Part 2 June 10th to 12th

June 10th

 Breakfast out doors and we are all looking forward to exploring Alberta.

The RVs are set to roll out and 'hit' the open road (called Trails in Alberta).

 The wide open road and some kind of a bridge spans the valley gap just outside of Lethbridge, Alberta.

The steel trestle bridge which crosses the Oldman River.  Completed in 1909, it is the largest and highest viaduct bridge in the world.  2933 feet long and 66 feet high, it is still in use to this day.

Two things happened on our way into Alberta.

First of all, Betty and Larry slowed down at a light in Blairmore and their front driver's 10-ply tire blew.  As they were almost stopped, no harm done to the passengers.  No photos as Trevor and I were busy jacking the big RV up while a kind 20 something year old local had the old tire off and the new one installed before anyone could get a camera out.

Secondly, Larry & Betty's exhaust let go and they ended up getting the first of 3 new exhaust donuts replaced.

You'll see Mo[Tires (above) where we took the 'time-out' to have our ball joints and upper control arm replaced so we could get an alignment on our RV.



Larry & Betty's RV in the garage in Lethbridge.

 "It's only money", Larry moans as they wait to see how things are going.

Betty and Trevor look over the tires in the Mo-Tire Store.

"I wonder if we will blow out our front driver's tire on this trip." could have been the words Trevor may have said as we did blow out that tire in Nova Scotia a month later.

June 11th

The RVs are ready, a dip in the pool with  breakfast outside.




Refreshed, we are off to see a most interesting place,
Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump.

Yes, if the winds were just right, the natives would spend days setting the stage where they were able to get a herd of buffalo to stampede toward the cliffs.  With the women, children and older men hiding and leaping up at the decisive moment, with of drums, sticks, and vocal noise, they were able to frighten the herd from deviating the direction of the run and the animals literally jumped to their deaths.  This provided food and clothing to feed the tribe for most of the year.

If the animals could have taken a moment to think, I doubt they would have leaped off the cliff.

In the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, where the vast prairie expands east as far as the eye or binocular can see, you'd be amazed at what is out there.




To stand over the cliffs where these events took place, some as far back as 10,000 years--the last in the late 19th Century, is quite an experience for us all.

We take the time to absorb part of our past and understand the need to corral a herd in times when native did not have the horse or the rifle.  Spearing a buffalo at close range or hitting them effectively with arrows was almost impossible.

Once we travel east, the wide expanse of the Canadian prairie lends spectacular views of distances one cannot imagine when one lives in British Columbia; the mountains keep getting in the way.

Oldman River snakes through a good part of southern Alberta.

We stop to take a rest.

June 12th

 We head North and arrive in the Badlands of Alberta.  Pulling into the River Grove Campground in Drumheller Alberta.

 We cross the serene Red Deer River and put our (dueling) RVs away for a few days.

This is a part of Canada where at the time of the last Ice-age's retreat some 13,000 years ago (yes, it has been getting warmer for a long long time), the melting ice produced liquid water which began to flow under the ice sheet.  These currents became bigger and pooled for a millennium or two.  When the mass of water being held back was too much, the water broke free, bursting its dike if you will and flowed downhill taking an enormous amount of topsoil with it. As the glacial water continued to remove the melting ice it eventually exposed ground which had been buried for more than 65 million years, about the time dinosaurs became extinct.  The result is that there are numerous sites within the badlands where these fossilized remains are right at the surface; Drumheller is right in the middle of this vast valley of bones.

"Don't worry," Larry tells Trevor and Betty, "those dinosaurs have been extinct for millions of years.  No need to be afrid of these towering behemoths."

What then is that T-Rex doing behind them?  Extinct you say? Hmm, I am not quite sure about that.

 Hey, I've found a dinosaur over here," exclaims Sven as he points at a young plant-eating dinosaur who is paying little attention to him.

Another odd looking fellow is sniffing the ground but he in on cement and cannot find much nourishment where he is.

This 65 million year old is spry enough the have a motorcycle license (not too difficult in Alberta, I would venture to guess) and is heading out of town to find food and see the sights.
"Adios, amigos!" he calls before roaring off into the hills.

You will be surprised what you will sind just sitting around Drumheller.  This one is waiting for the bus while enjoying the summer sun.

 Yes, Drumheller is a quaint little town in the central part of Alberta.  Kind of a sleepy town with some weird inhabitants, most of whom are quite friendly to visitors and locals alike.

 Yes, just an ordinary small town it central Alberta.  Lots to see, but friendly enough.

Here is a rather sad dinosaur.  Her T=Rex boyfriend just broke up with her.

"You're kidding, right?" I ask.  "There aren't any dangerous T-Rex dinosaurs left roaming these Badlands...

...but then why are they called Badlands." I say more to myself than to this sad dinosaur.

I'm a bit hesitant to go across the street and shop in this particular store. Too many odd looking characters mulling about outside.  I think I'll take a walk in the park.

Oh, oh!  I think my days may be numbered.

It may be time to head back to the RVs and head out of town.

Here's one flying overhead. Quite a sight really.

Drumheller does have a lovely fountain, a lot od dinosaurs, and a very beautiful setting.  I'd go back in a second, if they'd only corral those man eating beasts.