Good grief! I just now realized that I didn't tell about what we did in Anaheim beyond that we delivered Jess' stuff to her.This should also explain the reference to "kidney stone" I made in the previous post.
Well, Terry and I spent Friday with Jess at the Discovery Hall in Santa Ana. Jess thought they were going to have an "explosive" exhibit from the Myth Busters, but that didn't start until Saturday. Still, it's a very interesting, kids' oriented, hands-on place that was very entertaining...until the kids showed up. Then it got loud. As loud as four or five school bus loads of sixth graders can make it. And trust me, that's LOUD!
We beat feet and traveled over to the Bower Art/History Museum. Much quieter. They had a gallery dedicated to the works of Chuck Jones. But "that's [not] all folks!" They also had a special display on the mummification of animals as votives to the gods. There was also a presentation about blood sacrifice made by the Mayans and other cultures. And another about the early history of Upper California. And no little humans making lots of noise.
******
Saturday, Terry and I traveled south to Carlsbad, CA just north of San Diego to visit with old friends Ellie and Wayne whom we had not seen in over 30 years. (Thank goodness for the internet and Christmas card letters!) It was like we had never parted.
I wasn't feeling well, however, and felt worse as the day went on. We went to take a walk around one of the lagoons that's been set aside as a nature preserve and then to a mexican restaurant for lunch. By then I ws nearly doubled over with pain in my lower back and nausea, too boot.
I ordered a bowl of tortilla soup ("guaranteed to cure all that ills you" according to the menu) but got only two spoonfuls of broth before it was decided that I needed to get to the hospital ASAP. Lunch was bagged up and off we rushed to the ER at Scripps.
I was in the door less than two minutes before I was swept into a bed, had my vitals examined and had blood drawn. I was administered a shot of morphine and whisked off for a Cat Scan.
The first dose of pain killer didn't work and my pain went from 8-9 on a scale of 10 to 11. A second shot of morphine was given and a diagnosis came back that I had a 4 mm diameter kidney stone that had (at the time of the Cat Scan) almost passed into my bladder but was hung up in the area of the sphincter muscle that prevents urine from flowing the wrong way. The ER Doc was amazed I wasn't complaining of even more pain than I was. (They consider a 5 mm stone the maximum passable size.) "Most people with a stone that size," he said, "come in to the ER saying it feels like they've been shot."
In any case, the second shot of morphine--or the quick ride back from radiology--jarred that sucker lose. Soon after I was feeling fine. (Maybe that was the morphine too, but by then I didn't care.)
Scrips in hand, Wayne took me to a local CVS where I got more pain killer and a generic form of Flowmax. Now I felt no pain, but had to pee every two hours.
Being under the influence of prescription narcotics, Ellie and Wayne insisted we stay with them for the night. (Did I mention that Wayne is an attorney?) So we went to their home and finished the doggy-bagged meal we had started seven hours earlier. (Maybe the tortilla soup did do me some good after all.)
By Sunday morning, I was feeling fine and, after breakfast, Terry and I bid farewell to Ellie and Wayne and headed back to our motel room in Anaheim.
******
Sunday we had a lovely lunch/dinner with Jessica before she had to go to work. Terry and I then sat in the motel spa for half an hour and then packed the truck for an early Monday departure. I was feeling fine with no after effects from the kidney stone and had stopped taking the prescribed pain pills.
Showing posts with label Museum. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Museum. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
*Sigh*
Whenever we go to a museum that details earlier human life and that may contain any clothing and/or stitched work at all, Terry begins to give me impromptu lessons on embroidery, smocking, lace making, and such. Today was no different.
Cutwork and heirloom embroidery.
Redwork (embroidery) done in blue thread.
Sometimes the work even puzzles Terry a bit. She didn't know the name for this type of work--although she recognized it as some form of smocking. She'll find out exactly what type once she is able to go on line again.
Smocking (the woven cloth draped over the headboard).
Early 20th century sewing machines like this one are also of interest to us. The Singer models were quite common and many are still in operating condition today. We have one in our living room that has been refinished and currently serves as a radio/phonograph stand. This one is a little less fancy than ours and the brand, Jones, is a new one to us.
Treadle sewing machine by Jones.
Yeah. Some of this stuff is sinking in to my thick skull. Sad, isn't it?
Cutwork and heirloom embroidery.
Redwork (embroidery) done in blue thread.Sometimes the work even puzzles Terry a bit. She didn't know the name for this type of work--although she recognized it as some form of smocking. She'll find out exactly what type once she is able to go on line again.
Smocking (the woven cloth draped over the headboard). Early 20th century sewing machines like this one are also of interest to us. The Singer models were quite common and many are still in operating condition today. We have one in our living room that has been refinished and currently serves as a radio/phonograph stand. This one is a little less fancy than ours and the brand, Jones, is a new one to us.
Treadle sewing machine by Jones.Yeah. Some of this stuff is sinking in to my thick skull. Sad, isn't it?
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Fort Edmonton Park
in Photos (part 4)
Approaching Fort Edmonton, you can come upon some Cree women baking bannock outside their tepee.
Aboriginal Encampment
Tribesmen would often come to the Fort to trade and bring their entire family with them. They would set up camp outside the walls of the Fort and enter with their furs or other trade items to do business with the Hudson Bay men in the trading post.
The Watchtower
The tallest structure in the Fort Edmonton, it did serve as a lookout post but was more a landmark for folks heading too the fort. This "fort" was hardly a military base for it was run by the Hudson Bay Company. The Company felt the military might be bad for business and pretty much insisted that they be allowed to go it alone. The stockade may have served a defensive purpose if it was needed (a catwalk runs the entire length inside and there are guard boxes on four of the corners) but it was more for show.
The boat shed.
A special boat called a York Boat was designed and built to accommodate the shallow rivers that often became quite turbulent. These boats took the lines of the Viking long ship. They could be constructed at the Fort for use on the Saskatchewan River that ran nearby.
The Rowland House
Enter the main gate and the most imposing structure you see is the Rowland House. Part Inn, part residence (the HBC Factor lived here with his family), part barracks, part administrative offices, the Rowland House served many functions within the Fort.
The watchtower from below.
