Springtime in the Rockies. . . And a Corvette

We have been on one-day cruises with some of the Central Alberta Corvette enthusiasts but this was to be an entirely new experience.  This was to be an overnight jaunt with people from across Alberta, the vast majority of whom we were not familiar with.  I'm always up for meeting new people and for a first time experience, I have to say it's going to be a hard one to beat. Suffice to say, it was a darn good group of folks we were mingling with.   We met people from every walk of life but many of us were in retirement and those that weren't could clearly envision it just around the corner and even seemed to be licking their lips in eager anticipation.  That is not to say younger blood would not be welcomed; I think it has more to do with the amount of expendable cash and time, more than anything else.  In general, people were pretty friendly and it didn't take long before barbs and digs were flying around, followed by peels of laughter. . . so you know we had a good time, right!

While I don't think Eric has ever considered me to be high maintenance, I feel confident in saying that I am nowhere near as high maintenance as the other woman in his life.  Not only does Ginger take up a whole lot of space in the Man Cave, she doesn't need a special invitation to enter.  And whenever she leaves it, she heads straight for the spa where she is lovingly stroked by her man. . . do I sound like a jealous wife?  I'm really not, but perhaps that's because I know where Eric sleeps at night and it's not in the Man Cave. . . at least not so far.

It was one of those typical Alberta weekends that no one knew for sure what the weather would be but there was definitely some rain in our forecast.  If you are like me, and not really a true blue car enthusiast, you might not realize that rain can be considered a significant threat.  Frankly, I don't understand the point of owning a fair weather vehicle but I understand that there are those that feel quite differently and I respect that.  At any rate, we either struck it lucky or someone was doing some heavy duty praying to the Rain Gods; while we saw our share of clouds and, for most of us, it wasn't really a top down kind of weekend, we arrived back home Sunday afternoon high and dry.

We were all up bright and early, but those of us from Central Alberta had it pretty easy since the muster point was on the north side of Red Deer, with a second point at Rocky Mountain House.  

Those coming from Edmonton and Calgary were on the road bright and early and one couple from Hinton earlier yet. But everyone seemed to be in good spirits as we gathered 'round with coffee in hand, to introduce ourselves to attend our driver's meeting.  After a brief stop in Rocky to refuel and connect with a few more Corvette enthusiasts we were off!  

We stopped first at Abraham Lake, giving everyone an opportunity to stretch their legs, meet a few more people and, of course, the perfect location for a photo op.  We were 23 corvettes strong, which equated to about 45 people.  While the men were discussing things like coupe vs. convertible, generation and engine size, the women were more likely discussing the myriad color variations:  it wasn't merlot, it was Long Beach Red; it's not simply orange, but Daytona Sunsrise.  And the blues. . . oh the songs I could sing about Laguna Blue vs Admiral Blue. . . My point is, even though most of the women do not have the same love affair with their car as their men, we still admire them, in our own but clearly different way.

We arrived at the Crossing about 2pm where our organizers had arranged for us to park and have lunch at the Parkway Pub where diners are invited to cook their own steak, burger or dog.  We were lazy; nobody felt like cooking so our table we opted for the already made chili.

We were off, once again, arriving at our overnight destination at the Lake Louise Inn. The Inn had parking reserved for our group and were ready and willing to check us in.  Eric and I were more than happy with our accommodation and, considering we were in the mountains at the start of tourist season, pleasantly surprised by the reasonable prices for food and lodging.  I need to give my man a little extra credit though; he booked our room early and chose to upgrade to a Deluxe King room.  Many of those that booked late had no recourse but to take what remained; between tossing, turning and hot flashes, not everyone had a restful sleep in their double bed. But now we know, and it's only one night, right?  

The evening gave us a chance to get better acquainted with some of our travel partners and, I dare say, more than a few friendships began to blossom.  There are several couples I know we are looking forward to taking a future run with. 

