Bolers are family.

These were produced for a couple decades starting in the late 1960s, but peak output was in the early to late 1970s period. Two models were offered, in 13 and 17 foot lengths. The trailer seen here is one of the latter and it’s an early example. These longer Bolers were only introduced the same year Bella was made.

The Boler story is rather complex and makes tracing the lineage of these campers a sometimes difficult proposition. If there’s no original papers or builder’s mark especially, but Bella came with both, and it’s easy when you have that.

The reason it’s such a challenge is that many firms produced these trailers. Neonex made Bolers in-house (like this one), and under contract to other firms. They came from (variously) factories in Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta and British Columbia, sometimes concurrently too. There was limited US production as well.

If you had a plant that could do fibreglass work you could jump on board and get a franchise. For a time Bolers sold like crazy, but the market cooled considerably after about 1980.

Known manufacturers include Neonex itself (Calgary, Alberta), Vanguard Neonex (Winfield, British Columbia), Glass-Fab (Peace River, Alberta), Earlton Manufacturing (Earlton, Ontario), Midhurst Fibreglass (Midhurst, Ontario – they made the last ones) and Tri-Fab (Boler America).

Boler Manufacturing of Winnipeg was the company that started it all (and later purchased by Neonex) plus Triple-E in Winkler Manitoba also produced some. In addition some contracted firms also made bootleg Bolers using company supplied moulds, but sold under their own name.

The majority of factories concentrated on one size of Boler (so mostly the more popular 13 foot model), but research suggests at least one plant produced both. They came and went, got the contracts and some soon went belly up. It’s all curious and this suggests some sort of underlying problems.

Now let’s check out this former plant, a nondescript warehouse located in a Northeast Calgary industrial park. Today, it’s a building supply place, but for a couple short years (1977-1978) it produced 17 foot Bolers. Perhaps 13 footers too and we’ll address that in a moment.

Neonex initially listed the earliest of the longer models as 16 feet when introduced (which carried a b1600 model number), but soon changed it to 17 feet (as a model b1700), even though the actual size was never altered.

Further complicating matters, we’ve found some 16 and 17 footers advertised at 16.5 feet which suggest they were always part way between anyway. Sort of the like the Subway Footlong that’s a bit shy of a foot long.

This was plant was specifically built for Boler production and situated not far from the big Neonex Mobile Home factory a couple blocks away (last a big furniture warehouse). The Calgary Boler plant didn’t last long and due to high inflation, killer interest rates and fuel shortages, it closed not long after opening.

Other plants continued production of Bolers for a time, but only few years later only one remained. Then there were none.

Afterwards this building has had many tenants but it’s doubtful any knew of its past history. We filled in the Uppal guys, who were curious of our request, but very helpful once we explained it further. They loved Bella and were proud of the connection.

A full page ad promoting the the Neonex Calgary plant shows up in a November 1976 issue of the Calgary Herald. It states: “Boler moves to Calgary, a new 30,000 square foot factory to serve the recreational needs of Western Canada and USA markets.”

The ad also announces the new 16 foot Boler, which will soon morph into the 17 foot Boler, but without actually changing. An attached photo shows the newly completed plant and it’s suggested production for the 1977 model year was weeks away.

More from the ad: “Boler trailers, the fuel savers, modern aerodynamic designs save considerably on fuel consumption.” The owners of Bella, our pals Dan and Emily confirm it tows easy. Cheaply too and it’s nothing compared to the fifth wheel they downsized from.

Further, it states the plant at full capacity would produce ten trailers a day. Eight is later said and it’s further broken down as four per day of each of the two sizes.

In more than one instance it’s stated that 13 footers were to be produced here but in the end, we’ve not found company records to corroborate it actually happening. Still, we can’t say for certain and approach the subject cautiously. In couple records the address of this plant does come up as a sales outlet for 13 foot Bolers built elsewhere, however. Both Earlton and Vanguard Winfield are mentioned.

So welcome to where it all happened. The building that is the backdrop in this post is where almost fifty years ago Bella was built. It’s good to be back home. To Boler aficionados like us, this rather utilitarian block becomes a sacred place…hallowed ground…a star in the Bolerverse. Not just because of Bella, but due to all the fun we have chasing Bolers, some which came from this very same factory.

That door seen in back, we believe, is where new trailers emerged from the production floor. An old aerial photos from the time the factory operated shows many new trailers grouped around this spot and all appear to be 17 foot models too.

Neonex was a Jim Pattison Company (he’s a big name in business circles) and apparently, his conglomerate still holds the trademark to the Boler name.

Look on your (17 foot) Boler and if it has a sticker or badge with the Neonex name (often “built with pride by Neonex”), it may have come from here. BC produced Bolers, 13 footers included, often carried the same badge so it’s not 100% assured. An Uncle Ben’s RV sticker shows above the Neonex badge.

Random thought – you got to wonder how many Calgary-built Bolers pass by on the busy highway a few blocks south? Betcha more than a few.

Bella belongs to some good friends – but then again we say that of all Boler owners – and they were thrilled to bring it home after almost half a century. Let’s celebrate!

In spite of being two of the biggest Boler fans out there, we don’t have one. Yet. We’re that close, however, and all we need is to win the lottery so we can purchase one and a proper vehicle to pull it. Other than that, we’re good to go.

All together it’s said they (all firms) made around 10000 Bolers in total and the 13 foot models were by far the majority. That Neonex ad from 1976 states they had already reached that number that year, so the total must be greater than that, but it’s hard to guess by how much. The market tanked soon afterwards and by the early 1980s production slowed to a trickle.

Some websites says as high as 20000 but that may a little pie in the sky.

The first Bolers were produced in 1968 and the last twenty years later. There is still a lot on the road (with proper upkeep they could last almost forever) and they’re so legendary that demand remains high. They don’t come cheap, and the wonderful retro appeal (a flashback to simpler times) partly explains the cost.

BolerColada: a drink made in celebration of Bella going home and while we’d like to claim it as our own invention, it’s simply a PinaColada lazily renamed. We didn’t even try to get creative, but it sure tasted good. Cheers!

Know more (new tab): Boler Camping Trailers (it’s a deep, deep rabbit hole).

They’re saying…

“Chris and Connie are the real deal – their adventures are truly interesting and fun!” Justine Cooke.

Random fun…
Comox Fisherman’s Wharf Comox BC.
Chinook Motel Crowsnest Pass ~50 Years Apart.
The Lost LAV: Which Way to Wainwright?.
Twilite Drive-in Wolseley.

Something to say and no one to say it to? Go here: Contact Us!

Date of adventure: October 2023.
Location: Calgary, Alberta.
Article references and thanks: Our good friend Dan & Emily (from DanOCan.com), the fine folks at Uppal Building Supplies, BolerTrailerHistory.ca, the Medicine Hat & District Genealogical Society, old Calgary Herald newspapers, UofC Archives, and the City of Calgary.

Bella the Boler goes home!

Made by Neonex and sold by Uncle Ben’s.

Bella has been on the road since the 1970s.

BolerColadas to celebrate.

Bolers are an iconic camper made in the 1960s-1980s.

We believe this door is where new Bolers left the factory.

The highway calls.

The post Bella the Boler Goes Home (Cheers!) first appeared on Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie.

The delusions are strong – we’re King of Bolertown Baby – if only for a few hours. Then it’s back to our everyday lives.

Each years a group of folks similarly obsessed, get together and spend a weekend camping. It’s a social affair hanging with like-minded folks and having a little fun. It’s a grand event with games, music and entertainment. Food trucks too! And like us, everyone comes to gawk. To appreciate the trailers, any restoration work and customizations done. Most campers are presented open house style and you’re encouraged to look around.

This is a photo heavy post (we just couldn’t resist) so grab a coffee, but first the write up…

As big a fan as is Team BIGDoer, we don’t actually own a Boler and that must sound strange. We’re obsessed, and probably more so than most, yet there’s not one parked in our garage.

Being a couple of poor broke adventurers means it can only happen in our dreams. What we wouldn’t do hit the road Boler-style and maybe one day it’ll happen. Lotto or something. All we need is a Boler and a proper tow vehicle, plus the funds to purchase both. Take those out of the equation and we’re that close to being in the club but till then, we live vicariously through others.

Till then it’s dive motels, couch surfing and tents.

