Thursday 24 August 2017
Monday 7 August 2017
Monday, August 7 - I have been remiss with respect to completing this blog account of our trip west. Our good friend Marian gently chastised my yesterday, so I will try to finish off this edition of the blog without too much tedium.
You may recall that we were at the Peterman Reunion in Alberta. On Sunday, after breakfast at the motel in Claresholm, family pictures were taken, and then we went back to Stavely for final farewells. More hugs, and hopes that we can get together again before too many years go by. From there, we headed across country to Coronation, which proved to be a somewhat longer drive than we had thought it would be. Lots of secondary roads, widely paved two-laners, where the speed limit is 100, and most travel at close to 120. So good time can be made for sure.
When we arrived at Coronation, we were greeted at the entrance to the town with a large two-dimensional crown, which reminds visitors that when founded, this upstart community was named after royalty. George V was crowned around the time of the founding, so with that in mind, the name was struck. We did a rather quick tour of the town, as it was quiet, it being Sunday. It's not a very large town, so it didn't take long to drive up and down several of the streets. We found the hospital where sister Marilyn and I were born, considerably expanded since the early 40s when we entered the world. We also found a very fine community hall, wherein I spoke to the man in charge, a retired principal who looks after the place as something to do. He described the town as very much alive, although somewhat diminished as most small communities are, but for him and his wife, a good place to have come for retirement. There is still one good employer in the immediate area, which has recently been bought out, so there's a little uncertainty about that, but he was still optimistic about the town's future.
He directed us to the cemetery, which was about three k's north of the town. Gail and I tramped around until we found the headstones of both my grand-father and great-grandfather Richardson, as well as the Peterman resting places in a corner of the cemetery reserved for the Catholics. There we found Bill and Martha's markers, as well as son Bill and his wife, and Anne's late husband. Also, we found my Grandmother's marker, Anna Marie Colina, and her parents William and Frieda Peterman, who would be my great-grand-parents. Pictures were taken, and a little quiet tribute to them all observed.
On to Edmonton, where we were warmly greeted by our good friends, Ken and Connie Marshall. Poor Connie, leg encased from top to bottom in an enclosure hinged at the knee, not really a cast, but equivalent. She only gets around using crutches, at which she is very good, even managing a flight of stairs quite well. Obviously, this placed restrictions on our activities while we were with them, but we managed very well, enjoying their new house and hospitality as always. We were especially pleased to be entertained by their little grand-daughter, Keira, (hope I spelled it correctly), who they were looking after while her mother worked. She is very bright and fun to interact with, full of language and mischief and independence, so it was great to get to know her.
The new house is very fine, equipped with all of the modern technology one can imagine, some of which I had not heard of. They have instant hot water at all outlets, an enclosed wifi system, hoseless central vac, the whole works. Their creativity and imagination in creating a home blows me away. I can't even visualize how to put a set of stairs down to the water without a lot of help. Ken was very frustrated with the city and its rules with respect to the landscaping of his yard, but since we have returned, it is now fully sodded, and looks terrific.
During our stay, we were happy to have lunch with old high school friends, the Jobsons, and the Huttons. We've known each other for ever, and when we get together, no matter how many years have gone by, it's like we see each other regularly. Lots of catching up with respect to kids, and even a little time for local politics, which we Easterners skirt around carefully. The West Edmonton Mall also got a couple of visits, as Gail found a place there that could repair her broken minipod screen. What a place...crowded with people enjoying all of the entertainment and shopping this huge mall has to offer.
We had a great visit with Ken and Connie, and hated to leave, but didn't want to overstay given Connie's situation. So off we went to Rocky Mountain House, thinking that if the smoke from the B.C. fires wasn't too bad, we'd go over to the Banff-Jasper highway. We had reservations at Golden, but after receiving reports of smoke conditions in the mountains, decided to cancel, and headed down the Cowboy Trail to Cochrane, just west of Calgary. There, the air was decidedly clearer, so we booked two nights in a great Super 8 motel, a very pleasant surprise, as their label isn't always very reputable. Here was a clear exception, with excellent rooms and a full morning breakfast. We even got a good rate considering the season, so were lucky to get the last room.
