Canmore & bad news

I'm writing this from Hinton, Alberta, and, as you will see, a lot has happened. Hope I can finish before my battery dies!

Lower Grassi Lake

Canmore

New home in Canmore

Canmore is beautiful. It's set in a lovely valley with high peaks all around, with names like "Three Sisters," "Ha Ling," "Ship's Prow," "Grotto Mountain," "Mount Lady MacDonald" and and more. There are so many high peaks that there are various "challenges" to climb two, three, or four peaks ("The Quad Challenge") in one day.

The town itself reminds me of other mountain winter/summer playgrounds like Aspen, Colorado, and Mammoth Lakes, California. There are some older homes, but many new upscale houses and a vibrant downtown with shops, eating establishments, saloons, galleries and gift shops.

Lily

The night before, I wasn't able to locate the library. N0MAD's Toyota navigation system led to me to an address downtown, but it was an art space, not a library. So I took a nice long walk to explore and get my bearings. Sometimes you find interesting things, or even the place you intended to find in the first place! But, no library. I was really okay with this, since I finally felt that the trip was starting. I'd dispensed with responsibilities and could start to truly enjoy things with a light heart.

The next morning, I wanted to get up and explore the mountains a bit, so drove up to the Nordic Center, where it looked like a lot of trails took off from. There was a big meadow where lots of dog walkers were congregating. Talked with some of them, and they recommended the hike to Grassi Lakes as a nice getaway.

So I did.

Grassi Lakes

Waterfall on the way to Grassi Lakes

It was still early in the morning, so I took my bear spray, water, camera and headed up. There are two routes: the "easy" longer route and the shorter "harder" route, which has stairs and a view of a waterfall. Recent bear warning signs were stapled to the trailhead signs, stating "6/25: Black and grizzly bears have been seen feeding on berries..." so I took this warning quite seriously.

Full of bravado, I took the second route, clapping and singing so as to not surprise any bears along the heavily forested route.
The trail then started to climb up the bench along which the waterfall was flowing, and let's just say that I was really glad there was a handrail.

Turns out the trail is quite heavily traveled and the stone steps (which really are quite good) are a bit slick from being polished by so many feet!

However, it was a lovely trail and soon done with. I did not tarry on the steep slope. The photo shows  the weeping wall next to the trail — yes, it's that steep. There are springs all along the trail at this point.

Weeping wall on the trail

At the top, one is rewarded by two lovely little lakes, named after Lawrence Grassi, an Italian immigrant who came to the area in 1912 and worked for the railway and in the coal mines. He fell in love with the mountains and became an avid mountaineer and trailbuilder. One of the peaks around Canmore as well as these lakes were named after him; he built the original trail to the lakes, cutting stairs in the rock!

The lakes are not large, but they are spectacular in color: shades of aqua, turquoise and emerald green. As far as I can tell, the color is not due to glacial flour, as they are very, very clear, but perhaps there is some extremely fine sediment that's causing the startling color.

The hues do change with the light and camera angle; in some of the photos I took, the color is deep indigo.

One of the reasons this trail is so well traveled is that it is a favorite mountain/rock climbing area. Despite the avalanche danger, climbers were already setting up along the limestone cliffs. Nobody was on the cliffs yet, just lots of equipment checking. Swallows darted over the water, feeding on insects, but surprisingly there were few mosquitoes.

Spectacular color of Upper Grassi Lake; climbers preparing along the cliff

By the time I'd finished exploring, a lot of people were arriving at the lakes. July 1 is Canada Day, and the beginning of the summer has officially begun, so many happy Canadians (and people of other nationalities) were getting an early start to the holiday.

Lower Grassi Lake

I somewhat regretfully left, but felt the road calling. I took the "easier" way down, and it was. Lots of families, babies, and dogs were taking this route!

Two ladies from Manitoba stopped me to ask about bears, but I said it really wasn't necessary by this time in the day — the trail was very crowded and any self-respecting bear would be foraging somewhere else. Besides, I hadn't noticed ANY of the buffalo berries that they were supposed to be eating (maybe they'd eaten them already)!

Since I'd gotten there early, I had a great parking spot by a picnic table and had the first cooked breakfast (not in a motel) since Montana: a two-egg omelet with peppers, onions and cheese. OMG so good.

