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

Drivin' and Pickin'. . .

Little Red

Maria's Pass:  Spectaculr Vista, No Matter Where You Look

Let's start where every story should start, at the beginning. Last year, Eric and I toured a bit of southern Alberta and Montana.  We loved Montana so much we thought we should delve a little deeper.  For Eric, it's an opportunity for him to takeLittle Red out on the road for a run and the more winding and twisting those roads, the better.  The downside to Little Red is that there isn't much luggage space, which doesn't necessarily compliment Eric's latest hobby.  

Eric likes to 'pick' but that word has different connotations to different people.  To me, a 'picker' is a full time scavenger of other peoples' cast-offs.  In my mind, he's more of a  collector of the odd and unusual of anything that catches his fancy.  He was born with the 'dicker' gene. His mother had a good eye for collectibles and the ability to strike a handsome bargain and Eric is cut from that same cloth.  This past summer, he has made a handsome profit by picking up interesting items at bargain basement prices and recycling them through a couple of annual garage sales he hosts with his buddy.  Little Red, however, is not necessarily a compatible mate for this new found hobby but Eric is undaunted.

When we began our road trip, I realized very early on that Eric would not be swayed from his proposed overnight destination of Hungry Horse, Montana and since our little road trip was in celebration of his big Six OHHHH birthday, I had to acquiesce.  I love road trips and it's not like I am overly familiar with Montana.  However, I am one of those people that never likes to take the same road twice if I can help it,  and, with a little searching, I found Maria's Pass, a more southern route through Glacier National Park that didn't take oodles of more time and held the promise of tight turns and bedazzling scenery.  It was a total winner.  Not only did it provide the driving challenges that excites Eric, there was very little traffic, allowing for those 25 mph curves to be taken at speeds that occasionally left the right-side upholstery with the marks of a white knuckle passenger.  And I had forgotten my Atavan. . . what was I thinking?

It was upon our arrival at Hungry Horse that I discovered Eric's true mission.  When we passed through last year, we came across an old house filled to the rafters with antiques and collectibles.  Owned and operated by an elderly couple who informed us that their children had been after them to downsize, this year, the message had a little more impetus behind it, as they shared that their daughter recently spent an entire month with them with the focus of helping them accomplish this daunting task.  There were a couple of items that Eric had spied last year that would make worthy additions to his personal collection in the man-cave.   While he may not have gotten any screaming deal, at the end of our 2-hour visit, he came away with his purchases and perhaps this lovely couple's children will be somewhat pacified to know that their dad doesn't always hold out for the best price.

It was at this point that I knew I needed to throw down a few ground rules or I was going to find myself travelling the rest of our 7-day journey holding all my luggage on my lap!  Rule #1:  If it can't fit in your pocket, you can't take it home.

Our mornings began early and, while we didn't rush from our room at 7am, we were generally on the road before 9, which means there was little opportunity to explore the commercial side of any of our overnight communities.  By mid afternoon we would be thinking our next bed for the night.  Once we were settled in, we like to sit for a while, have a drink, clean up a bit, reflect on our day and the day ahead.  By the time we would go out for dinner, it was usually early evening.  In Montana, as so many stores in smaller communities are owner operated, stores hours are generally 10am - 6pm, Monday to Saturday.  Don't even think about shopping on a Sunday.

Not For Sale

One might think that would put a damper on Eric's purchasing power but not so.  You see, he has a penchance for signage. His man cave is filled to the rafters with every kind of sign one might be able to imagine and I don't even want to know how they were acquired. This trip was no different than many others.  It all started at dinner in West Yellowstone, when we were seated under a porcelain Texaco sign in pretty decent condition.  While a sign perhaps doesn't exactly fit in one's pocket, it wouldn't be terribly difficult to pack; it simply goes on the bottom of everything else. Rule #2.  Items that can be easily packed may be considered for transport in Little Red.  Sadly, the sign was not for sale.  In case you're wondering, this type of sign in terrible condition can easily fetch $500CA.  I suspect the value of this sign would be at least $1,000CA. 

Montana Local Brews

When we arrived in Livingston, we stopped into a quaint little bar for dinner and, of course, there were signs representing some pretty interesting local brews.  It didn't take long before Eric was chatting up the staff about buying a sign. Good news! The owner should be around shortly and he could discuss potential purchases. Upon finishing our meal, when there was still no sign of the owner, the staff had a tip; down the street, there was an old pub which had many signs and who knows, they might be prepared to sell some of them.

Livingstone, Montana

Vegas Vickie

It was a cold and windy evening in Livingston but it was easy to see that this small Montana town oozes charm. Shopping is not my thing but lovely old structures sporting plenty of neon definitely is.  I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to photograph some of it.  For good reason, Eric's interest was waning; in an effort to divert his goal of returning to the motel, I suggested we stop into the recommended pub and see what there was to see.  He agreed, but only if we stayed long enough for him to warm up. Not a problem.  Well, didn't we have a lot to feast our eyes on! Upon entering, you are graced with the sight of Vegas Vickie.  While in Vegas, Vickie advertises the Girls of Glitter Gulch Strip Club.  While in Livingston she just likes to show of her legs with her high kicks.   

Signs, Signs, Everywhere!  Signs

When Eric once again expressed an interest in purchasing a particular sign to the staff, as  luck would have it, one of the owners of the pub was working that evening.  It wasn't long before were were ushered into a large back room where the owners had amassed all of the items they were looking to dispose of.  Eric thought he had died and gone to Heaven!  It was at this point that I began to seriously consider what the remaining 900km ride was going to be like for me.  It was then that I began to chant Rule #1, no purchases that can't fit in your pocket, as if it were a mantra.  While I wasn't intent on dimming Eric's excitement, I was determined to ensure myself a comfortable ride home. . . and not on a bus.

It was a mix of sadness, satisfaction and relief that we left Livingstone.  Sadness that Little Red was not even remotely capable of carrying all that treasure; satisfaction that, with precision packing, additional purchases were possible even though the items transcended Rules #1 and #2; and relief on my part that there was not even a hint that perhaps I should be taking a bus home.

Full Load

The opportunity to be out and about in Little Red is getting nearing the end for this calendar year.  Hopefully, we'll get some beautiful October weather and can squeeze in a little day trip between working and hunting.  Then it will be time to buff him up and tuck him into his blankets for his annual winter nap in the comfort of Eric's man cave.  

I wonder how Little Red would fair pulling a small trailer. . . . hmmm.