ROUTE 2 NORTH WEST: Slave Lake to Nisku: Backwards - IVANGIES Out Door Studio - Thorhild - Clyde & Meanook - Smith

RIDING SOLO

Turner Valley & Black Diamond,

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’s a great place to explore, with all price points, from the simple to the extravagant, and the stock changes regularly, it’ll never be the same visit.

High River is a town that feels like home. . Whether it’s a visit to the Museum or the Highwood for a tour of the 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. 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 checking out the local fishing pond as part of the kid’s fishing challenge.

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. Then, head out to the Garside Wilson Gallery by Debra Garside and Donna Wilson. Debra received her new book, Wild Horses the very day that we stopped in, and has signed copies – you have got to stop in and pick up your copy. As well as Debra’s 24 photographic art, there are several artists on display with bronze work, water colours and framed prints. Visit them at 134 Morrison Road, just off the Cowboy Trail.

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.

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. It’s a chance to exercise your creative photography muscles.

THORHILD

Champi on

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.

Gibbon s High River

Vulcan

SOUTH ROUTE 8 MEDICINE HAT

A short jaunt will bring you to Medicine Hat, famous for being one of the sunniest cities in Canada. Our stay here was at the Comfort Inn and Suites, and 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 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 camping, check out the Gas City Campground, 402 11 Ave SW, Medicine Hat.

The Rumble Alberta Tour is so much more than a road trip app. It’s a carefully curated roadmap in support of our province; it’s been created not only to support small businesses and points of interest in rural Alberta, but to create a chance to create memories to treasure for years to come.

I’m so thankful for us being able to getaway together as times have been hard with covid. We have beautiful rural areas in Alberta allowing us to have time to spend with loved ones, or even a peaceful trip on your own. Rumble Alberta was such a positive organization to be involved in and I’m so grateful for our tour.

The following morning, 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 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. 29Ivan, 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.

Tour 6 of the Central Alberta Rumble Alberta Tour has so much to see, it could take more than the five days we completed it in to truly explore at a leisurely pace. This tour is comprehensive, a chance to explore small town Alberta at its best. It’s perfectly set up for a bike tour, family vacation, or friend’s trip, checking out the galleries and museums.

Regan and I spent five full days together, exploring, adventuring, supporting local businesses and artists. We also did something even more priceless, unmeasurable. 31 My 18 year old daughter and I created a chapter in the legacy of our life together as a family, we made positive memories that will live in our memories for years to come.

Route 2 North West

Slave Lake to Nisku - Backwards

Rumble Alberta Route 2 Northeast Slave Lake to Nisku – backwards The Slave Lake to Nisku trip is a gorgeous drive through different geographical areas of Alberta, from the forests of the North west to the prairie of north central. We made the route backwards, from our home town to Slave Lake. Along the way were incredible discoveries, tiny hamlets that we had never heard of, selfie spots that take you through a small town you may have passed by. As you tour the town, the discovery of amazing old empty 33 buildings, inviting stores and boutiques, and, of course, the people.

Ivangies Outdoor Photo studio, located just outside of Gibbons has truly created the perfect outdoor photo venue, thinking of everything. Angie and her husband Ivan have collected antiques, cars, props and wardrobe to create Perrytown. The town boasts a train station, old time garage with gas pumps, grocery store, saloon, jail, western town, 60s hippy town and so much more. Along with the outdoor facades, one can have photos inside many of the buildings which are perfectly styled. A full wardrobe for all ages can be found, outfitting you from head to toe, with plenty of accessories. Looking for a wild west theme, Angie’s got it. Gangster with Tommy gun? Yep. Antique police car with uniforms or pin up shoot with the green Pontiac? Ivangies has got you covered. Session can be booked with Angie starting at $59.95 and can be customized to include wardrobe, vehicles and indoor locations. Ivangies also allows clients to bring their photographers or grab shots with their own cameras. Located at the top of a valley, offering beautiful views and photo opportunities. This studio is not to be missed, whether a photographer or a family – it’s a dream. location.

Thorhild is an inviting town, pretty, open and welcoming. As we stopped at the recreation area for a break, I heard children calling to me. “Flowers for sale, flowers for sale”. Four little ones rushed up to me, as only kids in a small country town will. “We have flowers for sale, we made them ourselves, will you buy some?” I asked them how many that had sold. The answer was none. I watched little heads lower and feet shuffle. “We’ve been here all day and haven’t sold anything”. I pulled out a couple of loonies and the little ones danced around and cheered. When I told them that I had two daughters with me, the oldest girl thought a minute, then said “I’ll find you two the same, we want it to be fair for them”. As I walked away, the conversation from big sister to little brother went something like this “Maverick, stop trying to eat the flowers, they’re our profit”. Only in a small town…. Downtown Thorhild has the greatest period buildings, begging for a photo and a bright and happy sunflower park – a perfect stop for travelling families. The beautiful riverside town of Athabasca is waiting for discovery, and a riverside park walk is a great way to stretch your legs after travel. Be sure to take in the Royal Canadian Legion Challenge and pop by Tracker’s pet store to pick up a treat for your fur baby.

CLYDE & MEANOOK

Touring through Clydee brought on waves of laughter. My husband has this crazy saying “Right turn, Clyde”. So, we made A right turn after right turn, looking for the perfect selfie spot to add to the History Check app. Finally, we found our spot, got the selfie, and in the meantime, toured a very sweet little town. A short jog off the highway took us to Meanook, it’s a very tiny, peaceful little town, literally just a small road winding round the town. The town hall was built in 1908, and it’s a lovely structure, a wonderful, out of the way to host an event. We meandered through the back roads to photograph old barns and creeks, and realized what a gem this little community is, complete peace. Be sure to stop here to get some amazing photographs.

SMITH

Smith Alberta is full of photo worthy stops, and the FOOD! The little church is a roughhewn timber structure, a sentinel in the forest. The church offers services, and a peek inside the windows shows a lovely two pew church, just waiting for those devoted to worship. For those food worshipers, Char’s Railway Café, nestled back into the trees is a fan favourite. The welcoming veranda strung with mini lights and hanging baskets makes one instantly feel at home. The food. Oh, the food. The plated meals are massive, enough to feed two. I had perhaps the best Rueben of my life, the poutine is drenched in yummy gravy and cheese, and the monte cristo, massive! Char’s secret recipe coleslaw is served with every meal, and it’s rich, creamy and delicious. When you travel the area, Char’s is the place to eat, the menu is several pages and offers something for everyone. Sheila Willis, creator of the History Check app took us on a tour of the Smith that very few know. We checked out the old bridge just outside of town. Now, the bridge isn’t unknown, but it’s probably not likely that many know that it was built by the Americans as a passage to Alaska. A 10 minute walk to a forgotten cemetery is an unexpected treat and a geocache spot! Sheila told us about Ole, a local who used to charge travelers a dollar or two for a photo with him, dressed in his trader furs. Ole is a legend as the guy who missed his own funeral. Ole had gone to BC to visit family and passed. He wished to be buried back in smith, but an avalanche stopped the progression of his remains and the funeral was held without him. Ole would build cabins with found and recycled products, they cabins are long gone, but Ole’s memory remains – the ponds near his cabin sites are named after him. The Slave Lake Super 8 hosted us for the night. More than once, the girls remarked on how nice the hotel was. The 38beds are incredibly comfortable, so are the pillows. We all had a great sleep and awoke refreshed and ready for the complementary breakfast. The pool with waterslide is large, open and bright, perfect for families.