Friday, September 29, 2023

Lots of Camping, boats, and big planes!

It has been brought to my attention (from Prince Edward Island!) that the blog has been getting a bit behind!

So, here goes, I guess ...

On my last trip up Revelstoke Lake, I checked out a couple of barges used to get logging trucks to the far side of the lake.  They are only large enough for one logging truck, or several smaller vehicles, and are pushed by a small tugboat.  The tug is attached on its front by a swivel, so the tug can be changed so it is always moving forward, along the same side of the barge.



Don't drive off this end!  You can see the ferry landing on the far side of a narrow spot in the lake.

Next time out was just a short trip into the foothills west of my place.  Many of the obvious spots were occupied, and one I had hoped to use had been completely washed out by spring floods.  Even so, I was able to find a nice, quiet spot a bit further down the road

This area is well beyond any cell service, so the Starlink came in handy once again.
'Traffic' was congested at times, but they all kept moooooving along!

 

Next trip was up to Abraham Lake (North Saskatchewan River) a couple hours to the north west.  I met up with Don & Donna who were testing out a new to them 5th wheel.

Just a week earlier, I had been cleaning out sand from my 5th wheel that had accumulated while we were all camped on Padre Island on the Texas coast last spring.  That fine sand gets everywhere!


Someone was in 'our' waterfront spot when we first arrived, but after a night or two in the bush, we got our spot back!

We had the Starlink set up so that either rig could provide the needed power to turn it on and operate it!


Don & Donna, like to head out on various day trips while camped.  On this day, we headed into Banff National Park, where we (eventually) found this dump truck that had mowed down trees and brush for at least 100yds, before ending up in this ravine.  Emergency crews were on scene when we first went by, but there was no one around a few hours later, and the truck was essentially invisible from the highway.


Don and I hiked into Tershishner Falls one day.


 

 On another day trip into Jasper National Park, we saw this Spanish (?) vehicle on the road.  Note the Starlink dish mounted on the rear, and the passenger hanging out the window! https://www.furgoenruta.com/


Back at the lake, some weird boating action had us pretty confused for a few days, with it's seemingly random touring about.  As well, there was often many occupants and some strange equipment aboard.

I finally had to ask the boat operator and found out that it was a film crew getting some footage for some future production!




On another day, we hiked into Siffleur Falls ...




The next trip also involved some camping - at Nanton, Alberta, but that was not the main reason for the visit. 

  

The reason for the trip was to visit the Bomber Command museum, and some of the events they had planned. The museum has a lot of aircraft on display, but the huge Lancaster 4-engine bomber out front was the headliner.
 

They fired up all four engines after dark, and again the following day.

 

There was also a presentation on the recovery of Halifax LW682, that was shot down over Belgium in 1944.  My uncle Clifford was the bomb aimer on the flight, and he with the rest of the crew were lost in the crash. The wreckage was excavated and recovered in 1997.  Aluminum from the wreckage was melted down and saved.  Some was used in the roof of the new Bomber Command Memorial in London, England, opened by Queen Elizabeth in 2012. More of the metal is being used as part of the metal going into the 'wings' worn on the chest of all Canadian Forces aircrews.

Some of the aluminum ingots are on display at the museum, as well as a bent propeller blade from my uncle's plane.







It's definitely Fall in Canada.  The leaves are falling, and frost is in the air.
There might be time for another excursion or two, but it won't be long and I will be headed south for the winter.  But there will be someone missing :-(  For the first time in 13 years, Ms Hailey will not be with me.



Ms Hailey 
2010-2023