Weekend of Exploring

Posted on July 6, 2017 by danocan

We’re not sure what to call it.  Alberta GTC (Ghost Town Convention), Mini GTC, Abandoned Weekend.  Let’s be honest, whatever you call it doesn’t matter because to those who “get it” no name is required.  For those who don’t “get it”, no name will make sense.

In this case, “it” refers to a weekend of backroads, abandoned locations, historic places, and otherwise checking out things that fly under the radar of your average tourist.

This is the fourth year in a row we have met together for a weekend such as this, with a focus on places in Alberta.  2014 was the southeast corner of the province, 2015 was the southwest/Crowsnest Pass, 2016 was based out of Oyen, and this year Brooks formed our home base.

It is slightly after 8:30am when our group assembles at a Tim Hortons in Brooks.  We are a smaller group than in past years.  It’s not unusual that life gets in the way and not everyone can make it.  It was only through the good fortune of my work schedule that this happened to be my weekend off.

Jason and Becky with young daughter Kayla are in one car, joined by Chris and Connie of BigDoer.com fame.  Emily and I are in our own vehicle with Tucker the Dog.  Hoping we don’t have a repeat of last year’s vehicle problems (loose lug nuts and a failed water pump), we have once again brought our 2006 Jeep Liberty as our vehicle of choice.  We would have loved to have brought our trailer to camp in, but having to work on Monday meant we would have been dragging it all over tarnation on Sunday before heading home.  So, the EconoLodge in Brooks is our home away from home.

We set our course northwards out of town, heading towards Patricia.  Then it was on to Iddesleigh where a local saw us looking around and drove home to get us a key for their museum.  Thanks George!

Back on the road, we make a quick stop in Jenner and then continue further north to Big Stone.  Across to Carolside, up to Rose Lynn, and then over to Sheerness where we watched a dragline do its thing. Back south through Pollockville, Cessford, and Steveville.  A very full day!

Day two again began at Tim Hortons.  We again head north, but instead of going northeast, this time we focus on the northwest.  We stop in Rosemary to admire the large Canadian flag painted on Main Street, up to Gem, and then to the Finnegan Ferry.  We pick our way over to Dorothy and then to East Coulee to check out the old Atlas Coal Mine bridge.  Finally, we drive through Wayne where a large number of motorcycles outside the famous Last Chance Saloon show how popular this area can be,  Finally, south of the town, we decide to part ways.  For Emily and me this is the closest point to home so it makes sense to start working our way west.  Jason, Becky, Kayla, Chris and Connie all continue their adventures south towards the TransCanada Highway and then finally back to Brooks.

The drive home is marked with the comfortable silence that always follows a great weekend of adventures.  We think about how lucky we are to have such great friends, how fortunate we are to be able to get out and see these places before they completely disappear, and we think of our friends who were unable to join us this year.

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Another Loss to Fire: Keeler Hotel

Posted on July 5, 2017 by danocan

 

It’s becoming a ritual that is all too common lately.  This time the news comes from tiny Keeler, Saskatchewan where the old hotel was lost to fire on July 4, 2017.

Keeler Hotel

Photo Credit:  Dan Overes, July 9, 2016

My personal history with Keeler is a pretty short one.  I am sure Emily and I stopped in the town back in 2012, but I cannot seem to find any photos of the hotel taken on that trip.  Our last trip was in July of 2016 on our way back from our final Ghost Town Convention.  (By the way, that’s a teaser for an upcoming post.)

I remember a local stopping by as we were taking photos and warning us not to go inside because the floor was rotted and there was “about ten feet of water in the basement.”  We certainly heeded his advice not only because the floor was missing just steps inside the front door, but also because the roof had caved in making any access more than problematic.

Realistically the hotel was little more than a shell with nothing much left in the way of artifacts.  By any objective measure, its historical value was minimal and of little interest to anyone other than those of us with a crazy obsession with all things abandoned and historical.

For some other views of the hotel and Keeler, I have included a couple other links below.

Video from Home Town Saskatchewan, with the hotel featured at the 2:52 mark:

 

Photos from our good friend Mike Stobbs: http://www.pbase.com/impalass/keeler_sk&page=all

The drive down Highway 42 is going to be a little less interesting without seeing the Keeler Hotel sitting there anymore.  One more piece of the past has been lost.

Source:

Hart, H. (2017, July 04). Keeler Hotel Burns Down On Canada Day. Retrieved July 05, 2017, from https://discovermoosejaw.com/local/54363-keeler-hotel-burned-down-on-canada-day

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Canada 150

Posted on July 1, 2017 by danocan

I am too young to have been around for the centennial in 1967.  I am too old to be around for the bicentennial in 2067.  Canada 150 is the closest I will get.

