As previously mentioned- I thought about a July visit to Alberta, to visit friends and family, while also heading up to Stampede ( if I planned the visit right) and to visit the ranch to meet the people and see the facilities.
So I got here on Thursday- left PEI at 6am, tried to bring a knife on the plane....BY ACCIDENT- they took it away from me- of course- and to my surprise, some guy saw my dad and gave it back to him?! Took an RJ to Toronto, a A320 to Calgary and a Beech 1900 to Medicine hat. Crazy cloud build up made for a bumpy flight to the hat, and in that sardine can it fet even worse!
Went out the the ranch on friday- got the big tour in the morning, talked about my resume over hotdogs, and then went on farm calls with Leah for the afternoon. On the way back into the city we met up with her husband and son at a restaurant and they bought me dinner.
On Saturday I drove to Calgary to take in the Calgary Stampede!!!! "THE GREATEST OUTDOOR SHOW ON EARTH"...as the saying goes.
I drove up the number 1 highway and saw 8 random horned herford bulls just sitting on the side of the road.
Past a cop sitting on the side of the road waiting to pull someone over...while I was driving 20 km over the limit-he didn't drive after me-thank GOD!...
Laurie Tom Tom was having a FIELD DAY! ( That's my GPS's name). She didn't know where the hell I was and kept telling me to turn around, take a right, in 80 meters turn left ...blah blah blah! ( I was just thankful that I hadn't gotten around to downloading the Mr. T application) -> "I pitty the fool who doesn't turn left in 80 meters"......
When I arrived on the Calgary city limits, I didnt want to take the chance that Laurie was going to have a melt down again, so I called Shane (my cousin Leanne's husband). When I told him where I was, he didnt understand. So I told him again, and again he said " but where ARE YOU", and so I said I'm pulled over on the side of the road?.... He asked what I was driving, and when I said "A white pontiac Sunfire?" he burst out laughing and said " WAS THAT YOU?!?!?! I just passed you and thought that it was a cop, but when I realized that it was a sunfire I cursed the person driving it for making me think it was a cop!!!"
He then took me to the C-train. I have never felt more like a sardine (even worse than the 1900 I flew in on!) At every stop ( and there were 8 of them), about 30 people got on. I asked my cousin how I was supposed to know where to get off and she said " FOLLOW THE COWBOYS HATS!!!" , So thats exactly what I did. When all the cowboy hats got off the train, so did I, and then I followed them until I got to the entrance of the grounds.
So I spent the day at the fair grounds- and EASILY spent over 300$. I spent it on c-train fair's, a new belt, a hat, a chin strap, a hat cover, a t shirt, two scarves, a pin, a wrangler christmas sock AND A FREE POSTER!!! I also spent like 110$ on tickets to the rodeo and chuck wagon races, as well as food costs, and gas.
On Sunday I drove the number 2 highway back so that I could drive through Lethbridge to see my friend Victoria, whom I haven't seen in 4 or 5 years. I made a stop in Okotoks- but noone was at the clinic, and I couldn't get any Bernie Brown pictures because the gallery didnt open until lunch time. I also took a lot of the same pictures I took LAST SPRING, but this time obviously there was no snow- so still really cool to see.
Today, Monday, was the day we drove an hour, and about 2-3km, from the Montana border to go to the Q ranch!!!!!! We did breeding soundness exams on 38 bulls and had an AMAZING feast for lunch comliments of one of the Q wives. The have about 80-90 THOUSAND acres, and calved 794 calves this spring!!! They also have their own plane!!!! They use it to check the herd and the fence lines! We also saw ANTELOPE! I ...of course...broke into song... "HOME HOME ON THE RANNNNNNGE WHERE THE DEER AND THE ANTELOPE ...something?...."
And cows!....I saw cows too...of course...but they were special, they were in a community pasture and they had a WATTLE!?!?! (There's a picture on my facebook). It's when they cut into the cows brisket and expose a flap of skin and it heals, leaving a lump hanging off the brisket....they use it to easily identify their cows from someone else's cows...
On the way out, Bob and Leah took me to the border- the closest Ive ever been to the States. Unfortunately we couldnt cross because we were loaded with drugs...and apparently they dont like it when you cross the border with drugs....who'd of thought...hahah
Anyway, that's what my visit has been like thus far, and there's 2 more days left of fun!!!! I start at 8 am tomorrow so I better hit the road!!
Happy trails!
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