My previous post was October 1. Since then we pointed east, more or less, and started driving. We began the trip home hoping we could shorten daily travel distance but that only worked for one day. On our second day Highway #1 through Crowsnest Pass was closed for construction which diverted us south along Highway #97 to Radium then east on Highway #95 through to Banff where we met Highway #1, That made what was a moderate day into a long day. After Calgary we abandoned all hope of short days and drove our seven hour days. There is no way to stop after five hours. No place is just five hours away from any other place.
Continue Reading →Category: Calgary
First look at the Rockies
This was to be a short day with lots of stops so I decided to make the fuel stop this morning rather than last night. Well I apologize for the nasty things I have said about Burlington traffic (some of them anyway). Calgary traffic is INSANE! The fuel stop was about 800 metres from the hotel and it took 45 minutes to get back. The only good news was the $1.36 per litre price. After a leisurely breakfast and an appropriate time for the traffic to calm, we started west again.
Our first coffee stop was the once sleepy little town of Canmore. Let me assure you it is no longer sleepy or little. It is still pretty and clearly a popular tourist destination. There is considerable new construction and I’m betting a million dollars won’t buy you much in this town. There is less and less building space in the town so new construction is increasing upon the north side of Highway #1.
Continue Reading →Across the Prairies to Calgary
As we travel across Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta the terrain changes from scrub forrest to flatland to rolling hills. Grain farms dominate the flatlands which, moving westward, transforms into cattle ranches. Oil rigs and pumps become visible in western Saskatchewan and common in Alberta. Wind farms are sprinkled across terrain and several solar collection systems become evident.
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