Bucket List - Check! and Soaking

I felt so blessed to be driving east toward rocky snowy peaks.  I wanted to tell the cars heading west, “Turn around!  Go back!”  According to Mapquest, I should reach my destination, Fairmont Hot Springs, in 6.5 hrs which is usually overly opportunistic.  It took me a full 10 hours!

It’s my first time driving in a foreign country.  Canada is an easy start; the signs are in English, but they use the metric system.  I looked at the speedometer once and I was going 100!  I thought , “Oh, gosh, slow down”.  I realized it was km and not mph so I was really only going 62 mph. 

Here was the view after 4 hrs...

...and after 5...

...and upon arriving!

I passed multiple signs to watch for big horn sheep, moose, elk, and bear.  I scoured the hillsides and meadows, but no luck.  As I neared my destination, I pulled into an overlook - one of the only ones during my entire trip.  Look what I found!

Big horn sheep, native to North America, have been on my bucket list, and here was a herd!

The males called rams have horns which may weigh 30 lbs and designate their rank.   Rams are known for their head to head combat during mating season.

Females are called ewes and have smaller horns.

This male was definitely protecting his herd and watching me closely.

The herd eventually walked patiently across the highway while I was praying a tractor trailer wasn’t going to mow them down.  They made it safely and gave me an amazing end to a long day of traveling.

Fairmont Hot Springs, located in the far eastern part of British Columbia, is a resort known for their mineral hot springs.  In the early 1800’s, explorers discovered the “land of smoking waters” and their soothing benefits without the typical sulfur smells.  Natural hot springs are promoted to have various health benefits including improve circulation, lower blood pressure, heal skin conditions, reduce stress, encourage sleep, and relieve pain.

These springs are in a gorgeous settings situated in the Columbia Valley between two mountain ranges.  Two pools of different temperatures...today 94 and 102...are filled directly from the underground water source.  I soak, float, and just relax between spending time on the grassy lawn reading and napping in a lawn chair.

Dinner is a local Greek diner, laundry, and prepare to head to my next stop tomorrow.

Wish I had one of these pools at home!