After a hearty Sunday morning breakfast, we were back on the road again, headed for Moraine Lake.  At an elevation of 1883 metres, the lake is only beginning to thaw in early June but, even on a cool, cloudy day, one can't help but be smitten by the beauty of this literal jewel in the heart of the Rocky Mountains.

And here's a little tidbit of information I bet you didn't know. While Moraine Lake and the Valley of the Ten Peaks is more than a million dollar view, it is often referred to as the Twenty Dollar View because it graced Canada's $20 bills from 1969 to 1979.  It's also one of the most photographed spots in the Rockies, don't you know!

The group then carried on to Banff and Tunnel Mountain and I have it on good advice that the Corvettes continued to attract the same amount of attention as they did everywhere we travelled. How do I know this? Facebook told me so, when one of my friends commented on being in Banff and seeing this rare spectacle.  

Because of our other commitments, we bypassed Banff and made our way home but not without stopping at the McDougall Church, at Morley. Built in 1875 by Reverend George McDougall, during a period of discontent among the First Nations population, the Morely mission was received with mixed feelings. Many welcomed the arrival of missionaries while others were less receptive. 

A designated Provincial Historic Resource, representing a story of human endeavor, courage and inter-racial cooperation, it was destroyed by fire only a few short weeks ago.  There is a Spring Commemorative Event planned for June 11th at 3pm and funds are already being raised for rebuilding through 
https://www.gofundme.com/Rebuild-Mcdougall-Church

And here I will end my little diatribe.  While I was simply a passenger enjoying the weekend to the fullest, it took time and effort to make our journey together a pleasant one.  Thank you to Paul, Brian and others for organizing and coordinating this event. You did an awesome job!  Thank you to the people who took time from busy schedules to come out and and play this weekend.  While Corvettes may be what brought us together, we found other common ground from which to build friendships upon.  

While this photo epitomizes one couple's sentiments about their Corvette, I suspect it speaks for many of us about our weekend joyride.  Until we meet again. . .

 Resources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Lake
https://thecrossingresort.com/parkway-pub/
http://www.lakelouiseinn.com/
http://banffandbeyond.com/the-lake-with-the-twenty-dollar-view-moraine-lake/
http://www.mcdougallstoneymission.com/about.php
http://www.mcdougallstoneymission.com/newsletters/2017/spring.pdf

Stay-Cation Alberta

That;s me in the stroller at Lake Louise, AB 1959

I don't know about you but there is nothing I enjoy more than to explore my own back yard. My sister, brother and I were introduced to road trips at a very early age. In fact, there are many places I have been but have no recollection whatsoever, because I was so young, while others are just a vague snapshot in time. Sometimes there was a bit of planning that went into it but often it was nothing more than Mom and Dad having a discussion late in the evening that the following day would be a good day to go on a drive.  They would both bounce out of bed with a mental list of what needed to be done before they could leave. The cooler, picnic jug and ice packs would come out of the basement before Dad headed out the door to do chores, making sure the pigs were fed and the chickens had enough food and water to last the day.  He would then make his way to the garage to pack the Coleman stove, making sure there was enough fuel, throw in a couple of fishing rods and perhaps dig up a few worms out of the garden. Mom commanded food detail, filling the picnic jug with kool-aid, checking to make sure all the essential dishes, cutlery, pots and pans were ready to go, and preparing sandwiches, getting homemade cookies, or perhaps a couple of cans of beans and a package of weiners.  It was never fancy but, no matter what we were eating, food always tasted better when it was part of an adventure.  On more than a few occasions, with a bit of preplanning, Dad would arrange for one of our neighbours to take care of the livestock and we would head out, perhaps for a couple of nights, but often for an entire week, sometimes even two!

