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.All Trips / Alberta / Central Canada / North America
The Mormon Temple, Cardston, Alberta
Besides being home to a world-class carriage museum, the small Alberta town of Cardston also has an impressive Mormon temple—the first built in Canada, as well as the first built outside the USA. Mormon settlers came to the region in late 19th century and settled here, some 15 miles north of the USA-Canada Border.
The temple site was dedicated on 27 July 1913 by Joseph F. Smith, with groundbreaking later that year. Construction was delayed because of World War I and the building was not completed until 1923, when the temple was dedicated. Cardston’s is just one of eight Mormon temples that do not have an angel Moroni statue.
The temple sits atop a small hill — the high …
Tagged Alberta Temple, Cardston, Mormon, Temple
.All Trips / Alberta / Central Canada / North America
Hiking to Lake Annette, Banff National Park
Banff National Park, on a usual summer day, has many areas that are quite busy — even crowded. I’m thinking particularly of Lake Louise and the Banff townsite, places I avoid until the off season. But there are lots of places in Banff National Park where you can go to enjoy spectacular mountain scenery, have a nice hike and nature experience, and see almost no people.
The Lake Annette trek is one of these spots. My oldest nephew and I did this hike a few years back and I don’t think we encountered more than 10 people in a half days’ worth of hiking.
(Paradise Creek and Paradise Valley)
The hike starts at the Paradise Creek parking lot, not far from Lake Louise. …
.All Trips / Alberta / Central Canada / North America
The Iceman and the Biscuit, Cardston, Alberta
Sitting on the grounds of the Reynold’s Carriage Museum in Cardston, Alberta is a statue of jockey and his mount, seeming to move at top speed while standing still.
The statue captures a moment in time when local boy turned legendary jockey, George Woolf, rode Seabiscuit to one of the greatest victories in horse racing history. On November 1, 1938, in what was dubbed the “Race of the Century”, Seabiscuit was pitted against Triple Crown winner War Admiral. During the race Seabiscuit broke War Admiral and as he surged to victory, Wolff turned to War Admiral’s jockey (Charley Kurtsinger) and said, “So Long Charley”. It’s one of those phrases that has become part of our everyday vernacular.
Another great moment …
Tagged Cardston, George Woolf, horse, racing, Seabiscuit, War Admiral
.All Trips / Alberta / Central Canada / North America
A Visit to the Remington Carriage Museum, Cardston
Every now and then a trip takes you to fascinating destinations in the least expected places. Most people visit Cardston because of its close proximity to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Waterton Lakes National Park (Alberta) and Glacier National Park (Montana). Little did I expect to find a world-class museum in this town of less than 4,000 residents.
The Museum tells the story of horse-drawn wagons in North America and is the largest museum of its kind in the world. Most of the collection deals with wagons and carriages from the 19th and early 20th century, when horses provided the main means of transportation. You’ll be impressed by the depth of the collection, with more than …
Tagged Cardston, carriage, horse, horse-drawn, Remington Carriage Museum
“Pic of the Week”, January 20, 2023: Bighorn Sheep, Highwood Pass, Alberta
I came across this herd of bighorn sheep while exploring Kananaskis Country, a stretch of the Canadian Rocky Mountains south of Banff National Park. Bighorn sheep aren’t rare, but also aren’t see every time you hit the road.
The groups consisted of a bunch of ewes and their lambs who seemed to be on the road to lick salt. Traffic stopped as people got out to photograph them. Especially cute were the youngsters.
(Click on thumbnails to enlarge)
Jan 19, 2023
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.All Trips / Alberta / Central Canada / North America
The Bar U back then was one of the largest and most successful ranches in Canada, covering 160,000 acres (65,000 ha). It had 30,000 …
Bar U Ranch National Historic Site, Alberta
The Bar U Ranch is located just south of Longview, Alberta, on the scenic Cowboy Trail. The area consists of a long stretch of mostly undeveloped prairie where it abutts the foothills of the Rocky Mountains.
The Bar U Ranch sits on the eastern slope of the Rockies. It’s a nicely preserved and interesting ranch that provides a look at life on Canada’s great prairies more than a century ago, before the land became fenced off. At a time when the bison had nearly been exterminated from the plains to be replaced by large cattle herds that roamed freely.
A wagon shuttles you from the visitor center to the ranch
The Bar U back then was one of the largest and most successful ranches in Canada, covering 160,000 acres (65,000 ha). It had 30,000 …
.All Trips / Alberta / Car Culture / Central Canada / North America
Great Cars Along the Highway: 1964 Austin Healey 3000
The Austin-Healey 3000 was a popular British sports car built from 1959 to 1967. The 3000s were often used as racing cars. Most were exported, the majority to North America.
This beautiful car was spotted in Calgary.
(Click on thumbnails to enlarge, right arrow to advance slideshow)
Tagged 3000, Austin Healey, Calgary
“Pic of the Week”, June 25, 2021: Family of Man, Calgary
The “Family of Man” is a grouping of 10 sculptures crafted in aluminum, 6.5 m (21 feet) tall. It was created for display at the British Pavilion during Montreal’s Expo 67. After Expo 67 concluded, the sculptures were bought by Maxwell Cummings and Sons and donated to the city of Calgary. A committee picked a spot in downtown (1st Street and 5th Ave SE) close to the Calgary Board of Education, where they have been on display since.
The sculptures were designed by Spanish artist Mario Armengol. Their arrangement is different than it was in Montreal, now forming a circle of naked, raceless individuals.
The attraction is surprisingly popular. I’ve still not decided how I feel about it.
(Click on thumbnails to enlarge, …
Jun 24, 2021
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