Even without, we’re not outcasts and instead welcomed with open arms into the fraternity. Still, they call us a bit crazy. It goes deep and they’re just so cute we can’t resist.

Gas City Campground has almost a hundred spaces and most were taken up by the Vintage Trailer Rally this weekend. The vast majority of trailers here were Bolers, with both seventeen and thirteen foot models well represented. Production started in the late 1960s and continued for about twenty years. In that time many thousands were produced (some estimates state ten thousand or more), and given they’re a sound design, a lot are still on the road.

Welcome to the Medicine Hat Vintage Trailer Rally, 2023.

Case in point here, and this crazy collection of Bolers going back fifty or sixty years. Peaks production was the 1970s, but even the newest examples are old timers for sure. Most Bolers and many other makes, seen at this event, were made in Canada. For some reason, producers of little fibreglass trailers once flourished in this country and there were factories in many provinces.

Brands other than Bolers are represented here, but in smaller numbers. Trilliums are still sort of in production and one of the most common of the little fibreglass trailers besides Bolers. There’s a couple here. The newest ones aren’t all that different from the eldest, but earlier examples are the majority. A Bigfoot is seen, a Lil’ Bigfoot too, so is a Surf Side, and we noted at least one Scamp.

There were many makers competing with Bolers back then, some with unique designs and others offering blatant Boler clones.

Some vintage slab-sided trailers and a small fibreglass one of European origins showed up for event. Interesting design that Biod, from the Netherlands. A rare Holly Van must hold record as the smallest camping trailer ever and makes even a thirteen foot Boler look spacious. I bet even our car could pull it, and it’s barely able to handle a grocery run.

No matter the make, most of these older trailers, the fibreglass ones especially (of which most seen here are of that type) are quite collectable. It’s not a cheap game to play, but they do hold their value if resold and with upkeep can seemingly last forever. Hand them down to your children or grandchildren as a family heirloom.

Bolers and their kin are often customized by their owners or at least the more ambitious owners. Given their age, they usually need some work anyway. Wear and tear stuff. Their value remains high if original and in good shape or if nicely customized. There’s few of the former at the Vintage Trailer Rally (Bella comes close I think), but lots of the latter and it’s almost a given that new Boler owners will personalize them to some degree.

Sometimes it’s simple and just a tidy-up, or a complete make-over.

Doing them up in custom colours graphics is always popular. Make it bold and make it stand out. Still, there’s a lot to be said of factory colours – those browns and tans with orange stripes seen on many seventeen foot Bolers. Strange shades were so popular in the 1970s. Or there’s the two tone Bolers with white on top usually – they’re a classic.

Vintage trailers are often given pet names. Marvin is that European Trailer, and was saw a Buttercup. Bella the Boler belongs to our friend Dan and Emily. <-- Bella the Boler Goes Home (Cheers!). We know Orange Blossom and have met before out in BC. Pysanka is the Ukrainian Easter egg Boler. Poopster! It goes on and on.

That’s just a sample and it sent us down a rabbithole. Looking in the Boler registry (yes, it’s a thing), here’s some random ones…Boler McBolerface, EggCellent, Over Easy, The SCRambler, Birdie’s Nest, Peaches and Cream, Billy Bob Boler, Duck Egg, Lemondrop, Yellow Submarine and there’s a whole bunch of others.

The names are almost always creative, fanciful and are usually a window into the mind of their owners. Many have egg related names and darn if we can understand why (insert smiley face here). Some Bolers are famous and have their own social followings.

Some owners of customized or done-up trailers go one better and make a matched set using a classic car. It’s amazing the trouble and work these people will do, but it’s worth it and they’re head turners. There’s some amazing trailers and car/trailer combos to be seen this day. A few Boler seem to be done up as rolling advertisements and state in less than subtle terms, their owner’s allegiances to specific brands. There’s a Bud Light Boler for one.

A rare (longer) Trillium 5500 and in cool colours too.

A single motorhome is noted among all the trailers and older ones like this tend to be rare given their additional complexity. This one’s a real nice beauty, a Travco called Myrtle and it’s close to our age. That is darn old (it’s from 1964). It’s so much bigger than anything else here and dwarfs any nearby fibreglass trailers.

We’ve been following Myrtle on social media for years, have chatted with the owners in that time, but have never met. We’re fans but they were out when we knocked. We did see them on the highway, next day after the event, but a face to face will have to wait till some other chance meeting.

We’re not the only ones touring the grounds and many locals from outside the Vintage Trailer Rally group stop by to check things out. Some do so on foot and others in cars, including a few gorgeous classics. Old cars gotta cruise…slowly too. During our walkabout, a Boler showed up in the overflow campground but they were not part of the rally. It was purely a coincidence and serendipity strikes again.

Now that’s enough babbling on, and let’s get you exploring the Gas City Campground. Bolers await! What’s that? They’re serving up Boleritas where?Ah…cocktails and dreams. Hours pass by, the light fades and soon it’s dark. For every vintage trailer seen in this post, there’s a bunch that didn’t get photographed. We have this penchant for chatting with owners and this eats up a lot of time.

Bolers: “It’s the sense of community, they’re easy to tow, they’re so light, they travel great…” – Linda Warner. Hope you enjoy our little tour of the Medicine Hat Vintage Trailer Rally and please drop in again…

Posts from others who were there: (new tab): Medicine Hat Vintage Trailer Rally 2023.

Stop by often for fresh and interesting content being posted regularly.

They’re saying…

“Thank you for all the engaging write ups and pictures…you two are a national treasure!” Bonnie & Gerald McDonald.

Random awesomeness…
Highway History (BC): the Garbage Gobbler.
Great Beater Challenge 2021.
A Tour of Sandon BC.

Something to say and no one to say it to? Go here: Contact Us!

Date of Adventure: August, 2023.
Location(s): Medicine Hat, Alberta.
Article references and thanks: Our dear friends Dan and Emily (owners of Bella the Boler and of DanOCan.com), organizers of the Medicine Hat Vintage Trailer Rally 2023 and all the participants.

Everyone knows what beer you like.

A Robin’s egg on wheels.

Bigfoots are more squarish in shape.

Live small and dream big.

The Pysanka Easter egg Boler.

At every turn, it’s a Boler overload.

We crossed paths with the owners out in BC years ago and chatted.

BIGDoer yellow…but check out the next one.

We’re OTBPwC&C and approve of this colour.

The happy camper.

The Poopsters…

Lil Bigfoot Trailers are very Boler-like.

Surf Sides aren’t terribly common.

Bella, belonging to our friends at DanOCan.

Home is where you park it.

Some vintage slab-side trailers showed up to the rally.

They have the right idea.

A train slowly works it’s way up the valley.

Commemorating the 3rd Cdn Mounted Rifles & 175th Battalion (of WW1) .

Not part of the rally, but an interesting coincidence all the same.

Cocktails and Dreams…

Now pass the Boleritas!

Trillium was the biggest competitor to Bolers.

The colours work, but we’re impartial.

Not the only orange one, as it turns out.

A bold colour and a real stand out thanks to that.

Myrtle the 1964 Travco.

It’s makes a Boler look spacious and even our car could tow it.

It’s all got to match.

Made in Canada and this is a later model Boler.

Built in Europe.

Camping 1960s style.

Seen on on the drive home and one day we’ll chat with them.

The post Medicine Hat Vintage Trailer Rally 2023 first appeared on Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie.

We were fortunate to have use of a family home that summer and spent a couple weeks in the area just hiking, exploring and connecting with history. After a busy day we’d relax with some wine on the porch and relax. That’s not something we get to do at home. The only problem is trip like this end.

From our time in Cranbrook…Tri-Way/Kootenay Country Inn Cranbrook, CPR Water Tower Cranbrook BC and Kimberley BC: Magic Line – Moe’s Canyon.

Boler: A small, cute-as-a-bug fibreglass camping trailer made in Canada in the 1960s to 1980s period and we make a fun game spotting them on road trips or adventures. We’ll also include similar trailers from other manufacturers that are close in appearance, construction or configuration to Bolers.

To reach out or say hello, go here: contact us!

Under the Blush Spa sign, Cranbrook BC.

The post Blush Boler first appeared on Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie.

It’s that simple and given this seems to be a common approach to the storage issue means you’ll often fund us peering down these lanes in search of our quarry. It’s worthwhile and we’re rewarded with an amazing frequency.