In my pre-hike wanderings around town early in the morning, I'd located the mysteriously missing library. Turns out it was located in the community center called "The Elevation Place," so named because they have a huge climbing wall as part of their fitness center. The location of the center was where the railroad roundhouse used to be. It's a great central location, and the town made it a priority that it be accessible by bicyclists and pedestrians.

Bike/pedestrian path along the railway

In fact, ALL of the towns I've been in have really excellent bike and pedestrian paths. One lady I talked to said that this was part of town planning — alternative pathways were put in BEFORE or as part of housing developments. It certainly shows — everywhere you go there is easy access for non-vehicular transit. For instance, there is a 22-km dedicated bike/ped path (the Rocky Mountain Legacy Trail) between Canmore and Banff, and in town there is the Bow River Trail, as well as too many intersecting pathways to count.

Many Canadian towns have a center with library, fitness areas (gym, basketball), pool, community meeting rooms, food, and more; yes, sometimes a curling and/or hockey rink! Having seen a so many of these that are new, it almost seems that some funding became available nationally at once. The chalk marks were still on the cement here.

Anyway, I figured I'd hit the library, check in, post a blog and be on my way to Banff or points north within a few hours.

Bad news

I checked mail and, while things were downloading, checked Facebook posts. Always fun to see what's happening at home.

In flicking through email and responding, I saw that there was a message from my neighbor in Mill Valley. 

And, shock. There had been a fire at my house early that morning. 

The upshot of this was: my tenant and her daughter made it out okay. The fire alarms woke them up. It was called in by several neighbors, and must have been fairly spectacular. One neighbor said she saw it, called 911, and packed a suitcase in case it spread. Jerri (next door neighbor), said the "crackling" woke her up. The firefighters from three departments: Southern Marin Fire, Mill Valley and Tiburon, responded and arrived quickly. There were four big trucks and any number of smaller vehicles there, with 12-15 firefighters on site.

They supposedly got it out in about 20 minutes; but remained there from 12:30-3:30am. And much of the next day, taking pictures and doing their fire investigation.

The story slowly unfolded through the course of the afternoon. Of course, there was no thought of continuing on that day – wifi has been harder to find than I thought, so it seemed best to try to stay put and figure things out. 

Back of the house

I sent an email out to friends. My friend Becky (THANK YOU, Becky!!), dropped everything and ran over to see the status of things, because at this point I didn't know anything other than Jerri's report that the house was "still standing."

Kitchen

Reassuring, I guess, but a little unsatisfying.

When Becky got there, the firefighters were still there and not letting anyone in. However, Becky was able to talk to Kai Pasquale, the battalion chief, and (on her phone) I was able to talk to him and let him know that I had NO cell service and only intermittent wifi, and to please email me any information, which he did do. So now I have pictures.

By the end of the day, the County inspector had red-tagged the structure (nobody in or out), and the firefighters had concluded their investigation.

I did attempt to call the insurance company at the 800 number provided, but was unsuccessful using Google Hangouts through wifi. I kept getting asked to complete a survey... (like WHO wants to do a survey when you're upset and wanting to report a claim!!????), and every time I tried to respond to the survey, the call terminated. Additional calls resulted in a polite robot saying that I was calling from an "unapproved area."

Need I say I had some frustration here? When the library closed at 8pm, I lost my wifi connection, and tottered off to calm down, digest everything, read a book, and sleep on the day's events.

So much can change in 24 hours!

Aftermath

I have managed to contact the insurance company, thanks to my agent, Denise Billings, for whom I have to give a HUGE shout out — she has been amazingly helpful throughout this ordeal. The ball is rolling there.

My tenant is fine (other than being considerably shook up); she has a place to stay.

Decks

The report from the fire department investigation is that the "point of ignition" was the BBQ. The fire appears to have started on the lower deck, gone up the wall, and ignited the upper deck, creating a merry blaze that alerted the neighbors and blew in the double-walled glass doors on both levels. It was well on its way into the attic when they got to it.

It was a near thing, as the whole thing could have gone up. Let this all be a lesson to everyone that smoke alarms DO save lives.  DO NOT just take the battery out when they go off unexpectedly!

The story even made it in the Marin IJ! What a way to make the news, eh?

I don't know anything more than that at this time. The insurance company is sending out their own investigator next week. 

