East

Posted on August 16, 2012 by debbie

We have been sequestered in our house for about 4 months. Renovations had taken over our lives and we hadn’t really thought about anything else. Since this is a TRAVEL blog we could not figure out how to twist house renos into travel so we have been remiss in keeping up with the entries. Sorry.

Yesterday we flew the coop. We have been planning on a camping trip for about 2months and we are there. We travel all around the world and yet anywhere east of Alberta, in Canada, is uncharted territory for us. So east we go. We only have a few days so the distance cannot be great but east we go. 150 km or so into Saskatchewan.

The best laid plans of mice and men we thought we would leave Tuesday around noon. At noon it starts to rain, an auspicious start to a camping journey. We race the rain east (wind was from the west).  As we neared the Alberta/Saskatchewan border we had driven clear of the downpour. Even had a bit of sun. By the time we reach The Battlefords, our destination, we were well clear of the front.

It is funny what a border will do. The Alberta/Saskatchewan border is in the middle of Lloydminster. As soon as we are on the Sask. side we noticed a difference in infrastructure. The motels were not quite as fancy, the roads need a bit of repair, and the general appearance is a bit more rundown. Alberta is a “have” province and it shows.

The landscape does not change that much. It is said that Sask. is very flat. To someone from somewhere other  than the prairies this may seem the case but to us it is very rolly with lots of green in and around the fields. Quite stunning actually.

Sask. is one of the places in the world that does not change to daylight time. It remains on Central Daylight Time all year long. It was a matter of much discussion as to what time it was once we crossed the border. In the end we assumed correctly that the time was the same as Mountain Daylight Time.

There are a couple of campgrounds in and around the Battleford area, we had time so we decided to have a look. The Eiling Kramer Campground  in Battleford was our first stop. Nice place, not crowded. The other one we thought we should see is 36 km north of town. With loads of time to spare we thought we could check it out and return to Battleford if it was the better choice.

We crossed the North Saskatchewan River. I had the crazy thought that the water that was passing under us was the same water that we had seen the day before when we crossed the bridge to the north side in Edmonton yesterday.

We turned northeast headed out of town. Looking up we realized the storm was hot on our tail. It took us about a minute to realize if we continued driving in the direction we came from we would be headed towards a downpour and setting up camp would not be pleasant. A decision had  been made, a U-turn on the highway and back to the Eiling Kramer Campground in Battleford it is.

On crossing back over the N. Sask. River I am sure I noticed a log that I had seen yesterday on our second trip over the river in Edmonton! Proof that the water passing under us is the same water we had seen at home.

At the camp ground of the 50 or so sites that were available to camp in we carefully chose a spot and set our tent. Just as we were finished, the rain started. This is when we opted to eat in town rather than get wet trying to make supper in the open. Oh to be old and flush with cash. Dined at The Li King Restaurant. I find that the Chinese restaurants in small towns are always reliable and usually predictable so they are a good bet. This place was exceptional. Funny I thought that here we are in small city Sask and the food prices are the same as big city Alberta. Then the food came. We had ordered enough food for four. Lunch tomorrow is Chinese food I guess. EXCELLENT food though. I would recommend a stop at the Li King if you are on your way through Battleford.

Eiling Kramer Campground, Battleford, Saskatchewa

Eiling Kramer Campground, Battleford, Saskatchewan

Back at camp the rain had subsided so we sat at the picnic table and planned the next day or two. It was the first time we had seen an actual Saskatchewan map. Just get setup and the drizzle started. Then it dawned on me. Just as we had seen the same water in the N. Sask. River pass below us we were about to live through the exact same storm we had just left. Not the exact water as it had already fallen and was seeping into the ground somewhere in Alberta but none the less the same storm. Isn’t life strange?

Rain on our tent

Rain on our tent

The rest of the evening was spent in the tent doing crossword puzzles. We turn in early. It poured all night. Slept 10 hours! The tent did what is supposed to and we are dry.

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The Africa Trip’s “Do List”

Posted on August 2, 2012 by debbie

I suddenly realize that it is only three months until we leave on our Africa trip, so in between watching Olympics, I sort through our Africa file and make a list of major items we haven’t done for our trip. Here is the list:

  1. Tanzania Visas
  2. Final Payment for Botswana Safari
  3. Final Payment for Tanzania Safari
  4. Yellow Fever Vaccinations/Malaria Pills
  5. Create Trip Budget/Calculate Cash Required
  6. Change Symphony/Theatre Tickets We Will Miss
  7. Book Hotels in the Following Places:
  • Langley, BC
  • Arusha, Tanzania
  • Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania
  • Kasane, Botswana
  • Maun, Botswana
  • Zanzibar – town and beach
  • Vancouver, BC

OUCH!