We do it out of habit now and you’ll see us both scanning behind houses so they can be the first one to shout out Boler. That’s what you say, with all the exuberance that can be summoned, when announcing themselves as the quickest. Think of it as a variation of the Punch Buggy game, but without bruised shoulders and hurt feelings.

This find came about thanks to another instinctive sideways glace during a walk in a random Calgary neighbourhood. That’s back in April of 2022.

From the same card dump…Bowness Shopping Centre (Bowness Rd NW), Balmoral School Calgary 1913-1914 and Bamboo Gardens Mayland Heights.

Boler: A small, cute-as-a-bug fibreglass camping trailer made in Canada in the 1960s to 1980s period and we make a fun game spotting them on road trips or adventures. We’ll also include similar trailers from other manufacturers that are close in appearance, construction or configuration to Bolers.

To reach out or say hello, go here: contact us!

Back alleys are where you find them!

The post Back Alleys Are Where You Find Them! first appeared on Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie.

This plant mostly made thirteen foot models but for a short time about 1979-1980 also the larger seventeen footers, of which this is an example. If you’re familiar with these trailers you’ll note it’s somewhat different compared to others of that size.

It has a unique window and door treatment. On most seventeen foot models, the doors match the shape of the shell, where as here it’s flat and therefore recessed. The rear window is also smaller than most others and you can still see the indent marking the normal sized opening.

It’s not known if these were applied to all Vanguard built seventeen foot Bolers or just some. It may have been done perhaps our of necessity due to supply issues or an economic move. Both would be cheaper, but at the same time if the latter, it kind of throws off the design a tad. It’s seems out of balance.

Neonex was the parent company of Vanguard at the time, and that BC firm also built slab-sized trailers for quite a while. Neonex also had a factory in Calgary (1977-1978 model years), and it appears most seventeen foot models came for there. We know of some and even recently took one back home. Look for that post in the coming months.

The dealer sticker reads: “Swanstrom’s Vanguard RV Edmonton”. This firm didn’t exist until late in the 1980s, after Boler production ended, so that can only mean it was a used sale.

Just up the block there another discover, not a second Boler, but rather something else to pique our curiosity. Our interests are seemingly endless and now it’s time to take in a couple old land barges from the late 1960s-early 1970s period and carrying the marques of Pontiac (Gran Prix) and Buick (Skylark).

These finds all come to a random stroll in a random neighbourhood back in April 2022. A productive walk!

From the same card dump…CC Snowdon Building Calgary, Bamboo Gardens Mayland Heights and The Wilson’s Arch Building Calgary.

Boler: A small, cute-as-a-bug fibreglass camping trailer made in Canada in the 1960s to 1980s period and we make a fun game spotting them on road trips or adventures. We’ll also include similar trailers from other manufacturers that are close in appearance, construction or configuration to Bolers.

To reach out or say hello, go here: contact us!

Spotted while out for a stroll in a Calgary neighbourhood.

Made in Winfield BC by Neonex Vanguard Trailers.

Vanguard’s 1700s are different than most.

Old muscle just around the corner…

The post Vanguard Neonex 1700 Boler first appeared on Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie.

On a dull March day 2022, a symbol of hope appears in the form of a Boler and gets us thinking of spring. It’s only a month or so away at this point. There we were, out for a stroll and on rounding a corner, it’s a gift presented by the Boler gods. This reminds us Mother Nature is only sleeping and will return soon. These trailers are usually socked away for the winter and only hit the road once things green up. So like us, it’s waiting for spring, glorious spring.

The day’s made a bit brighter thanks to this random chance find.

From the same card dump…CC Snowdon Building Calgary, Bowness Shopping Centre (Bowness Rd NW) and Balmoral School Calgary 1913-1914.

Boler: A small, cute-as-a-bug fibreglass camping trailer made in Canada in the 1960s to 1980s period and we make a fun game spotting them on road trips or adventures. We’ll also include similar trailers from other manufacturers that are close in appearance, construction or configuration to Bolers.

To reach out or say hello, go here: contact us!

Another drab Calgary winter…

The post Another Drab Calgary Winter first appeared on Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie.

A small town church is the backdrop and it no longer functions in that capacity but instead is now someone’s home. Still, you could almost expect Sunday Services to begin and we were here about at the right time. There we were just cruising around Trochu Alberta, looking for something to do, and here’s the result of another stupid adventure.

We’re not sure why we do this, but then there’s many mysteries in life.

Know more about the church…
Two Churches Trochu Alberta.

From the same card dump…
Main Street in Trochu Alberta, Bird’s Eye View Three Hills Alberta and Three Hills (Alberta) @ Dawn.

Boler: A small, cute-as-a-bug fibreglass camping trailer made in Canada in the 1960s to 1980s period and we make a fun game spotting them on road trips or adventures. We’ll also include similar trailers from other manufacturers that are close in appearance, construction or configuration to Bolers.

To reach out or say hello, go here: contact us!

One Frigid Sunday Morning…

This church is now someone’s home.

The post One Frigid Sunday Morning first appeared on Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie.

As each article is posted we’ll include a link below the respective photo and write up here so you can learn more. Patience and curiosity will be rewarded. These are by no means all that will be shown you, but just some of the highlights and best ofs. There’s lots more not touched on here coming down the road, and plenty of impromptu short subject posts and more Bolers. Of course. Keep tuned to this channel.

What’s left in Pilot Bay.

We’re looking at the remains of a smelter built in service of local mines on the east side of Kootenay Lake. The plant only ran for only a brief time in the late 1890s and found to be unsuited to process complex ores of the area. It’s sat by the lake ever since and all that remains of any note today are two smoke stacks. We’ll show you these and touch on how the plant operated and what went wrong.

Pilot Bay Smelter Remains.

A lost cemetery deep in the mountains of BC.

We search out these cemeteries and in particular those in former mining communities. Given the oftentimes extreme boom and bust cycles of these towns, the stories of these burial places are often sadder than most. Lonely guys, with no local family and often from far away, killed in some unsafe mine, laid to rest and then forgotten of. It’s repeated time and again. This cemetery was fixed up at some point not that long in the past, after being neglected for decades, but it’s still seldom visited. We’ve come to pay respects and hold in high regard those who toil underground.

The Forgotten Cemetery of Morrissey BC.

Another in a former coal mining community.

This grave yard is seemingly completely forgotten and nature has taken over. Not that it’s such a bad thing. Most burials here date from the 1900s-1910s period, although there is one late comer from this century. No doubt they had family connections to the area. This cemetery is huge in size, but most graves seem to lack any markers. This happens if wood ones were used, as was once common, so they rot away over time and then vanish. We’ll show you what we found and chat about those interred here.

Forgotten Coal Town Cemetery.

It’s the Garbage Gobbler!

If you drove highways of British Columbia in the 1950s-1970s period, you might have seen one of these fibreglass monsters at some rest stop or tourist booth. A sign would instruct you to “feed me” and dispose of trash responsibly instead of simply tossing it in the ditch (as happened and sadly still happens). As a kid they were either fun or terrifying and quite memorable. Team BIGDoer knows of them!

This restored examples sits outside a highway’s maintenance yard and no doubt is responsible for many double-takes from passing motorists. The older ones that recognize a Gobbler from long ago…and then the memories come flooding back.

Highway History (BC): the Garbage Gobbler – Feed Me!

A “super” place with Jim Bowers.

Jim is the authority when it comes to the original Superman movie franchise of the 1970s and ’80s. Many scene from the series were shot around Alberta and Team BIGDoer has visited most of these sites. Here we accompanied Jim to one and he came all the way from Nevada to see it for himself. This was the location where Pa Kent (so Clark/Superman’s dad) was laid to rest and for the movie this grassy knoll was a set made up of a church and cemetery.

Here Jim is holding his book (Superman: The Richard Donner Years) which is a showpiece for many production related and behind-the-scenes photos from the first film. Donner was the director of that one. If you look close you can see its open to the pages where this very site is shown.

While here, we reshot a Then & Now from long ago, which we’ll post about soon. In fact, we’re thinking all the Superman Then & Nows we did a decade ago deserve a fresh take. Those old ones really aren’t that good. Plus we’ll post about our time with Jim and his co-conspirator radio host and news anchor Jay Towers of Detroit and our visit to Superman locations in the Alberta Badlands.