A HUGE thank you to the firefighters who put it out; to my neighbor, Jerri, who is anchoring things while I'm away. And everyone else who has offered condolences and "if there is anything I can do to help." There might be!

Above the kitchen (I think).

In particular, I am looking for a rock-solid, reliable contractor.

Going forward

So... the big question is: do I go on or do I go back?

I'm not sure at this point. The prudent thing would be to go back, but I have never been known to be entirely prudent.

This is is so disturbing on a number of levels:
• My house was burned: it's unlivable. This was my source of income and future refuge. I understand that it can be fixed, but I had planned everything so well, and now have a new set of worries.
• While of course I'm glad that no one was hurt, the fact remains that I have to deal with this, and in a timely manner — it can't be put off.
• There is a sense of violation when something like this happens; not a happy thing. Have to find out how to deal with smoke and water damage, and the residual smell...
• Not only do I have to deal with my house being burned, but it's jeopardizing this long-planned and anticipated trip. I am really, really tired of having to make alternate plans due to things out of my control.
• I'm starting to get really upset about the roadblocks that have been put in my way to achieve this life dream (Alaska)!

So. I am moving on in the hopes that this can be handled from afar. Unless something happens to make me reconsider, I'm going to "mek tracks" for Alaska, because at least then I will have hopes of having cell service, which I do not have here in Canada.

Stay tuned; down to 25% battery so need to wrap this up and post it.

But... I need to remember that after the storm, there are rainbows. This was the view outside the library when I finally emerged: it was a full double-arched rainbow.

Full arch double rainbow over Canmore!

24 hours of bliss

Grotto Lake

Finally got gas, groceries and some craft supplies and set out of Calgary on Tuesday afternoon. I was ecstatic to be finally on my way after more than 10 days in the city — a full week more than I'd hoped.

Lilies are blooming!

The Rockies

It might be silly, but to me "The Rockies" are the Canadian Rockies, not the Rocky Mountains in Colorado/Wyoming. They are just bigger and badder than their American cousins to the south.

Back in 1976, I actually spent several magical weeks touring, hiking and backpacking (and one memorable canoe trip) in the Rockies. Having lost so much time in Calgary, the New Plan was to sort of rocket through them, enjoying the drive and the views but making tracks for the Yukon in order to spend as much time as possible in new territory in the north.

Fields of lilies reminded me of poppies!

Best laid plans...

There was a severe thunderstorm watch (which turned to a warning) for Calgary as I left, but fortunately I was able to skirt this particular nasty storm and only experienced some heavy rain. It does seem that Canadian drivers are sensible, pulling over when driving conditions warrant.

My destination for the evening was Canmore, only about an hour outside of Calgary. As one drives west, the Rockies loom larger and larger. I do remember this from the previous trip: you see the mountains on the horizon, and then as you drive toward them, they get bigger around every turn, and then suddenly you're in them.

There were signs "Watch for Sheep Next 2 km," and sure enough, there were scrappy looking sheep on the roadway, including baby lambs! They are still losing their winter coats, so they look unkempt and ratty, and there was no place to pull over, so I didn't get any pictures. I assuaged myself with the knowledge that I'd probably see more ahead.

Crown vetch?

But still, it's always exciting to see big animals like this the first time on a trip. The last sheep I saw were in Badlands NP (South Dakota) a year ago on the 2015 spring trip.

Grotto Lake

A little further on was Grotto Lake, and it was so pretty I decided to stop and take a little hike. There were the usual bear warnings (we're back in serious bear country), and warnings to secure your possessions and lock your car, so it was with a little bit of trepidation that I set out.

Grotto Lake

There were a number of fisherfolk setting out lines, but it didn't seem as if anyone was catching anything. But of course, that's not necessarily the point of fishing.

There were some lovely wildflowers, including beautiful orange lilies, which I had not seen before, and startlingly purple crown vetch(?), which is a nasty invasive, but still pretty.

And the lake was a really beautiful green color.

It was wonderful to be back in greenery and trees and natural flowers and grasses and Really Big Mountains.

 

Two loons on Gap Lake

Gap Lake

Loon on Gap Lake

I got back in N0MAD and set out again, only to be caught up at the next turn by Gap Lake, another beautiful lake. I couldn't stand it and got out again, only to see an interesting waterfowl on the lake. Turns out it was a loon!