Cochrane turned out to be a really neat town, located on the Bow River, with a very large new industrial/shopping area nearing completion, across the main rail line that cuts through the town. On the other side is the old town, with very nice stores and restaurants, a good mix of pub style and ethnic places.We opted for pub style, so went to the Ducks on the Roof Pub both nights we were there. We could walk from the motel to the center of town along a trail that skirted the river, which we did the first night, to find a full-scale market happening along the main street. There's also a famous local ice cream shop, MacKays, which we had to try, lining up with the locals to get served. The line is constant.
Next day, we drove down the Cowboy Trail (highway 22) through Turner Valley, site of the first oil strike in Alberta, to Longview, where we visited the Bar-U Ranch. This is now a National Historic Site, dedicated to telling the story of early ranching in the province. A terrific amount of restoration of the early buildings has been done over the past few years, making it an excellent place to take the family. Located as it is in the foothills, which are especially beautiful this time of year, it's a great place to spend part of a day.
From there, we headed back north up route 541, which leads into highway 40. This road clearly rivals the Banff- Jasper route, as you are suddenly in magnificent mountains, each turn in the road giving you a new and wonderful view of the peaks stretching to the north and south. The road peaks at the highest pass in Canada, at just over 2200 meters, the Highwood Pass. It winds down to Kananaskis Village, site of the locale for the downhill skiing that was part of the Calgary Winter Olympics. Friend Steve Ward had a major role in the design of the hill, so it was neat to see the slope he had worked on. Sadly, the beautiful Kananaskis Golf Courses are closed, as they are still reworking the repairs needed following the major flooding that swept the area about four years ago.
The highlight, however, was seeing a little bear cub race across the road in front of us. We stopped the car as he scrambled up the highway embankment, and to our wonder, we saw his mother and two siblings, feeding in the bushes above the road. Mother Grizzly was truly huge, very busy stripping the bushes of anything edible, including berries, presumably. We got out of the car, normally a no-no, and watched her safely for about 15 minutes, as she was so busy with feeding she paid us no attention. Very exciting to see her and her cubs so close. Once we got to the Kananaskis Village, we reported our sighting, which the staff was very happy to get. They knew this bear well, number 104, as they have been tracking her carefully, to ensure she is okay and not bothering anyone.
Next day, we drove back to Kananaskis to the Barrier Dam, where we did a 10 k hike,up the mountain and down. It has a 500 meter vertical, so was pretty strenuous for us. But we managed, noting that we were probably 40-50 years older than most of the other hikers. The view at the top was spectacular, so the exertion was well worth it. Must mention, the final ascent to a shelf overlooking the mountains in both directions was a challenge. Gail tried going up a steep and rocky notch, but her footwear was too worn on the soles to make it manageable. Stubborn me had to try, so it was a major scramble, finding footholds and hanging on to outcrops to find a way up. As I neared the top of the notch, I looked up to see Gail looking down at me, wondering if I'd make it. She's found an alternate route, steep but much more manageable, so had the laugh on me as I scrambled the final few feet, gasping and wheezing. But the view...spectacular, so well worth the effort.
That's about it. Next day we headed for Calgary, checked the rental car in, and spent the next 7 hours waiting for our evening flight home. We'd changed our flight time because I'd inadvertently booked our return for 12 a.m. thinking it was for 12 p.m. That little error cost us $350. to make the change, as well as a long wait. But we put in the time, and were happy to see Donnie waiting for us at the airport at 12:30 a.m. in Ottawa. Friends like that are hard to find. We had a very nice visit with Donnie and Pat next morning, followed by lunch at sister Marilyn's and then home by dinner time.
Since then, we have found ourselves back in the local scene, busy, catching up on the news, getting back into the normal life of summer. Rapidly it moves along, with August almost one-quarter used up. But lots to do, so no complaints. Where will the next adventure take us? New Zealand awaits, but not til the new year. No doubt something else will crop up before then. Meantime, I'll try to post some pictures from the Newfoundland and Alberta adventures. So til then, more later. Stay tuned.
