by Pa Rock
Road Warrior
Despite the fact that I drove just over 500 miles today and got hopelessly lost in Calgary, Alberta, one of Canada's largest city's, during the evening rush hour, I managed to have a fairly good day. (Six lanes of madness was still better than Bentonville, Arkansas, on a Friday evening!) Yes, I did leave Moose Jaw this morning just before 7:00 a.m. headed in the wrong direction on Canada 1, but after managing to get turned around, most of the day went well. I fit in several brief stops along the way, including a visit at the Alberta Welcome Center and several small shops where I looked for gifts for the grandkids. Willow, I've got you covered!.
(I was even more lost this afternoon than I thought I was. This piece was originally titled "Lost in Edmonton During Rush Hour." The city I was lost in was Calgary! No wonder I had trouble finding my way out of it!)
Here are a few general observations from the road:
There is no litter in Canada, at least along Canada's Highway #1 - nary a gum wrapper nor a cigarette butt, much less things that are considered common on Missouri roadways like beer cans, dirty diapers, and my personal favorite, worn-out mattresses. I passed several long trains today that were carrying mostly grain and petroleum products, and I noticed that there is almost no "tagging," where graffiti artists, some of them very talented, spray paint their work on boxcars. One day recently I sat at a railroad crossing in West Plains and noticed that almost every car was tagged. Also, what I call "double-trucks" - semi tractors pulling two full-sized trailers - are fairly common in Canada. There aren't many billboards, at least in the western provinces, and most a located further back from the highways than the ones in the states.
I came upon a septic tank pumper truck today that had a sign on the back which read "Caution; Contents may contain political promises."
I heard two radio stations today where the deejays were speaking in their Native American tongues. One played country music and the other featured classic rock. Tomorrow is Aboriginal Rights day in Canada, and all of the radio stations were making note of that.
The people that I have encountered in Canada have been extraordinarily nice. Yesterday evening I stopped at a gas station to fill-up for the next day's travel, and two attendants came out to wait on me. A young man ran the pump, and an older gentleman washed my windows. I had the window down and was listening to them chatter at they worked. The young man said, to me "Missouri," using the long "e" sound at the end of the word, and the older guy said, "No, that's "Missouri" and used the "uh"should at the end. I told him that he had pronounced it like a native Missourian. Then I asked if he had ever been there, and he said that he hadn't. He apparently was just a good listener.
As I left that gas station and pulled out into the road I ran over a raised concrete median that I had not seen - with an ample soundtrack of scraping and clanking, so now those guys also think that people from Missouri are idiots, or possibly worse - they may think I am a member of the Missouri Legislature! Miraculously, there was no damage done to my little car, but my ego was in tatters.
Today I stopped for lunch at a McDonald's in Medicine Hat, Alberta. It was a few minutes before noon, and the place was basically empty. It looks like McDonald's is not the draw in Canada that it is in the US. I also turned around in the city of Swift Current in the parking lot of a very small Walmart, so perhaps the Walton's are not as important here as they are in Red State America. As I was standing in the parking lot of the McDonald's in Medicine Hat and surreptitiously trying to give myself an insulin injection in the stomach without attracting the attention of the local police, a young man walked behind me headed toward the eatery and said, "You are a long way from home." (He had obviously seen my license plate.) "Yes, I am," I replied." "Are you having a good trip?" "Yes I am. Thank you for asking." He was a very nice and pleasant person. The lady in the Welcome Center for Alberta was very cordial and pleasant, and so to all of the hotel clerks whom I have dealt with since crossing the international border.
I heard on the radio as I was driving through Saskatchewan (a huge province) this morning that it's new population figure for the entire province in 1,230,000 - and it increased by 30,000 during the last year. Perhaps the political refugees from the United States are already arriving!
Right now I am thinking that I may skip Glacier National Park, truly an American wonder, and cross the mountains in Canada and enter the US through the Idaho panhandle sometime tomorrow afternoon. If I do perhaps Cousin Joyce and I can enjoy a meal together tomorrow evening. I'll call when I cross the border, Joyce.
And speaking of enjoying a meal, it's time for dinner and I am within walking distance of several eating establishments - so I'll give the car - and the concrete medians - a rest!
More tomorrow.
1 comment:
I must be tired too. I didn't notice the error but I clearly pictured my one day in Calgary back in 1963 as I read the post. Back then, I was on a road trip with my parents to Alaska that lasted 89 days. I almost didn't go because I wanted to stay home to be with my girlfriend. Her mother told her that I should go so she put the bug in my ear. Of course, over the summer she was dating someone else whom she eventually married. I'm glad I went. We were traveling in a 3/4 ton Ford with a homemade camper. Dad built it and it looked like it came off the showroom floor. We met a family from Canada at a campground. They had a daughter about 14. She was cute and I'll always remember her face although I don't remember her name or anything else about her. Later, we were about to walk across a street at an intersection. There was a car to our left that was about to turn right into our lane. I noticed it but there was a younger boy, maybe 12 yo, in front of me who started to step onto the street as the light changed. I reached up and put my hand on his shoulder just enough to slow his forward momentum. The car drove past and no one was hurt. It was one of those moments when you can feel good about what you did even though no one else noticed. I used to talk about how I'd like to go to the Calgary Stampede. Great rodeo but I'm not sure I would want to put up with the crowds. Now this is important. Make sure you have plenty of water and Gatorade in the car in case of an emergency. I also recommend having a chest full of ice, a neckerchief for wetting and applying to your head or neck. Stay safe. Bob
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