Here are some pictures from our attempt on Wind Ridge. It’s a hike in Kananaskis I’ve been looking forward to for some time, but we missed our mark when an errant turn sent us astray. No big deal and we’ve gotten off track before and will likely do so again...
Chances are at one time or another you’ll get a flat while out biking. They always happen when you least expect it and they can be a real inconvenience. In this post we’ll show you how to repair the puncture and be on your way in a matter of minutes....
I am afraid time has blurred some of details of this event. It’s 1989 and I am living in the lower mainland and I recall finding out an Air France Concorde jet was due to land at Vancouver International Airport. We had to see that! By then it was a...
For all the hikes and summits we do, we also like to bike on occasion (not nearly enough in fact). With many parts of of Kananaskis closed completely due to flood damage and the few open trails in various states disrepair for the same reason, we decided to forgo that...
Another chance find, this Boler was spotted in July 2013, at the edge of a canola field as we biked the canal pathway that runs between Calgary and Chestermere. Located on the far side of a large property, obscured by a residence and no where near a public road, this...
With temperatures expected to be in the high 20s – the low 30s if you take into account the humidex – Connie and I felt it best not to tackle anything terribly strenuous. Neither of us handle heat well and so we picked an easy hike, something with not too...
Back in 1997 I was doing some delivery work for coal mines in the Sparwood BC area, bringing various mine truck spares in from suppliers in Calgary. On one trip I took time out to explore the Crowsnest Lake Cave. You may have seen this interesting geographical feature from the...
Some time ago I lived in Vancouver for a period of a couple years. I was working – a lot – and rarely took time off. On one of those days though, I found myself exploring the northern reaches of Burnaby. It’s a interesting place full of contrasts. The area...
A little oasis of green on the rolling prairies, Big Hill Springs Provincial Park is a fun place to explore. There is a natural spring, old creamery remains, wildlife and a short but pleasant hiking trail that takes you past it all, and up to the valley ridge above. Located...
For a time, in 1989 and 1990, I lived in Vancouver. Actually I did not live but rather I worked and did little else, sometimes seven days a week for months on end. It was a horrendous pace, a classic case of working harder NOT smarter. Occasionally, as I neared...
This adventure finds us in an area of Kananaskis we’ve never really explored before. Our destination is Mesa Butte, a broad grassy hill located in a sea of gently rolling ridges just west of Millarville. Our route not only takes in that summit, but also two separate ridges leading to...
With many parts of Kananaskis off limits or inaccessible due to the aftermath of record flooding, it was clear our hiking options were rather limited. The only open area was near the Sheep River west of Turner Valley, but there are certainly enough trails in an around there to keep...
This post has been updated and can be found here: CPR Bow River Bridge (Abandoned). They’re saying… ”…Chris & Connie do an amazing job on studying their subject matter.” Rik Barry (Time Air Historical Society). Keeping the theme (BC edition)… Big Eddy Bridge Revelstoke BC. Bridge Hunting: Brilliant BC. Three...
Languishing in a farmer’s field with a number of other trailers and boats, this little grey egg was found while we were out exploring random back roads and highways on the plains just east of Calgary. A large crack appears above the door and it looks like some repairs, rather...
Recent flooding in the region had us scrambling for a place a hike. Most of Kananaskis was off limits or inaccessible due to heavy damage from that event, leaving very few options open. With that in mind, Brown Lowery Provincial Park seemed like a good objective, a place we’ve been...
Unless you’ve been living on the moon you have no doubt heard about the floods that ravaged many parts of Alberta in late June 2013. Record rainfall and melting snow pack in the mountains unleashed a torrent of water with nearly every river and stream overflowing its banks. Many low...
We used to do something called the "pointless challenge" 🤪 and miss those days. It was so much silly fun and often frustrating as heck. In these we'd invite people to send in random photos of obscure locations, but not give any information, and then we'd track where it was and shoot something similar.
Most of these came from old family collections, as was the case here. Anyone up to resurrecting the series?
In hindsight, why didn't we pose someone in our shot?
Pointless: “Devoid of meaning (or) senseless” Merriam-Webster.
If you like what we do and want to support this ongoing project (12 years now), go here: https://www.BIGDoer.com/help-the-society/ Thanks to Connie for making this post possible.
Exploring history with Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie. Photo: ca1970 and 2014. Posted by Connie.
Captured on a cold, cold day many years ago. We've been passing this old house for decades and it's little changed in that time. At some point we expect to drive by and it'll be gone.
Exploring history with Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie. Photo: 2017. Posted by Connie.
When retired old railway cars usually get cut up for scrap. Sometimes, however, they find their way into the hands of the general public or whomever. Flat cars make good bridges, and boxcars can be transformed into storage buildings and the like. Case in point here. We see them used like this often enough and in this case, it's part of a corral.
Incidentally, this boxcar dates from 1950 and this was found by tracing the old road number, which is still visible.
Exploring history with Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie. Photo: 2017. Posted by Connie.
This central Alberta racetrack was never a commercial operation but instead just a fun place for car enthusiasts in the area to get together. Early '70s or thereabouts and it only lasted a few years. Even thought it's been abandoned for that long, there is no doubt what was here.
You know we like the the obscure stuff and this one fits the bill perfectly. Found by accident while backroad cruising and the history comes thanks to local car guy Mike.
Exploring history with Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie. Photo: 2022. Posted by Connie.
On top of little Myrtle Mountain in the Kimberley (BC) Nature Park.
There's some good wilderness fun to be had here and nice views as you can see, but the real reason we came is mining history. The whole area near the ski hill was extensively worked over a century ago and we were looking for evidence of this. We didn't find much in the area searched, but it's a big chunk of property and we hope to return to cover more ground again soon. Of all the subjects we cover, mining related is a favourite.
Still, it was a good hike and that can't be bad. Look to the comments for more info 👇.
Exploring nature and history with Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie. Photo: 2022. Posted by Connie.
It's a strange curiosity in south Kananaskis, there on a hillside and we have no idea who created it. We asked around and no one's completely sure about its history. In the past it showed the Canada 100 logo from 1967 but in 2017 someone changed it to reflect the country's 150th.
That's our friend Emily from DanOCan.com having a look.
Exploring history with Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie. Photo: 2017. Posted by Connie.
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