Day 28 – Thursday June 15/17 – Four weeks on the road and 6507 km on the odometer!!(Written and posted on Friday June 16)

Another sunny day and things started off well with a timely departure from the campsite, a stop for a shower, a quick and efficient emptying of waste tanks and a successful uploading of two days of blog posts! 

We left Dinosaur Provincial Park and headed south and west. Somehow we missed a turn and ended up travelling for over 20 km on unpaved roads. Lots of jostling and dust! When we reached Brooks AB we stopped for gas. While stopped we made a quick visit to the trailer where, much to our dismay, we found the fridge door had sprung open and much of the food had escaped. Thankfully most of the food was in secure packages. The biggest mess was created by a fresh fruit salad. The sticky juice and dust covered berries were all over the floor. Michael with a wet cloth on his hands and knees, Nancy with broom and dust pan had it cleaned up in relatively good time. One way to get the floor washed.

As we left Brooks we passed a very large cattle stockyard – at least a kilometer long. The smell was strong. The site reminded us of how much of our beef comes from Alberta.

We altered our planned route and headed toward the town of Vulcan AB. (see map) 

Dinosaur prov Park to Park Lake Prov Park (blue is planned route; green is revised route)

En-route we stopped in a very small village of Lomond and picnicked in a treed area beside the town ball diamond.

It was about 3:00 when we arrived in Vulcan. We were intrigued by the savvy marketing of the town’s name by creating a Star Trek museum. Being Trekkies (Nancy from her 1967 days in the dorm at Glendon College) we had to go and explore. We had tremendous fun posing for pictures with some of the props and life-size posters of cast members of both the original series (Nancy’s favourite) and Next Generation (Michael’s choice). (Photos)

We arrived at our campsite home for the next three nights just before 4:30. Park Lake Provincial Park operates on pre-booked reservation system. There is no staff to greet you, brief you on the park set up or give you a map and directions. (One way to cut the costs of park operations?) Luckily we had our site reserved and located it with little difficulty.  We weren’t too happy with the location so we called the central booking centre to see about switching to another site. Unfortunately there was no other option. All sites were booked. We are beginning to see the difference between the shoulder season of low occupancy and the high season where we have to share the campground. We’ve been spoiled to date!

After a relaxing glass of wine for Nancy and a beer for Michael, we decided to drive in to Lethbridge to do a few errands. Google maps helped us find Costco for a cheap propane refill. The problem was the attendant refused (quite rightly) to fill the tank as it had expired. Fortunately we have three others. While in town we found a nearby outdoor equipment store and used the opportunity to get Michael a pair of hiking boots. (The treads on his runners just weren’t up to the demands of mountain trails.) Nancy’s new runners had developed a hole in the toe, so she too got a new pair of shoes.

It seemed a suitable evening to go out for Chinese food and celebrate our four weeks of safe and enjoyable travel. And that’s what we did. Then we found a Great Canadian Superstore and picked up some groceries. Beside the grocery store was a Great Canadian liquor Store. (Alberta has privatized it’s liquor sales but prices were just as high or higher than in Ontario.) We bought some boxes of wine which travel better than bottles.

It was after 10 when the two over-tired travellers got back to our home on wheels.  No nap today and no energy to write the blog. (This post is being written Friday evening.)

Diftor heh shmushma! (Live long and prosper for those of you who don't speak Vulcan.)