Aug 22 - Further South: How many small towns in a day?

After repacking the van, I was bringing back a number of boxes for my next garage sale, it was time to say farewell. The first stop was Safeway. I wanted to buy some batteries for my Camera; I wasn't about to do this trip without getting any photos, plus, it also gave me an excuse to pick up a Starbucks drink for the road. After that, the trip looked like it might be going down hill.

With the first stop barely outside of Calgary in High River, Magoo was feeling car sick. He ended up throwing-up in a garbage can at the Commemorative Bell (12 Ave & 5 St: across the road from the Sheppard Family Park). I think it is because he didn't eat breakfast, but who knows. After that we went to find the 7-11 (1 StSW & 3 AveSW). My list told me that I would find some wolves there. Navi was no help, of course. I am starting to wonder if maybe it isn't Navi at all, but rather me. Anyway, I wasn't sure what to expect in the way of wolves. To be honest, I figured they'd be some metal things and not worth the stop. However, they were lovely wolves, carved from wood.

The boys grabbed a bit to eat and seemed to pick up in spirits. I asked a few people where the Medicine Tree could be found and was given two different answers. I was surprised that more people didn't seem to know about the Medicine Tree given its historical relevance in the town. I went to 9th & 9th, but was certainly not in the right area. I found myself at the Medicine Tree Manor or something like that. It looked like a long-term care facility. I turned around and went to find the park where the first guy thought it was. He was corrected. The Medicine Tree is located in George Lane Memorial Park along McLoud Trail. The park itself is lovely and full of cute little black squirrels. I got a number of photographs. We stopped in at the washrooms before hitting the road again. I also got a picture of a cute barber shop post.

High River is a much bigger town than I realized, full of historical building and well painted murals. It was neat to see where Heartland is filmed. The boys and I have enjoyed many a Sunday night cuddle on the couch watching the show. It is one of the few really good family shows left on TV.

Another stop at 7-11 for some more food and then off to Nanton. I didn't dare tell the boys that this wasn't on my original list of stops. I just wanted the opportunity to look at the antiques and walk about town. I didn't think they would object much given that it also meant stopping in at the Candy Shop, my treat.

Nanton is very quaint little town, located S along Hwy 2. We'd stopped there before in 2008, on our way to Waterton National Park. After a stocking up on candy, we went back N up the Hwy a bit, so I could walk around outside the Air Museum and get some photos of the Bomber Memorial Wall. It is also worth it to walk around town to view all the historical building and to stop in at the School House Visitor Information Centre.

We had a small chuckle as we left Nanton behind what appeared to be a carnival truck, pulling a bunny ride of some sort. Given how slowly we were driving, the plan was for the boys to hop off and steal us each a huge plastic bunny. However, there obstacles stood in our way:

1. is against the law to steal
2. getting out of one moving vehicle and onto another doesn't seem like the smartest of safest thing to do (perhaps that too is against the law)
3. where would we put the bunnies? Our truck was too small and even if it had been big enough, it was full with boxes and camping gear

In Starvey we were on the look out for a Cowboy and Horse (located at the S entrance of town on Hwy 2). This is not worth the stop or the risk of getting off the Hwy to get a photo. It is simply a flat metal cutout of each, similar to the signs/cutouts that you can see on people's fences or ranches.

We decided to stop in a Head Smashed in Buffalo Jump. The boys had enjoyed it in 2008. My notes say 18 Kms, but what I don't recall is from where. 18 Kms W off Hwy 2? 18 Kms from Fort MacLeod? Thankfully Navi actually had it listed as a main attraction for the area; although, I would have been better off following the main tourist signs. As usually, Navi had her own convoluted route in mind. We seemed to be off roading it through farmer's fields. There were cow pies on the tracks and cows walking freely around us. It was crazy. Thankfully if we got stuck we weren't in the middle of no where like we'd been when trying to find Dewberry.

My lazy boys wanted to take the bus service up from the parking lot to the entrance; I can't say I objected that loudly or even for that long. However, part of me was looking forward to stretching out my legs. Who knew that my calf could hurt so much with simply driving? It cost us close to $30 to get in. Once inside they boys didn't even seem that interested in exploring the building. I wasn't interested in walking the outside paths. As it turns out they were recommending that people stay off the trails due to the high winds and a bear in the area. We toured the facility quickly and went to the cafe to grab a very expensive lunch. We had to wait a fair bit for the food to be ready. I stayed in the cafe while the boys wondered around some more. We ended up getting our food to go and walked (or should I say got blown) down to our van. Magoo didn't like his buffalo burger, of course. I tried to remind him that he didn't like it in 2008 before he even ordered it.