In fact there were TWO LOONS! I don't know that I've ever actually seen loons, and so it was quite exciting. They are hard to catch on film because they keep diving (and they stay down for quite awhile), but it was fun to watch them. Beautiful birds!

They also got quite animated at one point, flapping and splashing, and crying. So I got to hear loons calling, too. It is an eerie, distinctive sound.

It was so wonderful to be out in the wilds again. I decided to spend some time and do a fast drawing (I'm working on being quicker). I'm not particularly happy with the drawing, but did finish in less than a couple of hours, so that's something.


The hard part about drawing things like this is that the light is constantly changing on the water, the mountains, the trees. Here are a few pictures from the little time I spent there.

Exact same spot, completely different colors of water, trees, sky and mountains. Makes it quite a challenge to capture!

And the other side of the lake:

 So... I have one more post before disaster struck. Enjoy reading; I hope to catch up tomorrow.

Interregnum: trip update

Calgary housing sprawl

I was in Calgary for about ten days, working on finishing a book project. The project is done, and I am ecstatic to have that behind me and be back en route north. So while these notes are from a time that I'd just as soon not write about, there are a few interesting things. Maybe.

New house in a new housing development

Notes from the Crowfoot library:
The first day I was there, it was "Neighbor Day." LOTS of kids, families, people. Librarians walking around with a pushcart with drinks and cookies. Coffee and tea stations. Had a delicious almond cookie that was about four inches in diameter. Delicious!

In order to use the wifi at the library, I had to sign up for a "non-resident Calgary public library card." So anytime I go back, I'm all set, especially since it's good for all the libraries in the Calgary system.

This library is is the loudest, most well-used library I have ever been in. Lots of students (school is still in session); lots of toddlers, kids, adults. Two 20-somethings across from me were collaborating on and insurance take-home test. I've learned more about insurance overhearing their heated discussions than I cared to.  If you really need silence, go into the "Quiet Room."

You can eat and drink in the library, too. One girl brought in fast food from somewhere and the smell of the french fries was mouth-watering!

There are lots of tables and desks for work; most of them have electric plugs, which makes it very convenient to work for a long time.

Poutine is everywhere

After a few days: evidently I have been in the library too long. Yesterday a patron asked me where the Spanish thesaurus was. When I said I didn't work here, she said, "Oh! You just looked so... " Like a librarian?

Canada

Thought I would give a few very random observations from my three weeks (so far) in Canada.

- Poutine! Had never heard of this dish (originated in Quebec, supposedly), and now it's everywhere. French fries with gravy and cheese curds. I've yet to have it, but swear I will before I leave. Even Costco has it.

- Bathrooms are called "Washrooms."

- Highways and expressways are called "Trails." First encountered these on the maps: "Redcoat Trail," "Cowboy Trail," then Dinosaur Trail, and now in Calgary there are "Trails" everywhere.

- "oot" accent is not as pronounced as I'd expected, but you can hear it if you listen for it. I find it's more of a rolling in the back of the throat sound.

Older alley - no cars!

- Backing in is the preferred method of parking, I guess so you can just pull out when leaving. If possible, cars will pull forward through a double space to achieve this; generally there is no "stop" preventing this. Makes for ragged lines; if you don't have a backup camera, it's hard to see where your rear is.

- Parking lots are called "car parks."

- Parking lots in malls: Baffling. Twisty. Maybe this prevents speeding?

- Parking lots in malls: In the States, our malls are central, with parking lots surrounding the central mall (often indoors). In Canada, the parking lots seem to be in the center of the set of stores. I haven't come across an indoor mall yet (why? in an area that is cold in the winter and has frequent rain?)

Alley in new subdivision - no cars (well, one in a garage)

- Unpaved alleys are everywhere in both older and new neighborhoods. These alleys are lined with garages and recycling/garbage cans. The garbage trucks use the alleys for collections. Mostly, cars don't use the alleys. Instead, everybody parks on the street, making for very crowded streets. But then, would you want to drive your nice shiny car on the gravel, and in the winter the mud and ice? Some of the new "upscale" developments have houses with attached garages in the front, similar to like we have in the States, but this really didn't seem to be the norm.

