Hosted by Atlas Coal Mine

May 6, 2012

Sunday with the sun shining and everyone out and about a trip to East Coulee Museum for an afternoon of musical entertainment was worth the days 15 minute drive up Highway 10. The event hosted by the Atlas Coal Mine to finish off the Miners March event weekend was a great finish.

To start us off we had Joe Vickers  a Drumheller native and singer song-writer performed his original mine songs that dig deep to uncover buried stories of the past. An excellent vocalist, story teller and harmonica player.

Next up The Men of The Bud an all male choir from Rosebud and area lead by Bill Hamm. This is my second time hearing this group and they bring goose bumps on my skin they are so good. You have to create an opportunity to hear them, they really are worth a trip to Boomtown Trail.

To end the afternoon the Trouble makers a musical multi media piece that documents the history of working people in alberta through songs written primarily by Maria Dunn with narration and visuals edited by Don Bouzek. A Juno nominated story teller through song, Maria Dunn with her beautiful accompanying team Shannon Johnson violin and vocals and Terry Morrison vocal and guitar were delightful, fun, and magnificent in what they do. A thoroughly wonderful afternoon for only $10 and included coffee and cake.

So the day could not be more complete then to stop in at Wayne Saloon for the best buffalo burger around and filled with travelers on the Boomtown Trail. A great day!

The Alberta Summer Travel Show was sponsored by the Edmonton Journal and City TV at the Mayfield Trade Center April 28th 9am to 5p.m.. The show focused on the amazing travel destinations right here in our own backyard, and the exhibitors were excitedly showing Albertans how to plan incredible local holidays this summer.  Boomtown Trail passed out 1000 bags of the Boomtown Trail Map & Guides including brochures from other communities and events, such as Pioneer Acres Museum, The Willows, Village of Elnora, Town of Bashaw brochures and two Pull Ups, Alberta Prairies Railway Excursions, Wisemens bookstore, Trochu Arboretum & Gardens, Town of Bassano, Torrington Gopher Museum, and Village of Rockyford.  The brochures, and Boomtown Trail Map & Guides really had people chatting about their adventures on the trail and their upcoming plans to have an adventure on the Trail. The Boomtown Team took many travelers on a trip through Boomtown with our informative and visual Map Pull-ups. Showing travelers the perfect golf courses, fishing spots, campsites, recreational opportunities and discovering Bed & Breakfast lifestyles.

Comments made:

“Bashaw? We have been there many times. Does it still have the meat store on the main street?”

“Oh, we love the train in Stettler and go every year!”

Hey, do you think I could get married on the Stettler train and have my reception at the Big Valley hall?”

“I am trying not to go on vacation again on the Boomtown Trail, but every year I get drawn back to it. I love it!”

“Oh, the Boomtown Trail has so many kid friendly trips.”

“This is the best Map & Guide we have ever seen.”

“We need a romantic getaway and Boomtown Trail has it.”

“I would love to work for the Boomtown Trail.”

“We would like to stay in Alberta for our vacations this year.”

“Really, a ghost town, WOW! Dad can we go?”  – Small boy after hearing about Rowley

Our chats, excitement and presentations were enjoyed, busy and non stop promoting.

“You do not need to leave our Province to be amazed at how much adventure, wonderment and surprise await you. Boomtown Trail can give you constant adventures in every community, only charge 5% tax and you can see all seasons in one trip.  With so much to see and do on the Boomtown Trail, isn`t it time you came and explored it for yourself?” -Cindy Bojda

“People really loved hearing about the railway expansion 100 years ago, the fact that people are moving out of rural areas and small towns are trying to preserve their history.       Towns are reverting to tourism and Boomtown Trail has designed touring routes for you, the traveler, just for this purpose.  They also really like hearing that Boomtown Trail is similar to the size of Vancouver Island.”  – Beke B.

The Edmonton Journal Travel Show was an absolute success in regards to show casing our wonderful Boomtown region. The trade show attendees were very interested in the BTT region and all it had to offer such as lakes, campgrounds, golf courses, points of interest and of course eating and shopping. Many said that they wanted to get away from the main corridors and experience a more relaxing and quieter pace of travel and vacation. Those that sent additional material benefited greatly as it was flying off the table. And Bashaw, your pop up banner caught the attention of many!