Several stories high, the legs of the tower were each of one huge timber. A guard house was constructed at the top.
Timber joint on Watchtower
Nails and spikes were pretty scarce articles out west in the early 1800s. Nearly everything would have been held together with wooden pins hammered through tenons. Here you can see some of the intricate wood joinery used to hold the massive timbers together.
#107 arrives at the depot.
We took the steam train back to the future and departed Fort Edmonton.
Aboriginal EncampmentTribesmen would often come to the Fort to trade and bring their entire family with them. They would set up camp outside the walls of the Fort and enter with their furs or other trade items to do business with the Hudson Bay men in the trading post.
The WatchtowerThe tallest structure in the Fort Edmonton, it did serve as a lookout post but was more a landmark for folks heading too the fort. This "fort" was hardly a military base for it was run by the Hudson Bay Company. The Company felt the military might be bad for business and pretty much insisted that they be allowed to go it alone. The stockade may have served a defensive purpose if it was needed (a catwalk runs the entire length inside and there are guard boxes on four of the corners) but it was more for show.
The boat shed.A special boat called a York Boat was designed and built to accommodate the shallow rivers that often became quite turbulent. These boats took the lines of the Viking long ship. They could be constructed at the Fort for use on the Saskatchewan River that ran nearby.
The Rowland HouseEnter the main gate and the most imposing structure you see is the Rowland House. Part Inn, part residence (the HBC Factor lived here with his family), part barracks, part administrative offices, the Rowland House served many functions within the Fort.
The watchtower from below.Several stories high, the legs of the tower were each of one huge timber. A guard house was constructed at the top.
Timber joint on WatchtowerNails and spikes were pretty scarce articles out west in the early 1800s. Nearly everything would have been held together with wooden pins hammered through tenons. Here you can see some of the intricate wood joinery used to hold the massive timbers together.
#107 arrives at the depot.We took the steam train back to the future and departed Fort Edmonton.
Fort Edmonton Park
in Photos (part 3)
Stage coaches and horse drawn wagons replace the electric trolley on the 1885 street. People made due with simpler tools and lived a simpler life.
Northwest Mounted Police
The officer stationed here would have a circuit that covered many, many miles. He might be in Edmonton every two weeks or so. The rest of the time he was on the trail riding from outpost to outpost. His biggest concern--in 1885--was assuring that the Cree were staying on the Reserve and not encroaching upon the properties of their neighbors. The Metis Uprising to the southeast sent panic throughout the local populace but nothing ever happened in Edmonton.
The father of the modern day young lady posing with the Constable is a Royal Canadian Mounted Policeman.
NWMP Outpost, Gun Shed and Jail
This was located behind the Constable's Main Street office. We did not walk down to get a closer look at this impressive structure. They were only allowing 6 youngsters in at a time...and the fools were letting them back out!
Young women out shopping passes the bakery.
"Paper or plastic?" was not the question. If you didn't bring your own basket to market, what ever you purchased was likely to be bundled up in brown paper and tied with a string. The boardwalk obviously kept this young lady's hem free from mud--or worse.
Jewellery Shop
Even in 1885, there was a market for jewellery and Raymer's shop filled the bill. Watch and clock repair were also a staple in the business conducted here.
The Hardware Store
One of the more important sources of building materials and supplies for a growing community in 1885. (The false front began to make its appearance in the mid 1800s. It's obvious that they could serve as the billboard of the day.)
Northwest Mounted PoliceThe officer stationed here would have a circuit that covered many, many miles. He might be in Edmonton every two weeks or so. The rest of the time he was on the trail riding from outpost to outpost. His biggest concern--in 1885--was assuring that the Cree were staying on the Reserve and not encroaching upon the properties of their neighbors. The Metis Uprising to the southeast sent panic throughout the local populace but nothing ever happened in Edmonton.
The father of the modern day young lady posing with the Constable is a Royal Canadian Mounted Policeman.
NWMP Outpost, Gun Shed and JailThis was located behind the Constable's Main Street office. We did not walk down to get a closer look at this impressive structure. They were only allowing 6 youngsters in at a time...and the fools were letting them back out!
Young women out shopping passes the bakery."Paper or plastic?" was not the question. If you didn't bring your own basket to market, what ever you purchased was likely to be bundled up in brown paper and tied with a string. The boardwalk obviously kept this young lady's hem free from mud--or worse.
Jewellery ShopEven in 1885, there was a market for jewellery and Raymer's shop filled the bill. Watch and clock repair were also a staple in the business conducted here.
The Hardware StoreOne of the more important sources of building materials and supplies for a growing community in 1885. (The false front began to make its appearance in the mid 1800s. It's obvious that they could serve as the billboard of the day.)
Fort Edmonton Park
in Photos (part 2)
Heading back into 1905, things got a little simpler.
The Bank of Montreal
The branch office of the Bank of Montreal as it appeared in 1905. Notice the false front which makes the building look more imposing. (The lettering on the window announces that the Bank of Montreal has assets worth $14,000,000! Quite a sizable sub in 1905.)
Post Office, Telephone Office and Lawyer's Office
That new fangled telephone made its way into central Alberta early in the 1900s. Notice the wires up on the roof. Each one rang off to one party line. Remember those?
Craftsman house on the 1905 Street.
Plans for homes were available via catalog. Sears even sold kits that included all the plans and lumber necessary to construct a home. Many early 1900 homes have the same styling and they are still just as charming as when they were first erected.
Tent City.
Early in the 1900s Edmonton found itself with a severe housing shortage. Many new arrivals had to live in tents like these--sometimes for months or even a year. Winter could not have been terribly comfortable. Even a sod house would have been more protection against the cold than these thin canvas walls.
Tent City abode.
If the signs are any indicator, there might have been a shortage of females, too.
Turn the corner again and you're strolling down the 1885 Street. (...to be continued.)
The Bank of MontrealThe branch office of the Bank of Montreal as it appeared in 1905. Notice the false front which makes the building look more imposing. (The lettering on the window announces that the Bank of Montreal has assets worth $14,000,000! Quite a sizable sub in 1905.)
