TOUCHING THE EAGLES

Snowstorm Hits Calgary
I got up several times during the night to look out the window. There was a driving snowstorm with the wind blowing steadily from the west. The wind was so strong that the snow was falling at an angle almost parallel to the ground.

Upon awakening in the morning I turned on the radio. All roads leaving Calgary were closed and the city police warned people not to travel on the city streets unless absolutely necessary. I looked out the window. My car was covered in a high snow drift and the wind was still howling and the snow blowing.

I received clear instructions from the guiides to "Get going" and to "stay with my schedule." I thought it almost insane to travel in these weather conditions, especially with my new car since I did not know how it would handle under these adverse weather conditions.

"Do not fear. You must travel west today. You wil get through." the guides told me.

I thought, "O.K. I'll put myself entirely in your hands for this one.

While I was shovelling my car out of the snowdrift and packing it in preparation to leave the guides informed me that day five (today) would be a day of change, that I was halfway though my journey of nine days and that I would experience some beautiful and wonderful things that day. I felt a definite excitement from the thought of venturing out into the snowstorm, knowing that it was only temporary.

"This too shall pass." I heard the voice say.

Suddenly I had absolute faith and knowing that I would get through the storm safely. There was no way I was about to stay in Calgary any longer.

All Roads Closed
As I was pulling away from my son's house I turned on the car radio to hear the announcement that all roads leading from Calgary were closed.I wondered how I would get through, yet I knew that I would get through. I was only one block from the Trans Canada Highway which runs through Calgary and I thought that driving conditions would be better there.

Cars were stranded beside the road so that I could not use the on ramp to the main highway. I had to detour and go out of my way. About half a block down I came to a McDonalds restaurant so I went in for a quick breakfast.

Helpful Helen
There were many people in the restaurant who came in mostly to get out of the storm. When in the restaurant I heard a special radio report that there were power outages and power surges, that all school busses were not running, that vehicles were stranded and parked all over the city and that the city police were coping with numerous accidents.

The restaurant was short staffed because several of the employees did not come in due to the storm. The female supervisor was in a very cheerful and optimistic mood and obviously happy in her work. She was working along with two young girls whom she was supervising.

Because she was busy I did not get a chance to speak with her. However, the guides informed me to include her as one of my contacts. She was blond and had a problem with her left leg and walked with a lmnp.I noted the name Helen on her nametag as I was leaving.

Keep Going
I got back into my car with the feeling that I would be able to get out of the city and eventually away from the storm.

"Go for it." I was told.

I managed to get onto the main highway and headed west through Calgary. At 9:33 A.M. I arrived near the Foothills Hospital. As I was driving along slowly I suddenly realized that the cars in the lane immediately to my right were stopped. Then I realized that I was in the wrong lane and I signalled to ease into the traffic but the guides had other plans.

"Proceed in this lane. Keep going." I heard the voice as if it were spoken from the back seat of my car.

Then I saw the reason why the traffic was held up. A big truck had overturned on the hill blocking the entire road. No one was going past this point. I noticed a policeman with his hand up and he was about to stop me.Suddenly he carefully directed me past the overturned truck through a narrow opening at the side of the road. I was the only car he granted passage to. I experienced a most eerie feeling as I glanced back through the rearview mirror at the scene behind. I thought how unbelievable it was that I was guided right through.

A mile or so up the road at the Calgary city limits the road was really blocked. Barriers were placed across the highway with several signs attached saying "Road Closed" and "Do Not Enter"

Cars were turning around as I got there. One transport truck was stopped and the passenger jumped out of the truck, ran over and lifted one of the barriers and the truck drove through. As he was about to place the barrier back he just looked at me as if to say, "Well buddy are you coming or not?" Without hestating I pulled through the barrier and stopped behind the truck. He put the barrier back and we were headed west away from the city.

I stayed behind the truck for several miles making it easier for me to drive through the snow and the strom.. Howver, when he started to go faster I slowed down and stayed well behind driving slowly and carefully. At timesI had zero visibility and had to drive very slow, not knowing where the road was.

"You will be all right." the guides were telling me.

I had lived in Calgary for fourteen years and this was the worst highway driving conditions I ever experienced. I was listening to the radio and the announcement was made that this was the worst spring storm ever to hit Southern Alberta.

Greetings at Dead Man's Flats
I continued driving slowly west. As I travelled on the snow on the road became less and les. Then suddenly all I had beneath me was wet pavement and then completely dry pavement without a trace of snow. The freak storm had only hit a section of the province.

As I drove along I was thinking of the Twilight Zone. I was the only vehicle travelling towards the west on the highway. Usually this stretch of highway from Calgary to Banff would br heavy with traffic. I had the highly completely to myself.

