Leaving Regina 5 days ago, armed with Tim Horton's and the Roughrider game on the radio, we headed west on the TransCanada.  The plan was to drive as far as we felt up to and then make our way on Monday afternoon to the NAIM staff conference in Canmore, Alberta. The next thing I know, we are in Medicine Hat and we're both feeling good to keep going.  We switch to our James Herriot audiobook, reload with light snacks and away we went.

The sunset was spectacular as our diesel Jetta covered the kilometers-pinks, oranges, yellows, fading into blues.  Soon the sun disappeared below the horizon.  The lights of Calgary appeared and we hoped to find a hotel and food on the west side of the city.
"Hey, let's take the Stoney Trail and avoid 16th Avenue!"  So we drove what seemed to take us north a long ways before we turned west.  We read signs of streets and neighbourhoods that were new to us, wondering where this new by-pass would rejoin the TransCanada.  Soon, we found ourselves on the west side, beyond the strip of hotels and restaurants.  

"So, I guess we keep going to Canmore tonight?"

But the little Jetta needed refueling, and so did I!  We stopped at the PetroPass truck stop and found road snacks to tide us over until we reached our destination.  By this time, it is pitch black and I am tired and hungry and no longer feeling adventurous.  I had envisioned pacing ourselves so we would feel rested and ready for the conference.  And I imagined that wonderful sensation when we drove into the mountains and could almost inhale the fresh alpine experience!

Instead, we wound our way into the Rockies without actually knowing or seeing that the mountains were surrounding us.  The stars twinkled above the blackness.  Before too long we saw the Canmore signs and decided on the Rundle Mountain Inn.  We'd stayed there several years ago, a quaint log hotel with a neon vacancy sign.  Walter checked us in and then we drove a block or two and found a Wendy's.  We dined back at the cozy room and then crawled into bed.  Quite ready for sleep.

The next morning, we woke with the whole day stretching before us.  I was glad then that we didn't have to drive anymore.  We could explore, walk, shop.  We could check into the conference centre after a day to ourselves.  It was a delicious feeling.

As we entered the lobby, hugs and greetings erupted as NAIM folks began arriving.  Cheesy retro-nametags and information packets in hand, we officially began our three-day gathering.

Stay tuned as the next blog will reveal the inner workings of a staff conference of a bunch of crazy, independent and faithful missionaries....