We had sent emails to a number of hotels in Arusha, Kasane and Maun back in May. I email a few again to see if they have a room available on the dates needed. I think we can make quick decisions for these hotels in small towns as there is limited choice.

The visa applications are filled out.  We require photos, money order and prepaid return envelopes and these are ready to be sent to Ottawa.

I will plug away at the hotels. We are back on the track.

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House Renovations and Blogging

Posted on July 24, 2012 by debbie
Staples pulled from floor by Debbie while Murray was galavanting around town.

Staples pulled from floor by Debbie while Murray was gallivanting around town.

We have been rather negligent with our blog and hope to reacquaint ourselves with the blog and our Africa trip next week after our new flooring is in place.

After 20+ years, our carpet was looking rather sad.  It was time to refresh. Little did we know the beast we unleashed.  Thankfully it was only a medium sized beast. This beast includes carpet and luxury vinyl tile, wall, window frame and door paint, exterior door paint, door hardware, light switches and plug ins and plates and paint for a few sets of shelves.  Luckily it did not include new kitchen cabinets or a new bathroom.

Murray and I have to admit that we have enjoyed this process.  We painted the upstairs of the house and it was fun working together and seeing our progress. We are in the middle of ripping out the old lino, ceramic tile and carpet.  This is very hard manual labour and we are both hurting.  Murray’s elbows and my shoulder. I am going to be glad when the hard work is over. Only a couple more days.

Ripping out the existing lino and underlay in our kitchen and dining room.

Ripping out the existing lino and underlay in our kitchen and dining room. (Whitish lino around edges. The yellow is the previous owner's lino)

The flooring guys come on Monday and it should take 3, maybe 4, days to install the new flooring.  Then it is installing baseboards and putting the house back together. This is the fun part for me as we get to redecorate. We changed the colour scheme from earth tones to grey tones, so  this is our chance to do everything different.

Our new red front door!

Our new red front door!

Be patient with us, we will be back and talking about Africa soon. We also have a camping trip, ending in Lethbridge, planning for mid August. Stay tuned…………

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Bow Valley Parkway and the Two Bear Day

Posted on June 5, 2012 by debbie

I tumble out of bed onto stiff legs and I open the drape, check the sky.  Blue! White clouds too, but not too sinister looking.

Morning View

Morning View

The plan for today is to ride Hwy 1A, the Bow Valley Parkway, from Lake Louise to Johnson Canyon and back again.  About 65 km, hilly, little traffic and nice pavement.

We climb as soon as we ride away from the hostel, our legs talk to us about the ride yesterday and ask us why we are doing this again. There are two climbs before the road descends and levels out.  Mur and I have ridden this route before and we know that it is net downhill to Johnson Canyon.  I tuck in behind Mur and we spin out our legs and do a swift cruise along the straight stretches.  The group gets spread out along the road but everyone is not more than a handful of minutes apart.

We stop to regroup a couple of times and before we know it we are at Johnson Canyon.  Snacks, pee break, more liquids before the slog up to Lake Louise.

We travel slower on the way back.  The front group has 5 riders in it and we come together and break apart with each ascent and descent.  Everyone’s legs scream on the up hills.

We get a shock as we ride by a small grizzly in the ditch. There are a few cars around the bear and we gear up ready to sprint, move into the on coming lane and don’t slow down as we speed past.  He is more interested in eating than a few bike riders. The Edmonton Journal had an article in Saturday’s paper about two grizzly cubs in this area that made it through the winter without their mother. This must be one of those cubs. Bear Number One!

We ascend the last seemly endless climb and it is a rush of speed down into Lake Louise and a deserved shower, lunch and rest. The ride is tougher for some of our group than others.  We all know we will be stronger riders after two days in the mountain.

We drive home through Saskatchewan Crossing and Rocky Mountain House.  We spot a black bear in the ditch. He is also more interested in eating than two tired riders peaking out of a car window. Bear Number Two!

Black Bear

Black Bear

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Weather

Posted on June 4, 2012 by debbie

Anyone who lives in the mountains knows that the weather comes and goes in a matter of minutes. We head to Lake Louise for an event hosted by the Velocity Cycling Club.

on the road to Lake Lousie

On the road to Lake Louise

“Come to the mountains and ride up and down as many hills as you can handle.” 80 km is the short trip and 200 km is the long one. So at 9am this morning we start out and ride up. Most of the people in our group have not ridden in the mountains before and were quite apprehensive about the climbs and the riding in general.

