More Random Wacky Pics

Disclaimer......Found some cans in the woods and decided to ham it up......remember, no booze for me.

Monday August 16

I had always heard that the trout fishing in southwest Alberta was great so I had to give it a try. I got some tips that the Old Man River was the place to be and it was. In 2 hours I managed a half dozen or so chunky Rocky Mountain Cutthroats all on dry flies. The river was pristine. The water was crystal clear and the weather was beautiful. It was a great diversion from all the driving.

By 2:00 I was back on the road and crossed back into the USA around 5:30…no problems with the border crossing. For the first time, being back in Montana made me feel a little sad because it meant one step further from Alaska and one step closer to the end of vacation. I continued to drive all the way to Bozeman, MT. Took one pitstop…in one of the trout capitals in the world, Craig, MT. With swarms of caddis around, I reminisced of a trip here with my West Coast fishing partner, Matty Flavor. We had a great time even though he busted all his rods.

Hope to go hit the Montana Fair tomorrow in Billings. Miles driven today…500.

Sunday August 15

Left Edmonton, kept on driving south, back through Banff and Lake Louise. Stopped and bought an Alberta fishing license and drove and drove and drove. Ended up about 2 ½ hours south of Calgary. After 600 miles of driving, I was on the doorstep of some good South Alberta trout fishing.

In Banff they have lined the road with fences to prevent animals from getting hit by cars. The number of animals struck has been reduced by 90%. There are many bridges and tunnels for the animals to pass over or under the road and they are used heavily. The problem is, you never see any animals when your driving around.

Outside the park I ran across this farm that had a baseball hat on every fencepost for miles. People must drive by and see the phenomina and add to it. I was not moved to do so.

Two things with wings were the highlight of the day…a friendly visit from a Clark’s Nutcracker and a daredevil crop dusting airplane that buzzed 100 miles an hour about 2 feet above the field, barely missing the power lines on each end.

I camped right next to the Oldman River so I’d be ready to fish in the am.

Saturday August 14

Drove 3 hours to Edmonton and stopped at the largest mall in North America, the West Edmonton Mall. I think at one point I was in the first traffic jam I'd been in in a while. The mall had it all; a skating rink, a water park, an amusement park, even an aquarium.

Obviously the place was huge. Killed the whole day there.

Today at the mall was the grand opening of the first ever Victoria's Secret in Canada. The line to get in was long and very good looking.

After the mall I wanted to see the famous Gretzky Statue outside Northlands Coliseum so I drove downtown and snapped a few pics.

Took a much needed shower and slept at the Flying J in Edmonton.

Friday August 13

Over 600 miles logged today. Besides the many gas stops I stopped in Ft St John for lunch and took a cruise through Dawson Creek, the start of the Alaskan Highway. When you finish driving the Alaskan Highway you're still a million miles from anywhere.

At one point I was stopped for 30 minutes waiting for workers to add on a huge piece of metal to a bridge.

Bumped into this hairball looking rock band driving the typical crappy black van. Turns out they were an AC-DC tribute band. Spent 10 mins talking to the Angus Young guy....he told me he wore the the Angus outfit and everything. They were so stereotypical it was comical, all tatted, long hair, etc.

I asked a guy in the mens room what happens when his truck hit the following animals....

Deer -"It just bounces off and I keep driving. I don't even get out and check the truck."

Moose -""Again, it slams off the grill bars, but with a moose I usually have to fix something"

Bison -"Don't know, never hit one. But I'd imagine the explosion would be devastating to both the bison and the truck"

Lost another hour passing into the Mountain time zone. Shacked up in the back of this dumpy gas station. I'd set a trend because when I woke up I was surrounded with campers.