The infamous little church, Drumheller, AB - 1966

Hoodoos, Drumheller, 1970

While the phrase, 'staycation' might be newly coined, trust me, the act of exploring part of your own Province is not.  When I think back, I'm not convinced that all of these trips could have been entirely fun. Three kids and two adults -- sometimes three, depending on whether Gramma came along -- stuffed into a car for several hours might not sound that appealing, keeping in mind there was no air conditioning, no ipods, ipads or anything else to keep the kids occupied.  But each one of us loved it then and love it now. While there had to have been a few rough patches on our journeys all we remember was how much fun we had.  Dad was a master at finding ways to entertain us, all the while educating us.  Which way are we headed?  Which road do we take to get to ____? How do we get back home?  Mom's talent was singing and food, and eat and sing we most certainly did!  Bobby McGee wasn't the only one that could sing every song the driver knew!

Heritage Park, Calgary, AB - 1973

In my mind, one is never to old -- or young for that matter -- for a road trip and Alberta has some pretty spectacular places to visit.  There are a few, like Heritage Park, in Calgary, that I visited many many times, as a kid.  It's time, I think to revisit it as a grown up, just to see if I'm as impressed now as I was then; maybe catch a buggy or a train ride.  I know I loved Fort Edmonton and the Ukrainian Village at Bruderheim.  If you like the Old West theme, you may also want to check out Em-Te-Town, near Alder Flats. Billed as an authentic western town, it also boasts a campground, cabins, motel, saloon, restaurant and banquet facilities. We were fortunate enough to see some sharp shooters as the Canadian Cowboy Mounted Shooters competed. Spend a day or a week, whatever works for you.

Em-Te-Town - 2014

On a hot day, perhaps a day at Wah-Soo-A-Um Park, located on the Red Deer River, just west of Penhold.  Not only is there a well maintained day use area, there's room for the kids to run, a nice little playground, and a picnic shelter.  Access to the river not only makes it an ideal spot to start off on a rafting or canoe trip, but also to skip a few rocks across the water, just to know you still can.

Wah-Soo-A-Um Park, 2014

One of our favourite little spots to visit is the Last Chance Saloon, in Wayne.  I was first introduced to the Last Chance in 1975 while camping along the Red Deer River in the Badlands.  We were told by a colleague that Sunday breakfast was an absolute must and she was right.  If all the food you could eat for about $2.00 wasn't enough to entice us, the fact that there was a pony with an appetite for beer most certainly was.  If you visit, make sure you take a good look around.  You will find some pretty darn interesting stories in that old building, not the least of which is the beer swilling shetland pony.  The pony is long gone but his photo remains. The building is filled to the brim with great local artifacts but the community is filled to the brim with great local talent; if you're lucky, maybe you'll even get to hear some of it.

Last Chance Saloon, Wayne, AB - 2014

If you are looking for an event to attend, may I suggest the Ponoka Stampede.  While many refer to it as the best stampede after the Calgary Stampede, for my money, this is the one I enjoy the most.  Camping and parking is everywhere and anywhere and the best part is, it's FREE!  The midway is small and intimate.  It's a place you can let your kids run without having to worry too much about what kind of trouble they are in.  It happens every year around Canada Day.  If you have never been to a stampede, I can guarantee great entertainment with bull riding, bronc riding, wild pony chases and, if that isn't enough for you, some nail biting chuckwagon races that will have you out of your seat and screaming for your favourite in no time flat.  If a week of the Stampede is too much, Ponoka's central location will afford you access to a number of lakes in the area, including Gull, Sylvan, Pidgeon and Wizard, all within about an hour's drive, each with their own special brand of charm.

Ponoka Stampede, Ponoka, Alberta

If quiet country churches are more your style, don't drive by the Raven Church without stopping, wonder in (pun intended), have a word with your maker, and admire the carpentry skills of days gone by, not to mention the dedication of those that continue to maintain it to this day.  I think, if I were looking for a little rural country church (for marrying or burying), this one fits the bill.

Raven Church

If you're thinking of a staycation or simply a country drive, perhaps some of these places will inspire you to check them out.  

Sources:

http://www.emtetown.com/

http://visitlastchancesaloon.com/