Post Office, Telephone Office and Lawyer's OfficeThat new fangled telephone made its way into central Alberta early in the 1900s. Notice the wires up on the roof. Each one rang off to one party line. Remember those?
Craftsman house on the 1905 Street.Plans for homes were available via catalog. Sears even sold kits that included all the plans and lumber necessary to construct a home. Many early 1900 homes have the same styling and they are still just as charming as when they were first erected.
Tent City.Early in the 1900s Edmonton found itself with a severe housing shortage. Many new arrivals had to live in tents like these--sometimes for months or even a year. Winter could not have been terribly comfortable. Even a sod house would have been more protection against the cold than these thin canvas walls.
Tent City abode.If the signs are any indicator, there might have been a shortage of females, too.
Turn the corner again and you're strolling down the 1885 Street. (...to be continued.)
Fort Edmonton Park
in Photos (part 1)
Upon entering Fort Edmonton Park through the gift shop, you find yourself standing on the train platform from which you can hop the steam powered train (circa 1880-1920) to the Fort proper. This is what 90% of the school groups were doing so we opted to walk backwards in time from 1920 to 1905 to 1885 and finally to the Fort of the Fur Trading Era (1795-1870).
Immediately across the tracks from the station is the Midway from which a gentleman with a megaphone announced the show's attractions and ticket costs.
1920s traveling midway.
It reminded me of the Ray Bradbury novel: Something Wicked This Way Comes. We did not attend although many of the impressionable youngsters wanted to take a ride on the Ferris wheel and carousel.
Electric street trolley.
The 1920s street is serviced by an electric trolley while the older streets (1905 and 1885) have buckboards and stage coaches.
The first mosque in Canada.
The first mosque in Canada was erected in the 1920s in Edmonton, of all places. One would think the coastal cities, or Montreal, Quebec or Toronto would have been the site of the first mosque.
Ukrainian Book Store.
After several decades of government (Canada's government) encouraged immigration, Ukrainians had a firm foothold in central Alberta. This bookstore did a thriving business in 1920s Edmonton.
The Hotel Selkirk.
An imposing brick edifice, the Hotel Selkirk entertained guests in style in 1920s Edmonton. You can still book a room for the night or enjoy a meal at this location within the park.
We turned the corner and entered 1905 Street. (...to be continued.)
Immediately across the tracks from the station is the Midway from which a gentleman with a megaphone announced the show's attractions and ticket costs.
1920s traveling midway.It reminded me of the Ray Bradbury novel: Something Wicked This Way Comes. We did not attend although many of the impressionable youngsters wanted to take a ride on the Ferris wheel and carousel.
Electric street trolley.The 1920s street is serviced by an electric trolley while the older streets (1905 and 1885) have buckboards and stage coaches.
The first mosque in Canada.The first mosque in Canada was erected in the 1920s in Edmonton, of all places. One would think the coastal cities, or Montreal, Quebec or Toronto would have been the site of the first mosque.
Ukrainian Book Store.After several decades of government (Canada's government) encouraged immigration, Ukrainians had a firm foothold in central Alberta. This bookstore did a thriving business in 1920s Edmonton.
The Hotel Selkirk.An imposing brick edifice, the Hotel Selkirk entertained guests in style in 1920s Edmonton. You can still book a room for the night or enjoy a meal at this location within the park.
We turned the corner and entered 1905 Street. (...to be continued.)
Friday, June 18, 2010
The Ukrainian Cultural Historical Village...
in Pictures (part 2)
The Slemko Bark (1919)At least four times the size of the house. The storage of hay and housing of the draft animals and cows made it even more important.
The Makowichuk Barn (1918)Located behind the Grekul House, this barn's thatched roof is gorgeous. The left half of the barn has been given over to chickens. Terry was looking for a hen party, but the hens wanted nothing to do with her.
The Bellis Northern Canadian Railway StationThe metal milk jugs to the right have just been dropped off by this most recent train from Edmonton. Each is marked with the name of the farmer to which it belongs. Filled jugs went to market on the same train. We had missed the train, but not to worry! The next one would be heading to Edmonton on Saturday. (This was Thursday.) I could send a telegram (ten words or less please!) to let folks know I was going to be late, however. Just three cents a word.
The Bellis Home Grain ElevatorI wish we had been able to find the person who was supposed to be here. I would have asked about the shape of the building which every wooden grain elevator I've seen so far uses.
Additionally, there were a couple of 1920s stores (hardware, lumber, etc.), the country farmer's general store, the hotel, a third church (St. Nicholas Russo-Greek Orthodox Church), numerous granaries, and the one-room Russian school on site.
A great place to visit but you'd better brush up on your Ukrainian first. Especially if you wish to converse with the newest immigrants.
Additionally, there were a couple of 1920s stores (hardware, lumber, etc.), the country farmer's general store, the hotel, a third church (St. Nicholas Russo-Greek Orthodox Church), numerous granaries, and the one-room Russian school on site.
A great place to visit but you'd better brush up on your Ukrainian first. Especially if you wish to converse with the newest immigrants.
The Ukrainian Cultural Historical Village...
in Pictures (part 1)
At the main entrance to the village hangs this quilt:
Matrouska Dolls Quilt
Nesting dolls like these, carved out of wood and painted in bright colors, are ever present in Eastern European countries.
Saint Vladimir's Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church (1934)
A most elaborate looking church with the familiar onion domes of orthodox churches.
Saint Nicholas Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (1928)
From the front it looks rather plain, but the sides and rear (especially the southern facing sides are quite elaborate in their own way.
The Grekul House (1918-1919)
A beautiful home with a formal parlor on the right side used only for special occasions and an everyday living area on the left.
The Slemko House (1919)
The house may have been small and simple but the Slemko Barn and Granary were impressive wooden structures.
Matrouska Dolls QuiltNesting dolls like these, carved out of wood and painted in bright colors, are ever present in Eastern European countries.
Saint Vladimir's Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church (1934)A most elaborate looking church with the familiar onion domes of orthodox churches.
Saint Nicholas Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (1928)From the front it looks rather plain, but the sides and rear (especially the southern facing sides are quite elaborate in their own way.
The Grekul House (1918-1919)A beautiful home with a formal parlor on the right side used only for special occasions and an everyday living area on the left.
