 |
| Buffalo Jump and native wild grasses |
Now that's my kind of vacation! Sure we spent most of it sitting in the very uncomfortable seats of our beloved Toyota Matrix - but what the heck! We had a terrific tour of southern Alberta and we're going back for more one day soon.
 |
| a familiar sight in Pincher Creek, AB |
This year we traded a paddling trip for a road trip that took us on a loop route: Hornby-Victoria-Vancouver-Calgary-Drumheller-Writing on Stone Provincial Park- Head Smashed In Buffalo Jump Provincial Park-Osoyoos-Vancouver-Hornby. Whew! High lights included seeing the 'Eastern' Chinnery clan in Calgary, including a seat-popping, ceiling-grabbing reaction from Doug's mom Marilyn when we arrived there unannounced. We visited the
Royal Tyrell Museum in Drumheller, went hiking in the grasslands in
Writing on Stone Park, as well as taking a tour of some of the 50,000 documented petroglyphs created some 5700 years ago. That night we camped by a lake in the grasslands and despite being somewhat under-prepared for the single digit Alberta night temperatures, we very much enjoyed the yipping of coyotes and hooting of owls under the expanse of the starry prairy sky.
 |
| 400 yr old Cottonwood trees near Fernie |
The following day we visited the incredible
Buffalo Jump interpretive center and had a most memorable conversation with Little Leaf, a Pei'gan elder (who called himself an "older person"). Little Leaf had encyclopedic knowledge of his own history, the colonial experience of his people, and the demise of the plains bison. It was a conversation I'll never forget.
From there we forged on to Osoyoos where we enjoyed the luxurious digs of the Adriatic Motel. The next day we took in fruit stands (forty pounds of Roma tomatoes, an assortment of peaches, pears, hot peppers and field peppers) and a couple of wineries in Keremeos.
Doug enjoyed driving the Crowsnest highway home - and I enjoyed not driving that particular stretch as my hairpin turn skills are not up to scratch. Besides, the semi-desert scenery was breathtaking. Definitely worth a return trip to spend more time walking and less time driving.
We returned to find Linda, our glorious house/studio sitter and friend (who made an apricot cake to welcome us home!) packing up and heading off to her next adventure in Italy. It's no Hornby Island, but Linda will make do, I'm sure. And of course, Sterling Silverfoot was ever so happy to lay eyes on us too. Home sweet home. Yes it is.
2 comments:
I've always dreamed of staying at the Adriatic Motel.
Sounds like a great trip. I heard all about Marilyn's big surprise when you arrived. When I called today she whispered "hello" and i thougt she had lost her voice but lo and behold it came back very loud and excited when we started talking about our Med. trip. She says she is so excited she is whispering. I bet once she hits Murray's on Wed. she won't be whispering.
Your trip sounds great and Warren and I must do that some time.
A. Anne
Post a Comment