Our Alberta Touring Mag©

The Adventures of Carla + Regan South Route 7 ..........................................Pages 4 - 13 A Dream Vacation to Northeast AB.......Pages 15 -18 The winner of the BarrelBossQ is..........Page 20 UP IN SMOKE!.........................................Pages 21 - 25 Photography by Gail Doy.........................Pages 28 - 29 South Route 7 - A Different Take...........Pages 30 - 36 Rumbling Northwest Alberta...................Pages 37 - 38 GRABB - Gravel Across Alberta............Pages 39 - 51 Glamping - NW AB Route 10..................Pages 52 - 59

Explore - Save - Earn Points - Win Swag & Prizes!

Made for families, friends or solitary travellers, there’s something for everyone of all ages, no matter what they drive.

Rumble Alberta Touring Challenges get you out of the door + exploring the many hidden gems across Alberta.

Explore any, or all of the 44 Highway + the Adventure Routes - or you can mix them up.

Find the hidden gems when you travel anywhere in Alberta.

Two Ways to Play:

Just Explore - Play For Free:

Check out the route maps at RumbleAlberta.com.

Download your choice and follow the routes.

Discover more when you download the History Check app and explore your favorite places on the route maps.

Rumble Alberta - Play the Game!

Purchase your event pass to play at www.rumblealberta.com

$25 per Seasonal Rumble (Summer, Fall, Winter, Spring)

Each challenge site has a number to search in History Check to find the challenge.

Each site will tell you what challenge you are to complete - Selfies - Scenic Images - Trivia

Do the challenges & you’ll earn points towards our growing list of Themed or Route prizes. High point earners win!

RumbleAlberta.Com

Our Alberta Touring Magazine© is produced by: ZX Media Ltd. for the Canadian Motorcycle Tourism Association For Advertizing or Editorial inquiries please contact: Krista Malden: kmalden@communitynowmagazine.com

Southern Alberta Route 7, Cochrane to Medicine Hat or The Adventures of Carla and Regan!

Stories and photos by Carla + Regan Lehman

Five days, 1500 kilometers, a mother and daughter duo creating a legacy of memories to treasure, while exploring and discovering incredible points of interest, having adventures, touring galleries, shops and businesses. Yamnuska Wolfdog Sanctuary offers a variety of tour including guided, self-guided and the much coveted interactive tour. Book the interactive tour a couple of weeks in advance as it fills up quickly. Find them online at: www.yamnuskawolfdogsanctuary.com

Next on our tour was a stop at our hotel and Rumble Alberta sponsor, the Stony Nakoda Resort and Casino (B).

It’s a perfect stopping point for anyone wanting to visit Kananaskis. The Loster Mac + Cheese (L) was simply devine.

Regan and I left our home in east central Alberta early on Monday morning. The first leg of the trip was a four hour drive to Kananaskis, where Regan and I explored the area and took part in the local Rumble Alberta and History Check challenges.

We travelled to Exshaw where we were greeted with an incredible mural. I’m not telling you what it is, you’ll

need to visit to see it – and trust me, it’s worth the visit.

While there, the Legion, above, is a must see, and is part of the Rumble Alberta Legion Challenge!

While it’s not on the Rumble Alberta tour YET, it’s a true must see, the Yamnuska Wolfdog Sanctuary.

The Sanctuary gives one the chance to tour the location and view the wolfdogs. The enclosures are huge, very

The staff are friendly and helpful, and the restaurant, “The Ridge” offers an excellent and comprehensive menu.

It’s family friendly, and has a great selection of offerings. I highly recommend the Lobster Mac & Cheese. The hotel boasts a hot tub and pool for a round of relaxation after a day of hiking and touring.

For those who want to try their luck, the casino is large, has a selection of games and the Sidelines Lounge mixes a great Ceasar.

Sit back, relax, watch the game, or take a break from the casino floor. Get the best rate guarantee at www.stoneynakodaresort.com.

After a restful sleep in a comfy hotel, Regan and I decided to rough it the next night and so we camped in Exshaw.