The Slemko House (1919)The house may have been small and simple but the Slemko Barn and Granary were impressive wooden structures.
Road Trip 2010: Days 10
Edmonton, AB
So. How did your day go?
Ours got off to a rousing start when, with my mind racing at 120 kmp, I woke up at 3 AM local and could not get back to sleep. I don't think was--at least I hope it wasn't--the early dawn light. (As we are further north the period of light is increasing daily. It's light until nearly 10:30 PM and light again at 4 AM. It will get worse(?) in the next few days as we head further north and it gets closer to the solstice.) Terry's snoring contributed to my wakefulness but so did concern about the tire issue on the trailer.
Anyway, we eventually got the trailer hooked up and on the road in search of repairs.
The good news is that, after two false starts wherein I was looking for "Dave" only to realize I wanted "Bruce" Henderson, we did, indeed, locate Bruce. (You would think that a little thing like the wrong first name wouldn't have created a problem since "Henderson" did work at the first place we stopped and used to work at the second--which was a short hop down the road--but you would be wrong. Neither place heard the "Henderson" after the erroneous "Dave". *sigh*)
Anyway, like I said, we did finally locate Bruce Henderson. Unfortunately, the bad news is that after he looked at the tires (a second tire on the opposite side and other axle was also showing signs of irregular wear) and consulted with another co-worker with experience in the area, he concluded the trailer might be suffering from misalignment and, even if they could diagnose the problem, their shop could not make the needed repairs.
The good news is that Camper Care (Bruce's workplace) was able to find a facility--Kal Tire--that could do the alignment AND provide two new tires to replace those that were worn.
We hustled on over to Kal Tire, dropped the trailer off with them (nearly 2 hours before our "appointment") and went on our way to Fort Edmonton for the day.
******
Fort Edmonton is a huge complex that is a living museum. Individual streets are arranged to represent the 1920s, 1905, 1885 and the Fort itself is set up as if it were 1800-1870s.
Terry and I got to Fort Edmonton at five minutes to 10 AM and found the entrance literally crawling with school kids. With a week or two to go, they are all making their class trips. They were all queued up with their teachers and chaperons to enter the park when the gates opened at 10 AM.
Luckily, there were special morning programs planned over at the fort proper which is on the other side of the park, so 90% of the crowd got on the early steam train to make the trip to 1850 while Terry and I decided to walk back in time starting with 1920.
We stopped at various homes, shops and offices along the way to examine the grounds and talk to the reenacters/interpreters who really knew their stuff!
We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Except for the constant, annoying fall of the cottonwood fluff! Quieter than the little kids, it was just as abundant. With little breeze blowing, the fluff slowly drifted to the ground like large snowflakes. And, like snow, it formed drifts several inches deep along the edges of the street. It either blew or was caught up in the movement of hyperactive children to enter into every building. It got everywhere. At least, most of the 1920s buildings had screens on their windows and that kept some of it at bay.
When 3:15 PM arrived we had wandered our way through the park and had finished speaking with two Hudson Bay men operating the trading post in the Fort. It was time to return to 2010 and find out how Kal Tire had made out with our trailer. We took the steam train back to the future.
******
Retracing our steps from Fort Edmonton to Kal Tire was a snap and when we got there, we found that they had completed the needed work on the trailer and more. BOTH axles were out of true with respect to the frame of the trailer. Brian, said that it's not an uncommon thing. A deep hole, a jarring bump, a poorly navigated curb--could toss the axles out. He also said that many "holiday" trailers are out of true when they are sold. He's not sure why, but he is pretty confident that fully half of the trailers on the road were out of alignment when they were sold.
It cost us a pretty penny ($450 CA) but the trailer axles are now aligned AND we have two new radial tires on where the worn tires once road AND the other two tires have new stems--something I didn't mention but which I certainly needed as the old, original tires were starting to show cracks.
Not a bad day, eh?
Tomorrow we are off to Dawson Creek, if they have room for us. We don't have to be there until the 22nd (Tuesday), but we could use a day or two to tour Dawson Creek and/or lounge around. Not to mention the need to find a bank. Canadian money gets spent even faster the the US dollar.
If we don't lose our internet connection again tonight (like we did last night) I'll be posting some pictures from the Ukrainian Village and Fort Edmonton a little later.
Ours got off to a rousing start when, with my mind racing at 120 kmp, I woke up at 3 AM local and could not get back to sleep. I don't think was--at least I hope it wasn't--the early dawn light. (As we are further north the period of light is increasing daily. It's light until nearly 10:30 PM and light again at 4 AM. It will get worse(?) in the next few days as we head further north and it gets closer to the solstice.) Terry's snoring contributed to my wakefulness but so did concern about the tire issue on the trailer.
Anyway, we eventually got the trailer hooked up and on the road in search of repairs.
The good news is that, after two false starts wherein I was looking for "Dave" only to realize I wanted "Bruce" Henderson, we did, indeed, locate Bruce. (You would think that a little thing like the wrong first name wouldn't have created a problem since "Henderson" did work at the first place we stopped and used to work at the second--which was a short hop down the road--but you would be wrong. Neither place heard the "Henderson" after the erroneous "Dave". *sigh*)
Anyway, like I said, we did finally locate Bruce Henderson. Unfortunately, the bad news is that after he looked at the tires (a second tire on the opposite side and other axle was also showing signs of irregular wear) and consulted with another co-worker with experience in the area, he concluded the trailer might be suffering from misalignment and, even if they could diagnose the problem, their shop could not make the needed repairs.
The good news is that Camper Care (Bruce's workplace) was able to find a facility--Kal Tire--that could do the alignment AND provide two new tires to replace those that were worn.
We hustled on over to Kal Tire, dropped the trailer off with them (nearly 2 hours before our "appointment") and went on our way to Fort Edmonton for the day.
******
Fort Edmonton is a huge complex that is a living museum. Individual streets are arranged to represent the 1920s, 1905, 1885 and the Fort itself is set up as if it were 1800-1870s.
Terry and I got to Fort Edmonton at five minutes to 10 AM and found the entrance literally crawling with school kids. With a week or two to go, they are all making their class trips. They were all queued up with their teachers and chaperons to enter the park when the gates opened at 10 AM.