If I were living in wintery, cold, snowy Calgary, I'd want an attached garage! 

Wall-to-wall cars on the street

I'm not understanding why developers continue with this alley model, as it seems peculiar to take all this space is taken for what essentially is another whole street! 

Calgary city walk

Had breakfast in the upscale Uplands "Hawkwood" subdivision one morning, and walked the neighborhood fitness path. Walking a neighborhood is the best way to get to know it. The only thing I was missing was a dog.

House in upscale Uplands.

Actually, there weren't that many people with dogs, which kind of surprised me. I saw ONE (1) person throwing a ball for a dog on a soccer field. No one else. (It's a different story in Canmore.)

But there are squirrels and magpies and rabbits. Everywhere. The squirrels have skinny little tails and are smaller than our fat California squirrels. The rabbits (and there are a LOT of rabbits) are white-tailed jackrabbits. Long and lean, they come out at night and the early morning to nibble on grass and flowers. I saw one taking a dust bath. Could there be anything cuter?

Larkspur growing along a pedestrian path

Most of the subdivisions have incorporated walking paths. I was pleased to see that as a pedestrian, you can often walk to the end of a cul-de-sac and find a pedestrian alley at the end of it that will connect to the next street, so residents can safely and quickly get from their houses to shopping or bus stops without making circuitous routes along car routes. Really wish that American developments did this same thing. It certainly would encourage people getting out of their cars!

Although I talked to another Calgary resident, and she said that for vehicles, there is only one way in and out on these developments. No throughways. She said she thought that was one of the issues with the Ft McMurray evacuation was that there was only one way of egress. Something else for our planners to take note of, especially when planning for disasters.

One peony bush!

Flowers of Calgary

Flowers are everywhere, and they are gorgeous, I guess because of the long days and frequent rain showers. There are often volunteers that escape onto the alleyways and pathways. And sometimes you can see secret gardens through the fences and gateways.

I found larkspur and harebells, poppies and peonies. They are amazing.

Bicolor peony

So that's about all I'm going to say about Calgary, although I'm sure I might add to this after wards.

Interim trip report

Some of you might remember by frustration with technology at the beginning of this trip. I thought I'd give a report on how things are going.

CAMERA: I'm having fun with the new camera; really LOVE that I don't have to deal with shiny iPhone glass to see what I'm taking (but I still have that option if I want it). I have more to learn and would like to take some time to figure out some of the cool stuff it can do (night shots, especially). And I have to figure out how to take movies! Downside: last week's flurry of photography at the Birds of Prey Centre used up about half of one battery pack. I was having such a good time taking lots of pictures! Unfortunately the battery pack has to be plugged into an outlet to recharge; it cannot be recharged via USB, so I just have to watch it. Lots of little things to think about.

Harebells along a pedestrian path

iPHONE: Being without a phone in Canada is fine, as long as I have wifi. Google Hangouts is working okay, but it is better from my computer than from the phone. I have been able to make phone calls (again as long as I have wifi) to pretty much anyone in the US. I also can receive calls at my Google voice number (again, as long as I have wifi, and have the Hangouts app running).

WORKFLOW: My own photo and writing workflow is getting easier. I load the photos taken with any of the three cameras onto the computer, label the pictures that I think are the best, then write for this blog. Some I post right away to FaceBook or Instagram, but try to not double post. As long as I have power and wifi, life is good. I just wish I were more confident about writing; or faster about it!

WIFI: The trick is the wifi. It is not as easy as I'd expected. Some places have wifi available, and it appears to be "open" but when you go to connect, it's not — it requires a password. So sometimes it take several tries at different places to find a connection. N0MAD's navigation system will find nearby Walmart stores, but I'm finding as I go north that I'm running into more times that it tells me that roads are unverified. For instance, it could not get me to the Royal Tyrrell Museum, sending me down a dead-end road past a sketchy saloon...

EMAIL/DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS: For whatever reason, some wifi connections don't allow my email program to connect. Not a big deal, as I can work around it with web mail, but still... what's with that?

POWER: Still have not received the replacement mega-battery. (Note to self: must write about that.) I'm getting power either from (1) wall sockets; (2) car battery; or (3) solar (for small devices). Haven't really been in one place long enough, with enough sun, to use the big solar charger. Still nervous about plugging the MacBook Air into that, so the jury is out.

