May 8, 2011 by Rae

Dinosaur Country!

Today was another road trip day with Gary and Jody! We headed into dinosaur country!!!!!!!

Before we could do that, though, there were some errands to be run in the Calgary area, including picking up a part for their trailer, and stopping at three RV dealerships to ask if I could leave some promotional cards for Full-Time RVing in Canada (all said yes, certainly).

Jody asked each dealership if they had toy hauler motorhomes and one had a Newmar Canyon Star. The salesman, who just happened to have been a Glendale Royal Classic seller back in the day, was really eager to get me into this rig! It was a nice rig, of course, being a Newmar, but it wouldn’t have worked for me since the garage was too small.

In between the dealerships, the Roving Deli opened for business. Gary had BBQed some really nice chicken breasts (among other things) last night, and they became very delicious sandwiches!

Mid-afternoon, we finally headed out to Drumheller. I’m saying finally only because we had left Lethbridge at 8:30! It ended up taking us about six and a half hours to do a drive that would have only taken an hour and a half or two as the crow flies. We could have gotten to Edmonton in that time! Ah, that’s what happens when RV enthusiasts start looking at rigs.

Shortly before Drumheller Jody turned to Horseshoe Canyon, an amazing place where the prairie literally drops away. It’s like my beloved Chasm, you wonder where the heck this hole comes from!

We arrived in Drumheller in very late afternoon, much too late see any attractions, but I made my list for when we come back later in the summer! The town is surprisingly seedy-looking, very rough and worn down. I imagine it looks better in the height of the tourist season when everything is open. We made a stop at the tourist info centre which is home to the biggest dinosaur in the world. We paid the $3 to climb the one hundred or so stairs to the top so we could see the view from the mouth.

After, I suggested we do the route to Wayne that takes you through eleven bridges in four miles (just over six kilometres). It’s a neat circuit since each bridge is different and the scenery is beautiful. There’s nothing after Wayne, though. This route is suitable for all but the largest RVs since the height clearances on the bridges is at least five metres (16.4 feet) and there is space to turn around tightly after the last one when the road widens and turns to dirt.

Next stop was the Star (coal) Mine Suspension Bridge. It’s not very high up over the river; I’ve actually jumped off of a taller bridge into a river. Needless to say, this one wasn’t hard for me to get across at all.

Following that, Jody took me to see the hoodoos, which are neat sandstone columns with a cap on them, all naturally sculpted of course.

We came back to the van and I put in an order at the deli for sandwich fixings without the bun since I’d overdosed on potato chips and I got a nice plate of chicken, cheese, and crudités. Aren’t I spoiled, what with a driver AND a personal chef? I should also add that in the morning I got a nice container of honeydew melon and my supper dessert was some of the best oranges I’ve had in ages. I only say this because Jody’s invitation to come today was about a paragraph long. They really don’t need to sell me on a road trip! 😀

It was getting really late by this point, with our at home ETA being 9PM, but there was still one more detour to do: Dinosaur Provincial Park so I could see the fabled Badlands! This is an area where more dinosaur remains have been found, and more species, than anywhere else in the world! It’s a World Heritage Site. Between that and Horseshoe Canyon I have to say that I continue to be astounded by the variety of landscapes in my country and how many treasures it holds. RVing is the only way to travel in this country and do it justice.

We descended into the campground and Jody followed a road that does a circuit behind it that really takes you out into the scenery, including a few places where a structure was built around dinosaur remains. What a great way to show off the fossils in situ. The campground is in a fantastic location; I’d love to spend a weekend there.

This was only a taste of dinosaur country and I can’t wait to explore it in greater depth! Thank you once again to my local guide and chef! 🙂

box is nearly her arm-span across

box is taller than her

contents! LOL!

delicious chicken sandwich from the Roving Deli

LOVE the cream cabinets!

looks like the Dempster Highway!

Horseshoe Canyon

entering Drumheller

giant dinosaur in Drumheller

view from the mouth of the dinosaur

inside the dinosaur

Me: “A dinosaur’s trying to eat me! Waah!” Jody: “You don’t look scared.”