Luckily, there were special morning programs planned over at the fort proper which is on the other side of the park, so 90% of the crowd got on the early steam train to make the trip to 1850 while Terry and I decided to walk back in time starting with 1920.
We stopped at various homes, shops and offices along the way to examine the grounds and talk to the reenacters/interpreters who really knew their stuff!
We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Except for the constant, annoying fall of the cottonwood fluff! Quieter than the little kids, it was just as abundant. With little breeze blowing, the fluff slowly drifted to the ground like large snowflakes. And, like snow, it formed drifts several inches deep along the edges of the street. It either blew or was caught up in the movement of hyperactive children to enter into every building. It got everywhere. At least, most of the 1920s buildings had screens on their windows and that kept some of it at bay.
When 3:15 PM arrived we had wandered our way through the park and had finished speaking with two Hudson Bay men operating the trading post in the Fort. It was time to return to 2010 and find out how Kal Tire had made out with our trailer. We took the steam train back to the future.
******
Retracing our steps from Fort Edmonton to Kal Tire was a snap and when we got there, we found that they had completed the needed work on the trailer and more. BOTH axles were out of true with respect to the frame of the trailer. Brian, said that it's not an uncommon thing. A deep hole, a jarring bump, a poorly navigated curb--could toss the axles out. He also said that many "holiday" trailers are out of true when they are sold. He's not sure why, but he is pretty confident that fully half of the trailers on the road were out of alignment when they were sold.
It cost us a pretty penny ($450 CA) but the trailer axles are now aligned AND we have two new radial tires on where the worn tires once road AND the other two tires have new stems--something I didn't mention but which I certainly needed as the old, original tires were starting to show cracks.
Not a bad day, eh?
Tomorrow we are off to Dawson Creek, if they have room for us. We don't have to be there until the 22nd (Tuesday), but we could use a day or two to tour Dawson Creek and/or lounge around. Not to mention the need to find a bank. Canadian money gets spent even faster the the US dollar.
If we don't lose our internet connection again tonight (like we did last night) I'll be posting some pictures from the Ukrainian Village and Fort Edmonton a little later.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Road Trip 2010: Days 8 & 9
Regina to Edmonton, AB
We left Regina early Wednesday morning and found our way to Highway 16 heading northwest to Saskatoon and on to Battleford. Along the way we managed to see several pronghorn antelope, many hawks and ducks, several Western Meadowlarks, a couple of hummingbirds up on the telephone wires, and—what Terry identified as—a Greater White-fronted Goose. (The latter, according to Sibley’s is easily confused with a domestic barnyard goose. But the nearest “barnyard” was at least a mile away. And we were traveling at 60 mph.)
We did find a scenic overlook of the Saskatchewan River at which to have our lunch. It was the ONLY place designated for a pull out along the road from Regina to Battleford. There were no rest rooms, but we had our own in the trailer. And the place was a mess despite a historical marker erected by the local society and a pair of huge plaques: one about the Whopping Crane that passes through the area during migration and the other about the boats devised for use in commerce up and down the river in the 1800s. Although the site needs some TLC, the view was excellent.
We camped in Battleford, SK on Wednesday night at the Eiling Kramer Campground. The original town was the capital of the northwest back in the days before the railroad came out this way. Then things shifted south as did the industry and almost everything else. Before that, however, there was a bit of a to do in the 1880s when the First Nations, which had signed a treaty (thick with promises, short on substance, and long on greed, political, nepotism, and greed—sound familiar?) after the buffalo were virtually eradicated from their range, became disillusioned and held a mini civil war. At that time, Battleford became the center of action with the Northwest Mounted Police attempting to establish just who was boss with the backing of the Canadian military and Fort Battleford—or what little remains of it—commemorates the men and events involved in that action. The guided tour Terry and I took with our own personal guide was well worth the entrance fee. The young man really knew his history and presented it in a pleasant enough way.
The First Nations and Metis turned out to be the boss in everything but desire to succeed. They whipped both the Mounties and the military; who were still fighting like it was a Napoleonic force—red wool coats, single shot rifles, stand up in rows, wait to be shot. Only the First Nations’ leaders’ peaceful nature prevented a massacre similar to that suffered by Custer in the states. Only, the Metis had just 50 warriors on their side while the Canadian force had 350—and a commander who believed he was outnumbered. When the First Nations’ leaders finally came in to talk about the situation, they were held prisoner and sentenced to 3 years in prison despite doing everything in their power to prevent bloodshed. Still, that was better than eight of their number who, refused the food and help promised them in treaty, killed an Indian agent and several towns people. They were hung in mass at Fort Battleford--the one and only mass hanging in Canadian history. Two additional leaders of the Metis uprising had very disparate fates. Louis Riel, who had run afoul of the authorities previously and escaped to Montana, wasn’t so lucky this time around. He was found guilty of treason and hung in Regina. Another leader, did make his way to the states where he signed on with Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show as a sharp shooter.
Day 9 Battleford to Edmonton
We followed Highway 16 northwest out of Battleford and headed to Edmonton early on Thursday morning. Along the way we came upon the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village, a living museum dedicated to the men and women of the Ukraine who came over to Canada at the urging of the government to homestead Alberta early in the 20th Century. Their passage by boat and train paid for, 160 acres of land awaiting them, they left the old country to make a new start. The Village is a living museum with buildings from all over the province arranged to give a depiction of what it would have been like between the 1860s (sod house) and 1928. Folks dressed in the garb of the day answer questions about their homes and livelihood in this new land. Participants ranged from new immigrants (only here for three months) who can speak no English to third generation storekeepers and blacksmiths who are quite fluent in English and adapted to their new land and an even newer century. It was an enjoyable walk and we had a good time interacting with the players.
A short distance further along Highway 16 was Elk Island National Park (fee for entrance) which had a huge, sturdy fence along the highway. Not necessarily for elk, either. There was a herd of bison lounging on the other side. Probably in the neighborhood of 200 animals including bulls, cows and calves. (Sorry, the camera had been put away and traffic was moving at 60 mph anyway.)
