PSC President X Canada - Alberta

June 10th

Alberta and the prairies loomed ahead.

Pop goes the left front tire on Betty & Larry's RV.  Luckily, no one is hurt and we hobble in to Lethbridge on their spare tire.

"I'ts only money," laughs Larry.

Luckily Betty has some money stashed aside for just such an occasion and they seem to have a few extra tires just lying around.  Trevor and Betty sit back and enjoy the vacation.

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Lethbridge has the world's longest and highest train tressel bridge spanning the whole valley from east to west. It's 1,624m long and 95.7 m. off the ground.  Impressive, considering it was opened in 1909 and still has the big diesel locomotives carrying grain and other products west.

July 11, 2019

"As we have to wait a day or two for Betty & Larry's Alignment, let's go see Head Smashed-in Buffalo Jump," says Trevor without missing a beat.
"Go see WHAT smashed in Jump?" we all ask in awe of Trevor's impeccable knowledge of south Alberta.  "Never heard of it," we all say in unison.

"You know, where the buffalo used to stampede off into thin air and drop several; hundred feet to their deaths." Trevor calmly replies.

"You mean like the Lemmings in the Arctic when they get bored of the summer re-runs and commit suicide," we reply as some light begins to shine.

"No, it was a way for feeding the natives of the area.  Did it for thousands of years."

"Wow!", said Sven, I guess when the first  supermarket opened up in Alberta, they gave that practice up."

No, kemosabi. White man and the iron horse brought madmen from Toronto and the like who, using repeater rifles, slaughtered what the natives had for millennia used for clothing and food.  Then, taking away their land and way of life, the white-man put the natives on reservations and took away their children to teach the young how to work for them and live like civilized killers.

This is where it all took place for about 10,000 years.  The last buffalo jump was about 1904 or so.

"It's over there, Larry," Betty points out.  "Must have been quite a sight."

"Is that when the first Wal Mart opened up?" said someone who wasn't listening to the history of Alberta's development by European settlers.

"Hey, take a look at this." Trevor says as he peeks through the long-range view-finder.  "A last look at what real mountains, the Rockies, look like."

We say good by to hills and dale and get used to 5,000 km of flat land.

July 12th, 2019

 "Next curve in the road is 387 kilometers," says the GPS with excitement in the automated voice.

100km

150km

200km

250km

300km

350km

"Warning! Sharp curve on the road ahead.  Exercise extreme caution.  Please untie the steering wheel and..." the GPS blairs.

"Hey, there it is.  A real live curve in the road.  Mark your calendar."

 Our hearts skip several beats, but Treovr manages the curve without incident and we settle down for the next 250 km.

"Nice country, these prairies."  
 
"Uh haw.  Mighty good looking country.  Mighty nice country, indeed." 

Nothing but country, lots of country;  a river.

Hey you guys, there is a river with a bend in it.

Mark that one on the map.

 "Jeese, paw.  I shure do like them thar grain terminals.  Not quite the ones you told me about paw, you know the ones with wood walls and  no cement.  Them were the good 'ole days, hey paw?  Must have been something, them thar prairies in them ole' days.

 "Quite a scene.  You can see clear across Canada.  Not a soul in sight.  No houses, no barns, no cows, no farmers or harvesters for a thousand miles (1,600 km.).  Nothing but grassland, blue skies and a scattering of clouds."

Yip, Canada's prairies are something to see, that's for sure.

                                 "Hey!  I just saw a car, a real live car!"


"No way.  Where?  I can only see the highway, a grain elevator, a telephone pole, the blue sky and the white clouds.  There aren't any cars on the prairies.

Heck, next thing is you'll be seeing green dinosaurs and flying things.  These flat areas will do that to anyone coming from B.C. it's just your imagination playing tricks on you.

Best you just go back to sleep.  Cars, green dinosaurs.  What will you come up with next?"

"Some people's children, really!  You saw a car.  Nice try!"