The next stretch of our journey was one of my favourites all summer. This is one of the few times when I wished that I was a passenger to enjoy the views and get some photos. From Head Smashed in Buffalo Jump to Pincher Creek (along SecHwy 785) you drive through what I like to call Windmill Valley (a number of Wind Farms). There are hundreds of these huge giants rotating in the wind. In some spots you can even hear their huge blades cut through the wind. You also pass a couple of creeks and over a dam. Plus, the colours of the landscape and the view of the distant mountains makes you feel like you are driving in another province all together. It is hard not be captivated into the calming essence of the area.

Pincher Creek is home to, you guessed it, the World's Largest Pinchers (Main Street and Police Ave). Across the bridge, they have a lovely Tourist Information Centre and gift shop. Everyone there is really friendly. The garden out front are beautiful. Beside the centre is the museum. Given time we didn't stop in, but it looked cute. I believe it is called the Kootenai Brown Pioneer Village.

Our next scheduled stop wasn't until Lethbridge, but I wanted to take a quick tour of Fort MacLeod. There is The Fort Museum of the North West Mounted Police and a well maintained historical downtown, with murals. I believe there is also a historical Police Barracks.

Lethbridge has the World's Highest Wooden Train Trestle and also a large Wind Gauge. I'd seen the train trestle when I visited quickly last year, but didn't get the opportunity to stop and look at it. We pulled in off Hwy 3 and went down to the golf course when I took a few photos. We then went up to the Brewery Garden, where the visitor information centre is located. The gardens are beautiful and offer great views of the trestle. The gardens have some walking trails, cute little waterfalls and a few information boards.

A lovely drive down NW Corner Scenic Drive to the other visitor information where the wind gauge can be found. At this point my boys started complaining that they were hungry again. I don't recall if we stopped or not. Lethbridge is also home to the Galt Museum & Archives and Fort Whoop-up Interpretive Centre.

We continued along Hwy 3 to Coaldale to find a bald eagle statue. My first thought was to check the Alberta Birds of Prey Centre. The centre was closed, but the area around it is well maintained and very quite. We saw various ducks and geese in the small pond, but no statue of a bald eagle. As we headed back towards Hwy 3, I noticed the statue across the intersection (20th St & ?).

We would have been going to Chin to see a trout, but one website told me it was gone, so we skipped it and went to Taber to see the Large Cornstalk (NW side of Hwy 3). I got some lovely photos of the cornstalks and some artifacts in the area. I also captured some sunflowers in a near by flower bead. I was truly shocked at the size of Taber. In my mind it was a very small town. I think that the 1999, school shooting left me with that impression; although, I am not sure why it would have. I had originally planned to camp around here, but the boys wanted to keep driving.

I picked up some snacks and we set out towards Burdett. As we approached Burdett, I realized that we forgot to look for the Big Women and Big Bike in Taber. Neither of the boys wanted to turn around and go back. I guess I don't really blame them.

On the N of Hwy 3 in the town of Burdett, you will find Canada's First Irrigation Pivot. Now of course, you see them everywhere. Burdett to Bow Valley, home of Spitz Sunflower Seeds. The first object on my list was the World's Largest Putter (Hwy 3, E side of Town). Located almost right beside it is the Pinto Bean. The boys seemed to be relatively OK with getting out to take a photo with him. Maybe they have finally given up the fight; knowing that grumpy or not I will get the photo. We also passed by the Bean Pot Water Tower, although I didn't try to get a photo. I had a great mission - find the large sunflower. There was no way I was missing my chance to get a photo of that. As it turns out, we need to get back on the Hwy towards Burdett to find the Spitz Processing Plant (it is 12K S off SecHwy 879). It was a grant as I imaged it would be. Keep in mind that I love sunflowers. Being surrounded by them during this last stretch, it was hard not to pull over to get photos.

The boys were hoping that the processing plant would be open, so they could get some free sample. I'm not even sure if they offer them. There was a building located just outside the plant gates. It looked like someone might live there. After much laughter and discussion, I agreed we could go knock on the door. Our story: I really needed to use the washroom. As we walked up the steps, our sense of smell was tantalized with the aroma of BBQ stake. Hum, could we convince them to invite us in for dinner? In the end it didn't matter; no one came to the door, so we drove off empty handed. I asked the boys about camping, but neither seemed that interested. Rather than taking a large detour towards Milk River to find the Raptor statue, I headed back toward Bow Valley. I decided to pull off the main Hwy to get a photo of the Bean Pot Water Tower after all. Why not?

It was starting to get late and I was both tired and hungry, as were the boys. Not to mention the restlessness and bickering that had started up. Our mission: find a good cheap hotel in Medicine Hat. Yes, you read that correctly a hotel. My boys wanted one night of luxury. I was disappointed that they didn't want to camp, but didn't think it necessary to disagree. This vacation was just as much about them having fun as it was about us enjoying quality time. Certainly not cheap, we found a Best Western in which to set up camp, as I jokes with the boys. Our open fire dinner was from McDonalds and our lake was a nicely heated indoor pool. Watching the fire was in fact laying in our beds watching A-Team. It was certainly a tough night of roughing it.