It was so much fun promoting Boomtown Trail on your behalf! – Judy Bergstrom

Festival mor event attended with RV in Alberta: Platinum Big Valley Jamboree, Camrose & Silver Dinosaur Valley Events, Drumheller

Overall RV Destination in Alberta: Bronze Dinosaur Trails, Drumheller

Lake or Waterfront Destination in Alberta: Silver Pine Lake, Red Deer County

Congratulations!

Week six finishes with visiting Irricana’s town murals and the Grasshopper Gallery.

The perfect pop to any day is colour, even more so when arranged in an ordered fashion to create a work of art. Every piece of art always has a story to tell, especially that of community murals. Murals can be found in many of our Boomtown communities, and provide an expressive visual interpretation about the history and culture that each community possesses. The town of Irricana has taken it all a step farther by building to be a blossoming arts community.

There are fifteen murals on various exteriors of buildings across the small town map, not mentioning the incredible mural in the entire inside of Irricana’s post office and movie store. Also Irricana is the only place on Boomtown Trail that can boast about having its own art co-operative.

Hailing a dedicated group of artists and supporting members, Irricana opened up the art co-op in June 2010; the Grasshopper Gallery. The gallery is the first place you should stop on your mural tour. There are no murals on the gallery itself, but its arguable that the lime green exterior has a certain amount of artistic weight. The gallery is a good midpoint between all of the murals, and whoever is working will provide you with all the needed information about each of the mural’s locations. Take a minute inside the gallery to look and shop around; who knew there was this much talent lurking out here!

I recommend leaving your car parked at Grasshopper Gallery, and walking to all of the fifteen murals. The murals depict rural farm scenes, prairie landscapes, flora and fauna, recreation, and historical scenes of Irricana’s past. Every mural has a story whether it is depicted in the picture, or the behind the scene story of who was involved their reasoning behind it. Take the challenge at every mural to find the country mouse that is incorporated into the design in some way.

No one could have prepared me for the first time upon seeing the inside of Irricana’s post office and movie store. Every single wall is covered in perfect air-brushed detail with each wall a little different than the other. The artist mixed the themes of post office, old-time movie icons, and Boomtown era scenes across the walls.

After spending the afternoon in the quiet community, I felt inspired at the way Irricana is bringing life to their streets. The Grasshopper Gallery is a meeting place of arts and community, providing a third place for people to gather. The murals provide a way to visually experience the thoughts, people, places, and memories of Irricana’s own personal community story.

By: Naomi Williams

Week five’s journey takes us on a new nature trail hike in Donalda.

Since my first trip down the Boomtown Trail I always found Donalda so alluring. I would find myself in conversation’s saying, “Have you been to Donalda before?” The world’s largest lamp and lamp museum provide a bizarre yet interesting attraction, but to me, it is the town’s location overlooking Willow Canyon that gives it a distinct edge.

Last year a new nature trail opened in Donalda; Hike the Coulee to Willow Canyon. Instead of only witnessing the beauty of the canyon from the world’s largest lamp park, the trail allows you to hike down into the canyon.

Starting from the lamp, the first stretch of the hike is on the high side of canyon. You will pass by a small farm before you hit the slow winds of the poplar forest. The first time I tried to hike this trail, the forest section was as far as I made it.

The forest had all sorts of wonder: mushrooms, birds, even a weasel, squirrels and tons of large trees. There was no one around. The only human influence was the path and the boardwalks over the mud holes. I was enjoying myself until a large animal doing just animal things decided to make some noise in the bush. I could not see the animal, only hear the ruffling. I reached for my cell phone, and realized I left it back at the car. That was that, I got spooked and hightailed it out of there.

The second time I went, I realized how close I had been to end of the forest and the beginning of the great wide open. If you have a moment like me in the forest, keep going. The rare occasion of sitting down in the canyon in complete solitude is incredible. Rural Alberta just keeps giving me surprises. I sat on the bench there for awhile admiring yet another hidden gem of the Boomtown Trail.

By: Naomi Williams

Week Four takes us down one of my favourite cruising roads of Boomtown Trail.

Today I spin my wheels down the gentle prairie roads of Highway 805 and 806 from Torrington to Beiseker. This stretch is one of the best on the trail. The balance of open road, to prairie vistas, steep hills, and small valleys offers a traveler the right breadth of charge: exhilaration and relaxation.

