Week ending Jul 20, 2017 Alix

Friday we did the nature walk around Alex Lake.  Except for a couple of streets on the town side of the lake, the trail is through poplar forest along the edge of the lake.  The walk is about 6.8 km. 

 

 

 Saturday morning, we did the walk again, but this time counterclockwise.

Sunday morning, we did the walk again.  We started about 8, so by the time we got back around to town, the bi-weekly pancake breakfast, from 9 to 12, was well under way.  For $6 we got pancakes, eggs and bacon, made to order and brought to our table.   There were about 26 people there, including us, probably the first group since we finished up about 9:50 and most of the others were in three fairly large groups.    When we got back to the campground, everybody was gone, or almost ready to leave.    In the afternoon, 4 new trailers came in.  One of them was a truck pulling a motorcycle on a trailer, with no visible camping unit? 

Monday we drove into Red Deer to do some shopping.   We stopped by Burbank Park at the confluence of the Blindman and Red Deer Rivers on the way back.  

Tuesday morning, we drove to Rochon Sands Provincial Park and did the climb up to the viewpoint over Buffalo Lake, and walked out to the beach.   Then we checked out The Narrows Provincial Rec Area on Buffalo Lake, on our way back toward Alix.

Beach at Rochon Sands

Our last stop was at Haunted Lake Golf Course and Campground about 5 km east of Alix.  We found out that we could park in the overflow camping area at the east end if we want to use our inflatable on the lake.  Motorized boats are not allowed on that lake, so it might be nicer.

George stopped in the afternoon, to stay for the night as a bit of a detour on a trip to Jasper.  

Wednesday afternoon Karen and Dominique arrived.   George stayed long enough to visit with them for a while before heading towards the mountains. 

On Thursday, we went with Karen and Dominique to Delburne.  The Anthony Henday Museum was closed from 12:00 to 1:00, so we went to the Delburne Bistro where we enjoyed a very nice lunch.  We then returned to the museum.   Anthony Henday, a servant of the Hudson's Bay Company was the first white man to see Alberta and the Rocky Mountains.  He travelled with a party of natives from York Factory on Hudson's Bay to the Rocky Mountain House area.   In the station building, there were typical displays of early 20th century artifiacts.  Behind the station house is the CN water tank building.   In the building there were additional displays of blacksmith tools, harness and shoe repair and a hardware. One area illustrated the coal mining industry in the area.    Then we went through the CN caboose.

View from the chair in the caboose