Superman 1978: Cemetery Scenes.

Jim and Jay host the CapedWonder Podcast and were a pleasure to hang with. More about this good day and what we all did, coming soon!

Burstall Pass is awesome!

We’ve hiked up to Burstall Pass many times over the last couple decades (because it’s just so darn scenic) but not recently. It was time for a revisit and it’s exactly as we remember…spectacular! How nice to see an old friend and we’ll post about the experience in short order. It’s a good hike, not terribly hard nor technical, and with such an amazing varied personality. There’s deep dark forests, alpine meadows, barren rock gardens, views into Banff Park and a little glacier along the way. We’re eager to show you!

Burstall Pass is Awesome!

Abandoned in the middle of nowhere.

Railway archeology is a passion, but that’s probably pretty obvious to our readers, and here’s something on a grander scale than most. It dates from the 1910s and witness to it last train some six decades later. Ever since, so from the ’70s on, it’s stood abandoned and the remote location means it’s seldom visited. Lay some track across and we’re sure this old bridge would function just fine.

Given how long it’s been out of service it’s surprisingly in good shape and looks straight and serviceable. They built things good back then!

CPR Bow River Bridge (Abandoned).

As seen in the movie Silver Streak.

Here’s the site of a train bridge, but it was removed concurrent with the line being pulled up. Except for the concrete bits that is which are seem across on the other side. The structure dates from the early 1910s and when a dam got put it a few decades ago, it had to be removed due to rising waters. Normally that valley is full, to about half way, but on drier years it can look as it does here.

This bridge appears in the 1970s action movie Silver Streak, for a moment or two, and we’ll show you that scene and chat about everything here. We’ve got a thing for infrastructure the railways left behind and this fits the bill nicely. This visit required land access and the hike in was a good one.

Ghosts of the Crowsnest Subdivision.

Bella the Boler goes home.

Bella the Boler belongs to some dear friends and emerged from the Neonex factory in 1977. That’s the building seen right behind and we believe new trailers, back then, came out this very door when completed. Bolers were made in many factories over the years and this one was only in production for a short time in the late ’70s. Best we can tell, they only made seventeen foot models here, but research continues.

The structure today is a building supply firm and they were so helpful in making this happen and we’ll tell you all about it in a post that’s coming soon!

Bella the Boler Goes Home (Cheers!).

The wrecks of Royston, Vancouver Island.

There’s over a dozen old ships that make up the Royston (Vancouver Island, BC) breakwater. These were deliberately scuttled here and are comprised of craft from the 1870s-1940s era. They were used to help stabilize a wharf used by a logging firm back in the day, and today are part of a protected marine park. Once junk, they’re now historical artifacts – funny how that works. They’re best viewed by water craft (seems kayaks work well), but we’ll do our best to show you them from the shore.

Royston Wrecks (Vancouver Island BC).

The old store on Denman Island BC.

After Denman we zipped over to Hornby…

One day while exploring Vancouver Island, we decided to visit the islands of Denman and Hornby off the east side. Just because. The two are very close to each other and can be reached by a couple of ferries. Those are fun in their own right. We came with no set plan and just kind of explored and quite happy to see what ever came our way. There were old boats, wonderful geological formations, wind ravaged trees, the occasional old building and a real laid back vibe. San Francisco 1960s laid back.

1 Day: Denman & Hornby Islands (BC).

The fishing boats of Comox Harbour.

We simply wandered the docks in search of old fishing boats. There were a lot and all were tied up between calls to service. There’s restrictions on harvesting, so they sit a lot and we’re not sure how they make a go of it. So this post will be different and a bit casual. Sometimes no plans are the best plans and wandering about with no direction is a whole lot of fun.

Comox Fisherman’s Wharf Comox BC.

A spooky walking tour of Riverview Hospital.

If you’ve seen a horror/thriller film or series set in a hospital, or especially an “asylum” type setting. it may have been filmed in Riverview Hospital (formerly Essondale Hospital) out in Coquitlam BC. It’s a huge complex that’s quite old and most of the buildings seen in our posts are from the 1920s-1950s period. Other than a few newer structures (not seen in our photos), most are empty but maintained and watched over.

Riverview/Essondale functioned as a mental health facility and mostly closed by the 2010s. Some parts are used for native healing now. The rest of the site is sort of in limbo and it’s not clear what might happen to all the surplus structures. Many are historically significant, even if their resultant stories touch on the meloncholy. Mental health was not well understood in the old days and treatment sometimes questionable.

We simply walked about and covered as much of the complex as time would allow. It’s eerie, a touch troubling (especially given there’s a family connection here) and yet the architecture is something else. Coming soon.

Riverview Hospital Coquitlam BC.

Spanning the mighty Fraser and no longer used.

The highway through the Fraser River Canyon is an exhilarating one at the best of times and is winding, narrow and sometimes clings to the side of a mountain. But it’s better than it used to be. Back in the 1920s to 1960s, this single lane bridge was part of the mix and the narrow roads on each end no doubt a thrill to drive.

Alexandra bridge used some footings from the original of the same name, which dates back to the 1860s and a former link in the Cariboo Wagon Road. That span was no more by the 1910s, but in a way it lives on in the present structure erected about a decade later. The bridge is historically recognized and kept up. You can walk down from the highway and enjoy the views and marvel in its construction. BTW, the deck is expanded metal, so you can see right down to the boiling river far below. That’s scary stuff if you’re subject to acrophobia.

Alexandra Bridge Fraser Canyon BC.

At the Victoria Hotel for the Beer Parlour Project – coming soon!

If you’ve been following our exploits the last while, you’ve heard us speak of the Beer Parlour Project. It’s a multi-year project where we visit small town hotel pubs (quickly vanishing places) to document their history and chat with patrons present day. This is being done with large format film photographer Rob Pohl – we hang out a lot – and will results in a gallery exhibit. And probably a book.

We visited maybe twenty hotels so far, have a number lined up in the near future and many times that are planned. One hundred maybe? Something more? We don’t know but it’s been a wild ride so far and the results beyond expectations. Stay tuned. Below it’s a sign announcing our arrival at the Victoria Hotel in little Bruderheim Alberta not long ago. We’ll be posting about that adventure and of other hotels we visited in recent times soon enough.

To keep up with the latest Beer Parlour happenings, please visit our companion website (new tab): BeerParlourProject.com.

Our popular Then & Now posts don’t preview well but rest assured there will be a number of them coming soon. These are both a labour of love and the biggest pain’s in the behind, of all the posts we do. Love and hate them. When they work, they’re amazing, but when they don’t, and it happens more than you know, it’s a big downer. Anyway, watch this space for some new postings on this topic coming soon.

Bellevue & The Frank Slide ~55 years apart.
JB Fletcher’s Ainsworth BC ~45 Years Apart.
Dunshalt Alberta 1974 and 2013.
Silver Creek Coal Mine Skunk Hollow.
Grain Elevators of Turin Alberta.
Coleman Miners’ Hospital 100 Years Apart.
Calgary Inglewood Haskins/Victory Block.
CPR Illecillewaet Bridge Revelstoke BC.
MacDonald Bridge Calgary ~70 Years Apart.
Downtown Calgary & CPR Tracks 1977-2014.
You Are Here: Corral 4 Drive-in Calgary.
Superman 1978: Cemetery Scenes.
The Greenhill Hotel Blairmore AB is Timeless.

That’s it for this “Coming Soon”…for now.

Know more about some of the subjects seen in this post (new tabs): BC Garbage Gobblers, Superman Jim Bowers, Royston BC Wrecks and Alexandra Bridge Fraser River.

They’re saying…

”Thank you so much for your fantastic articles and photos…I could spend 24/7 here with you! I especially love the before and after articles. Keep up the great work guys!! I was born and raised in Calgary in the 50’s so this history is my passion.” Joanne Winchester Honer. (Thank you!)

The first installment…
Coming Soon (1)!

Curated just for you…
Historic Pilot Bay Lighthouse.
Prairie Sentinels: Fort MacLeod Alberta.
Calgary Transit #7632.

If you wish more information on what’s seen here, don’t hesitate to: contact us!

Date of Adventures: 2023-2024.
Location(s): All over the place.

The post Coming Soon (2)! first appeared on Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie.