You may recall that we were at the Peterman Reunion in Alberta. On Sunday, after breakfast at the motel in Claresholm, family pictures were taken, and then we went back to Stavely for final farewells. More hugs, and hopes that we can get together again before too many years go by. From there, we headed across country to Coronation, which proved to be a somewhat longer drive than we had thought it would be. Lots of secondary roads, widely paved two-laners, where the speed limit is 100, and most travel at close to 120. So good time can be made for sure.
When we arrived at Coronation, we were greeted at the entrance to the town with a large two-dimensional crown, which reminds visitors that when founded, this upstart community was named after royalty. George V was crowned around the time of the founding, so with that in mind, the name was struck. We did a rather quick tour of the town, as it was quiet, it being Sunday. It's not a very large town, so it didn't take long to drive up and down several of the streets. We found the hospital where sister Marilyn and I were born, considerably expanded since the early 40s when we entered the world. We also found a very fine community hall, wherein I spoke to the man in charge, a retired principal who looks after the place as something to do. He described the town as very much alive, although somewhat diminished as most small communities are, but for him and his wife, a good place to have come for retirement. There is still one good employer in the immediate area, which has recently been bought out, so there's a little uncertainty about that, but he was still optimistic about the town's future.
He directed us to the cemetery, which was about three k's north of the town. Gail and I tramped around until we found the headstones of both my grand-father and great-grandfather Richardson, as well as the Peterman resting places in a corner of the cemetery reserved for the Catholics. There we found Bill and Martha's markers, as well as son Bill and his wife, and Anne's late husband. Also, we found my Grandmother's marker, Anna Marie Colina, and her parents William and Frieda Peterman, who would be my great-grand-parents. Pictures were taken, and a little quiet tribute to them all observed.
On to Edmonton, where we were warmly greeted by our good friends, Ken and Connie Marshall. Poor Connie, leg encased from top to bottom in an enclosure hinged at the knee, not really a cast, but equivalent. She only gets around using crutches, at which she is very good, even managing a flight of stairs quite well. Obviously, this placed restrictions on our activities while we were with them, but we managed very well, enjoying their new house and hospitality as always. We were especially pleased to be entertained by their little grand-daughter, Keira, (hope I spelled it correctly), who they were looking after while her mother worked. She is very bright and fun to interact with, full of language and mischief and independence, so it was great to get to know her.
The new house is very fine, equipped with all of the modern technology one can imagine, some of which I had not heard of. They have instant hot water at all outlets, an enclosed wifi system, hoseless central vac, the whole works. Their creativity and imagination in creating a home blows me away. I can't even visualize how to put a set of stairs down to the water without a lot of help. Ken was very frustrated with the city and its rules with respect to the landscaping of his yard, but since we have returned, it is now fully sodded, and looks terrific.
During our stay, we were happy to have lunch with old high school friends, the Jobsons, and the Huttons. We've known each other for ever, and when we get together, no matter how many years have gone by, it's like we see each other regularly. Lots of catching up with respect to kids, and even a little time for local politics, which we Easterners skirt around carefully. The West Edmonton Mall also got a couple of visits, as Gail found a place there that could repair her broken minipod screen. What a place...crowded with people enjoying all of the entertainment and shopping this huge mall has to offer.
We had a great visit with Ken and Connie, and hated to leave, but didn't want to overstay given Connie's situation. So off we went to Rocky Mountain House, thinking that if the smoke from the B.C. fires wasn't too bad, we'd go over to the Banff-Jasper highway. We had reservations at Golden, but after receiving reports of smoke conditions in the mountains, decided to cancel, and headed down the Cowboy Trail to Cochrane, just west of Calgary. There, the air was decidedly clearer, so we booked two nights in a great Super 8 motel, a very pleasant surprise, as their label isn't always very reputable. Here was a clear exception, with excellent rooms and a full morning breakfast. We even got a good rate considering the season, so were lucky to get the last room.
