Summer solstice

Thursday, June 21, 2007

WHITECOURT, AB — The magpies are yapping crassly outside our trailer, in great contrast to the elegance of their black-and-white plumage and sweeping tails. It’s a warm evening and soft white fluff is floating on the air; I’m told this comes from poplar trees this time of year but it reminds me of milkweed fluff in the fall.
We left the Calgary area this morning, with its boom town atmosphere. We couldn’t believe how many new homes were being built everywhere, all carefully positioned to capture both the views of the Rockies, and the handsome selling prices as well. You can easily add $100,000 to the price of a house for the view alone, on top of a substantial, six-digit price tag.
As we headed north on Highway 22, the Cowboy Trail, I though we’d see more of the Rockies to our left as we went, but there were rolling fields instead with grazing cows. It resembled anywhere in Ontario.
Just before we reached Sundre, AB, we came up behind a large building being transported up the highway by truck. It took up a good three extra feet in the oncoming lane, so it had outriders front and back with flashing lights to warn people a wide load was coming through. Val remarked that this motor home had gone a bit too far! All the oncoming cars were clinging to the shoulder to get past, and us folks behind had to just crawl along. Then we came to a full stop, but that was because of some highway repair up ahead. A few miles after we got moving again, the oversize caravan found a place to pull over so that the long string of cars behind could finally get past. Not before one smart-aleck jeep driver impatiently pulled out and bombed up the wrong side of the road.
Clayton called us this morning before we left the campground to say he had been called away on business unexpectedly, so we did not, in the end, turn off to the ranch. There is still a chance we might cross paths, as he is in the area where we are traveling. If not, we’ll just have to arrange to come out specifically to see him when he’s free.
Just before we reached the highway turnoff toward Breton where the Hoffarths have their ranch, there was a herd of buffalo peacefully grazing. I also saw some llamas by the highway and three hefty-looking pigs. No deer or moose though, despite highway warning signs.
The Cowboy Trail ended at Mayerthorpe, the town where four RCMP members were killed on the same day by a cop-hating wacko named James Roszco a couple of years ago. The first large building we saw had "Roszco Farm Equipment" painted in large red letters on the side. We drove in to town and found the RCMP detachment so we could find out where their memorial was going to be situated. I knew it wouldn’t be ready till 2008, but thought the beginnings might be there, and we could also make a contribution toward it. When we pulled up beside the detachment, which is at a T-intersection, there was a large sign right in front of us that said "Future Site of RCMP Memorial". The detachment receptionist told us it is going to be a park area in memory of all fallen members; they expect the total cost may come to $1.5 million. She also told us the Roszco enterprise represented the good side of the family.
At Mayerthorpe we turned from Highway 22 to Highway 43 and headed toward Whitecourt. The Athabasca and McLeod Rivers intersect at the town, and as we came over the rise of land we saw a huge pulp and paper mill by the river. Our campground is called Sagitawah RV Camp, an Aboriginal name which means "where two rivers meet". I always thought that is what Ottawa meant. Maybe it’s in another Aboriginal language. Speaking of which, Happy National Aboriginal Day! The summer solstice is the day to celebrate the heritage of our Aboriginal people — and, incidentally, the longest day of the year. Up here near the 54th parallel, we expect it will still be daylight when we head for bed!