#215 Jun 2019 Even Older Stories

We always pay attention to conversations about places to explore. Many times we have heard about points of interest that are not listed in tourist info or in locations we had not intended to visit. 

During the Icefields Reunion someone mentioned that in Edmonton the Royal Alberta Museum feature exhibit was “Vikings Beyond the Legend” on loan from Denmark’s National Museum.

Ralph’s Mum’s heritage was Norwegian so we are always alert to learn more about that region. In Newfoundland we visited L’Anse aux Meadows where the Vikings landed a thousand years ago. (post #108)

This exhibit conveys Viking life in farms, towns, villages and central market places with artifacts starting from 750 CE.

Look closely. Some of these villagers are from a more modern era.

Vikings travelled inland and across the sea searching for treasure, lands to conquer and commerce.

Viking warriors travelled by ship and fought on foot making them a fast, mobile military force.

The 105 foot hull of the longest Viking warship ever found, Roskilde 6, has been reconstructed as a steel skeleton. 

Behind the Roskilde a savage ocean storm booms and crashes.

Warriors waded ashore to raid and pillage local villages. 

From a North American standpoint the Vikings were explorers looking to conquer new worlds. From the Scandinavian viewpoint they were trying to survive and improve their lives. A fascinating story.

We explored a small portion of the rest of the museum.

Mammoths greet visitors as they enter the museum.

The history of Indigenous people of Alberta is portrayed.

When we lived in Calgary it was exciting and fun to be part of the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics.

And then I was completely bowled over.

Faberge’s Fantasy!!

My stepfather, Washburn Laird, participated in many musical and theatre productions. In 1995 Washburn played the part of Peter Carl Faberge in a dramatic mystery concerning a special Faberge Imperial Egg.

What a thrill to see part of my family history in the Royal Alberta Museum.

We visited family in Camrose and Edmonton then headed towards home. Fortunately this was a short trip to see people not scenery. 11 days out of 13 we had rain at least part of the day.

We could not see the top of Mt Robson.

However, fields were bright green.

We have seen many rental RVs with a picture of a dog gazing out the window. This dog was for real.

We had a great last minute trip with lots of memories, old and new.

#214 May-June 2019 A Long trip down memory lane!

A few days after Kari and Dan’s wedding we continued to celebrate as Ralph’s brother Paul turned 65! 

This party included cake and dogs.

Perhaps I was carried away with flowers when I started to create our summer yard. We wanted to extend the beautiful garden theme from Kari and Dan's wedding under the wisteria.

On Mother’s Day Kari and Dan gave me this hibiscus which continues to be the highlight of our yard.

Mid June we connected the motorhome and CR-V for the first time and headed east.

Once again we enjoyed the mountains from Surrey to Calgary. Still lots of snow on the mountaintops and avalanche slopes.

With lots of meltwater rushing along in the creeks

And calm glacial green lakes

And then The Three Sisters announced that we were almost out of the mountains.

We visited family and friends in Calgary for a couple of days then headed to Stettler Alberta for the main event. 

A Columbia Icefields staff reunion! 

Wayne and Peggy graciously supplied their farm for the weekend. About 20 of us reminisced and caught up with one another’s lives. It was a casual opportunity to re-connect with people, some of whom we had not seen in most of 50 years. We are very glad we were able to participate.

Wayne modeled his Columbia Icefields drivers uniform. It almost fit!

Working at the Columbia Icefields in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s was a unique experience. There was no television and unpredictable radio reception at night. The only phone was a party line to Jasper available for business or emergencies and then only when the line was not down. Jasper was over an hour’s drive and most staff did not have vehicles.

Staff came from across Canada and were awed by the scenery and mountain roads. We relied on one another for friendship and entertainment. Many lasting friendships and relationships were forged during the short summer season. During the reunion we counted at least a dozen couples who met at the Icefields and stayed together over the decades.

Coincidently the reunion was exactly 50 years since Ralph and I met at the Columbia Icefields in 1969. We have taken our family to the Icefileds on several trips down memory lane.

In 1967 Ralph started as a driver of these small Snowmobiles.

The current Ice Explorers are vastly different.

Our post #180 tells a much more recent family event at the Icefields when Kari and Dan got engaged.

On Sunday, along with Grant and Jan, Arnie and Susan from the reunion, we took the Alberta Prairie Railway Excursion from Stettler. 

Locomotive 1118 is a 1,200 horsepower diesel-electric built in 1958. 

Old style passenger cars have been refurbished.

The saloon car had great entertainment.

The train was carrying the coal mine payroll so passengers were warned that train robbers might hold us up.

They came blazing across the prairie with their six shooters!

Even the horses looked fierce.

The bandits came through the passenger cars demanding our valuables. (Proceeds are donated to the Edmonton and Calgary Children’s Hospitals.)

Big Valley was the turn around point for the trip.

 Lovely locals directed passengers to a tasty Alberta roast beef buffet.

The small community doubles it's population when the train arrives with 350 passengers. There are several museums and shops to tempt visitors.

We enjoyed the prairie scenery during the train ride. It is different from the mountains but just as beautiful.

We had a great reunion and train excursion.