I was bit by the travel bug around age 14 when my parents bid me farewell for a summer language exchange in France.
Since then, it seems that every opportunity I’ve had to explore the world has led me to places as far away from home as possible. While the advantages of that are obvious, the disadvantage is that I’ve rarely made the effort to explore my own backyard.
So, I’ve finally taken it upon myself this summer to start checking off items on my backyard-bound bucket list, and what better opportunity to get a head start on that than the August long weekend.
Friday afternoon we started with exploring the Bragg Creek trail system. I can’t count the number of times I’ve ventured to this beautiful hamlet for work assignments, but I can count the number of times I’ve relaxed and enjoyed its nature: one. I’m glad that we didn’t relax too much, however, as on our meander back through the winding trail through the woods to the parking lot we heard the sounds of what we could easily assume was a bear – maybe a black bear.
Even though I didn’t get a look at the guy, I have since decided that bear spray is a worthy investment.
Following recommendations from my co-workers, Saturday involved a nice long drive through rolling country hills to Drumheller. It was quite the coincidence that one year ago that day that was the place my sister got engaged. When we finally rolled into the town, the first thing we did – after getting food and refueling – was to check out one of the Drumheller’s claims to fame: the world’s largest dinosaur.
Mind you, we were the only people there that either didn’t have a kid or weren’t a kid, but that didn’t intimidate me to climb up the 86-foot-tall beast for a view of the badlands from its mouth. It really helped set the mood for what was next: the Royal Tyrrell Museum. Not only is the museum so well set up and incredibly interactive for all ages, it really gets your mind thinking about and imagining what the area looked like millions of years ago.
To continue adding miles on the car, Sunday involved a jaunt out to the Banff National Park. While not my first time there, it was my first time partaking in the many outdoor activities it has to offer. The first time didn’t count: my sister and I hiked up to the look-out point over Lake Louise, but were severely under equipped in our running shoes and several feet of snow. Before you judge, I’ll add that it was the end of May.
But this adventure was met with clear blue skies and hot rays of sun while we canoed across the lake. I’ve since been convinced to invest in a canoe – or maybe a kayak – to explore the waters around Calgary, a little bit closer to home.
And lastly, holiday Monday involved one final road trip to Sylvan Lake. Seeing that I’m originally from Ontario, I usually expect a trip to the lake to be a hot and humid affair, but Alberta’s cool, breezy winds blew away that notion.
It was nice to be close to the water again, even if we were wrapped in a sweater or two, and had to keep a close tab on the sky to determine whether it was going to rain or not. Thankfully, an intense summer storm – complete with rain so hard you have to pull off to the side of the road, thunder that makes the dogs scared and lighting that makes you glad you’re inside – didn’t roll around until we were planning to head home.
Alberta does have a lot to offer, and I’m looking forward to checking off a few more items on the to-see list.