Cochrane turned out to be a really neat town, located on the Bow River, with a very large new industrial/shopping area nearing completion, across the main rail line that cuts through the town. On the other side is the old town, with very nice stores and restaurants, a good mix of pub style and ethnic places.We opted for pub style, so went to the Ducks on the Roof Pub both nights we were there. We could walk from the motel to the center of town along a trail that skirted the river, which we did the first night, to find a full-scale market happening along the main street. There's also a famous local ice cream shop, MacKays, which we had to try, lining up with the locals to get served. The line is constant.
Next day, we drove down the Cowboy Trail (highway 22) through Turner Valley, site of the first oil strike in Alberta, to Longview, where we visited the Bar-U Ranch. This is now a National Historic Site, dedicated to telling the story of early ranching in the province. A terrific amount of restoration of the early buildings has been done over the past few years, making it an excellent place to take the family. Located as it is in the foothills, which are especially beautiful this time of year, it's a great place to spend part of a day.
From there, we headed back north up route 541, which leads into highway 40. This road clearly rivals the Banff- Jasper route, as you are suddenly in magnificent mountains, each turn in the road giving you a new and wonderful view of the peaks stretching to the north and south. The road peaks at the highest pass in Canada, at just over 2200 meters, the Highwood Pass. It winds down to Kananaskis Village, site of the locale for the downhill skiing that was part of the Calgary Winter Olympics. Friend Steve Ward had a major role in the design of the hill, so it was neat to see the slope he had worked on. Sadly, the beautiful Kananaskis Golf Courses are closed, as they are still reworking the repairs needed following the major flooding that swept the area about four years ago.
The highlight, however, was seeing a little bear cub race across the road in front of us. We stopped the car as he scrambled up the highway embankment, and to our wonder, we saw his mother and two siblings, feeding in the bushes above the road. Mother Grizzly was truly huge, very busy stripping the bushes of anything edible, including berries, presumably. We got out of the car, normally a no-no, and watched her safely for about 15 minutes, as she was so busy with feeding she paid us no attention. Very exciting to see her and her cubs so close. Once we got to the Kananaskis Village, we reported our sighting, which the staff was very happy to get. They knew this bear well, number 104, as they have been tracking her carefully, to ensure she is okay and not bothering anyone.
Next day, we drove back to Kananaskis to the Barrier Dam, where we did a 10 k hike,up the mountain and down. It has a 500 meter vertical, so was pretty strenuous for us. But we managed, noting that we were probably 40-50 years older than most of the other hikers. The view at the top was spectacular, so the exertion was well worth it. Must mention, the final ascent to a shelf overlooking the mountains in both directions was a challenge. Gail tried going up a steep and rocky notch, but her footwear was too worn on the soles to make it manageable. Stubborn me had to try, so it was a major scramble, finding footholds and hanging on to outcrops to find a way up. As I neared the top of the notch, I looked up to see Gail looking down at me, wondering if I'd make it. She's found an alternate route, steep but much more manageable, so had the laugh on me as I scrambled the final few feet, gasping and wheezing. But the view...spectacular, so well worth the effort.
That's about it. Next day we headed for Calgary, checked the rental car in, and spent the next 7 hours waiting for our evening flight home. We'd changed our flight time because I'd inadvertently booked our return for 12 a.m. thinking it was for 12 p.m. That little error cost us $350. to make the change, as well as a long wait. But we put in the time, and were happy to see Donnie waiting for us at the airport at 12:30 a.m. in Ottawa. Friends like that are hard to find. We had a very nice visit with Donnie and Pat next morning, followed by lunch at sister Marilyn's and then home by dinner time.
Since then, we have found ourselves back in the local scene, busy, catching up on the news, getting back into the normal life of summer. Rapidly it moves along, with August almost one-quarter used up. But lots to do, so no complaints. Where will the next adventure take us? New Zealand awaits, but not til the new year. No doubt something else will crop up before then. Meantime, I'll try to post some pictures from the Newfoundland and Alberta adventures. So til then, more later. Stay tuned.
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