Once a post is published we’ll include a link to the resultant piece below each photo and that will start happening soon. It may take a while to completely finish the list, but they’ll be steady in coming, save for the summer break. Only glaciers movie slower. There will be a second “Coming Soon” post to follow this one and it’s not too far behind.

Searching out ex-Safeway stores in Calgary.

In the 1960s to 1970s period Safeway held title as king of the hill in Alberta and had a near monopoly on the grocery business. How the mighty have fallen and today they are but a sidebar in the industry, in this market at least, and for those branded stores that are left, they’re simply a Sobeys with a different name. We’ve decided to document any and all former Safeways left in Calgary.

They can be identified by the unique design of their buildings. While the flagship stores used the familiar Marina arch roof, as you see in the photo, smaller outlets of the era were often different in form.

We’ll track them down out and stay tuned to see how many were found. Spoiler: there were a lot! Some remain in use as independent food stores and for others the space has been repurposed. We’re talking Dollaramamas, bikes shops, auto parts suppliers, fitness places and so on. Some still look the part but for many we had to examine them hard to spot the trademark design cues. We’ll talk about it all and it’ll make sense.

Wandering historic Fort MacLeod Alberta.

We’re out in Southern Alberta, in a mood for a walk, have cameras in hand, so come join us for a little tour of historic Fort MacLeod. There’s lots to see in and around downtown, and with the light failing, we have to hustle. But what ambience! It’ll be interesting and we’ll touch on the history of pretty much everything you’ll see. Doesn’t it look like a magical place?

Historic Fort Macleod After Hours.

On the job with pinball technician Gary Makota.

It’s been a while since we posted about our silver ball obsession, but that will change soon enough. For countless years we’ve shadowed pinball technician Gary Makota while on the job, but for the last while have only stockpiled the work and not posted anything. We’re not exactly sure what we’ll do with all the hundreds of photos, but we’ll think of something creative. Yeah, we will. There’s lots of captivating pics and stories in the mix, that we know, so it’ll be something good. More pinball: coming soon!

In the photo above Gary is seen tackling a gorgeous Williams Fiesta from 1959 and getting it back to full playability. It’s an brutal game to master, and showcases a feature common to the era, that of mid-field gobble holes to compilate gameplay. One wrong move and the ball vanishes right before your eyes – son of a $*&@*!!!!

Exploring remains of this old mine right at lake level (British Columbia).

There’s countless abandoned mines scattered across BC and this one is rather unique in that the work took place just above the water line. You usually think some precipitous mountain side or of other rugged setting for such workings, but here the location is rather placid in contrast and quite scenic. A cool dip after work? This operation dates back to the late 1800s and functioned (often sporadically) for some four decades or so. It was known as a silver property, but a smattering of other metals were also found in the mix. So lead, zinc, gold and copper.

Remains include a few concrete machinery pads, odd bits of metal, an adit (with a stream following from the opening), and remains of the mine railway. There used to be a wharf extending from the rocky shelf seen and out into the lake, but it’s long gone. We’ll talk about the history of workings, what they produced and anything else we can “dig up”.

Molly Hughes by the Lake (Ag-Pb-Zn-Au).

Paying respects at this mining camp cemetery.

It’s a bit of an uphill trek to get to, but a good walk in the woods is never something we’ll turn down. Sure, we probably could have driven the road in, carefully, but why? We’re at a cemetery connected to the mining camp in the Kootenays of BC and we’ll see what we can find about the people interred here. The cemetery is still used to this day, but many burials date back to the boom period of over a hundred years ago.

Historic Ainsworth Cemetery in BC.

A hike to Eva Lake in Mount Revelstoke National Park.

And Miller Lake is not far away.

The hike to Eva and Miller Lakes in Mount Revelstoke National Park have been on our radar for eons. We’ve been in the area many times, but either the timing proved wrong (other commitments for example) or circumstances wouldn’t allow it. So like when the park closed during Covid, or when forest fire smoke kept us away. Most people seem only visit one lake (usually Eva) but the two are so close that we combined them.

It’s a rugged hike and has potential to be unforgiving, but the parks people keep the trail in good condition and it’s well engineered. What a good workout but the rewards make it well worth the effort. Finally, we did it and even though Connie at the time was suffering through her post cancer therapy, she put up a herculean effort and survived it all. Barely, but still it’s a success. To us, it’s one of the hikes of a lifetime and certainly we can’t be alone in that sentiment? This adventure is coming soon!

Mt Revelstoke (BC) Eva & Miller Lakes.

Visiting the Civil Defence Museum in Alsask Saskatchewan.

Scanning the skies for enemy aircraft.

The Canadian Civil Defence Museum’s Alsask Dome (Alsask Saskatchewan, right on the Alberta border) is a national treasure and the last of its kind. It was one of the many in a network that watched the skies during heated times between the Soviets and the West, but advancing technology made these radar domes redundant. Still, it harkens back to a time when the world was convinced that nuclear war was an inevitably and death would reign down from the skies.

We’ve visited many times before, but we’ll update the information and present some new photos. Plus we’ll show how you too can visit and take in what’s presented here. We’ve known the fine folks at the Civil Defence Museum for a long time now and a more dedicated bunch could not be found. Don’t go too far away!

RCAF/CFS Alsask Radar Dome.

In heaven at the Medicine Hat Vintage Trailer Rally.

While open to anyone with a with a retro camper, the majority of participants of the 2023 event owned Bolers. You know we were giddy just thinking of it and the euphoria of the day meant we lost count of how many were actually there. Fifty? Sixty? Maybe more? There were thirteen and seventeen foot trailers, some original, many customized and in our eyes every last one is beautiful. Let’s not forgot to mention all the other vintage trailers that were also there, but for us Bolers are king.

Come join us as we wander the grounds, chat with owners when we can, and simply soak up the ambience. It was a huge party and an honour to be witness too it all. We’re not owners (long story) but that doesn’t stop us from being big fans. It’s a strange obsession but we submit.

Medicine Hat Vintage Trailer Rally 2023.

The Great Beater Challenge is about to begin!

Taking over MV Osprey 2000.

S******s Full! For one weekend each summer a group of…let’s call them weirdos…gets together and attempts something incredible. They take neglected cars, beaten up trucks and even ancient motorhomes, all well past their prime and as a motley convoy drive them over a tortuous route on what is perhaps for many old rides their final adventure. It’s a merciless journey, which differs with each run and is selected for its innumerable challenges. You know, steep unrelenting grades, remote byways and hairy stuff like that. It’s not a short afternoon drive, but one of perhaps a thousand clicks or more over two tortuous days.

If you survive there’s proof positive that miracles happen. It’s not a race in any sense, but the chance to test oneself in a way unlike any other. It’s also a points game and the worse a vehicle appears, the better the odds of coming out ahead. There’s a yearly theme, with costumes encouraged and it’s part treasure hunt too. While it sounds complicated it will be fully explained in the post. Surprisingly attrition is not as high as one might think and most complete the course. For these guys it’s generally on a wing and prayer.

Remote remains of a CPR Section House.

The depression seen in front marks the site of a Canadian Pacific Railway section house and keeps company with a lone tree. This was home for the section man, whose job it was to inspect and maintain a defined length of railway track. Given these jobs were sometimes out in the middle of nowhere, the company would supply them (and their family) a home from which to work. There were countless section houses up and down the CPR and each generally similar in appearance.

The branchline that once passed here goes back to the 1910s and closed some six decades later. Never a busy stretch of track, even if the lengthy time it remained in service belies the fact, and it probably never should have been been built. At least if you were to ask the railway you might hear that said. The agricultural potential of the region was never properly exploited and settlement never more than a trickle. We don’t know much about this site as we type this, but expect research will help fill in the blanks. Or so we hope. It’s obscure mysteries we love the most.

The Sectionman’s Home (Middle of Nowhere).

Then & Now Fodder – Sandon BC in the 1950s!

A dear friend recently acquired a collection of vintage slides and suggested we take a look. They from a Calgary based photographer and cover a multitude of subjects from all over Alberta and BC. They start in the early 1950s and the newest dates from a few decades later. It was suggested, on initial inspection, there might be some images that would be good fodder for BIGDoer Then & Now photos. We’ve checked in more detail and yes, that’s exactly the case. We’re going to scan them and then get down to the fun part.

Plus there is lots of images that simply should be added to the historical record.