Me: “Do I look scared now?”

inside the dinosaur

jailed dinosaur that looks like an alien

grain elevator

bridge no. 1

bridge no. 2

bridge no. 3

bridge no. 4

bridge no. 6

bridge no. 7

bridge no. 8

bridge no. 9

hotel and saloon straight out of the far west

bridge no. 10

bridge no. 11

grain elevator from the rear

bridge no. 1

suspension bridge

Star Mine suspension bridge

other side of the Star Mine suspension bridge

Star Mine suspension bridge

hoodoos

origin of the word hoodoo (it’s West African)

about how the hoodoos are formed

hoodoos

hoodoo country

Star coal mine

more hoodoos

dinner from the Roving Deli (I’d asked for the sandwich contents without bread; nice spread!)

approaching Dinosaur Provincial Park

deer near Dinosaur Provincial Park

dear near Dinosaur Provincial Park

entering Dinosaur Provincial Park

beautiful poem about Dinosaur Provincial Park

Dinosaur Provincial Park holds the world record for the most number of dinosaur remains uncovered

the Badlands

the Badlands as described by French explorers (coureurs de bois (forest runners))

the Badlands

World Heritage Site

the Badlands

descending into the Badlands to the campground, with some serviced RV spots!

the Badlands

deer on the Badlands

fossilized dinosaur remains where they were found

the Badlands

more dinosaur remains

a tiny RV shipped from Germany

April 30, 2011 by Rae

The Roving Delicatessen

Fraserway RV in Airdrie, just north of Calgary, was having an open house today with good sales, including 25% off all parts under $300! Gary and Jody go every year and invited me along. I’ve been desperately needing a new pigtail for my propane system (ie. a hose that goes from my auxiliary tank to the Extend-a-Stay tee), but have been procrastinating since the one I bought in Osoyoos in the fall of ’08 was so expensive. I decided that this was the day to pick one up, so that gave me an excuse to go. 🙂

We started our day at Willow Creek municipal campground because Jody wanted to see if the prairie crocuses (Anemone patens) were in bloom, which they were:

prairie crocus (actually not a crocus but rather a member of the buttercup family)

We headed out after towards Calgary and Gary started to rustle around in the back seat. I turned to discover that a delicatessen had sprung up back there!

Gary’s Roving Delicatessen

This is how they travel; Jody drives, Gary makes sandwiches! And delicious ones at that!

We got to Airdrie and stopped at another RV place so we’d be able to compare prices at Fraserway, then headed for the open house. Turns out Fraserway had better prices, even without the 25% discount!

Between both dealerships, we must have toured close to a hundred rigs. I discovered another type of fiver that I really like. It has a proper bedroom at the front, a bunk room at the back, and a loft above the bunk room. I could see going with something similar in a toyhauler motorhome, with the bunk room of course being a garage and the bedroom being my office.

den and loft with ladder (Starcraft Lexion)

I found the pigtail I needed in the parts department (with no help from the very rude salesgal) and it came to only $13 after my discount and tax!

Having had our fill of RVs for the day, I was then whisked away to Bass Pro Shops, which is more of a museum than a store! They allow photographs, so I tried to capture the feel of the place.

front end of the cariboo herd

We ended the day by making a very quick stop in Mossleigh to visit with Ken and Donna.

Another awesome day with my local guides! Thank you!

More pictures below.

prairie crocus (actually not a crocus but rather a member of the buttercup family)

that prairie azure and gold I love so much…

entrance to Willow Creek municipal campground

the grass looked like hair or fur!

campground with river

river that winds around the campground

campground

prairie crocus (actually not a crocus but rather a member of the buttercup family)

a crow or raven met its end here

these guys posed for pictures

Gary’s Roving Delicatessen

gorgeous lake (manmade, I think)

I asked Gary for an additional half sandwich. He thought this open faced version would be funny.

that organizer is a better use for the space in a class C loft than is a leaky window!

den and loft with ladder (Starcraft Lexion)

first rig I saw with a loft and a den below it (see previous picture)

LOVE the Harry Potteresque cubby hole under the stairs!

nice little den below the loft

proper stairs up to a loft!

