Shoulda been a race car driver

Yesterday, we got in the car at 10:45 and drove to Jasper. It was "WE" time. We stopped in Edson to clean some insect remains off of the car, and to buy an Alberta Road map (cause we don't have one, and although you don't really need one with all the signage, it's good to have one, plus I love maps). Rod got stung by a wasp. Hmm...how long would it take to find out if someone's allergic to wasp stings? The obviously violently allergic people would no doubt carry whatever medical implements necessary, but what if you have no idea if you are allergic? And should I be making plans to seek out the hospital in Edson or Hinton?

We got back on the road and stopped at Obed Mountain, which is the spot of the highest altitude of the Yellowhead highway, and Rod made comments about throwing me down on the boulders at the rest stop for a sexfest, but you know me, I quickly ruled that motion dilatory. Back in the car for a few minutes drive to Hinton so I could pee in the relatively luxorious surrounding of a gas station washroom (Nature rarely trumps the need for actual plumbing), and then back on the road again to Jasper. We got to the park and paid to enter for the day and all was well. We stopped and took a mini frolick break at the sight of the commemorative stone marking the Athabasca River (the water's cold says Rod, Wuss says I), and then onwards again to Jasper.

We bypassed the townsite and went straight to the Jasper Tramway, because Rod really wanted to. It's pretty cool. The tram takes you up to the top of Whistler's mountain, and from there you can hike just over a kilometre up to the summit, and of course, it's a wicked view. Mountain tops and lakes and highways oh My! I called my mom to say I was on top of a mountain, and she told me that a nasty family situation had further developed into a fullblown crisis, so it took the shine off of my experience...from the top of the world to the pit of despair in a record quarter of a second. We decided to head back down because of the cold...I was smart enough to at least bring a sweater, and I was a little chilly. Rod left his jacket in the car because at the base, it was like, 25 C, but at the top, it was like, 13 C. I started to get a splitting headache, so it was time to find a drugstore. We found one and bought a bottle of Advil Liquid Gelcaps for migraines, and two of those puppies had me sitting pretty by the time we got out of the park.

We stopped in Hinton for supper at the Boston Pizza, and just sat and reflected on our day. I had us getting home at 10:45 pm. And I was feeling alright, so I took over driving at Edson. I set the goal of being into Edmonton proper by 10:15, and speed demon that I am, I got us there in spite of a few idiot drivers hogging the fast lane, at 10:14, with 30 seconds to spare. We were home just after 10:30. Damn, I shoulda been a race car driver. Nothing gets the testosterone going like pedal to the floor and passing cars with much more impressive horsepower.

Good day. We sort of plotted out the route we'll take when we drive to Vancouver some time in the next month, and I cautiously brought up the possibilities for getting our stuff over the mountain when it's time to move. I don't want to suddenly say to Rod with a month to go that we need to discuss these things and then watch him go into the mental equivalent of rocking trauma over the impending change about to take place in his life. I like to gently implant the ideas long ahead of time and then let him gradually get comfortable. Besides, men like to think that they are the originators of ideas, even though all women know that we are the planners, and we can subtly implant suggestions in a way that doesn't offend the delicate male ego. :p