YETI ICEBOX: Awesome!!

KOWA SPOTTING SCOPE: Awesome!!

And this concludes this blog... more in the next one, coming soon!

Drumheller: Dinosaur Capital of the World

Drumheller

While Vulcan has embraced "Star Trek," Drumheller has adopted dinosaurs in a serious way.

The WLD towers above the community skate park & pool

Dinosaur fossils have been part of the Drumheller landscape since before they were even found by fossil hunters, but now the behemoths are above ground in a big way! Literally!

Drumheller is home to the "World's Largest Dinosaur," and it is really HUGE. It towers over the town; you can see it from everywhere.

There are also smaller (and that is a relative term since some of them are life-size) dinosaur statues, known affectionately as "Cementosaurs," all along the North and South Dinosaur Trails that border the Red Deer River. There are spotted dinosaurs, a miner dinosaur, a skeleton dinosaur, dinosaurs on benches eating ice cream, peeking around buildings... A Tyrannosaurus Rex head, teeth and all, was roaring out of the wall into the community center. And they are adding more of them every year.

Badlands Motel kitchen

In fact, if you don't see a dinosaur, you're probably not in Drumheller! 

I stayed two nights at the Badlands Motel, another "budget" spot, but it surprised me there was a kitchen, complete with a four-burner stove and oven (in addition to the microwave, refrigerator, sink and coffeemaker). There were even pots, pans, dishes and flatware to use! In particular, the freezer was amazing — I was able to freeze all of my water jugs, which I use as ice blocks in the Yeti if at all possible (much less messy). There was plenty of hot water, a bathtub, fat pillows and clean sheets.

The only thing I didn't like about the motel was that the windows didn't open, so if you wanted fresh air you had to open the door, which let the mosquitoes in.

Oh, and there was a screaming child and yippy dog next door, but, heck it was only for 48 hours, and I was working most of the time, anyway, and they did retire early. I suppose all that crying and barking made them tired! Might be considering Airbnb after this.

Petrified wood in a riverside park

Workdays & booknight

It was also nice to be able to spread out and work with (mostly) reliable wifi and power. I have become a power bee, circling around any power plug. For as long as I need to be connected to the computer, electricity will be my nectar.

After six weeks on the road, some things are getting easier. Robin and I had done some experimenting with different video connections so that I could remotely join our book club meeting, with the determination that Skype worked best for video chat.  It was mostly successful this time; some lag and pixellation, but far better than the FaceTime connection we had last month.

It was really fun to feel like part of the group, even if it was a little unnerving when my virtual self was be passed around via Robin's iPad, and I spent some time viewing the ceiling or people's crotches rather than their faces. Being in a group chat like this is different than sitting in front of a computer camera, but maybe we can work refining the technique next. I will celebrate the day when we can have holograms!

Yellow clematis?

Drumheller walks

In between working, yes, I did get out. The "dinosaur trails" are not just names of roads, they also are pretty paths along the river. The badlands in town here are every bit as impressive and colorful as those upstream in Dinosaur PP.

As with any walks, there are little surprises and fun things to see: people walking their dogs; yellow clematis (!!) growing wild; a pile of petrified wood (!!); squirrels chasing each other; and interesting memorials.

Entry sign for Drumheller's Angel's Corner

Angel's Corner was one such memorial. These small "corners, crescents, squares, circles" are being installed all over Canada to raise awareness about violence and abuse. The words on the sign, especially in light of the recent events in Orlando, resonated with me:

"Angel's Corner shines a light on the violence and abuse faced by individuals in our society. It stands as a reminder of individuals who have lost their lives to violence and that help is available. Angel's Corner is a place of reflection on the past and hope for a society free from violence against all."

Incidentally, the flags here in Canada have been at half-mast for the past week in memory of the Orlando massacre.

I also found the Drumheller Library; it's so new that it's not where N0MAD's navigation system thought it was. It's in a very large community center, along with aquatic center with indoor and outdoor pools, fitness center, meeting rooms, juice bar, chess tables, skate park, curling rink (yes, I'm in Canada), and more that I probably didn't discover. The town has a lot of pride and is spending money on community resources. (Aside: the library wifi required a password.)

Fossil exhibit — the background mural fleshes out the scene

Albertosaurus diorama

Royal Tyrell Museum

Oh. My.

