Craigellachie, British Columbia

One of the most inspiring sites in British Columbia
worth visiting is Craigellachie.
Pronounced "cray gal' a key", this site is
named after a village in Scotland, the home of
Sir George Stephen, the first president
of the Canadian Pacific Railway.

Situated on the Trans Canada Highway
between Revelstoke and Salmon Arm,
Craigellachie is the site of the Last Spike.
For those history buffs, the Last Spike was
driven into the railway bed on
November 7th, 1885 by Donald Smith, who
himself was a Scottish born Canadian
fur trader railroad baron. The Last Spike
completed the Canadian Pacific Railway route
from eastern Canada to the Pacific.

I was surprised at Craigellachie. I was expecting
huge billboards, large advertisements to Canadian
ingenuity and fortitude.
What I found was very understated, very reserved
and so perfectly Canadian.
I found an incredibly beautiful setting amongst
newly snow covered mountains.
A stone monument featuring various
rocks from every Canadian province, and
some wonderful Canadian volunteers that
were keeping Craigellachie clean and beautiful.
I found Canadian spirit alive, well, and very friendly
set in an awe inspiring natural setting.

As I turned to leave Craigellachie, fittingly,
a train rumbled past me, on her way to
parts unknown, on an adventure like myself, to
discover parts of a province and country
I have come to love and call home.