My friend asked to join us for a day of touring. How could I say no? It was the perfect opportunity to give my van a chance to recover after repairs and to rack up mileage and use gas in someone else's car. With Doodles at a summer hockey camp, Magoo is the only one to join us. He genuinely seems excited.
This road trip is where I was again find myself questioning the definition of roadside attraction.
Our first planned stop is up by Athabasca, located at the Ghost Lake campground (Hwy 2 & TWP Rd 683) is a large chair. It is behind a fence to stop people from climbing on it, but still very cool. Magoo was disappointed that we couldn't climb it to sit down. I have to agree that would have been even cooler. It amazes me that people find the time to build these things. Heading towards Athabasca on the W-side of Hwy 2 about 7km N or town is a cute little miniature train set-up on some one's farm. They have created a small picnic area there for visitors. Also N of Athabasca is a "Field of Dreams", which appears to be nothing but a row of combines. There is also a fence with a bunch of plastic rocking horses, and I find myself wondering if that is what was once the Rocking Horse Ranch. Still N of Athabasca, about 1Km is a metal moose.
"Mars of Bust" is located in Rossington, a small town located just outside Westlock. I have no idea what we are looking for, but assume it is some type of rocket. I have very odd directions Hwy 18 - 2Km E SecHwy 776. So, we drive to SecHwy 776, head N for about 4 Km and see nothing. my Friend asks if I'd like to go back to Hwy 18 and continue a few more Km W, since we had to past the E side driving to 776 and saw nothing. I tell him not to bother. It might be one of these things that is gone. Heading back towards Westlock, something catches my eye - a small rusted rocket type thing. Sure enough hidden in the trees is the rocket, with the words "Mars or Bust" on it. Let me tell you, it is certainly a bust. Even Magoo agreed that this made the pig and Depression Pete look good. My friend pulled back around so I could get a photo. There was no way I'd keep going without one. Not only did we drive by it today, but we'd driven right past it in July on our way back from Carson-Pegasus. What I want to know is, how on earth did this make any one's list as a roadside attraction? As for the town of Rossington, I'm not even convinced it is exists. All I could see where a few house.
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