Last Day

We had just a wonderful last day.  This map may be a little different that what we actually did because I'm not sure I'm using the same GPS but close enough.  The route was really pretty  up through Three Hills, to Trochu then over to Dry Island Buffalo Jump and home through Stettler and Camrose.  

Gary and I had gone to Dry Island with another friend several years ago. We got stuck in gumbo and had to be pulled out by tractor. I was anxious about Striders ability to handle rough roads or a long stretch of gravel so Ray and I left our Van's on the side of the road near a gas transfer station.  Of course I was also anxious about leaving them there, silly as there was little traffic along that road. And it turned out the road we went in on this time  was different and mainly paved. When we did get to the gravel and road down down to the river it was freshly graded and dry. A piece of cake.

We hiked along through the meadows and wolf willow then up a trail that lead to the top of Dry Island. The smell was wonderful and the quiet peaceful.  My companions made it to the top and I climbed most of the way. The formations and colours were other worldly and as we climbed the views were spectacular.  It was a beautiful day, cool, partially sunny day and we pretty much had the whole place to ourselves. 

The whole area felt other worldly, beautiful now. In the heat of summer not so much.

Photographers photographing each other

This is not the place to run out of water and when I dropped my bottle down this crevasse my friend climbed down to rescue it. 

The tenacity of life in such a harsh environment was amazing

A little bit of history on the way back to our vehicles

We drifted back down, drove back to our intact vehicles, said our goodbyes and the three vehicles caravaned together to Camrose.  Ray, Nancy and I went onto Edmonton, navigated our way through the Henday construction and home.

My yard was a welcome sight.  I left just as the first buds were coming out and now everything looks full and and in bloom.  In a re entry frenzy of activity I stayed up late filling bird feeders and clearing most of my things out of Strider.  It left him looking desolate and disheveled.  I will clean and spiff him up tomorrow.  He also needs a little TLC, a check up and an oil change after his long journey.