I start on the far north end of 805, south of Pine Lake. There is a couple of killer dips on the seemingly straight road that are bound to break a smile. Other than that, the stretch is quiet, but somehow captivating. A blend of green fields, white poplars, and red barns easily drift by on the smooth road. Before I know it the “World Famous Gopher Hole Museum” sign appears in the ditch, pointing and pulling me west into Torrington. The museum is like no other with an array of stuffed gophers displayed in dioramas. The scenes are all different: for example, there are gophers at the hair dressers, a Reverand Gopher, and even a gopher off to the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver. Torrington must also be the only town that can boast about having an overall wearing, buck toothed smiling twelve-foot statue of a gopher. What a place! You need to see it to believe it.

 Moving on south, I leave 805 behind and move onto highway 806, north of Linden. Be prepared on the first part of the 806 stretch to get slapped with a sharp prairie vista view. The view is best on top of the hill where the vista flows down and out in every direction. I love these prairie vista views through all the seasons. In the spring, the blowing wind through the growing crops reminds me of watching the tide come and go at the sea. In the summer, the canola fields bursts with bright yellow that looks even more striking under a thundering sky. And at fall harvest, the billows of grain dust at night is almost enchanting.  I pull off the road on top of the hill, wade through the high grasses in the ditch, snap some pictures and take the time to enjoy the solitude nature of the view before rolling on.

The next town is Linden. Every time I come to this small town, I feel comfortable. For one, it is the only place on the trail that has a Coulee Park. There is something about witnessing dips amongst the prairies that makes these cavities all the more enthralling. Linden takes the captivating nature of coulees one step farther, and lets you get out of your car and walk through the coulee. Start your walk on the far south side of town at the Centennial Park. Here witness large rocks left from when the glacier retreated. From there follow a trodden trail on the high side of the coulee, and then drop down to loop back on the farm road at the bottom. You then will cross the main road, and descend back down into the more established part of the park. Loop back through the town, and stop for a piece of pie at Country Cousins. The Mennonite restaurant makes a flavorful piece of peanut butter pie, not to mention its other varieties.

Carrying down 806 towards Beisker there is an old farm house that you can not miss. The farm house is a mosaic of bright coloured graffiti. Gracing its walls right now is the Grad Class of 2011, but locals tell me its outside walls are always in a state of flux.

806 gives way to highway 9 at the junction of Beisker. So I close out the perfect cruise with one last town stop. I visit Squirt the Skunk (the town mascot) at the local campground, eat a delicious sub at Liz’s Country Bakery & Deli on main, and stroll through the outside pioneer-inspired park at the end of main street. These historical finds leave me fulfilled, and I head back to highway 21 sad to leave the true country roads behind.

By: Naomi Williams

Week Three takes us on a summer river trip down the Red Deer River.

Turning east onto secondary highway 585, the land begins shifting into the many small hills and dips of knob and kettle topography. With the time close to 8 am, the sun was struggling to break through a soft cloud cover as we rolled along with canoes in tow. Excitement rose for the day ahead as we dropped down into the Red Deer River Valley at Mckenzie Crossing, west of Three Hills.

The Red Deer River is gentle, offering paddlers the perfect blend of retreat and relaxation. Whether you are beginning or experienced, on a sunny day the rhythmic stroke of your paddle breaking the water and propelling you forward is awesome.

The plan for our day was a twenty-eight kilometer journey finishing in Tolman Badland Heritage Rangeland Natural Area. The half way point was Dry Island Buffalo Jump Provincial Park, where we would stop for lunch. Having been to Dry Island on numerous occasions, I was amazed at the difference of seeing the historical wonder aboard a canoe, in the middle of the river, inching in from afar. There is awe in its vastness, and how gently it rolls away.

After a long lunch under the shade of cottonwood trees, we headed back to the water. On our first bend of the river, two soaring turkey vultures crossed overhead. From then on we kept spotting birds: numerous belted kingfishers and various hawks hunting up in the badland slopes.

There is such unique land features to be spotted between Dry Island and Tolman. The badlands are so green right now. And each sandy mound a different shape as the land rolls up from the river valley out to the prairies. Each section of badland different from the one before.

As we approached the end at close to 5 pm, you could feel the calm Friday afternoon atmosphere as weekend campers started lining the shores nearing Tolman Bridge Crossing. People were floating lazily on air rafts, others played with their dog, and a group sat in lawn chairs with their feet in the water.