Earlier in the day, Terry noticed a bad spot on one of the trailer tires. I drove on and succeeded in making it to the Glowing Embers Campground on the western side of Edmonton with the tire intact. I was going to attempt to put the spare on, Terry won’t let me try because the owner’s manual recommends that you have a professional do the job and, I think she’s afraid I’d screw it up somehow. (The manual doesn’t even supply any instructions on how to change a flat--nothing beyond, “call your road service provider.”) But there is a guy a short distance down the road that will make the switch—tomorrow. Which means, I’ll have to hook up the trailer in the morning and haul it over to his shop and then back again to the campground. Why can’t he do the change here? He says he doesn’t have a portable jack and he works on RVs and motor homes more than trailers. You can bet I’ll be paying attention to where he jacks the trailer up.
Right now, it’s time to go out for dinner and fill the Tundra with expensive Canadian gasoline…again. So far we’ve paid between $0.87 CA and $1.02 CA per litre. Which translates to between $3.60 to $4.00 per gallon. The last two days, I was able to average 8.8 and 8.9 miles per gallon which was an improvement over what I was getting in the states. I may have slipped some non-ethanol gas in the tank or it might just be that things have been pretty dang flat! Today I didn’t fare as well, but that’s because I was battling a wind that was quartering out of the NNW as I headed NW—about as close to a head wind as you can get. As a result, the Tundra/trailer combo only got 8.1 and 8.2 mpg.
After we get the tire taken care of and the trailer back in its slot at the campground Friday morning, we’ll have to see about getting a new spare. THEN we can go over to Fort Edmonton Park—Canada’s largest living museum.
We did find a scenic overlook of the Saskatchewan River at which to have our lunch. It was the ONLY place designated for a pull out along the road from Regina to Battleford. There were no rest rooms, but we had our own in the trailer. And the place was a mess despite a historical marker erected by the local society and a pair of huge plaques: one about the Whopping Crane that passes through the area during migration and the other about the boats devised for use in commerce up and down the river in the 1800s. Although the site needs some TLC, the view was excellent.
We camped in Battleford, SK on Wednesday night at the Eiling Kramer Campground. The original town was the capital of the northwest back in the days before the railroad came out this way. Then things shifted south as did the industry and almost everything else. Before that, however, there was a bit of a to do in the 1880s when the First Nations, which had signed a treaty (thick with promises, short on substance, and long on greed, political, nepotism, and greed—sound familiar?) after the buffalo were virtually eradicated from their range, became disillusioned and held a mini civil war. At that time, Battleford became the center of action with the Northwest Mounted Police attempting to establish just who was boss with the backing of the Canadian military and Fort Battleford—or what little remains of it—commemorates the men and events involved in that action. The guided tour Terry and I took with our own personal guide was well worth the entrance fee. The young man really knew his history and presented it in a pleasant enough way.
The First Nations and Metis turned out to be the boss in everything but desire to succeed. They whipped both the Mounties and the military; who were still fighting like it was a Napoleonic force—red wool coats, single shot rifles, stand up in rows, wait to be shot. Only the First Nations’ leaders’ peaceful nature prevented a massacre similar to that suffered by Custer in the states. Only, the Metis had just 50 warriors on their side while the Canadian force had 350—and a commander who believed he was outnumbered. When the First Nations’ leaders finally came in to talk about the situation, they were held prisoner and sentenced to 3 years in prison despite doing everything in their power to prevent bloodshed. Still, that was better than eight of their number who, refused the food and help promised them in treaty, killed an Indian agent and several towns people. They were hung in mass at Fort Battleford--the one and only mass hanging in Canadian history. Two additional leaders of the Metis uprising had very disparate fates. Louis Riel, who had run afoul of the authorities previously and escaped to Montana, wasn’t so lucky this time around. He was found guilty of treason and hung in Regina. Another leader, did make his way to the states where he signed on with Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show as a sharp shooter.
Day 9 Battleford to Edmonton
We followed Highway 16 northwest out of Battleford and headed to Edmonton early on Thursday morning. Along the way we came upon the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village, a living museum dedicated to the men and women of the Ukraine who came over to Canada at the urging of the government to homestead Alberta early in the 20th Century. Their passage by boat and train paid for, 160 acres of land awaiting them, they left the old country to make a new start. The Village is a living museum with buildings from all over the province arranged to give a depiction of what it would have been like between the 1860s (sod house) and 1928. Folks dressed in the garb of the day answer questions about their homes and livelihood in this new land. Participants ranged from new immigrants (only here for three months) who can speak no English to third generation storekeepers and blacksmiths who are quite fluent in English and adapted to their new land and an even newer century. It was an enjoyable walk and we had a good time interacting with the players.
A short distance further along Highway 16 was Elk Island National Park (fee for entrance) which had a huge, sturdy fence along the highway. Not necessarily for elk, either. There was a herd of bison lounging on the other side. Probably in the neighborhood of 200 animals including bulls, cows and calves. (Sorry, the camera had been put away and traffic was moving at 60 mph anyway.)
Earlier in the day, Terry noticed a bad spot on one of the trailer tires. I drove on and succeeded in making it to the Glowing Embers Campground on the western side of Edmonton with the tire intact. I was going to attempt to put the spare on, Terry won’t let me try because the owner’s manual recommends that you have a professional do the job and, I think she’s afraid I’d screw it up somehow. (The manual doesn’t even supply any instructions on how to change a flat--nothing beyond, “call your road service provider.”) But there is a guy a short distance down the road that will make the switch—tomorrow. Which means, I’ll have to hook up the trailer in the morning and haul it over to his shop and then back again to the campground. Why can’t he do the change here? He says he doesn’t have a portable jack and he works on RVs and motor homes more than trailers. You can bet I’ll be paying attention to where he jacks the trailer up.
Right now, it’s time to go out for dinner and fill the Tundra with expensive Canadian gasoline…again. So far we’ve paid between $0.87 CA and $1.02 CA per litre. Which translates to between $3.60 to $4.00 per gallon. The last two days, I was able to average 8.8 and 8.9 miles per gallon which was an improvement over what I was getting in the states. I may have slipped some non-ethanol gas in the tank or it might just be that things have been pretty dang flat! Today I didn’t fare as well, but that’s because I was battling a wind that was quartering out of the NNW as I headed NW—about as close to a head wind as you can get. As a result, the Tundra/trailer combo only got 8.1 and 8.2 mpg.
