Banff

Well. I finally made it out a bit to explore the Canadian Rockies.

I picked the first trail head I could find and hiked as far as I could go. It was lovely.

Nothing like telemetry tracking to make you feel like a spy. Even more exciting when done from horseback or from an airplane.

Just remember yagis and lightning don't mix.

I believe freedom of movement is basic human right. People should be able to make it to work and school easily and cheaply, and people should also be able to go to different parts of the world without facing suspicion and scrutiny.

Thieving Swainson's Hawks

When on a cross country road trip with an owl, a person needs to provide for their traveling companion. Usually I will just pick up some of the fresher road kills that I find for him. However, when Cecil gets exceptionally hungry, I am not above allowing the more suicidal ground squirrels to get hit by my own truck. Today it was of particular importance that Cecil got a bit of a snack, and for some reason there was absolutely no roadkill along the highways of Saskatchewan. It was several hours of driving before something finally came along. A ground squirrel ran under my tires of it's own volition on a gravel range road. Relieved, I had something to give my irritable owl, I backed up my truck. Before I could get out and pick up my prey, a Swainson's Hawk, chased by several blackbirds, swooped in and napped the recently killed ground squirrel. I guess this explains the mostly spotless Saskatchewan roads.