We head north, our goal, Bow Summit. Weather doesn’t look too good but as I said that is no real determinant in the mountains. Cool yes, but no rain. Out of town and up Hwy. 93. The ride is spectacular. Even with the low clouds you get glimpses of the mountains as you ride. All their majesty shrouded in fluffy white down. This highway takes quite a beating in the winter and is in very bad shape. The government sees fit to keep the car portion of the pavement in good condition but even though people come from around the world to ride the Ice Fields Parkway, the shoulders get neglected. They are still rideable but you must be attentive.

Our group is 13 in number. Our experience varies greatly but the fitness level of each of the riders is very good. Even though we split up, the first riders in the group wait every 10 km and the others catch up. We slinky along like this and no one ever gets too far behind. Our regular ride group is doing exceptional, the spin classes this winter are showing their worth.

We go up and up and up. As we climb we notice the temperature getting a little colder. We reach Mosquito Creek and the dew point. The rain starts. We have 10 or 12 km to our goal and do not know what the future holds in store. If we ride on and the rain continues we have 40 km of fast downhill with wet clothing and a very cold and potentially dangerous ride. Saner heads prevail and we turn around. We are soon below the level where the air borne moisture turns to liquid and we actually dry a bit on our way down.

The weather ping pongs back and forth between sun and cloud but we make it back without getting drenched. The ride down from the summit is negative elevation gain and we go fast. Even the few up slopes are in the big chain wheel and the return trip is only about 2/3 as long as the trip up.

Safely back in the hostel it is time to recoup so we sit and watch the weather from the indoor side of the glass.

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Packing for a Riding Trip

Posted on May 29, 2012 by debbie

I have added a NEW list under “Packing Lists”! It is all the stuff needed for a (bike) riding trip. This list is good whether you are going on a bike tour, carrying panniers, or a weekend bike trip staying in hotels. It is only the bike portion of the gear. The street clothes or camping gear is listed elsewhere.

This list is all inclusive, so if you are going to a hot hot climate to ride, you may not need the heavy duty rain gear. Locks also may or may not be needed.  We are not taking locks for our climbing camp as our bikes will be stored in our vehicle. Bike boxes are only needed if you are flying.

If you use CO2 cartridges and are flying, remember to remove the cartridge from your bike seat bag as they are not allowed on planes. You will have to buy new ones once at your destination.

Our list is printed out, ready to be checked off as we pack for the mountains.

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Rockies Mountains, Here We Come

Posted on May 28, 2012 by debbie

The last time we were in the mountain, it was March, there was snow on the ground and we were cross country skiing.  We are trading our skis for road bikes this time to head to Lake Louise for a Climbing Camp with Velocity Cycling Club.

On the first day, we will be riding from Lake Louise up to Bow Summit and back. The second day we will ride Lake Louise to Johnson Canyon along 1A return. We have been building our mileage up to handle the 70 – 80 km rides. Our fitness is good. I rode hills last night with a couple of friends who are also going. No problemo!

Our friend, R, who is organizing the camp, sent out a list of bike essentials to take.  This got us thinking about which bikes to take.  When riding in the mountain, especially up to a mountain pass, we need to be prepared for any type of weather. Sun, rain, wind, snow. We should probably take our rain pants and jackets, and even a warm layer along on the rides.  If we take our cross (or touring) bikes, we have them geared up to accommodate panniers. Easy to stuff this extra clothing into a pannier. The only downside is the bikes are heavy, and on a long climb may not be so nice.  If we take our road bikes, we will have to either carry packs (not ideal on a road bike) or maybe use the “trunk” Murray has for his bike. I do not think all the rain clothes will fit into the trunk, so we are not that far ahead. I would prefer to take my road bike, but we will see what we decide.

We will be packing lots of riding clothes and gear, for every weather possibility. This is one of those trips that our gear is far outweighs our street clothes.

It will be good to be back in the mountains after a break. I love riding in the mountains as the views seem to ease the pain in my legs while I peddle up all those hills.

Watch for pictures of our weekend!

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Edmonton’s Swimming Pools

Posted on May 23, 2012 by debbie

After running and riding in the Edmonton River Valley, my next most favorite place to be is Kinsman Sports Centre’s 50m Competition Swimming Pool. Edmonton has a ton of pools of all shapes and sizes.

Kinsmen Sports Centre  was built for the Commonwealth Games in 1978. It has a 50m competition pool, two 25 m warm up pools, a dive tank and a shallow teach pool. The water in the 50m pool is cooler and is much nicer to swim in. The lanes are wide and hardly ever crowded. Between the 50m pool and the two 25m pools there is always lane swimming available. There is a great drop in Swim Training program, with a coach, held from 6 -7 am everyday and 9:30-10:30 MWF.  Just pay admission to the facitlity and join in for a workout! On the grounds is the brand new outdoor pool  Queen Elizabeth and Kinsmen Spray Park   which has a 25m pool with zero depth entry and a spray park.