As we hoisted the canoes back on the truck, and stoked the fire for smokies, I sat back to think of what a perfect way to spend a summer day. The excited chatter from all those I paddled with confirmed my notions.

By: Naomi Williams

Week Two we are heading south to check out the panoramic views, the valleys, oh and find a geocache.

Down south on Boomtown Trail, the long lines of prairie vistas swiftly tumble away into valleys below. These natural cavities are a fusion between transitioning prairie, aspen parkland, and badlands. Every time I see these valleys, I get the same sort of shocking satisfaction.

South of Rosebud, I head west off highway 840 down a winding gravel road in search of a geocache. The geocache is one of a series of geocaches titled: “Postcards from Alberta”. The intriguing idea brings geocachers to sites offering incredible views worthy of postcard fame.

Spitting down the gravel road, a smile bursts from the sides of my mouth with everything to be seen before me, and only dust rising behind. Coming to the crest of the hill, I pull over to check my coordinates and creep the few more meters to close-in on the cache site.

I wade through the grass and pull the camoflauged geocache out from behind a small bush.  From the cache site, the postcard view is before me; the Rosebud Valley.  The top edges of Rosebud’s grain elevator can be seen in the far east, a handful of farms dot the valley and hillside throughout, and directly in front a train bridge over the Rosebud river completes the view. It is a view without doubt worthy of a postcard, yet is the placement of the geocache pulling me down the back gravel roads that gives me the biggest pop to my day’s adventure.

By: Naomi Williams

Sure, the Boomtown Trail may be known for its prairie vistas, but the region is far from flat. We are going to take you on a written journey about six places on the Boomtown Trail that will pop your perceptions about eastern Alberta. The places are not necessarily our biggest attractions on the map, but instead have the ability to drop your mouth in amazement, plug your ears due to swift drops in the land, break a huge smile across your face or blow your mind with simple beauty, community pride, or great historical respects. That is the thing with Boomtown Trail, you never know what you are going to find.

First up on the plate….The Trochu Arboretum & Gardens

The gentle roll of knob and kettle and farm fields stretch away from the roadside edge between Delburne and Trochu. The view attractive, but somewhat untouchable. It is easy to press into 5th gear, and let the yellow and green colour of the crops melt together as I zip by.  Taking the farthest northern entrance into Trochu from Hwy 21, I slow down and inch towards a piece of prairie wilderness popping with colour, community character, and utter satisfaction.

I come to a stop outside the Trochu Arboretum & Gardens including the Sweet Grass Cafe. Cars and trucks, and one RV cluster around the small entrance way. Colour greets me at the entrance with huge planters exploding pink, purple, green, red and white. Yet as soon as I enter, it is the simplicity of the open sections of green grass and the shade of trees that offers the instant gratification. I feel the breeze, hear the trickle of a fountain, and watch a couple amble down the winding path towards the cafe.

The near-to-full cafe offers an exciting contrast to the gardens. The owner and her son bustle to keep on top of coffee refills and food orders in the shaded maple-tree courtyard, and the small one-room dining space inside. The lady who owns the cafe has no time to talk as she is in the midst of a lunch-time slam, but keeps a smile on her face as her son feeds her orders from the courtyard.

I continue down the red-shale winding path, and stop to investigate the plaques naming all the different varieties of shrubs and tree, learning as I go. Every bend offers a new sight: a life-sized checker board, a pond with a sitting bench, a Japanese-inspired garden, and even a personified tree with carved out eyes, nose, and smiling tooth-filled mouth. Yet there are two sections I am most drawn too, and loop back twice to visit them.

One section is out in the full heat, and reflects the sun in colour and fervor. Flowers in hues of yellows, oranges, and burnt red burst from the plot in different shapes, sizes, and heights. On the other side of the path, small illuminating pink flowers engulf a bird bath. In contrast, the other section is a shade garden. The shade garden is dedicated to all the volunteers whose sweat and hard work throughout time have transformed this area, and maintain its beauty year after year. It is the community’s commitment to the garden that softens me the most. Nothing feels contrived about the gardens, and it is easy to feel and see the true grit in every winding bend.

I leave the gardens and head back to the streets, back to my car. I notice that I feel both charged up, yet gentler at the same time. The experience leaves me wanting to explore more of the trail, yet my senses are in perfect balance to take my time as I get where ever I need to go.

By: Naomi Williams