Red Deer River Valley Wanderings

We’re in the Red Deer River Valley in and around Drumheller Alberta. We’re restless, have an empty SD card, charged batteries and an itchy shutter finger. What to do…what to do? I know, it’s time to explore! Let’s capture that small town vibe we so love. Take to the road, randomly of course and see what interesting things can discovered. Presently, the world is in lock down and there’s no one about but back in the summer of 2019, it’s was all quiet too…for other reasons. In small towns they roll up the streets at night and rarely is there much action then. It’s a different kind of social distancing.

We don’t always shoot these with the intention to make some kind of story of the resultant photos. Usually it’s just for us…for fun. But here, there was a lot of silly images we really liked, captured over two evenings that we thought you’d appreciate seeing. On deck, a sampling of images captured in Drumheller and nearby Rosedale. It’s a big, historic, scenic valley and we’re in the area a lot. If you plan to visit inspired by this post, please do so once this Covid thing ends and the world has returned to normal.

Now grab your hat…you’re riding shotgun. In the always pleasant light of evening, we’re ready to explore and the only goal is a good time. Keep it simple, keep it laid back and you can’t lose. And if we get a few good pics, all the better.

1) Look waaaay up. Many smaller communities have a water tower like this and thanks to journalist Johnnie Bachusky, they’re a new obsession for us. By putting the water up high, it pressurizes the system without the need to keep a pump running twenty four seven. This one towers over downtown Drumheller. In the latest Ghostbusters flick it makes an appearance and was lettered for the fictional town of Summerville Oklahoma.

2) The Navy League Building dates from 1925. The nearest ocean is over a thousand clicks away, yet this doesn’t stop the group from having an active membership. The skies above boil and rumble, an impressive show, but the expected storm fails to deliver. Fine by us.

1) Look up, waaaaay up.

3) This ghost (Coca cola) sign is pretty much all that’s left of a corner grocery store. The lot is otherwise empty and grassed over. Memories of penny candy come rushing back.

4) It’s a quiet night at the Dinosaur Hotel (earlier Newcastle Hotel). When built in the (ca) 1920s, it was located in a community called Newcastle (named after a nearby coal mine) which in the 1960s was annexed by Drumheller. It’s got a cool retro vibe, but we’ve never been inside (but should go). Always love old school places like this. Failing light and we’re still hand holding. Now where did I put that tripod?

5) Downtown Drum, it’s eye’s skyward. Greyhound has gone the way of that winged Dino thing higher up.

6-7) We wonder if these were from that Ghostbusters shoot? While Heinz is a real brand (yum, ketchup in stew!), Swizz Detergent and Homestead Smokes are fictional. “Share the smooth flavour…”

8) At The Jurassic Store, a beast you would not want to have a run in with.

9) The World’s Biggest Dino, this here menacing T-Rex. When open you can climb up inside and view Drumheller in all its glory, from its gaping mouth. Look out for those teeth! In the day it’s busy with tourists but here after hours, it’s all ours. It’s many times the size of an actual Tyrannosaurus.

10) This used to be the Cool Castle, a once mandatory ice cream stop. Now it’s more a burger joint. Here it’s the following evening and the sky’s got a less gloomy personality.

11) Rosedale is the next town east. It’s actually part of Greater Drumheller, but everyone uses its original name. And there’s a “Mike” truck – long story but let’s say it’s so named after a fellow from our past who had a penchant for junk pickups. The rustier the better was his motto.

12) It’s The Rosedale Laundromat, founded in 1989. It’s not clear if they’re still in business today.

13) Down the street, The Roadhouse Saloon, a place we’ve passed by countless times but never once noticed…I see a twilight zone episode in the making. “No minors. No smoking. No! No! No!!! Welcome to Alberta (The Land of the Free)”. We got to check this place out.

14-16) A row of old bicycles, now lawn art. A couple CCM’s (that cool branded chainwheel), once Canada’s largest bike manufacturer, and a oldie last plated in 1960. That’s back when you had to license your two-wheeler. CCM = Canada Cycle & Motor. You can still find CCM branded department store bikes today, but it’s their line of hockey gear that is more well known.