Between the two of us, we were able to set up our tent in about half an hour, and were fully set up and ready to go after about an hour. Camping was an adventure and together with Regan, an easy experience, we pitched in (pun intended) to get our tent, mattress and bedding all set up. We were set up in bear c ountry in a back country area so it was extremely important to keep all of our food and even water locked away, and we had bear spray with us as an extra precaution. After setting up

we travelled to the next sponsor on the tour, Boundary Ranch for an incredible 2 hour Ridge Ride. This is only one of the many tours that Regan (Above) and our guide the ranch offers. Courtney (Below) They have others that include overnight trips, lunch and steak trips, surf and saddle trip which is a ride and a rafting tour, and the Woof & Hoof package, my personal favourite. Cont’d

The Ridge Ride takes the rider through lush forest, along the mountain ridge to view and enjoy the mountain vistas, and through some challenging terrain. Not to worry, though, your mounts are sure footed, and will choose the path down that suits them best.

All you need to do is sit back and relax. Our guide, Courtney, was from Australia; we shared stories of our love for horses, nature and the mountains.

If you love riding and great views then I truly suggest that you check out their website to book a trail ride or an adventure package at boundaryranch.com.

Before heading back to our tent, Regan had the best poutine in the Rockies, and I enjoyed the homemade soup.

The following morning, we tore down our tent and hit the next stop on the tour, the Iron Goat Pub & Grill in Canmore.

As a tour sponsor, they offer 15% off food orders, and have a selfie challenge. The restaurant boasts soaring ceilings, a large patio, upstairs dining with patio – and a wine cellar. The view of the Bow Valley is unmatched at this mountainside restaurant. must stop on your visit to Canmore.

We tried the baked brie, delicious with a unique chutney to give it some zing. Check out their website: www.irongoat.ca it will give you some great info on their venue as a place for weddings and other special events as well as their amazing menu!

Once we finished our meals, we visited Stop A on the map.

Cochrane

This town requires a few hours if you’re a shopper. The main street is charming and sweet, full of unique shops and restaurants. We made a special trip to the very

popular Horse Creek Heritage Candy and Gifts. This store is every child’s dream, full of so many different

treats and hand made chocolates that are melt in your mouth divine. The back of the store has a gift emporium, much of the products are created by local artisans.

I was able to pick up baby gifts, shower gifts and Christmas gifts. This was a perfect stop for both my candy loving kid, and my wish to find interesting and unique gifts for those I care about.

They do have a pretty good website where you can order candy and gifts - if you can’t get there, it’s the next best thing! horsecreek.ca

Heading into Bragg Creek, you’ll immediately see boutiques, ice cream parlours and galleries.

We stopped in at The Painted Moose Gallery. The gallery is an artist’s collective full of unique wares, such as vintage bespoke jean jackets, jewellery, paintings and pottery, it’s a lovely spot, well priced, and a perfect spot to browse and shop.

We also stopped at the Bragg Creek Trading post. This store is a true legacy, opened in the early 1900s and it’s still in the same family. The smell of hand tanned hides takes one back in time, and to view the incredible native crafts, handmade moccasins and mukluks, dream catchers and sweaters. Be sure to stop by and visit, ask for the history of the trading post, and to see the pictures of the flood and subsequent restoration.

The original doors were found floating down the river, restored and hung back where they belong. It’s an incredible location and an incredible story. The Trading Post is located at 117 White Ave, Bragg Creek., Alberta. Cont’d

A big part of the Rumble road tours are the challenges, and we enjoyed touring villages and hamlets, taking selfies and taking scenic shots in Priddis and Millarville.

There are plenty of little hidden gems here, walking trails, parks, pubs and restaurants. As you’re travelling, be sure to download the History Check App to keep up with the challenges. https://HistoryCheck.ca

Above: Lobby, Lakeview Inns + Suites, Okotoks AB

We spent the night in Okotoks at the Lakeview Inn & Suites. It’s a nice hotel, the rooms are bright, beds comfy. Breakfast was included and offered a good selection of fare. The hotel is laid out nicely and the décor reminiscent of the mountains.

Find them at https://www.lakeviewhotels.com/okotoks/

Regan and I headed to Turner Valley, the home of Heartland. It’s a beautiful spot, quiet and cozy, with some fun stops like the patio at the Eau Claire Distillery. From Turner Valley, we headed to Black Diamond, where we took a selfie in front of the big black diamond, and visited the Black Diamond Gallery.

