Casper the friendly Cougar?

On our drive to Jasper, I think we just about tested Scooby’s abilities to the limit. The roads were horrific with potholes every few meters and then after about three hours of driving the introduction of snow was thrown into the mix.

I honestly think we lost track of time as I cannot remember how long the drive actually took us, I just remember it was looooong.

By the time we arrived in the village of Jasper it was very quiet and few people were out on the streets. However it was so quaint and peaceful with the mountains surrounding us we absolutely loved it. Lewis in particular was in awe as this was the Canada he had read about and wanted to experience. The wonderful, never-ending, gigantic mountains!

We stayed at the Pocahontas Cabins on the outskirts of Jasper National Park, which were a delightful little cluster of wooden cabins with cozy fireplaces.

The best part about staying at these cabins was the phenomenal karaoke alarm. This ‘alarm’ would go off at about 7am every morning, regardless of whether we wanted it or not, and came in the form of four young girls under the age of ten singing at the top of their lungs a collection of Miley Cyrus and Carly Rae Jepson songs. One morning they even treated us to Jon Bon Jovi – livin on a prayer. Yaowza!

Other than our delightful wake-up call quartet, we loved Jasper and spotted even more wildlife.

When driving along the main road into the village we spotted two wolves on the other side of the road. We pulled over, keeping our distance and began taking photographs, and when one looked directly at Lewis he (very calmly and in no way yelped) “That’s it, we’re off” and proceeded to accelerate away, leaving the rather large wolf wondering what had just happened.

However, the slightly more daunting feeling of “that can eat me” was yet to happen.

It was after dinner one evening we decided to go a walk up behind our cabin and see where the road would take us. It might help to explain that Lewis, in his wisdom, has signed up for a quadrathlon with his bestie and needs to run every day and thought this road would be ideal for a morning jog. Pah!!

Anyway, realizing we better head back before dusk, we proceeded to return to our cabin only after 30 minutes of walking along this road. It was here, retracing our own steps that we came across some rather large and extremely new paw prints in the snow leading across the path. I cannot describe to you the nauseous, pins-and-needles, where-is-the-bloody-big-cat-hiding feeling that encompassed my body.

Lewis on the other hand thought that this was a great photo opportunity to compare hand sizes. Suffice to say I took the photo thanks to my very persuasive other-half.

Very calmly and slowly, so as not to tempt the great cat predator into chasing us, we walked back to the chalet and locked the door and didn’t leave again until the next morning where we practically ran to the car and locked its doors behind us.

And that is the story about how I do not care to see a cougar in the flesh…. ever.