Amazon Canada: https://www.amazon.ca/Road-Tripping.../dp/0228639352Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/.../road.../1149544339... Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/1968339I took a few writing courses and began my published, writing career (as opposed to my unpublished writing career) with a short story titled A Hawk's Reluctant Flight, in a small magazine called Western People. With that on my short resume, I had travel and historical articles accepted by other magazines, one of which didn't pay anything to the author. Then I took another writing course and one of the speakers was a publisher, Grant.
At the time Alberta was divided into tourist zones and I had been thinking about doing a book on what there was to see and do in each zone. I sent a query letter to Grant's publishing company and the senior editor responded with a phone call. We set up a time for me to go to the city and meet with both of them. I outlined my idea and Grant said yes it was a good one but he thought the books should be more on the people and culture of each zone. He liked his idea and I liked mine so we decided we couldn't work together. As I stood to leave I said. "Well, at least as I research the zones I will see all the backroads of Alberta." He replied. "I've always want to do a book on the backroads of Alberta." I sat back down and that was how I began my backroads series. Over the next ten years I travelled through and wrote two travel books on Alberta, four travel books on British Columbia, and one travel book on the Yukon and Alaska.
My favourite books to read have always been mystery novels and after much thought I decided to write one. Since one of the mantras of writing is to write what you know I made my main character a travel writer. Since then, I have written seven mystery, six historical, two sci/fi, two holiday romance/comedies, and one non-fiction. And now, thirty-three years after my first Alberta travel book was published, I am a travel writer once again.Introduction
Most hamlets, villages, and towns have
museums that are preserving and chronicling the unique history in each area.
After visiting those, and other places cited in this book, drive or walk around
the communities. You might see children selling lemonade or iced tea on a
street corner or you might meet the residents who are friendly and helpful. You
can check out the shops, galleries, and stores. There is always something
unique and interesting to see. Plus, you might be fortunate enough to find a
Farmer’s Market where you can pick up fresh vegetables, baking, eggs, and meat
products.
Regrettably, not all sites, adventures, or
experiences are mentioned here- it would take a book much larger than this and
I extend my apologies to those places. This book is designed to give you an
idea of the natural and man-made attractions, the stories and history of the
areas, and the famous and infamous people who lived here. In the process, it is
my aim to get you out exploring this part of the province. So, if you see a
sign for something not mentioned in here, or if you wonder what is down a road,
feel free to go check them out. It is your holiday and hopefully this book will
make you love the journey again.
Alberta is a large province with wide, open spaces. In places
you have an unobstructed view in all directions. Sometimes
there is a long distance between towns or locations so you can check to see how
the crops are doing, count the number of cattle in a field, watch for wildlife,
and wonder about the dreams of the people who built the houses, barns, and
granaries that are now in various stages of decline. Or you can play a new
game: I spy with my little eye in the far, far distance something that is….
It doesn’t matter how you are travelling,
there are campgrounds (some with hook-ups, some primitive), resorts, national
and provincial parks, recreation sites, hotels, B&B’s, and motels for you
to stay at. Most towns have parks for picnics and golf courses, and some have
RV sanitation dump stations.
If you decide to reverse the route in which
you explore any of these roads, remember to also reverse the direction in which
you turn off that road. Once off the road, all other turns will remain the
same.
Relax and enjoy the trip and remember, many of the sites you will see can only be found in this province. As one man I met said: "This is the true Alberta."
Medicine
Hat and Red Rock Coulee
‘The
city with all hell for a basement’ was the way
Rudyard Kipling described Medicine Hat because
of the gas fields discovered beneath it in the 1880s. By the early 1900s most
homes, offices, schools, and churches were heated by the gas.
The city was named after the Saamis, or Medicine Man's, hat which was
lost by the Cree's medicine man during a battle with the Blackfoot. This was
considered a bad sign and when the Cree were all killed the site was given the
name Saamis.
To see the teepee, exit off the highway
onto Southridge Drive/College Avenue SE and the teepee plus the Medicine Hat
visitor information centre are to your right along Southridge Drive. At the
centre you will find information on sights not mentioned here such as the
city's historic walking tour, the viewpoints, and the many parks.
The poles of the teepee are not covered so
it is open to the sky. Walk inside the teepee to see the round storyboards,
which are paintings depicting stories about the history of the first people,
such as the Plains Cree, the Blackfoot Confederacy, the arrival of the non‑First
Nations, and the Metis. There are interpretive signs below explaining each
board.
From the teepee you can walk to the edge of
the cliff and look down on the Saamis Archaeological site in the Seven Persons’
Coulee below. It is believed that the area was occupied as far back as A.D.
1525 and as recently as A.D. 1740.
With the abundance of clay along the banks
of the South Saskatchewan River in the Medicine Hat area, it was natural that a
pottery industry began and grew in the early 1900s. There was natural gas to
fire the kilns and a railway to transport the finished products to market.
Three potteries, Medalta, Medicine Hat, and Alberta, were all
To see the products of Medalta Potteries and to take a tour of the building, museum, and huge kilns at 713 Medalta Avenue SE, turn left onto Southridge Drive when you come out of tourist information. Southridge Drive becomes College Avenue when you cross Highway 1. You reach a four‑way stop at Kipling where you go right. Head straight through the lights at Dunsmore and when you come to Allowance Avenue turn left. You cross the railway tracks on an overpass and just after the tracks is Prince Avenue where you again go left. Head one block to North Railway Street and bear left once more. You have the railway tracks to your right as you drive and then turn right on Highway 41A east. At Wood Street you turn right and in one block is the Medalta Potteries. There are signs to follow to make these directions easier.
The building now houses an industrial museum and art gallery. Tours and workshops are offered and once you have finished your tour, visit the large gift shop which sells all their pottery.
As you leave Medicine Hat going west, get
onto Highway 3. At the west end of the city you will pass Holsom Road which
leads to Echo Dale Park. In 20 km from Holsom Road turn left on SH 887S to go
to the Red Rock Natural Area also called Red Rock Coulee. The road is paved and
at km 24.7 from the highway it curves to your left. However, you continue 1.8
km ahead on the gravel road to the small parking area on the right. After
walking through the gate, stand and look at the large masses of stone in the
coulee. You will be intrigued by the huge, red or reddish-brown rocks that are
shaped like gigantic balls with flat tops. These are called concretions and are
scattered over a wide field. Many of them have been split in two or more pieces
by the elements. While they seem to have
They were formed over 74 million years ago
in a shallow sea which covered the area. The reddish color is from hydrous iron
oxide or rust.
Just remember as you wander through the
rocks that you are in rattlesnake country. And because the soil content is
comprised of bentonite (volcanic ash) and clay, which, when mixed with water,
forms gumbo (smectite), if it starts to rain get out of the field as quickly as
possible. You could sink in the soil up to 8 cm or even slip and fall on the
gel‑like surface.
Back on Highway 3 and heading west, you
will reach Bow Island in 35 kms.
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