It’s home to art imported from Bali, Turkey, Morocco & the Middle East.

Regan and I found our perfect pieces, a life-size driftwood horse for me and a life-size driftwood dinosaur for her.

it’ll never be the same visit twice!

We made a stop at Longview, a real treat to explore. If you find yourself growing weary, stop in at the Longview Tales & Trails Campground to overnight. and has signed copies – you have got to stop in and pick up your copy. As well as Debra’s photographic art, there are several artists on display with bronze work, watercolours and framed prints.

Visit them at 134 Morrison Road, just off the Cowboy Trail.

One of the challenges on the Rumble Alberta tour is to visit and photograph the last remaining grain elevators in the province.

These sentinels of the prairie are now a rare find, and a treat.

The Azure Grain Elevator is on the list, easy to find, and fun to find a unique angle to photograph.

Be sure to stay off the property as it is on private property, however, that very fact means it is a chance to exercise your create photography muscles. Cont’d

High River is a town that feels like home. Whether it’s a visit to the Museum of the Highwood for a tour of area history, Heartland memorabilia and a selfie

or a walk down to Maggie’s Diner for a quick pic, there is plenty to do here. We stopped at Brant to photograph the working grain elevator, and along the drive, got a real sense of the Southern Alberta prairies, deer and antelope at play.

The route along the highway took us to Vulcan, Star Trek central. The Enterprise monument is a must see, selfie nirvana! Across the street, visit the Tourism Center for a tour and photos, and grab an ice cream from the restaurant.

High River is currently the site of filming for a Netflix series, Black Summer, and if you look hard enough, you’ll find some street signs that seem out of place, or you may even get to see live filming happening.

Regan and I also completed a couple of challenges here, visiting the Royal Canadian Legion and

10 Our Alberta Touring Mag©

Make a stop in Champion to visit the Legion as part of the tour Challenge.

The History Check App will give you all the details you need. Another meandering route will take you to Vauxhall, which is everything that stories of small town Alberta depict; small, quiet, little children playing free and with abandon. Visit the Legion, grab a photo, and continue your route.

The next leg of the drive is a long one, following a meandering route through pasture and prairie, hills, bridges and valleys. It’s a land of cattle, irrigation and antelope, and a pretty tour.

As you come up to Redcliff, take a drive through the picturesque town and locate the legion for the second last Legion Challenge of Route 6.

A short jaunt will bring you to Medicine Hat, famous for being one of the sunniest cities in Canada.

Our hotel here was at the Comfort Inn and Suites, and it is here, we received maybe the best, most personalized service we’ve ever received at a hotel.

Christina, Operations Manager, was welcoming, friendly, and a fount of information.

The rooms are clean, modern and decorated with local art. The bathrooms – wow – roomy and clean – and the shower heads are so far beyond what one would expect at a hotel. The TVs have Chromecast, a nice change to the standard cable fare. The pool is much larger than most Cont’d

hotels and has a hot tub for parents to relax while the kids play. Breakfast fare consisted of omelettes, bacon and potato wedges, better than any continental breakfast I’ve had.

If you are into camping, check out the Gas City Campground, 402 11 Ave SW, Medicine Hat.

After our amazing breakfast at the Comfort Inn & Suites Medicine Hat, we visited Badlands Harley, a family owned and operated business.

This visit was a real treat, as we got to ride a Harley Trike, chauffeured by owner Ivan. Badlands Harley-Davidson has a large showroom with a variety of motorcycles and trikes on display, and a special Bike of the Week highlighted each week.

As well as the bikes, there is a wide variety of apparel, boots and helmets to peruse.

The shop is open and welcoming, and has a spot for a weary traveller to stop for a break, a coffee and a visit.

Ivan, his family and staff are there to welcome you. Find them at 923 2 Ave #3Km, Dunmore.

Make a point of touring Medicine Hat and checking out the sites, stores, restaurants, and the World’s Largest Teepee, constructed for the 1988 Winter Olympics.

Don’t forget to find the Legion, the last on this leg of the tour.

Route 7 South of the Rumble Alberta Touring Challenges has so much to see, it could take more than the five days we