Seen in the photo is a slide from Sandon BC some seventy years ago. We showed the fine folks who caretake the historic ghost town this very image and they’re on board and want copies of all we find for their records. There must be twenty, thirty or maybe more showing the town. We’re stoked at the possibilities! Not just about Sandon but the other places seen in these expertly done photos.

The first Crossley Slides Then & Now: Crossley Slides: A Corner in Erlton.

Dock remains at Union Bay BC (1880s-1960s).

From the 1880s and into the 1960s, Union Bay on BC’s Vancouver Island was home to a coal loading wharf. The material got brought in by train from the Cumberland area further inland and transferred to ships and barges for further transport to market. A huge operation, it was home to a processing plant, storage areas and a number of piers that reached out into deeper water. Even thought all the structures were removed, many things remain behind, included machinery bits, various giant timbers and plenty of coal slack.

Union Bay (Vancouver Island) Coal Wharf.

The giants of Cathedral Grove BC.

The trees out on the west coast can grow to gargantuan proportions and dwarf anything out in our forested areas of Alberta. They’re monsters, fir, cedar and hemlock, with the one seen in this photo a top contender size wise in a grove of big, big boys. The picture does not do it justice.

In a break from the usual, our subject will be a chunk of land that for some reason was never logged and now a nature preserve. Trees here date back many centuries and via a boardwalk and trails, they can be explored without harming the fragile understory. To someone used to the stick trees out in Kananaskis, this experience is recalled as something short of overwhelming.

The Giants of Cathedral Grove (BC).

The lost town of Ioco – there’s lots coming soon!

Going back to the 1920s, it functioned as a company town in support of the Imperial Oil Company plant on Burrard Inlet out near Port Moody BC. Out on the west coast. A couple homes are still occupied in the community, but all others that remain standing are boarded up and empty. Many were torn down decades back and now what’s left has been historically designated in one way or another. The Ioco Groceteria functioned until the mid-1990s and it too stands empty. We spent a couple hours simply wandering the community and taking in what we could see. There among the ghosts and lost memories.

Ioco Port Moody BC (Ghost Town).

We’ve been busy and recall there will be a part two of this post which will get published soon enough. Then we’ll get down to writing and researching the various subject presented here in these sneak previews. In addition to these, there are plenty of other things coming soon, including more hikes, historical stuff, countless short subjects, our strange predilection for Bolers and our popular comparison shots where we use old photos as a guide. Stay tuned for more fun and action!

Know more about a select number of subjects seen here (new tabs): Marina Roof Safeways, Historic Fort MacLeod Alberta, Williams Fiesta Pinball, Mount Revelstoke National Park Hikes, Alsask Saskatchewan Dome, Great Beater Challenge and Cathedral Grove Vancouver Island.

They’re saying…

”Chris & Connie research the details of their subjects and share their awesome photography! Thank you!” Sandra Beaudoin – Hanna Roundhouse Society, Hanna Alberta.

Part two…
Coming Soon (2)!

Good times ahead…
Marblehead Underground Quarry.
A Few Minutes in Stavely Alberta.
Didsbury Alberta Town Loop.
Downtown Bawlf Alberta.

If you wish more information on what’s seen here, don’t hesitate to: contact us!

Date of Adventures: 2021-2024.
Location(s): All over the West.

The post Coming Soon (1)! first appeared on Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie.

That haze comes thanks to forest fires elsewhere on the continent and prevailing winds. For weeks on end in the summer of 2021, it hung heavy in the air and painted everything a dull, dull, dull grey. Except at twilight when the sky turned bright orange and appeared as though it too was on fire. See: Smoky Times on 17th Ave SW Calgary.

The Boler captured today is a more common thirteen foot variant and the style of the logo tells us it’s a later model. Maybe late ’70s or early ’80s. It’s hard to think of camping in these sorts of conditions but perhaps they were going to give it a try.

From the same card dump…Serendipity @ The Rock (Frank Slide), On the Job: ’73 Kenworth W925 and Catonio’s Groceteria.

Boler: A small, cute-as-a-bug fibreglass camping trailer made in Canada in the 1960s to 1980s period and we make a fun game spotting them on road trips or adventures. We’ll also include similar trailers from other manufacturers that are close in appearance, construction or configuration to Bolers.

To reach out or say hello, go here: contact us!

Smoky Times on Deerfoot Trail Calgary.

The post Smoky Times on Deerfoot Trail Calgary first appeared on Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie.

We have a special fondness for that shade, but you already knew that, and maybe one day we’ll share why. Just know that our readers chose it and it’s a rather silly story.

The Boler Bar can be found roaming about farmer’s markets and local events all summer a little south of Calgary. In July 2021, the date of our photos, their home between any road gigs was a location in High River.

Prior to this incarnation, the Boler Bar functioned as the Boler Coffee Company for a few years out in Salmon Arm BC and with a different two-tone paint. Prior to that it could be found in Fernie BC, where it worked for the Valley Social Company and had a wild paint scheme. We documented it back then: Valley Social Boler.

We didn’t know at the time of the capture of the photos seen here that we had come across it many years prior. Only after some research later did we discover this fact and that makes it all the more awesome. It’s an old friend and yes, the java was good. BTW, that sticker graced the BIGDoer-mobile’s back window for a couple years before coming off in a car wash.

Find them (new tab): The Boler Bar High River.

From the same card dump…Serendipity @ The Rock (Frank Slide), On the Job: ’73 Kenworth W925 and Catonio’s Groceteria.

Boler: A small, cute-as-a-bug fibreglass camping trailer made in Canada in the 1960s to 1980s period and we make a fun game spotting them on road trips or adventures. We’ll also include similar trailers from other manufacturers that are close in appearance, construction or configuration to Bolers.

To reach out or say hello, go here: contact us!

The Boler Bar High River – they have the coffee!

The Boler Bar High River – and we got the sticker!

The post The Boler Bar High River Alberta first appeared on Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie.

Sunsets are usually spectacular, if there’s a plus side to speak of, and the sky turns a deep shade of orange and the sun becomes a glowing disc. These photos are from a couple years back, but even as we type this, there’s smoke in the air…of course. It’s not that bad, however, compared to some days this year.

Seen here, not far from BIGDoer HQ, it’s a rather everyday street scene, if not for those apocalyptic skies. But wait, there’s something more and it’s seen on the side of the bus shelter. Boler! It’s not the first one we’ve noted in an ad but here it’s quite eye-catching.

The LRT (that’s a station in back) was out of service along here, for some reason and the bus was doing shuttle duty. The date is July 2021 and conditions like this hung around most of that month.

From the same card dump…
Coal Mine Fan House (Alberta Rockies), Serendipity @ The Rock (Frank Slide) and On the Job: ’73 Kenworth W925.

Boler: A small, cute-as-a-bug fibreglass camping trailer made in Canada in the 1960s to 1980s period and we make a fun game spotting them on road trips or adventures. We’ll also include similar trailers from other manufacturers that are close in appearance, construction or configuration to Bolers.

To reach out or say hello, go here: contact us!

Smoky Times on 17th Ave SW Calgary. Boler!

That apocalyptic sunset.

The post Smoky Times on 17th Ave SW Calgary first appeared on Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie.

Bolers and their kin don’t come cheap, but with proper care can be made to last almost indefinitely, plus they fit pretty much anywhere. Therein lies the value…oh, and they’re cute too.

Note the early ’50s’ Pontiac hood ornament up on the roof. That era sure was sure big on chrome and most autos of the time seemed to be garishly adorned.

You’ll see the backside of the Turtle Mountain in one of the photos and it’s most famous for it’s part in the Frank Slide disaster. The opposite face gave way in the early 1900s and ruined a lot of lives in the process. From this angle it looks pretty benign, but go to the other side and it’s a chilling scene. Even after all these years.

From the same card dump…
Serendipity @ The Rock (Frank Slide), On the Job: ’73 Kenworth W925 and Catonio’s Groceteria.

Boler: A small, cute-as-a-bug fibreglass camping trailer made in Canada in the 1960s to 1980s period and we make a fun game spotting them on road trips or adventures. We’ll also include similar trailers from other manufacturers that are close in appearance, construction or configuration to Bolers.

To reach out or say hello, go here: contact us!

Spotted for sale in the Crowsnest Pass (2021).