At Dead Man's Flats I stopped at a restaurant for a sandwich and coffee. The waitress was glad to see someone come in. It was late in the morning and I was her first customer. She introduced herself as Marilyn and we chatted for awhile. She lives at Canmore, Alberta near the site of the 1988 Winter Olympics. When I told Marilyn that I was writing a book about meeting paople she insistdr I speak to the manager, Terry. The guides informed me that I should speak to him

Terry was originally from Montreal and had been out west for five years. He came west to study computor sciences at the college. Well educated, Terry was thirty years old and single. He had worked at the 1976 Olympics as a chauffeur and was excited that he would be here for the 1988 Olympics.

Terry told me that his goal was to go back to school after a few years to get his Phd. in computor svience or in business. He planned on attending Stanford University in California because they have the best program in North America for what he wants to take.

How Do You Do - Mary and Sue
Back on the road again it was a treat to be on dry pavement. At the entrance to the Banff National Park I had to stop at the gate. I had planned on driving straight through the Park. I did not need a ticket unless I were stopping in the Park. I was about to tell the girl in the booth that I was travelling right through when I was informed by the guides to purchase a ticket. As I purchased a ticket I was told to talk to the two girls there.

Telling them that I was writing a book about meeting people I asked if I could speak with them for a few moments.

Marty, age twenty-three, was a university student and single. She had worked there every summer for the past five summers. She was originally from Fort Francis in North Western Ontario. She was attending Mount Royal College in Calgary taking courses in rehabilitation and working with the physically and mentally disables.

Sue, age thirty-two had been working at the Parks Department full time. She had lived in Quebec near the New York border and presently lives near Canmore, Alberta.

Christopher-Napoleon
Leaving the Banff gates I headed west. I was told by the guides to go into the town of Banff; that there was somebody there to contact. I had not planned on stopping at Banff but following directions I took the road to Banff. Driving along I saw a young man hitchhiking.

"Pick him up", I was told.

Christopher-Napoleon was nineteen and a student at the University of Calgary where I graduated with a Bachelor of Social Work degree. He was studying management and geology. He was temporarily employed as a waiter at a resort in the area.

Although a Canadian citizen he was born in Brussels and grew up in Melbourne, Australia. He was fond of sports and enjoyed skiing, scuba diving and sky diving.

I drove Christopher-Napoleon into Banff, turned around and headed back to the Trans Canada Highway and west.

Three at the Outpost
I was guided to make a stop at Lake Louise, a well known tourist town just off the highway. I drove into town, parked near the post office and asked two girls where I could get a coffee. As they were telling me I knew that they were to be my next contacts. They directed me to the Outpost, a lounge. They came in right after me and ordered a drink. We started to talk and the bartender joined in.

Peggy, age twenty-three, worked at the Lake Louise Kiosk, a campground for tourists. Originally she was from Georgian Bay, Ontario and attended Georgian College in Barrie, Ontario.

"I have been trained in marketing, tourism management and hotel management. I enjoy life and living each day as it comes", she told me.

Diane, age twenty-eight, had worked for the past three years at another lounge in town. She was from Midland, Ontario.

"I love horses" she told me. "My goal in life is to settle down, have kids, raise horses as a hobby and live happily ever after."

Both of these delightful girls ski. They described how they particaped in the ski races skiing through the gates with a tray of drinks.

Peter, the bartender, had been working there for six years. Originally from Switzerland, he had been in Canada for sixteen years. He had worked at the Scotis Square in Halifax, Nova Scotis (my home town) prior to coming to Alberta.

After an hour visit with the three at the Outpost I excused myself, left and headed back towards the highway.

Gillian
As I turned onto the highway she was standing there hitchhiking.

"Pick her up, she is your next contact." I was told.

She told me about herself.

"I was born in Toronto and spent the last five years in Honolulu. My mother dies of cancer several months ago so I returned to Canada. I have been working in this area in the restaurant as a bartender, I am twenty-five years old and like skiing and water sports. I have a sailboat in Honolulu and I plan on returning there. My goal in life is to get a bigger boat and sail around the world.

Bob and Debbie at Rogers Pass
I let Gillian off at her destination a few miles up the road and continued my journey west. I stopped at Rogers Pass for a coffee and as I was getting out of my car a small car pulled in beside me. Again I was told to talk to them. I noticed the license plate number was from my home town and this enablesd me to begin the conversation.. Bob and Debbie had lived in Salnon Arm for two years. We had coffee together and talked.

Sharon at Three Vallet gap
After my stop at Rogers Pass, high in the beautiful mountains of British Columbia, I continued on towards home. About fifteen miles from home I stopped at Three Valley Gap. As I was talking to the waitress Sharon, I received confirmation to include her as a contact.

Sharon lived in Malakwa, a small nearby community and had been working at the restaurant for two months. Her husband Ken was a construction worker and they had two boys, ages fourteen and eleven.

"I believe in living one day at a time", Sharon told me.

I drove the short distance home and prepared to sleep in my own bed and to have a good nights rest.

Touching the Eagles - Day Six!

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