Saturday, August 1, 2009

Day Five - Alberta!!!

I know what y'all are thinking, "What a boring trip -- nothing but prairie and farm." Well, I won't argue that point, but I must immediately add, "Yesterday things got pretty exciting."

Early on we passed an important intersection. How do I know it was important? Easy ... it said it was.



To be honest, I didn't see the real importance of the intersection -- thinking to myself, "This intersection just feels a bit self-important, if you ask me." But then Andy pointed out the real significance of its being the turn-off to Saint Wahlberg: "Oh Lord, Canada has canonized Marky Mark ... the patron saint of short bad actors, I suppose."

Our entry into Alberta was momentous. We actually (I kid you not) passed through Loydminster, the only city in Canada that's in two provinces -- a distinction they've honored by putting up four tall red steel thingees along the provincial boundary. I took a picture of two of the big thingees. I think Andy got a shot of the other two out his window.



Now how was the rest of Alberta going to top this?

Not to worry, within just a few hours we found ourselves at ... at railroad crossing!



With a train rolling past!!



And a truck parked next to us carrying limestome rocks!!!





Actually, we did have a bit of a heart-stopper in Valleyview. Without enough fuel to finish the day, we pulled up to a couple of filling stations only to find one sold out of all but diesel and the other closed. We did find an open station (with a line of cars) and thus were able to push on to our stop for the night: a place known as "Grand Prairie". (So what else would it be called?)

3 comments:

joyce said...

Those boundary things look like baseball foul lines. I think some baseball field did not get their delivery...

And limestone rocks? Were they fossils? Any idea where they were headed? What was the license plate of the truck?

Ben would love that "important intersection" because of the photovotaic cell!!

Bob said...

Joyceee--
Ben would be the first to point out the foolishness of using photo-voltaics in an area where the sun doesn't shine in the winter. So I suppose, this intersection is only important when the sun shines.

Oh yeah -- I forgot to mention we also saw Edmonton. It has a mall.

Mrs. JP said...

Golly,,,it's a good thing you had those days of peaceful scenery before you had all this important hullabaloo - however, did you cope? Since I'm a few days behind in your trip I trust you've been safe.