Jody climbing proper stairs to a loft

I laughed at the awkward placement of the toilet paper roll holder!

exterior of Bass Pro Shops

entrance to the store

amazing light fixture

first floor of the store

all the murals are hand painted

antlers

I want a rocker like this!

sea plane

front end of the cariboo herd

there’s a guy in a duck blind in the tree

back end of the cariboo herd

‘general store’ at Bass Pro Shops

driving into a storm

April 9, 2011 by Rae

A Tale of a Giant Gorilla, a Snowed-in Town, a Mountain Pass, a Vanished Community, a Giant Truck, a Waterfall, and a Dam (it was a full day)

Jody and I went on another long road trip today. We didn’t make it out of the solar system this time, but we did leave the province!

She was happy to drive again so I just sat and ogled the scenery. Since I’m a movie buff she thought our first stop, Cardston, would be of interest, which it was. This town is the birth place of Fay Wray, most famous for the iconic scene of her trapped in King Kong’s fist while he’s climbing the Empire State building! The town isn’t much, but there is a little fountain and sign in her homage.

We then pushed on to Waterton Lakes national park, which is pretty much shut down for the winter. There’s not much to do or see except for TONS of snow, but there’s also no access fee. We drove around the few streets of this winter ghost town that were plowed and also drove up to see the Prince of Wales Hotel.

Next, she took me through the Crowsnest Pass! This is one of those iconic Canadian sites that you just need to go through at least once. We stopped at the site of the Frank slide, which happened in 1903, and buried the community. The area is still unstable.

We continued into BC so she could show me the world’s largest truck in Sparwood. It’s big!

Heading home, we detoured to visit the Lundbreck Falls and the Oldman River dam.

We got back to Lethbridge pretty late and were grateful that Gary had barbecued dinner for us. That mountain air sure whetted our appetites!

welcome to Cardston, birthplace of Fay Wray

Cardston’s little homage to its most famous resident

of all the movies she did, she’ll always be remembered for the one with the problem boyfriend

Fay Wray fountain

Fay Wray

Mormon temple

I only knew about this museum because it was prominently featured in an episode of the Simpsons!

driving west

entering Waterton Lakes national park

Waterton Lakes national park

the snow was high and right up against all the boarded up buildings

Prince of Wales Hotel

Waterton Lakes national park

Prince of Wales Hotel

Waterton Lakes national park

lots o’ deer on a hill

Waterton Lakes national park

entering the Pincher Creek area

arrive in Pincher Creek (I just noticed the pinchers on either side of the sign!)

sign about the Burmis Tree

the Burmis tree, ‘a sign of endurance for the people of the [Crowsnest] pass’, died in the late 1970’s but resurrected

entering the municipality of Crowsnest Pass

a crow in a nest…

the site of the Frank slide, the deadliest in Canadian history

entering BC!

the biggest truck in the world! (Sparwood, BC)

people in front of the biggest truck, for scale

sheep on the highway

another sign about the Crowsnest Pass

I finally got a picture of the welcome to Alberta sign!

Lundbreck falls

I can’t believe I can be on a structure like that now!

Lundbreck falls

bridge near Lundbreck falls

Oldman River dam site

March 26, 2011 by Rae

Giles French Park at John Day Dam

Here are a few pictures I took of Giles French Park when I went out to stretch my legs after the sun finally came out. The variations in the greens make for a striking landscape.

This really is a great spot! We’re perhaps a half dozen rigs spread out over the entire area. I parked as far away from everyone as I could because every single one of the other rigs had a generator sitting by it. I don’t hear the gensets from my rig. There is only the steady drone of I-84 traffic and the regular clatter of trains. Both are ‘white noise’ to me. The trains don’t bother me in the least since they don’t whistle. They made the cats uppity at first, but once they saw I didn’t care they stopped fussing.