17) This is downtown Rosedale. It’s total gridlock man! The highway bypasses town by a block, so here it’s peace and quiet. The old rail line is just to the right behind that brush. We’ll touch on it later.

18) The things you see when looking up.

19) A building connected to the old Rosedale Coal Mine in operation from 1912-1952. A plaque offers up plenty of background history on this operation. This place is on our radar for a closer revisit – if we can swing it.

20) Above the mine, tramway towers with the cables still attached. Waste from the workings would be taken away by cable suspended buckets and dumped over the hill. Out of sight, out of mind. Drumheller region mine dumps (and there are lots) are characterized by their bright orange colour account oxidized shale. These can be viewed from a public road.

21) In the middle of a long closed golf course, an old shack. That’s one serious hazard. For a moment or two, the sky came alive. Fore…was heard on the wind.

22) The early-1980s built Rosedale Grain Elevator, from very late in the “wood” era. It’s still in use for grain storage. The rail line in behind dates from the 1910s and was closed a decade or so ago, and pulled up a few years after. On leaving Rosedale southbound, the old line heads up the amazing Rosebud River Valley to Wayne and points beyond.

23) Here’s the first of eleven bridges on the road to Wayne. The creek here is crossed and recrossed so many times, it’s hard to keep track. One summer weekends, it’s an endless stream of Harleys and other road bikes headed to the Wayne Hotel.

24) An oldie but a goodie, a classic old truck (looks like a circa 1948-1950 Ford) out for a cruise. Needed an old metal fix, and this was it. Almost got away from us here so it was an off the hip shot.

25) At the Rosedale Cafe & Market. There’s Dinos all over the valley and of all none are more blue than this one. It looks on almost longingly.

26) Got a thing for old metal – it’s an obsession. At a compound full of gems, this 1970s era Lincoln (we think). In back a legendary GMC motorhome from that same decade.

27) The cause of many sore shoulders back in the ’70s, this “punch buggy” (“slug bug” works too). The VW Beetle is one of the most iconic cars of all time with millions made. Your author learned to drive in a Bug. Now you know.

2) The nearest ocean is a thousand clicks away.

28) Sorry we’re closed. And a flame-job Freightliner you can buy! Image it, the life of a truck driver. The road calls! Glamour and glory.

29) Back in Drumheller, remains of a Canadian National Railways crew shed of some sorts. The “Alberta Midland” line dates form the 1910s and was pulled up a half dozen years ago. Why this building remains is not known, but it appears kept up. The old roadbed is that gravel strip just to the right. Interestingly, the CNR is holding line remains, suggesting they have some future plans for it. Usually, these are surrendered with many becoming recreational trails. But not here.

The day’s about done, time to head’r back to homebase for the weekend (yes, dive motel!). What a great way to unwind, life’s troubles shoved in a corner for a time and adventure the only objective. There’ some cool pics to come out of this and a bit of photo-therapy so it’s a win for us. Hope you enjoyed your time here…till next week roam together.

They’re saying…

”A great way to spend some spare time. I like to read one a day.” Byron Robb.

More like this…
In & Around Hanna.
Wandering Historic Downtown Coleman.
Wandering Beiseker.

If you wish more information on what you’ve seen here, by all means contact us!

Date of Adventure: June, 2019.
Location: Drumheller & Rosedale AB.
Article references and thanks:

3) Ghost sign.

4) Retro hotel!

5) Greyhound went the way of the dinosaur.

6) It’s always better with ketchup.

7) Share the smooth flavour…

8) This frightening beast.

9) Bigger than the biggest.

10) Once a mandatory ice cream stop.

11) The quiet streets of Rosedale.

12) Keeping it clean since 1989.

13) No! No! No!

14) Old cycles…

15) Last plated sixty years ago.

16) CCM was once a market leader.

17) Had the place to ourselves.

18) Randomly looking up.

19) At the former Rosedale Coal Mine.

20) Tramway towers with old cables still attached.

21) Sunset is a magic time.

22) A late model wooden elevator.

23) The first of many bridges on this road.

24) Caught cruising about town.

25) Blue dino time!

26) Old metal has us spellbound.

27) No punch backs!

28) Nothing but peace & quiet.

29) Along the Alberta Midland.