Day 15; Sunday September 25th

Pioneer church in Revelstoke, rain at Rogers Pass, Golden

We were lucky yesterday, because there is a slight drizzle, but it isn’t cold. While in my own church a very special Evensong is taking place – or rather it has already taken place considering the 8-hour time difference – we decide to attend a service at the tiny white clapboard Anglican church at the back of our motel. It dates back to 1885, and is the oldest pioneer church of Revelstoke. 

Revelstoke

The 10 o’clock service is announced as a traditional Anglican service, so we expect traditional hymns. To our surprise we sing from a missionary hymnal, and from a loose sheet. The minister walks up to the front of the church guitar in hand. A young man is strumming a guitar as well, standing next to a wheezing harmonium. Before the service starts we have to practice a new song, which is rather unsingable. But the text and especially the refrain we won’t forget as it is so appropriate:

Refrain:

We are companions on the journey

Breaking bread and sharing life:

And in the love we bear is the hope we share

For we believe in the love of our God,

We believe in the love of our God.

1.

No longer strangers to each other

No longer strangers in God’s house;

We are fed and we are nourished

By the strength of those who care,

By the strength of those who care.

Refrain: etc.

Unsingable or not, we keep singing it once we are on our way again, like a song for a youth camp. After all, we break bread together every day during this road trip.

I forget to count, but guess there are no more than 20-30 people in church. They are a mixed bunch, coming from different parts of the world as we find out later. Wherever we go, we meet people who are European by birth and have emigrated either as an adult or with their parents when they were still children. Whatever the songs and hymns or the service, this small group of people valiantly tries to keep this church alive, which is remarkable and humbling. After the service we drink coffee in the hall which is also the local dance school. The two women at out table come respectively from Heidelberg and the other one has dated a Dutch chap for several years when she was young, who was ever so sweet – her words! She tells me she didn’t marry him in the end, because he was Dutch Reformed coming from Kampen in the Netherlands, and she was an Anglican, which was a gap they couldn’t bridge. Times have changed. She is a very happy woman with a shock of grey curls and she laughs a lot. Her face softens when she tells us about this Dutch boyfriend. The woman from Heidelberg looks rather unhappy. She tells me that her late husband was a pilot owning a private plane and that they have seen a lot of Canada and the USA together. She obviously feels lonely. Often there are meetings like this on our road trip, which is one of the nicest parts of it.

The vicar has a farm quite some distance away. His ministry is a sideline. He has come in a shining dark red pick-up truck and gives some elderly ladies a ride home.

Through the car window

The weather unfortunately doesn’t improve, which is a pity because we are going to cross Rogers Pass in Glacier National Park, a narrow pass through the Rockies and although just at an altitude of 1300 meters, quite impressive. The whole area is avalanche prone because of the steep rock faces. At Rogers Pass there is a very interesting video about monitoring this road in winter and shooting down avalanches every day to keep the roads free from danger. The train could not easily manage the steep gradient and accidents happened. The lines were changed and a loop was constructed plus tunnels, which also meant that the once famous station and hotel Glacier House was abandoned and dismantled. The stone pillars which once supported the rail line, are still there as dumb witnesses. A scale model shows the former course of the train and the new loop and tunnels.

Rogers Pass in the rain and the Trans Canada

Unfortunately because of the rain we can’t see much of the glorious mountain tops nor go to explore the glaciers or the remains of Glacier House. As far as mountain peaks are concerned, we are not very lucky at all during this trip. The road to the glacier near Revelstoke was also closed and hadn’t been open at all this year as bridges had been ruined and trees were blocking the roads. All this due to inclement weather in spring and summer.

At Rogers Pass we cross a time zone and lose an hour.

Once across the pass the weather changes dramatically and it is dry and sunny. There are many aspen here, ablaze in the sun with their golden leaves. Against the backdrop of mountains and a blue sky this is glorious to see, but impossible to photograph.

Big skies

We stop and find a motel in Golden, an appropriate name as the many aspen along the river and in the small town are all showing off their best autumn colours.

Autumn colours along the road to Golden

Golden is a pleasant town at the confluence of the Kicking Horse River and the Columbia River. The business part and the highway area on one side of the railway lines, the town on the other side. It still has a historic part, which is now revamped and although attractive is unfortunately losing its authenticity. But it is a nice spot with restaurants and a covered wooden pedestrian bridge across the river. We enjoy a leisurely evening, find a Greek restaurant where the lamb is succulent and very tasty, and return to our very comfortable motel unit.

Park and footbridge at Golden