MAYFAIR —I’m sure most grandparents are able to take their grandchildren on a vacation once in a while. This is exactly what I did for seven days last week. My daughter and three kids ages 8, 11 and 12 drove to our destination which was Barkerville, B.C. approximately 1,340 kilometres from Maymont. It’s nice that I can be a passenger once in a while and actually enjoy the sights outside the window. We loaded up my SUV and departed on July 31 staying overnight in Hinton, Alta. We put on lots of miles to reach our destination. We took a gondola ride up Jasper Mountain, spotting a marmot sunning itself on big rock ledges. Prince George, B.C. has a wonderful train museum and great walking trails along the river banks. Barkerville features an old gold mining heritage site with 125 buildings to tour. I worked there for a short stint. I wanted my grandchildren to see this tourist attraction as people from all around the world stop in to learn the history of northern British Columbia.
In the 1800s, when gold was discovered by Billy Barker, many Germans flocked to the mountains, staked their gold claims with the government and built up businesses. Many of their descendants still own property especially in Bowron Lake and Wells in the Barkerville vicinity.
A stagecoach ride with two large mixed Percheron horses was a delight while watching the many live theatrical plays staged on the dirt streets.
A rainy, cloudy day at Bowron Lake turned out to be just fine as we rented two canoes to wear off the kids' energy. Two grandsons fished for a bit before the sky opened up with torrential rain, thunder and lightning. Bowron Lake is in a large valley featuring trees and mountains. The smell of the northern wilderness with this large body of water rejuvenates one’s body and mind
Of course, hot springs are a big attraction so we spent a couple of hours near Revelstoke before departing to Lake Louise and Banff. We drove through these two tourist towns in the dark stillness of the night. The reason? In between Revelstoke and Golden all motorists were held up for five hours on the highway due to a head-on collision involving two small vehicles which resulted in fatalities. Yikes this put a damper on our holiday and obviously night driving prevented us from viewing the scenery. Mt. Robson near Jasper a few days earlier was still a highlight.
We arrived at a Calgary motel at 2:15 a.m. so the five of us didn’t get much shut eye. Calgary Zoo on a weekend was jam packed with all nationalities. Many different languages could be heard amongst the large crowd on this very hot afternoon.
Accommodations on a long weekend is somewhat of a challenge although we planned a couple of days in advance and were fortunate to get good ones. Late Sunday night we arrived home safe and sound, tired but happy. On the lighter side, Grandma’s bank account is not completely drained. Now something needs planned with our son’s six-year-old child, whether it occurs this year or in 2024. If you are like me, it’s good to keep things equal.
At times in cities it is difficult to book a hall for meetings, family functions and parties. Small villages offer cheaper rent as Maymont Centre is advertising. It is in close proximity to the Battlefords. If interested give Deb a shout at 306-480-9036 or Bill at 306-389-2017.
Due to a shortage of water, many rural hamlets and villages have enforced strict watering regulations.
Congratulations to a local boy who grew up on a nearby Whitkow farm on his recent wedding. Brennan Huard and Sarah Bajak tied the knot on Aug. 5 in North Battleford where they reside. Many years of happiness for this newly wedded couple.
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