Boler Bob…

It likely sold quickly (Bolers usually do).

Off an early ’50s Pontiac.

The post Boler Bob first appeared on Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie.

Taking the ferry means slowing down and depending on traffic, you might eat up an hour or two to get across. There’s the wait for it to arrive and then a good twenty minutes to get across once in motion. If one’s in a hurry it can be frustrating, but we find the whole experience rather relaxing. Read more about the Columbia here: BC Inland Ferries – Columbia and Arrow Park III.

This general area is a Boler and kin hotspot and over two days here we documented at least five or six of these little campers of differing makes (but mostly Bolers). That’s pretty good. They come fast and all one needs to do is get out and explore. Spotting two in a single weekend, out Calgary way, is an event, but here it’s nothing. The date is Summer 2021, and we’re out doing what we do best – that’s searching out history.

From the same card dump…
Old Slocan Highway by the Lake, Silverton BC Waterfront (SS Slocan) and Bridge Hunting: Brilliant BC.

Boler: A small, cute-as-a-bug fibreglass camping trailer made in Canada in the 1960s to 1980s period and we make a fun game spotting them on road trips or adventures. We’ll also include similar trailers from other manufacturers that are close in appearance, construction or configuration to Bolers.

To reach out or say hello, go here: contact us!

In Shelter Bay BC and waiting on the ferry – Boler!

Onboard the Columbia on the Upper Arrow Lakes run.

The post Shelter Bay Boler (+ MV Columbia) first appeared on Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie.

These are a comparatively a rare model and produced in Manitoba starting in the mid-1970s (roughly) and ending maybe five or six years later. Records are sketchy. We’ve seen ten or twenty at the most since we started actively documenting tiny trailers, so that tells you something.

The mountains around here are spectacular – and here you thought of us mostly as flatlanders – but the cherry on the sundae is little discoveries like this. This was a random find, by the way, and these are the best kind. It’s summer 2021 and BC is awesome!

From the same card dump…
Silverton BC Waterfront (SS Slocan), Alone in the Gulch and Bridge Hunting: Brilliant BC.

Boler: A small, cute-as-a-bug fibreglass camping trailer made in Canada in the 1960s to 1980s period and we make a fun game spotting them on road trips or adventures. We’ll also include similar trailers from other manufacturers that are close in appearance, construction or configuration to Bolers.

To reach out or say hello, go here: contact us!

Out in BC and this Triple E Surfside another random find.

The post Triple E Surfside first appeared on Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie.

It’s too hot to hike and you can’t breathe anyway, so we cruise around looking for adventure. BTW, our car lacks AC (it’s true), so that turns out be a bad idea too. So it’s back to the motel, that glorious cool motel, for a little reading and maybe a movie. It’s not the ideal way to spend our limited time in the area, but given the alternatives, about the best we can do.

On the way back to our budget-friendly room (code word for cheap-*** dive accommodations), something is spotted down there at a tire shop. Boler! It’s a nice one and brings a little life back into our tired, old, beaten, depressed selves. Glad we took this route, but it’s still a hell-ish day otherwise.

From the same card dump…Downtown Trout Lake British Columbia, Nakusp Rail Society and Craigellachie Kid.

Boler: A small, cute-as-a-bug fibreglass camping trailer made in Canada in the 1960s to 1980s period and we make a fun game spotting them on road trips or adventures. We’ll also include similar trailers from other manufacturers that are close in appearance, construction or configuration to Bolers.

To reach out or say hello, go here: contact us!

Boler!

The post Boler! first appeared on Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie.

What a grand time and we always look forward to visiting our neighbouring province. It’s a retro fibreglass camping trailer hotspot and in this week long trip we managed stumbled across a dozen or more. The final count is not in but something close to that. All of them, this 17ft Boler included, were found completely by chance and that’s always the best way.

We wonder if the rat-ratio often talked about applies here. It goes like this: for every one seen, there’s a greater number not visible, and if so we missed a whole bunch. Still, we got our fix.

Bolers in mirror are closer than they appear – we love this kind of stupid shot.

From the same card dump…Silverton BC Waterfront (SS Slocan), Alone in the Gulch, Nakusp Rail Society and Craigellachie Kid.

Boler: A small, cute-as-a-bug fibreglass camping trailer made in Canada in the 1960s to 1980s period and we make a fun game spotting them on road trips or adventures. We’ll also include similar trailers from other manufacturers that are close in appearance, construction or configuration to Bolers.

To reach out or say hello, go here: contact us!

Out in BC and doing a little Boler hunting.

The post Boler Hunting in BC first appeared on Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie.

This photo comes from a whirlwind trip out into the area in the summer of 2021 (we’re still not caught up with posts) and one of perhaps a half dozen fibreglass trailers spotted in this community. It’s hotspot. Most were Bolers, but there were other makes too and we’ll showing you them soon.

We photographed this same trailer ten years ago, in fact, and note it hasn’t appeared to move since. You’ll see that the wheels are missing and perhaps it never hits the road ever, for whatever reason.

From the same card dump…Main Street Slocan BC, Craigellachie Kid and Brown-Lowery Perimeter Loop.

Boler: A small, cute-as-a-bug fibreglass camping trailer made in Canada in the 1960s to 1980s period and we make a fun game spotting them on road trips or adventures. We’ll also include similar trailers from other manufacturers that are close in appearance, construction or configuration to Bolers.

To reach out or say hello, go here: contact us!

Yellow! It’s good to colour coordinate.

The post Yellow! first appeared on Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie.

Each June, we’ll pick a (mostly pathway) route in town of approximately twenty clicks (about what we averaged each day on the “Way”) and enjoy a Spanish themed meal at the end. The food was always a highlight of the trail and so we like to make sure to replicate that part as best we can. Wine too…wine was big.

Towns along the El Camino are often no more than few clicks apart, and we made it a point to stop at local cafes or pubs each day and take a break from the walking. Everybody did it. In plays out similarly on these Calgary walks and we plan the trip so there’s several well timed refreshment stops.

Reliving the adventure, and it was a incredible, even if it’s just a slice of what we did, is something we look forward to doing. The company, the chit-chat, the reminiscing, the food and we’re back there again. And this day the Boler was the proverbial cherry (or cereza, alternate cereixa when in Galica) on top. This from the 2021 walk.

Our time in Spain (new tab)…
España

From the same card dump…
Cochrane Pathways: Glenbow – Riversong and Irricana United Church.

Boler: A small, cute-as-a-bug fibreglass camping trailer made in Canada in the 1960s to 1980s period and we make a fun game spotting them on road trips or adventures. We’ll also include similar trailers from other manufacturers that are close in appearance, construction or configuration to Bolers.

To reach out or say hello, go here: contact us!

A Boler spotted during an El Camino appreciation walk.

The post El Camino Appreciation Walk Boler first appeared on Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie.

The firm Triple E (still in business) made these out in Manitoba and they were sold in modest numbers during the 1970s/1980s period. They’re not terribly uncommon, but still, we don’t that many per year. Bonus points on this one especially given the trailer is in motion.

From a distance it’d be easy to confuse a Surf Side with the more common Trillium (older examples of the later especially). Both are quite a boxy in form and share similar lines. This discovery takes us back to May 2021.

From the same card dump…Edmonton Transit: The Lodge Hotel, Edmonton Transit: 95th Street and Lost Lemon Mine.

Boler: A small, cute-as-a-bug fibreglass camping trailer made in Canada in the 1960s to 1980s period and we make a fun game spotting them on road trips or adventures. We’ll also include similar trailers from other manufacturers that are close in appearance, construction or configuration to Bolers.

To reach out or say hello, go here: contact us!

Trans-Canada Highway Surf Side.

The post Trans-Canada Highway Surf Side first appeared on Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie.

This is one of the more eye catching custom paint jobs we’ve seen on these trailers and we love it. Most people seem to keep the factory colours, even on a repaint (or re-gel I guess) but sometimes we see creativity in play, as happened here. This was an in-motion capture and it’s one of the hardest to pull of successfully. Usually we lose them in traffic or can never catch up.

It a nice one and worth the detour. Now to backtrack…where the heck are we?

From the same card dump…
Edmonton Transit: The Lodge Hotel, Edmonton Transit: 95th Street and Lost Lemon Mine.