I'm so glad that I went to the little Dinosaur Provincial Park museum before going here. This is an AMAZING place, and while I actually knew quite a bit about what was on display, seeing some of these fossil specimens really (excuse the pun) rocked my world.

Words really fail.

Original Albertosaurus fossil

They have exhibits with fossils. Big fossils, tiny fossils, bone-beds of many fossils.

They have fossils of skulls and complete skeletons of the plant-eating dinosaurs: ceratopsians with their fancy horns and frill collars; pachycephalosaurs (dome-headed); hadrosaurs.

They have exhibits of big dinosaurs (with muscles and skin) in their natural habitat, along with plants and smaller animals, including amphibians, insects and mammals.

Recently discovered fossil in a boulder

They have one room featuring new, unique and important finds. The exhibits here can change rapidly, based on what is coming in and being discovered. There were two that were particularly interesting to me.

One was a large boulder that had a fossil in it. This was found by a couple of fishermen in a river bed — they though it had tire tracks on it until they looked closer! It was so new that they have not removed the fossil from the rock yet, they just put it on display. It was really interesting to see something so unworked. In this case, it showed that anyone can find fossils in Alberta, you just have to be aware.

Bone lab

The second exhibit was a sample of amber that had a "proto-feather" in it (the researcher had been looking for something else, but found the feather). There are fossil collections at many museums and universities — items have been collected and catalogued, but not really studied, and new discoveries like this are being made by researchers all the time.

They have a big window into the Bone Lab, where specimens are being prepared.

And just when you think you are all done, you walk through the tunnel of time, which takes you back in time to the Paleozoic, with the first creatures that lived the oceans: ammonites, trilobites, crinoids, and remember those stromatoporoids? This is where they had a sample "porous" rock with these.

Undersea diorama 

They have very cool dioramas that make you feel like you are walking on an ancient reef or swimming with the fishes.

There is a huge room dedicated to one of the seagoing reptiles: Shonisaurus sikanniensis, the "Triassic Giant." The story of how it was removed from its discovery site to the museum for study is quite a tale, that they only allude to a little bit online. For instance, the skull alone weighed 4.5 tonnes, and the Sikorsky helicopter that they took it out with was only able to carry 5 tonnes... they just made it.

Cretaceous garden

They even have an indoor "Cretaceous Garden" where ancient plants are growing: ginko, dawn redwood, bromeliads, ferns of many types, mosses, lichens, magnolias, cannas, waterlilies, and a number that I didn't recognize. There are also frogs and amphibians in the ponds, and a lovely waterfall that keeps everything humid.

The exhibits slowly bring your forward, bit by bit, into the Mesozoic  to the Ice Ages.

It was unique and fulfilling and never have I been somewhere that has such a complete and cohesive collection.

I've read quite a bit on the development of life on earth, but these exhibits really carefully give so many good examples of the ebb and flow of life; of adaptations and extinctions; of how life changed as conditions changed. As one exhibit said, "You move, adapt, or die."

It was interesting to read some of the new theories about the extinction of dinosaurs: for instance one researcher thinks that dinosaur populations were already stressed and decreasing when the Chicxulub asteroid hit, and that it was only the coup de grace that did the dinosaurs in, not the primary reason for their demise.

Science is SO cool.

Anyway, I'm really, really glad that I took this big detour into the badlands these past couple of weeks. I would have loved to have spent more time here, but I had made an appointment to get the car's 15,000 mile service done in Calgary, so had to leave. 

Does this sound like a familiar refrain?

One of my outdoor "satellite" offices

It's not vacation, it's life

One of the things I commented to book club friends about was that this trip is not vacation, it's life. 

Usually when you go on vacation, it's for maybe one to three weeks. You get ready to go in a flurry of activity, then you go and while you're gone you DON'T do anything else. You don't take calls, you put an auto-responder on your email, you don't pay bills, and you enjoy your trip. You deal with things when you get back.

Cleaning the Yeti

This trip isn't like that.

Because I'm gone so long, I have to do shopping and laundry, mend clothes, and fix things; I have to attend to financial and personal matters (hopefully not medical ones), I need to keep in touch with people; in a word, I have to live my life doing all those normal things of life, but on the road as a nomad.