After we get the tire taken care of and the trailer back in its slot at the campground Friday morning, we’ll have to see about getting a new spare. THEN we can go over to Fort Edmonton Park—Canada’s largest living museum.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Road Trip 2010: Day 7
Minot, ND to Regina, SK
Terry and I made a last minute decision NOT to rush out of Minot this morning. Waking up at 5 AM local time, I realized we had a plastic bag of U.S. quarters saved to do laundry, a laundry bag that was bursting and a laundry less than 20 yards from the trailer. Thus, 1 + 1 + 1 being equal to 3--and the fact that we would be heading into Canada for more than a week--we decided to spend some time doing laundry, having a cooked breakfast and generally making ready.
We still made it to the border at Portal by 10 AM (local Saskatchewan time--one hour behind the ND time). There we had to wait as the Canadian border guards checked out the truck and trailer. Why? I don't know, but we finally got the OK to proceed by 10:30 AM and proceed we did.
We boogied on up highway 39 to highway 35 to highway 33 and on to Regina, Saskatchewan. you know, there are NO rest areas along those highways? For the most part there aren't even any wide spots where you can pull over. We finally saw a sign for a Provincial Park a couple of kilometers off the highway and, since it showed a picnic table, decided it might be a good place to get off the road for 15-20 minutes. Turns out there was a campground, some ball fields and a huge lake (totally hidden from the main highway)--and a fee. When we told the lady at the booth why we were there, she agreed there were no places along the road, waived the fee and told us to head down to the lake front for our sandwich. Beautiful area!
We had a little trouble locating The King's Acres Campground on Eastgate Road in Regina, also. There are three sections of Eastgate Road--two of them connect; the third, does not. And directions that include the step "make a right on the unnamed road" are not much help. We were all set to head a little further out of town to a second campground when we spotted the third Eastgate Road and a big sign for King's Acres Campground.
We got settled into our campsite by 2:15 PM local time and on our way downtown to visit the Royal Saskatchewan Museum.
The museum is located in a beautiful setting off Albert Street with manicured grounds much like those to be found around the Smithsonian in D.C. While the museum is small (only two floors) it has marvelous presentations of the flora and fauna to be found throughout the Provence on one floor and a geological history on the other that is among the best I've seen. They also have half a floor dedicated to the Provence's First Nations' history and culture. We spent two hours viewing the exhibits and left just as they were getting ready to close for the day.
Back to the campgrounds (after a quick stop at Michael's for some DMC floss for the resident stitcher) and dinner.
We still made it to the border at Portal by 10 AM (local Saskatchewan time--one hour behind the ND time). There we had to wait as the Canadian border guards checked out the truck and trailer. Why? I don't know, but we finally got the OK to proceed by 10:30 AM and proceed we did.
We boogied on up highway 39 to highway 35 to highway 33 and on to Regina, Saskatchewan. you know, there are NO rest areas along those highways? For the most part there aren't even any wide spots where you can pull over. We finally saw a sign for a Provincial Park a couple of kilometers off the highway and, since it showed a picnic table, decided it might be a good place to get off the road for 15-20 minutes. Turns out there was a campground, some ball fields and a huge lake (totally hidden from the main highway)--and a fee. When we told the lady at the booth why we were there, she agreed there were no places along the road, waived the fee and told us to head down to the lake front for our sandwich. Beautiful area!
We had a little trouble locating The King's Acres Campground on Eastgate Road in Regina, also. There are three sections of Eastgate Road--two of them connect; the third, does not. And directions that include the step "make a right on the unnamed road" are not much help. We were all set to head a little further out of town to a second campground when we spotted the third Eastgate Road and a big sign for King's Acres Campground.
We got settled into our campsite by 2:15 PM local time and on our way downtown to visit the Royal Saskatchewan Museum.
The museum is located in a beautiful setting off Albert Street with manicured grounds much like those to be found around the Smithsonian in D.C. While the museum is small (only two floors) it has marvelous presentations of the flora and fauna to be found throughout the Provence on one floor and a geological history on the other that is among the best I've seen. They also have half a floor dedicated to the Provence's First Nations' history and culture. We spent two hours viewing the exhibits and left just as they were getting ready to close for the day.
Back to the campgrounds (after a quick stop at Michael's for some DMC floss for the resident stitcher) and dinner.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Another full day of touring
Today we went to Wellsboro for a walk about the town doing some window shopping and browsing.
After lunch we drove out to Leonard Harris State Park for a look-see of the Grand Canyon of PA, aka the Pine Creek Gorge.
Some color is starting to appear on the hillsides but not much. (We did see more as we went west into Potter County. Lots of purples.)
View to the North from Leonard Harris State Park overlook.
View to the South from Leonard Harris State Park overlook.
Historic plaque for George Washington Sears
aka Nessmunk at Leonard Harris State Park
After that it was out to the Potter County and the Lumber Museum which doubles as a museum for the CCCs of 1933-1942. (Did you know Pennsylvania had more CCC camps than any other state?)
The Lumbermen
Since much of Pennsylvania had been heavily logged by 1933, the CCCs were charged with, among other things, replanting many of the hills and valleys of north-central PA.
An Enrollee's view on Trees.
Looking over the CCC exhibit, one comes to realize that, while it may not have pulled the US out of the Great Depression, at least this program prepared boys and men for life in the military during WWII. Work life in the camps was very much organized in a military way with reveille, roll calls, messes, sick calls, etc. Training in the operation of heavy equipment, truck driving, radio technology, first aid, etc. certainly helped prepare young men for military service.
Then we went off to the Log Cabin Inn for dinner. Along the way we spotted several cars on the west-bound side that were pulled over and another on ahead of us on the east-bound side also stopped. Thinking there might be an accident or someone in need of assistance, I slowed down. That's when we spotted the immature Bald Eagle standing on the side of the road. It wasn't a person in need of help...it was the eagle. It probably came down to feed on roadkill and got rocked by either a car or truck. Hopefully the folks who were on the scene were able to contact DCNR and get the young bird to a vet/rehab center.
