National Park. Maligne Lake is 22 kilometres long and 97 metres deep. In 1916 Mount Edith Cavell was named to honor the heroic British nurse executed during World War 1 for assisting prisoners of war to escape German-occupied Belgium.

West Edmonton Mall

On June 20, 2012, we visited the famous West Edmonton Mall in Edmonton Alberta. The mall is one of the largest in the world, with a skaying rink, amusement park, waterpark, mini put, and numerous other attractions. See some of the pictures: The history of WEM is the story of a proud and resourceful family with a long, rich history. It begins in the late 1940s, when the Ghermezians left their homeland for New York. In the ‘50s, they began to move north and west. Jacob Ghermezian, the family patriarch, sent his eldest sons to Montreal where they were educated and re-established the family business, selling Persian rugs. In the ‘60s and ‘70s decided to settle in Edmonton. In the late ‘70s they hatched the idea of WEM. The Mall opened in September 1981 with Phase I. It was 1,140,560 square feet and featured 220 stores and services. Phase II opened in September 1983 and increased the size of the Mall by 1,129,800 square feet. Phase II brought the Ice Palace Skating Rink, Galaxyland Amusement Park and another 240 shops and services.

The Trip Home

After a long winter trip, with over 14000 miles, we're finally headed home. On the way, we stopped to see some of our friends from Florida. We've known these folks since 1999. Our first stop was in Belle Missouri, where we visited Fritz and Ann, and we also visited Doc and Jan. Further up the road we stopped in Covington Kentucky for a couple of days to visit Homer. And finally we stopped in Newmarket to visit my two daughters, and grandaughter. It was Chloe's 4th birthday. Here are some pictures from this trip:

Belle, Missouri Belle is a city in Maries and Osage counties in the U.S. state of Missouri. The population was 1,344 at the 2000 census. The Osage County portion of Belle is part of the Jefferson City, Missouri Metropolitan Statistical Area. Notable Belle natives include distinguished geologist and geophysicist, J. Michael Party. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.3 square miles (3.3 km²), all land. Belle is surrounded by the Osage and Gasconade Rivers, and is approximately 100 miles (160 km) west southwest of St. Louis. As of the census of 2000, there were 1,344 people, 595 households, and 357 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,062.1 people per square mile (408.6/km²). There were 652 housing units at an average density of 515.2 per square mile (198.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.10% White, 0.07% African American, 0.52% Native American, 0.60% from other races, and 1.71% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.12% of the population.

There were 595 households out of which 29.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.3% were married couples living together, 13.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.0% were non-families. 36.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 19.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.83. In the city the population was spread out with 26.0% under the age of 18, 10.2% from 18 to 24, 24.9% from 25 to 44, 20.2% from 45 to 64, and 18.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 82.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 74.6 males. The median income for a household in the city was $24,091, and the median income for a family was $35,982. Males had a median income of $27,917 versus $17,857 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,785. About 14.7% of families and 19.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 31.3% of those under age 18 and 15.2% of those age 65 or over.

Covington, Kentucky Covington is a city in Kenton County, Kentucky, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 40,640; it is the fifth-most-populous city in Kentucky.It is one of two county seats of Kenton County. Covington is located at the confluence of the Ohio and Licking Rivers. Covington is part of the Cincinnati – Northern Kentucky metropolitan area and is separated from Cincinnati by the Ohio River and from Newport by the Licking River. Covington is located within the Upland South region of the United States of America.

Covington was established in 1814 when John Gano, Richard Gano, and Thomas Carneal purchased 150 acres (0.6 km2) on the west side of the Licking River at its confluence with the Ohio River, referred to as "the Point," from Thomas Kennedy for $50,000. The city was incorporated by the Kentucky General Assembly a year later. Covington experienced growth during most of the 19th century, only to decline during the Great Depression and the middle 20th century. The city has seen some redevelopment during the late 20th and early 21st centuries.

Covington Blue Sox In 1912, city leaders attempted to acquire a baseball franchise in the Class D Blue Grass League; the Cincinnati Reds, whose park was just five miles away across the Ohio River, nixed the move. Instead (after several larger cities backed out), Covington was awarded a team in the new "outlaw" circuit, the Federal League. The city raised $12,500, with $6,000 budgeted to build the ballpark. Bernard Wisehall, a prominent local architect, designed Federal Park (also known as Riverbreeze Park) with a capacity to 6,000. The playing field (bounded by East 2nd Street, East 3rd Street, Madison Avenue and Scott Boulevard was tiny, believed to be smallest for any pro baseball park ever built: just 194 feet down the right-field line, 267 feet to dead center and 218 feet down the left-field line. Construction didn't even begin until a month before Opening Day; after starting the season on a long road trip, the Blue Sox managed to sell out their home opener in late May, with thousands of fans turned away.

But Covington simply didn't have the populace to support such an ambitious endeavor. On June 26, the team moved to Kansas City and ownership of the team reverted to creditors. Federal Park was used for other events the next few years, but it was eventually torn down and a tobacco warehouse was put up in its place; Covington has never hosted a professional team in any sport since.