There's some adjustment. I mistakenly began the trip with the idea that this was going to be one long vacation with a capital "V." It's not.

It's life.

Now that I'm realizing that, I've adjusted those expectations so that the joy of waking up in a new place every day — or a place of my choice — is well worth the uncertainty of where I'm going to spend the night, and the added time it takes to do things, and the fact that I have to do them at all!

I'm learning that there is a pattern to towns and cities, but will write more on that some other time!

Signing off now in Calgary after writing this in the noisiest, most exuberant library I have ever been in. The guys at the desk across from me were doing an online test on insurance — lots of discussion back and forth. I never did find the letterboxes that were supposed to be there, but that's okay.

Something else wonderful will turn up tomorrow!

Catching up: Vulcan

Mural in Vulcan

Lots and lots of electric wires

This entry is going to be blissfully short, as I had reserved a room at the Badlands Motel in order to have reliable wifi for a conference call and book club meeting, so wasn't out adventuring that much while in Drumheller, where I wanted to visit the Royal Tyrell Museum.

Across the prairie

Even with my chirpy love for anything new, there really isn't that much to see on the way, so anything that's unique is noteworthy.

Oil wells on the prairie

There are lots and lots of electric wires, and I never did figure out where they were going to or from. There are a few reservoirs, but there's not a lot of elevation to generate power. So this remains a mystery.

One of the things that you do see out here are oil wells. They are sort of randomly sprinkled across the landscape, in no particular discernible pattern (except, I'm sure, to geologists). There might be one, then two together, then none for awhile. They are pumping oil from liquified stromatoporoids, sponge-like animals that built reefs in the Devonian/Silurian oceans. Now no longer with us, their bodies have turned to oil, which can be extracted from the porous rock. (There was a sample of this in the Royal Tyrell Museum, and it was not anything like I thought it was – the rock was much harder than I thought it would be. I have trouble seeing how it's actually porous, and how oil can flow out of it...)

You will also see capped off wells (couldn't tell if they were for oil or water), fenced off so that they won't be run over by tractors or irrigation systems. It's a very rural landscape.

Hard to read, but at the bottom it says
 "Planet of Vulcan Authority"

Vulcan

I'm not sure why I really did this, but I did detour through the town of Vulcan, Alberta, on my way to Drumheller.

I guess I had time, and I'd read about this in the tourist materials, and I thought, "Aw, what the heck." It's not like there really is a lot else to see out here (although I am saving some things, like the Brooks Aqueduct, for another trip).

Anyway, the city of Vulcan has embraced its name wholeheartedly and styles itself as the (Star Trek) Vulcan embassy on Earth.

I am not kidding.

Everything is themed "Star Trek." There are "Star-Trek" murals, "Star Trek"-themed advertisements, restaurants, menus, and more. Even the administration building is the "Planet of Vulcan Authority."

Vulcan post office

There is a replica of the Enterprise in the park at the entrance to the town.

Leonard Nimoy visited here and there is a bronze bust of him, as well as a handprint.

There is a museum with actual (no replicas!) costumes, props and other items from the television shows and films. I guess I'm not a die-hard fan because I resisted the $20 entry fee, but for someone who was, it would be a cool place. They do hold conventions here, too. And weddings! What could be better!

And they have a special cancellation stamp at the post office. I sent six postcards from here, so I hope the people who get them really appreciate this!

(I didn't know before this, but Canada also has "Star Trek" stamps, medals and other collectible, commemorative items available from the post office. I would have bought some stamps if they could have been used to send to the US, but alas, no, they are for Canada mail only.)

FYI, there is an Indiegogo campaign to "Help Vulcan build a fully-functioning starship Enterprise." Due to be completed in 2058. Budget in the billions (of dollars); unfortunately, they are falling a little short. You heard it here first (probably).

Vulcan peonies

Not Star Trek-related, I did buy a $.25 used book from the local library titled "The Klondike." Apparently it's an Alberta classic. Not sure if I'll get to read the whole thing before I get to Alaska, but it seems like it should be part of my reading list.

And who doesn't love a twenty-five cent (CN) book!

Vulcan also had some beautiful flowers, and I really liked the timeline of the town that they had in the "Enterprise" park. Obviously the people who live there have a sense of humor.

Next post will be on to Drumheller!