After dinner we went back to the Aerie for the night.
Tomorrow Lucille and Doug will head for NJ before lunch. Terry will leave after she has packed her car with all the stuff she'll need for the two (2!) conventions she'll be heading fro after the wedding on Saturday. Me? I'll leave here early Saturday morning also for NJ and Jenifer and Matt's wedding. Then Sunday it's going to be a riot as Lou & Doug catch a plane for Missouri, Terry heads for Indianapolis and the SAGA national convention, and I head back to the Aerie to babysit the cats, split the firewood, and do some PA bow hunting
After lunch we drove out to Leonard Harris State Park for a look-see of the Grand Canyon of PA, aka the Pine Creek Gorge.
Some color is starting to appear on the hillsides but not much. (We did see more as we went west into Potter County. Lots of purples.)
View to the North from Leonard Harris State Park overlook.
View to the South from Leonard Harris State Park overlook.
Historic plaque for George Washington Searsaka Nessmunk at Leonard Harris State Park
After that it was out to the Potter County and the Lumber Museum which doubles as a museum for the CCCs of 1933-1942. (Did you know Pennsylvania had more CCC camps than any other state?)
The LumbermenSince much of Pennsylvania had been heavily logged by 1933, the CCCs were charged with, among other things, replanting many of the hills and valleys of north-central PA.
An Enrollee's view on Trees.Looking over the CCC exhibit, one comes to realize that, while it may not have pulled the US out of the Great Depression, at least this program prepared boys and men for life in the military during WWII. Work life in the camps was very much organized in a military way with reveille, roll calls, messes, sick calls, etc. Training in the operation of heavy equipment, truck driving, radio technology, first aid, etc. certainly helped prepare young men for military service.
Then we went off to the Log Cabin Inn for dinner. Along the way we spotted several cars on the west-bound side that were pulled over and another on ahead of us on the east-bound side also stopped. Thinking there might be an accident or someone in need of assistance, I slowed down. That's when we spotted the immature Bald Eagle standing on the side of the road. It wasn't a person in need of help...it was the eagle. It probably came down to feed on roadkill and got rocked by either a car or truck. Hopefully the folks who were on the scene were able to contact DCNR and get the young bird to a vet/rehab center.
After dinner we went back to the Aerie for the night.
Tomorrow Lucille and Doug will head for NJ before lunch. Terry will leave after she has packed her car with all the stuff she'll need for the two (2!) conventions she'll be heading fro after the wedding on Saturday. Me? I'll leave here early Saturday morning also for NJ and Jenifer and Matt's wedding. Then Sunday it's going to be a riot as Lou & Doug catch a plane for Missouri, Terry heads for Indianapolis and the SAGA national convention, and I head back to the Aerie to babysit the cats, split the firewood, and do some PA bow hunting
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
A day of culture
We had a pretty good day at the Corning Glass museum. Unfortunately, in many of the art exhibits, not only did they not permit flash photos, they prohibited ALL photography so I didn't take out the camera even in those areas where I could. I did, however snap this shot of an old Chevy pickip with two huge glass pumpkins in a bed of straw.
Glass pumpkins.
We sat in the Hot Glass Show and watch an artisan with 25+ years of experience take a couple of blobs of molten glass and turn them into a fluted candy dish in less than ten minutes and with virtually no effort at all. And unlike many of their demonstrations, this one went into the cooling oven at the end instead of being shattered.
While they had several new exhibits, I usually find the old ones to be the most interesting. I'm always seeing something new. But today, aside from the new art exhibits, there was a new (at least for me) display on fiber optics in the Innovation Center that I found fascinating.
After a good three hours in the Glass Museum, we headed down to the Rockwell Museum of Western Art. But first we stopped for some tex-mex in the cafe next door.
The Rockwell is a small museum compared to such places as the Fredrick Remington Art Museum in Ogdensburg, NY or the C. M. Russell Museum in Great Falls, Montana, but it is quite good.
In addition to pieces by both Remington and Russell, the Rockwell Museum has works by artists who predate those two and artists who followed in their footsteps.
Just a few of my favorites:
Prayer to the Spirit of the Buffalo by Joseph Henry Sharp(1859-1953)
Buffalo Mount
The Buffalo Hunt (My name as I forgot to write down
or snap a picture of the artist's card! Doh!)
Two Moose (Again, my name as I forgot...yada, yada, yada.)
Tommorrow we head west on Route 6 to visit Wellsboro, stop at the Pine Creek Gorge and Leonard Harris State Park, then into Potter County to visit the Pennsylvania Lumber Museum.
We'll end the day with dinner at The Log Cabin Inn.
Glass pumpkins.We sat in the Hot Glass Show and watch an artisan with 25+ years of experience take a couple of blobs of molten glass and turn them into a fluted candy dish in less than ten minutes and with virtually no effort at all. And unlike many of their demonstrations, this one went into the cooling oven at the end instead of being shattered.
While they had several new exhibits, I usually find the old ones to be the most interesting. I'm always seeing something new. But today, aside from the new art exhibits, there was a new (at least for me) display on fiber optics in the Innovation Center that I found fascinating.
After a good three hours in the Glass Museum, we headed down to the Rockwell Museum of Western Art. But first we stopped for some tex-mex in the cafe next door.
The Rockwell is a small museum compared to such places as the Fredrick Remington Art Museum in Ogdensburg, NY or the C. M. Russell Museum in Great Falls, Montana, but it is quite good.
In addition to pieces by both Remington and Russell, the Rockwell Museum has works by artists who predate those two and artists who followed in their footsteps.
Just a few of my favorites:
Prayer to the Spirit of the Buffalo by Joseph Henry Sharp(1859-1953)
Buffalo Mount
The Buffalo Hunt (My name as I forgot to write downor snap a picture of the artist's card! Doh!)
Two Moose (Again, my name as I forgot...yada, yada, yada.)Tommorrow we head west on Route 6 to visit Wellsboro, stop at the Pine Creek Gorge and Leonard Harris State Park, then into Potter County to visit the Pennsylvania Lumber Museum.
We'll end the day with dinner at The Log Cabin Inn.
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