As hinted at last week, we joined Chris and Connie of BigDoer.com for a trip to a hillside monument originally created for Canada’s 100th birthday in 1967.  It has been slightly updated to mark this year’s 150th celebrations.

Enjoy some “Maple Leaf Forever” as we go droning in southern Alberta to mark the occasion.

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Simon’s Valley and Big Hill Springs

Posted on June 28, 2017 by danocan

Just time for a quick post today before heading out again. This afternoon Tucker the Dog and I headed out towards Big Hill Springs Provincial Park for a short walk.

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We made a short detour to the memorial plaque dedicated to two soldiers who lost their lives in a plane crash and the schoolteacher who tried to save them. The plaque lists the crash as happening in “Simon’s Valley” so that’s how I titled the post, although you will also see it called Symons Valley in other locations.  I first came across this memorial back in 2005 and will stop in here on occasion.  Not really sure where the actual plane crash took place or how close it is to this exact location, but it is an interesting bit of history.

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Big Hills Springs is an underrated Provincial Park.  It is small and doesn’t offer much in the way of amenities.  There are your standard pit toilets, three picnic tables near the parking lot, and a selection of garbage and recycling bins.  The fact that it isn’t overly developed is part of why it appeals to me.  I also appreciate the fact it is less than twenty minutes from home, making it a convenient destination when I don’t want to drive vey far but still want to get out into the woods.

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I was surprised how many cars were i the parking lot on this Wednesday afternoon.  There appeared to be a group of people having a picnic/gathering at a couple of the tables near the trailhead.  Then there was a smattering of people out for exercise and parents with their young children wandering around.

The trail at Big Hill Springs is gentle enough to be done in running shoes — no need for hiking boots.  It is also a short enough loop that you don’t need a lot of time to walk it.  There is a llttle bit of uphill involved and some tree roots which can threaten your footing if you aren’t paying attention, but that’s about it.  If you can navigate a flight of stairs you are physically fit enough to enjoy this park.

I like doing the loop in a counter-clockwise direction, even though that gets most of the highlights out of the way early.  The path wanders beside a small creek which picks its way down the hillside via a series of small waterfalls.  There are also the remnants of an old mill, although I know nothing about the history of it.

After the waterfalls you leave the creek and climb to the top of the hill on the west side of the park.  From there it is a lovely walk through the woods, with occasionalal glimpses of the creek as it wanders through the valley on its way to Cochrane and the Bow River.

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Remnants of an old mill

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With the sky clouding over and the threat of rain in the air, I was thankful it doesn’t take long to enjoy this park.  Although, under different circumstances with more time, there are plenty of unofficial side trails to explore and many places you can sit by the creek away from the people on the pathway.

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The flowers were out in full bloom today

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A Fitting Tribute

So, as I mentioned, just a quick update today.  Have a great Wednesday!

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A Sunday Drive and a Teaser

Posted on June 22, 2017 by danocan

Last weekend we had the chance to team up with Chris and Connie from BigDoer.com. We had a very specific objective in mind, which I am not going to tell you about yet.

I first met Chris and Connie just over three years ago when we all attended the Alberta Grain Elevator Society (AGES) conference in Nanton, AB.  I was already very familiar with their work and explorations so it was actually quite a big deal for me to finally meet the people behind the blog.  I guess with so many interests in common, it was only natural that we seemed to get along and ended up becoming good friends.

So, with all four of us loaded into our Kia Rondo, we set off to the south on Sunday morning.  We would check out the Maycroft school, our main [for now] secret objective, grab some lunch beside Racehorse Creek, check out some familiar sites in Coleman and the Crowsnest Pass, grab gas in Lundbreck, and then beat it for home.  It was a bit of a whirlwind trip, given that I think I could easily spend a month in the Crowsnest Pass and never be bored.

In an odd twist, I didn’t really take that many photos.  When I went to download the contents of the memory card from my trusty old Nikon D90, there were only about eight photos.  I didn’t take any pictures in Coleman or Blairmore.  Heck, other than a quick orbit of the Maycroft school (and the secret objective), the drone barely even saw the light of day.

I guess sometimes you just so involved with enjoying the moment you don’t think about documenting it.  Kind of nice when that happens…

Old Pump

Great old-style gas pump

Lundbreck, Alberta

Lundbreck, Alberta

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