2016/08 Newf'land trip - Okotoks |
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It was a long drag across flat Saskatchewan into flat Alberta, with showers and a blustery headwind. Along the way we passed an entire house, about the size of our last one in England, being towed along the other carriageway, taking up all the lanes and the shoulder. As Sandie asked, where do you find a side road big enough to get it off the highway?
Our GPS took us south and west to Okotoks, completely avoiding Calgary, and just as well as Calgary was covered with an immense dark cloud and lightning was flickering. We had a nice quiet drive and the rain held off until we turned into our daughter's street, and then we had to sprint inside.
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The weather was getting cold as well as wet so we displaced our grandson from his bedroom and slept inside.
Friday September 9th
It was a sunny and cold morning, about 40F. Winter comes early in Alberta. We were just taking it easy inside. Things warmed up in the afternoon and we took a walk downtown and visited the quilt shop and coffee shop.
Saturday September 10th
We watched a grandson's soccer game. The evening stayed warm enough for us to eat burgers outside.
Sunday September 11th
It was raining and cold, already snowing in the mountains. We all went to Nanton’s Bomber Command Museum, where we’d tried to go back in December, only it had been closed. It’s most famous for its Avro Lancaster bomber; they now have all four engines running and it has taxied under its own power. There are hopes of making it airworthy. Only two Lancasters are still flying, one in the UK and the one we’d seen in Hamilton six weeks earlier.
Surprisingly we were allowed to climb into the Lancaster’s fuselage, rather difficult for me, and the supplied crash helmet was definitely needed! The picture shows how cramped the fuselage is. The hanger contained various other training aircraft, bits of bombers, a Link trainer, and all sorts of memorabilia; a good morning.
In the afternoon, still wet, the boys and I were locked into our electronics. The ladies were in Calgary at some knitting mecca.
That evening we were watching the weather forecast as snowstorms crossed the mountains and converged on Calgary. We were hoping to do some hiking in Yoho on our way home but it was looking very iffy.