August 5, 2015 Mountain Drive

Today we had a real treat:  a mountain drive!  We were again picked up by our friends Gwynn and Fero, and with a picnic lunch we set out for the rocky mountains southwest of Calgary.  Oh my, what a great day!  We stopped in a little town called Longview, then headed into the mountains on Hwy. 40.  The main area we visited was the Kananaskis area.  It has a big provincial park and a big ski area.  We spotted wildlife, and we saw SUCH mountains!  These are some very dynamic peaks, with visible fault lines and lots of uplifts.  Breathtaking!  Here are the pictures.....

A slow-moving river of stones, where there are Pika.  Alas, we didn't see any.

We DID see a small herd of bighorn sheep;  this was about half the group.

Aw, look at this cute lil feller!

The guys were keeping watch up on the hill.

We had a delicious picnic lunch!

Here we are at the Kananaskis Lodge area.

Fero and Gwynn.

Aaaaand, here is our moose sighting!

Having a bite on the side of the road; this one is about 2 yrs. old.

Look at the twisting and folding....

Clouds rolled in just as we headed home.

And here is the sight we had as we approached our campground....

August 4, 2015 Sundre, Alberta, Canada

Whenever we get this close to the Calgary area, we always stop to see our old friends Gwynn and Fero Adam.  The four of us get along famously and there is lots of laughing.  On this day, they drove us up north of Calgary to Sundre, where some of Gwynn's family lives.  It was a beautiful day, and the home of Trina and Larry was in a wonderful place with a view of the mountains.  This is the country and of course they have kids and horses and dogs and - well, you get the idea.

Gwynn and her great-niece Niah.

Fero and Bubba on the porch of the new house.

The old long cabin, where Trina and Larry raised five children.

Gwynn watching Daniel saddle up.

The old farmhouse.

It's a pretty old farmhouse!

Silly mule deer in a stunning field of blooming rapeseed.

July 19, 2013 Drumheller, Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology

Today Gwynn and Fero took us to Drumheller, Alberta (northeast of Calgary) to the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology.  Wow!  Situated in the Canadian Badlands, it houses an extensive collection of fossils found on site.  Fascinating!  We visit lots of museums and this one ranks right up towards the top.  It was the kind of museum where hours go by and you don't even notice....  And the drive through the farmlands was equally wonderful - all those acres and acres of brilliant yellow rapeseed blooms....

The Canadian Badlands, just northeast of Calgary.

Our big friend in Drumheller, Alberta.

Ammonite fossil - isn't it beautiful!

Yes, my southern friends, this is a fossilized crawfish!  A big one!

Big horns, huh!

The tiny Bleriot Ferry over the Red Deer River, which runs on a cable.  Holds a max of 12 cars....

Run!

Me and Mr. T Rex.

Fero, resting his feet in front of a bony creature.

Richardson's ground squirrel.  These are everywhere!

July 18, 2013 Calgary, Alberta, Canada

We spent 3 wonderful days in Calgary, visiting with old friends Gwynn and Fero, and touring around the area.  We were surprised to find that Calgary is huge, with a population over 1 million.  It was recently flooded by the Bow River, which runs right thru the city center, just before the Calgary Stampede, which is a huge event.  Amazingly, in just 2 short weeks, the volunteers went into 24-7 mode and got it all cleaned up and ready in time.  The downtown is clean and sparkling again, with a street that is now a pedestrian walk.  Lots of art, lots of businesses. We enjoyed the city tour, and we enjoyed the tour guides!  (thank you, Gwynn and Fero...)

Although we have no pictures of it worth posting, our campground is on the site of the 1988 Olympic winter games, and is situated on the side of a tall hill so that we had a view of the city below.  These were the olympics when Eddie the Eagle made his appearance, for those who remember him.  The winter sports venue is still active as a training centre.  (oh yes, center is centre here...  and napkins are serviettes...  french and british heritage)

The one thing that remains firmly fixed in my brain is the endless fields of brilliant yellow rapeseed flowers, acres and acres of them.  In full sunshine, they practically glow, they are so bright.  No matter how many pictures we took, none of them do justice.  Now I know where canola oil comes from...

Gwynn and I chatting on her swing in her back yard.

Gwynn & Fero's back yard.  Delightful spot!

Bubba and two foxy ladies down in Bragg Creek visiting friends.

This is just incredible, the acres and acres of brilliant yellow blooms.
It is rapeseed, from whence comes canola oil.

Downtown Calgary.  Nannie and Gwynn.

Two studly guys hanging around with the horsies.

Calgary Tower.

Front yard of Gwynn & Fero's house.