Friday 28 June 2019

Twig Eaters



From late last fall . . . three moose in a stand of aspen trees south of Larson, North Dakota.

The Canadian documentary series "Nature" has an episode focused on a moose calf's first year of life called "Moose: A Year in the Life of a Twig Eater." It's a good watch.


- Michael Truman

Thursday 27 June 2019

Abandoned Alberta

Spotted these in a field after work.

Been busy. Posts may be spotty.



Wednesday 26 June 2019

It’s a small place

Dunster, British Columbia. Most of my trips are spur of the moment and involve minimal planning. I saw Dunster on a map and drove there in May of this year. This place has no actual town. It is kind of a farming area with small farms. Lovely place with not much happening. There is a small modern school and I would guess all of the kids take a bus to school. Dunster is just a short hop south of Highway 16 across the Fraser River west of Tete Jaune Cache.

As an aside, Highway 16 is named the Yellowhead Highway after a fair-haired French trapper who lived in the area. Tete Jaune (or "yellow head" in French) was his nickname and he stored his supplies at a place that was named after him, hence Tete Jaune Cache.


The train station was originally built by the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway and opened in 1913. The place was named after Dunster, England. I think the train station is kind of a museum. If it is a museum I have no idea who would run it, no one seems to be in the area.


Apparently this place is the home of the Robson Valley Music Festival.


The music festival probably explains the bus which was near the sign. The bus looked like it was in decent condition. I am thinking it might be used for the festival.


This is the real reason I went. To see an actual authentic General Store that is still in business. For such a small space they sold a little bit of everything. From groceries to farm supplies. There is even a small post office inside. I bought something I did not need because you should support a General Store whenever you run across one.


Tuesday 25 June 2019

Morning barn post

Things are nice and green here. It has been intermittently raining for the last week and it is to continue into the weekend. It would be nice if it would stop.


Monday 24 June 2019

The Old Church in Larson



An abandoned Lutheran Church in Larson, North Dakota. 



The church is still standing up straight.


Gothic arched windows are still my favourite for churches.


After talking to a few people in the area I gathered there were fewer than ten people still living in town. I was through the area this past fall.

- Michael Truman

Saturday 22 June 2019

Fraser River, Mt. Robson Provincial Park

In British Columbia, west of Jasper, Alberta.

I had a dyslexic moment and posted this on the wrong date earlier this week.


Friday 21 June 2019

The road

A bit of a different post, a mix of old and new. The road itself can be an appealing sight.

Vulcan County, rural Alberta. I have posted this before.


By Lake Abraham, Alberta. This is a new post.


Icefields Parkway, Jasper National Park. I have posted this before.


New post. Icefields Parkway, Jasper National Park.


North of Oyen, Alberta. Posted before.


Off Highway 16, near the Alberta/British Columbia border. New post.


New post. Near Rimbey, Alberta.

Thursday 20 June 2019

CNoR / CN Abandoned Rail Line

In early May 2019, we traced the CNoR / CN abandoned “Peavine” proposed rail extension northwest of Suffield, AB, stopping to photograph some ruins and rusty metal along the way.


The rail extension was proposed to go from Hanna, AB heading south towards a point by the Red Deer River, called Steveville. At the river, the railway line would cross over and zig-zag through the badlands and eventually head southeast over the plains towards Medicine Hat. The CNoR hoped to serve the growing farming base in the area and tie into the new industries in the City.

Construction began in 1914 heading south, but with the start of the First World War and eventual labour/material shortages forced CNoR to suspend work on the line. Work restarted in 1918, but with low wheat prices, CNoR decided to concentrate their efforts on the stretch of track from Hanna to Wardlow first before progressing southwards. Their hard work was rewarded with a train reaching Cessford in December 1919, and by 1921 reaching Wardlow just within view of the Red Deer River. At the river, work was slowly progressing on a massive bridge structure and railbed grading was occurring from the river southeast towards Medicine Hat. Sidings were proposed after the river crossing; Dinosaur, Gilburn, Princess (a diamond crossing with the CPR Empress subdivision track), Pennymac, Bemister, Learmouth, Sinensen, Kalbeck, Stair (another diamond crossing with the CPR Brooks subdivision) and then through Redcliff into Medicine Hat, either by an separate track or possibly sharing CPR trackage.