Another 50m pool is located at Peter Hemingway Fitness and Leisure Centre  on the west end, but not too far west. Check the schedule for lane swimming times. When we swim there, we go at 10 am as there is an aquafit class until 10 and it uses the whole width of the pool.

All the neighbourhood pools are 25m and have scheduled lane swim times.  Some of the pools are warm, so if you do not like swimming in warm water, stick to the Kinsman Sports Centre.    We recently swam at O’Leary Pool when the Water Polo Olympic Qualifiers were on at Kinsman and found the pool to be a really clean, friendly and sunny facility. Bonnie Doon Pool is showing its age. Hardisty Pool has just been renovated. Haven’t swum there yet as the lane swim times are not at times when I want to go.

Most pools have both drop in and registered classes, such as aquafit, aquabox and swim training.  Most pools have kick boards, pull buoys and fins for the public to use. During public swims, there are various water toys available for kids to use. A combination of whirlpools, saunas and steam baths are in most locations also.

Check out the City of Edmonton website  for locations, hours, admissions, schedules and classes.

I should mention too that most of the pool facilitates have weight rooms also.  Kinsman, Commonwealth, Millwoods and Terwillegar are large facilities with weight rooms, gyms, tracks, courts etc. So if you want to do a multiple workout, head to one of these.

Grab your swim suit and head to a pool when visiting Edmonton!

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Edmonton River Valley Running Trails

Posted on May 17, 2012 by debbie

I wrote about the trails in Edmonton’s river valley from the viewpoint of a bicyclist. Today I write as a runner. There are great trails – both paved and unpaved – all through the valley.

The Running Room has a great website listing various distance runs from a number of locations.  Here is the link:

http://www.runningroom.com/hm/inside.php?id=2341

My favorite runs are through Goldbar Park on a forest path next to the river going from 50 St west to the Goldbar/Rundle foot bridge.  Once across the river, turn right into Rundle Park and find the unpaved path close to the bank top.  Follow the path around to about the tennis courts, turn around and retrace the route.  It feels like running in the forest, not in a large city.

My running partners and I love to run up and down the hills along the north edge of Goldbar Park.  These are also the hills we cross country ski in the winter.  It is amazing how different these trails look between summer and winter.

There are also unpaved paths near the Kinsman Sports Centre that run along the north side of the river into Hawrelak Park.

If unpaved paths are not your idea of a run, then run on the paved paths that I described the other day.  They are well maintained and are great to run on. Just be alert for cyclists!

Running solo, if you are a female, on the unpaved trails has to be up to your comfort level. People are generally safe on these trails. I have a friend that runs them all the time by herself. She says that as long as she sees one other person she feels safe. Other female friends do not run by themselves along these paths. I stick to the paved paths and the more central parks where there is more foot traffic, when by myself.

Grab your runners and head to our fabulous river valley for a run! As my running friend always says “Happy Trails”!

 

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Edmonton’s River Valley Trails

Posted on May 14, 2012 by debbie

We are in that long period in between trips.  We ride and swim, do household chores, fix up the house (ugh) and dream of Africa. Not much to blog about. Then I remember that one of our premises for the blog is to write to the world. And the world needs to know about Edmonton.

Edmonton has fantastic river valley trails for walking, biking and running. The paved trails extend for kilometers and kilometers. They run on both sides of the river and go east and west and north and south.

The City of Edmonton has a great map of all the bike trails and routes.

Over the last few weeks, I have ridden the trails a number of times. There are always numerous routes to be taken. You have to be prepared to descend and ascend the river valley at least once, if not multiple times. Some of the hills are steep and some are not so bad. I now know which ones I like to ride up and which ones I actually avoid.

As you ride along, you find yourself in a leafy treed forest one minute and a trendy neighbourhood the next. There are spots along the trails that give a fantastic view of the downtown. Try the south side of the trail west of James McDonald Bridge or along Saskatchewan Drive between 109 St and 99 St or the top of the trail after Dawson Bridge next to McNally High School. Great places for a rest stop!

The trails have a yellow line painted down the center, just like a highway. You should stay to the right of the line at all times, especially on hills and around blind corners. It’s a safety thing as some riders travel very fast on the descent of some hills.

Riders need to have bells on bikes or warn runners/walkers as they are approached. Passing should be done only when it is safe.

There are washrooms on the trails and also the occasional water fountain. Plus the trails are not far away from civilization, so a corner store could be found if an added snack is needed.

If you are visiting Edmonton rent a bike and enjoy our great trails.

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