March 25, 2011 by Rae

Wilsonville Camping World, Hood River, and John Day Dam

Florence to Lethbridge is barely more than one thousand kilometres. I decided to stretch the trip out into roughly 200km chunks and to find places where I could feel comfortable pulling in early and leaving late. So, I spent a lot of time researching my overnight stops, especially in Oregon. I’d settled on the Walmart in Woodburn being the best place near Salem on I-5, but was concerned by the number of people who’d been told they could stay by management and then been booted out by police in the middle of the night. I decided to check on a forum if there were better options and I was directed to the Camping World in Wilsonville, a recommendation that was seconded by Croft. The store is a bit confusing to get to (I’m glad I used their directions instead of my GPS) and there is nothing within walking distance, but it is a truly safe spot where you don’t have to feel rushed to pull out.

There were A LOT of RVs in the lot last night and as I went out for my walk to the non-existent McDonald’s I noticed that the majority of the rigs were not inhabited. I suddenly realised that I was in an RV graveyard as I began to count of the number of rigs that had been stationary long enough to get a thick growth of mould, algae, and moss. This fifth wheel next to me was particularly bad.

I also noticed a gorgeous burgundy Newmar Dutchstar with a full inch of mossy growth along the back wall. I imagine these rigs are for sale, but I’m not sure I’d want to buy a rig that has sat out in a damp climate long enough to turn green!

It was a COLD night in Wilsonville. When I got up around 8 this morning, I could see my breath and the temperature was off the thermostat, so probably about 5C! I’m going to have to start leaving the furnace on at night. I didn’t know it was that cold because my bunk was so snug; what a shock when I got up! Fortunately, it doesn’t take long for the rig to get toasty when it’s above freezing outside.

I had coffee and a light breakfast, then set off in misting rain. I knew where I was headed for the night and also that there would not be internet nearby, so I decided to schedule lunch at a McDonalds so I could check if there was anything pressing to deal with (yes) that would make it worth schlepping twenty kilometres round trip to the nearest McDonalds from my overnight spot.

By Hood River I was famished, so I pulled into the Walmart there and was promptly greeted by someone who said “No RV parking.” I replied that I was here to shop and he left me alone. Needless to say, I had no intention of shopping there after being greeted so rudely! I left a note on my windshield that said “Here to shop, moving on soon!” and hiked up to the McDonald’s about a block away. There, I did some very quick things online and was about to head back to the rig when a couple came up to me and said… “We loved your talk at the RV Show in Abbotsford!”

I can’t go anywhere!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We had a nice chat and they said they hoped I’d be speaking again and that I really need to put out another book. Surreal! They were heading south, to Palm Springs, in their RV and were disappointed to not get a glimpse of Miranda.

After Hood River, it was a leisurely drive to the John Day Lock and Dam, a US Army Corps of Engineers area near Rufus. There is no signage, but online comments say that parking is okay for up to a week. If I had a US internet connection or there was one closer, I would stay here a few nights. As it is, I may do two nights, it’s such a lovely spot! I unhooked and tucked Miranda into some parking stalls, with the toad parked in front to make sure I don’t get boxed in.

My batteries had a voltage in the high elevens this morning before I turned on the furnace, the lowest they have been first thing all week. But between the drive and the sun that came out in full force once I was parked, they got up all the way to 14, what my controller considers a full charge, for the first time in several days.

I am feeling some anxiety as I head east towards the mountains and will be going out of my way if I have to to get online each day so I can get a weather and road condition forecast. This is really not a good time of year to be going through mountains, but I’ve had several people who have been both this way and through the Alaska highway in early May tell me that I’m not heading into conditions I haven’t handled before. I have two routes through Montana plotted out and will soon have to commit to one. Since I will be in Alberta for the summer, I run the chance of being able to take the more scenic and isolated route around Glacier National Park at some point in the toad, so I will not agonize if I miss out on it yet again. I am just grateful to have had the last few weeks of exploring because the next six months are going to be about making as much money as possible. I want to go to the States for six months next year!