Page 11 - AAA Shelby County – AAA Now! – March/April 2019

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EXPLORE THE BEAUTIFUL CANADIAN ROCKIES By Judie Karhan
Few places on Earth rival the pristine natural beauty of the Canadian Rockies, where wintry scenes of majestic snow-covered mountains melt into those
of rushing streams, fertile forests and fields of alpine wildflowers come spring and summer.
Clear skies, glacial fields and waterfalls, sapphire lakes as sleek as a sheet of glass . . . these are the images of a wilderness that kindly offer respite from everyday life. This is what vacation dreams are made of.
Alberta's Rocky Mountains encompass four distinct regions: Waterton Lakes National Park in the extreme southwest corner of the province; two adjoining national parks, Banff and Jasper; and the Eastern slopes, which is mostly wilderness and forest reserve.
Escorted motor coach tours are a popular way to see these areas of Western Canada, showing visitors some of the most scenic highlights, including the spectacular Icefield Parkway, Banff and Jasper town sites, Moraine lake and Lake Louise. Tours feature deluxe accommodations such as the famous Banff Springs Hotel.
The focus of the motor coach often turns to picture taking, and photographers can find themselves within camera range of elk, mountain goats, bighorn sheep, moose and other wild animals.
For active vacationers, the Canadian Rockies present an assortment of appealing sports, including river rafting, horseback riding, hiking, fishing, skiing and snowboarding, ice skating, golfing, even heli- exploring and dog sledding.
For fishermen, Alberta's streams and lakes offer some of the best fly-fishing in North America. Crystalline lakes are filled with trout, walleye, grayling and northern pike. Six varieties of trout can be lured from mountain streams, as well as whitefish. Anglers can reel in the catches on fishing excursions
in the Banff, Lake Louise, Kananaskis and Bow River areas as well as other regions of Alberta.
If you prefer wheeling over reeling, guided bicycle tours of five- and six-day durations are offered through Banff and Jasper national parks. The tours include support vehicle, gourmet meals, camping and inn accommodations.
For wet and wild fun it's hard to beat river rafting,
and the Rockies have it, with tours ranging from tame family outings of a few hours to white water rafting tours of several days that are combined with such activities as trail riding and heli-sightseeing.
Come wintertime, the sport of choice
is – naturally – skiing. Four ski resorts
in Alberta re recognized worldwide as offering some of the greatest downhill skiing in North America: Mount Norquay,
Sunshine Village and Lake Louise in Banff National Park, and Nakiska in Sananaskis Country.
There's so much to discover in the Canadian Rockies – and so many ways to explore it – that
many vacationers find themselves returning to these majestic mountains year after year. But perhaps, in part, it may be the Canadians themselves who attract familiar visitors, for in this land of Mounties and moose the spirited people are just as welcoming as the scenery.
Seeking Serenity Through Spring Cleaning?
Is it the orderly, guilt-inducing homes showcased on HGTV?
The de-cluttering guide that hit the #1 spot on the New York Times bestseller list? The fact that “home office” now seems redundant?
Whatever the inspiration, “getting organized” is having a big cultural moment. Less clutter will lead us to more clarity and inner peace, promise the tidiness advocates. They warn that when
too much stuff surrounds us, it saps our energy, distracts our attention, and makes us inefficient and overwhelmed.
If the time has come to transform your environment for a higher purpose, AAA Discounts & Rewards® can help. Whether you are tackling a light refresh or a major overhaul, make spring cleaning shopping stress-free when you take advantage of your AAA Discounts & Reward at more than 125,000 locations and thousands more online retailers. Shop in-store and online for savings on:
• Self-storage units from SpareFoot
• Boxes and packing supplies from The UPS Store
• Upgraded/multifunction electronics,
computers and supplies from Dell and HP
• Hooks, shelving, racks, and hardware products from TrueValue
• Paints and supplies from PPG paints
Go to AAA.com/discounts or download the free AAA mobile app from Google Play or the App Store to find savings from trusted brands and popular retailers. The app enables you to spot savings on the go, search for deals, learn how to redeem your savings, and personalize results to see discounts you are most likely to use.
Claim the full range of deals waiting for you on travel, dining, health and service; entertainment, home and business, automotive needs (including gas), and just about anything else on your shopping list.
All of this buying power is neatly consolidated in one membership card.
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