However, with the low wheat prices and a series of droughts / frozen crops forced several farmers to sell out and move into the urban centers. As well, CNoR’s reorganization into Canadian National (CN) added headaches and additional hurdles to overcome, along with CPR becoming more hostile to the idea of having the competition within range of its client base. The CPR would do everything possible to delay or stall CN’s efforts. The final blow to the Peavine was the Great Depression which further escalated the mass exodus of farmers from the region. CN continued on with the remaining trackage of the Sheerness sub, until getting approval from the government to abandon the track from Cessford to Wardlow in December 1977, and the remaining trackage from Cessford to Batter Junction (outside of Hanna) would be abandoned in January 1992. The photos were taken near the proposed siding named “Pennymac”.





- Jason Paul Sailer

Wednesday 19 June 2019

An update

Mom was moved into a rehabilitation facility on June 12, 2019. She was a little down about suffering from a stroke. Her mood has improved. She looks good and looks healthy. I have been visiting just about every day. It is tiring working at my job then driving into Edmonton to visit. I am happy that friends and relatives have been visiting. The television in her room does not work. I have been told they are slowly getting replaced. You cannot get a phone in the room. If you want to use a phone you have to go down the hall. I think that is a good idea, it gets you moving and motivated to do things like make a phone call.

The staff at the facility are great. Everyone is very nice and work hard to help you recover. Mom has therapy twice a day. They started her walking with a walker yesterday. Other times she is in a wheelchair and building up strength wheeling herself around her unit.

She complains about the hospital food. Personally I do not think it is all that bad. Her roommate seems to love it. It is designed for healthy eating, not for taste. I tried it, it is not bad. I offered to smuggle something in for her, so far she has declined. I told her that if she does not like it then consider it an incentive to get better and get back to her own home. Overall I think things are looking up.

Tuesday 18 June 2019

Yard art

I have zero artistic skill and would love to have the talent to create something. I like running across stuff like this.


Monday 17 June 2019

Dunvegan, Alberta

Fort Dunvegan was established in 1805 by the North West Company. It is a historical site with a restored Factor's House, Roman Catholic Church, and Rectory. You can tell right off why they picked this spot many years ago, it is a beautiful place.

The Factor's House.


Roman Catholic Church.




The Rectory right beside the church.


I had to see what it looked like in black and white.


And the window shot.


Sunday 16 June 2019

Saturday 15 June 2019

Some places I can never capture to my satisfaction

Whenever I am in this part of Alberta I stop and take some photos. I can never end up with a result that I am satisfied with.

Abraham Lake, Alberta.


Friday 14 June 2019

Ole



A fun country sign I found on the way from Eastend to Simmie in Saskatchewan.


Lots of guys were named "Ole" when I was a kid. Not such a common name anymore.  That's a shame.


- Michael Truman

Thursday 13 June 2019

Always running across a nice looking barn

It is well and good that readers of this blog like barns since there are a lot of them in my area.



Wednesday 12 June 2019

Osborne School District #2520

This one-room school was opened in 1912 and operated until 1955 when it was closed and the area students were bussed to Jenner, Alberta. The teacher lived not far from the school in a two-room teacherage building (just to the north). The school was later used as a community hall for a while and now sits empty and forgotten. Located in Cypress County visited in May 2019







- Jason Paul Sailer

Tuesday 11 June 2019

Short run

Had time for quick ride after work. Everything seems to work. 

It felt good getting out on the highway.

Before I forget, thank you all for the kind words.