Boler: A small, cute-as-a-bug fibreglass camping trailer made in Canada in the 1960s to 1980s period and we make a fun game spotting them on road trips or adventures. We’ll also include similar trailers from other manufacturers that are close in appearance, construction or configuration to Bolers.

To reach out or say hello, go here: contact us!

Spotted while driving in Edmonton.

It’s the Dino Egg Boler.

The post Dino Egg Boler (Streets of Edmonton) first appeared on Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie.

Plus there’s often other Bolers or Boler-like trailers close by. For some reason Inglewood is a real hotspot and that’s another reason we’re in the community often. Trains and Bolers – does it get any better?

The furthest trailer is pulled by a classic car painted the same colour (here: Mercury Meteor & Matching Boler) and together they’re a stunning combo. It was a chilly April 2021 when we paid a visit and not ideal camping weather. Like most Bolers these are likely for fair weather and probably only hit the road in summer. We were in the middle of a late season snow storm this day and it was a rather dreary time. But as it always happens, it was made all the better when they came into view.

From the same card dump…
An Evening in Meeting Creek, Sundre Loop and Random Olds Alberta.

Boler: A small cute-as-a-bug fibreglass camping trailer made in Canada in the 1960s to 1980s period and we make a fun game spotting them on road trips or adventures. We’ll also include similar trailers from other manufacturers that are close in appearance or configuration to Bolers.

To reach out or say hello, go here: Reach Us!

Two Bolers for the price of one!

The post Two Bolers For The Price Of One first appeared on Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie.

No matter where we go we find them or they seem to find us and we’re never sure how it works. Divine intervention or dumb luck? Either way, we’re happy.

Why were we here again? We found a camera in the collection that had an address of a former owner written inside and we thought it’d be cool to bring it home briefly for a photo op. That’s all.

To read more about what lead us to this Boler, please go here: Brought Home.

Boler: A small cute-as-a-bug fibreglass camping trailer made in Canada in the 1960s to 1980s period and we make a fun game spotting them on road trips or adventures. We’ll also include similar trailers from other manufacturers that are close in appearance or configuration to Bolers.

To reach out or say hello, go here: Reach Us!

A Boler spotted down the street…

The post Another Random Boler first appeared on Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie.

While panning to follow this restored grain truck something familiar is spotted in the background. The neighbours heard it loud and clear – Boler! Damn, that truck is green. Then we move on to surf some more and find nothing worth getting into. The date’s March 2021 and we’re itching for spring.

In spite of last being manufactured in the 1980s, these little fibreglass trailers are still immensely popular and we spot at least fifty to sixty each year. That’s amazing considering the time that’s passed and even taking into account normal attrition.

From the same card dump…
Pella Mennonite Church and White Valley Lutheran Church.

Boler: A small cute-as-a-bug fibreglass camping trailer made in Canada in the 1960s to 1980s period and we make a fun game spotting them on road trips or adventures. We’ll also include similar trailers from other manufacturers that are close in appearance or configuration to Bolers.

To reach out or say hello, go here: contact us!

It’s a Channel Surfing Boler.

The post Channel Surfing Boler first appeared on Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie.

We’ve seen perhaps a dozen or two over the years, so they’re not terribly common overall and to find one a rare treat.

This example was found by chance (as most of our discoveries are) while out for a walk in a north Calgary neighbourhood in early 2021. Once again, our desire to explore comes with a reward.

Random awesomeness…
Alberta Prairie Railway Excursions #41 and Great Beater Challenge 2021.

Boler: A small cute-as-a-bug fibreglass camping trailer made in Canada in the 1960s to 1980s period and we make a fun game spotting them on road trips or adventures. We’ll also include similar trailers from other manufacturers that are close in appearance or configuration to Bolers.

To reach out or say hello, go here: Reach Us!

A Triple E Surfside on a cold winter’s day.

The post Triple E Surfside first appeared on Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie.

We forgot to record the neighbourhood and our mush-memories are zero help there. Anyway, it’s a nice old mid-1970s or earlier (or thereabouts) model and we can tell this by the metal badging. Ones manufactured after that time, and there seemed to be a lengthy transition period, used stickers instead.

From the same card dump…
Small Town Trek: High River.

Boler: A small cute-as-a-bug fibreglass camping trailer made in Canada in the 1960s to 1980s period and we make a fun game spotting them on road trips or adventures. We’ll also include similar trailers from other manufacturers that are close in appearance or configuration to Bolers.

To reach out or say hello, go here: contact us!

Any Time is Boler Time – another random find!

The post Any Time is Boler Time first appeared on Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie.

This find was in the central Alberta community of Didsbury in the Fall of 2020. We’re still not caught up. Anyway, we were simply walking about town and taking in a number of historic structures when it came into view. A random find like this is always a treat and the trailer seen here, our second of the day here in town. The other: Boler & Puma.

From the same card dump…
Bluebird Motel Then & Now, West Bragg Creek Trails: Call Me and Manchester Industrial.

Boler: A small cute-as-a-bug fibreglass camping trailer made in Canada in the 1960s to 1980s period and we make a fun game spotting them on road trips or adventures. We’ll also include similar trailers from other manufacturers that are close in appearance or configuration to Bolers.

To reach out or say hello, go here: contact us!

Backalley Boler: that’s where we find them.

The post Backalley Boler first appeared on Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie.

This was a hard one to spot and well hidden away behind some hedges and off the street. We were just out for a walk, in an area of Calgary we randomly picked, and there it was. Had we not glanced back over our shoulder, as we instinctively do when on Boler patrol, we’d have unknowingly passed it by.

From the same card dump…
West Bragg Creek Trails: Call Me, Bluebird Motel Claresholm and Last Houses in Victoria Park.

Boler: A small cute-as-a-bug fibreglass camping trailer made in Canada in the 1960s to 1980s and we make a fun game spotting them on road trips or adventures. We’ll also include similar trailers from other manufacturers that are close in appearance or configuration to Bolers.

To reach out or say hello, go here: contact us!

An over the shoulder glance – Boler!

The post Boler! first appeared on Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie.

The Puma’s perhaps a dozen years old, where as the Boler, a 17 foot (5.2-ish metres) is from the late 1970s. We can tell this by its appearance. This one is still in factory colours and with factory lettering and it seems this combo was prevalent in 1978-1979.

This find goes back to the fall of 2020 and discovered by chance, while out for a walk in Didsbury Alberta. It wasn’t the only one we saw this day, either, and we’ll post about the second soon enough. It was a beautiful and crisp fall day and Bolers made it all the better.

From the same card dump…
West Bragg Creek Trails: Call Me, Bluebird Motel Claresholm and Last Houses in Victoria Park.

Boler: A small cute-as-a-bug fibreglass camping trailer made in Canada in the 1960s to 1980s and we make a fun game spotting them on road trips or adventures. We’ll also include similar trailers from other manufacturers that are close in appearance or configuration to Bolers.

To reach out or say hello, go here: contact us!

Old Boler & newer Puma in small town Alberta.

The post Boler & Puma first appeared on Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie.

There’s not much info on the K-Line firm, so we don’t know how many were made or if there were different models. We’ve only ever seen one before (link below) and it too was a Mark 1 (the one was missing, but it otherwise looked the same). We previously stated these trailers were from the early 1970s, but an online search suggests they may have started producing them late the decade before and perhaps into 1973-1974(?).

Either way, production didn’t last long and given the paucity of information out there, they’re uncommon. If we were keep score, this one would be worth mega-points in the Boler spotting game.

The rear door and pop-up roof is rather unique in this class of trailer. There was a make from the US of the era, very similar in appearance to this example, called a Hunter and certain models shared these features. Otherwise we don’t recall any others that did. Given the two firm’s offerings were so close in design and appearance, we wonder if there’s some kind of connection.

One other one…
Honourary Boler – K Line Mark.

From the same card dump…
TDH-3501, Crimson Lake Amerada Trail and Rocky Mountain House Historic Site.

Boler: A small cute-as-a-bug fibreglass camping trailer made in Canada in the 1960s to 1980s and we make a fun game spotting them on road trips or adventures. We’ll also include similar trailers from other manufacturers that are close in appearance or configuration to Bolers.

To reach out or say hello, go here: contact us!

A rare K-Line Mark 1 pop-up roof trailer.

It’s only about thirty clicks from where it was made.

The post K-Line Mark 1 first appeared on Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie.