The Blog of Blues

[jstark47]

Nice pics. Is that blue SUV the blues-mobile?

(I remember you got a new car, but don't remember what you got.... and too lazy to go looking through old threads to find out!)

[blues2cruise]

Yes, that is the Blues-Mobile. It is a Mitsubishi RVR.

In the city it gets average mileage like any other vehicle...but for highway driving it is great.

I'll have more pics soon....I got into Fernie, BC late today. I was driving on a few of Alberta's secondary roads...2 of which turned out to be gravel.....once you're there...well..unless one wants to double back and go around....one is committed....thanks for 4 wheel drive. I left Calgary and made my way to Hwy #8 to Hwy #22 through Black Diamond and then Longview. I stopped in at an historic ranch to learn about its past and then turned off at at secondary road. #532. I did not know it was gravel when I looked on my map. It would have taken too much time to go back...so.....I went for it. It was to connect to Hwy #40 which would get me to the Crowsnest Pass and to Hwy #3 West.
Well..betweenmy crappy map that did not have the same # hwy as on one of the signs...and the name of town that was on a sign but not on the map....this was a fork in the gravel road in the middle of nowhere.....sigh.....I pondered for a couple of minutes about what to do....since the map and the signs did not match...the only thing I knew for sure was that I did not want Hwy #1..because it went north...and I knew I still wanted to go more south.....so...taking a leap of faith...I took the left fork....it was a while before I really felt comfortable about it...but then I came upon a Provincial Campsite with a name that I had seen on my map. I felt a sense of relief knowing I really was on the right road.

My trip through the back roads would have been quicker if I had not kept stopping for photos and to ooh and aah at the views.

I figure I was on gravel roads for about 130km. Finally......I came to the town in the Crowsnest Pass and to Hwy # West. I stopped to fuel the car and wash the car.
This was the third car wash in 9 days. Gravel roads have a tendency to be dusty....then add the bugs.... ....

[dr_bar]

If you came down #40, you just missed the town of Frank by a few kms. How far are you planning for today???

[blues2cruise]

How far are you planning for today???

Okanagan somewhere.

[High_Side]

You found the Forestry Trunk road and it's pretty - if a little rough and dusty. Did you happen to stop at Livingston Falls? With the name you expect a lot - but then you see them and wonder if you missed them. I hope that your trip is going well. Did you get to experience the nautical wonder that is known as the Bleriot ferry? We'll need to see the pics!

[blues2cruise]

On the day I had planned to go to Drumheller, it was dark and pouring rain. I had also looked up a couple of places to stay but they were booked....so.....

I decided to try Drumheller another time...I headed west instead.....I am glad I did. The day was amazing.

I stopped in at the Livingston Falls campsite.....but...I did not hear any water.....so I did no bother to look any further than the outhouse and get back on the gravel road.....

I happened across some horses.....so I stopped...they came to visit.... I got a few pictures and then carried on.

Once I finally got off the gravel and into Coleman, I topped up the tank and washed the car.

I stayed in Fernie last night. Nice little town.....

[blues2cruise]

Here are a few scenes from Monday.

That was one of the highlights of the day....since I was not lucky enough to see wildlife....was a bunch of cattle in the middle of the road. They looked at my car as if to say...what are you doing here? Fine...if you insist...we'll move....they moved slowly off. That was on #532

I also saw some horses along #22

[blues2cruise]

I was away for ten days on a drivng holiday. I drove through some very well known "wildlife" areas but saw none....well..ok, I saw one young caribou on the Icefields Parkway. That route is usually littered with bears, moose, elk.....

The Icefields Parkway is between Lake Louise and Jasper, Alberta. I recommend the drive....it is spectacular.

I drove through some secondary roads that were virtually isolated...maybe a dozen vehicles in 2 hours...me, the trees and the mountains and a gravel road...still no wildlife. Sigh.....

It was not until my tenth day on my way home that I finally got to see some wildllife. The mountain sheep that traverse the range bewteen Spences Bridge and the Similkameen were on the side of the road between Keremeos and Princeton. (Hwy #3)I stopped well back so as not to scare them away. I crept along the shoulder at a snail's pace to a point where they knew I was there, but were not alarmed enough to take off.
I stopped the car and crawled over to the passenger seat. I opened the passenger door but stayed behind it. I had my camera in my hand...the sheep were still not alarmed....I slowly came from behind the car door and made couple of slow steps forward......I was excited because the sheep were not running away....I was going to get some pictures.....

Then......someone in a blue car came to a screeching halt right beside the sheep.

Of course the sheep left the side of the road and clamboured up the hill side......I kept my mouth shut...but I wanted to go ask him why he was such a 'tard......I knew that shouting at him would only scare the sheep completely away.....

I managed to get some half decent shots of a few of them. It was family....a male, female and three kids....I was happy they did not run away....the Dad was watching me, but I guess he perceived no threat.....so he just sat up on the ridge with his family....

Here is one of the pictures. I'll have some more soon.

[Wrider]

What's scary is that the scenery and wildlife in that could just as easily be in Colorado!

[blues2cruise]

In keeping with the motorcycle theme of this forum.....I had stopped for lunch in a small town in Alberta called Black Diamond. It's along Hwy #22. Also known as the Cowboy Trail.

Population of Black Diamond approximately 2,000. Next to the coffee house was a motorcycle/ATV shop repair shop.

The picture is the front of the shop, but out back there were actually several motorcycles.