60 DAY ALASKA & CALGARY STAMPEDE
July 4 thru September 1, 2011
FRED & MARIE BERGER WAGONMASTER
KEN & BETTY SCHWENKE TAILGUNNERS
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| THE ROUTE MAP OF THE TRIP APPROXIMATELY 4,700 MILES |
Our trip started in Great Falls, MT on July 4th. As our guests arrived from all over, we had afternoon socials so that everyone could begin to get acquainted. We arrived early and toured the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center. It is one of many along the Lewis and Clark trail from St. Louis, MO to Fort Clatsop, OR. and this one was excellent. It is situated on the Missouri River where the Corps of Discovery encountered 4 waterfalls. Ken did his pre-tour inspections of all the RVs (17 guest rigs), our wagon master did the orientation and the first of many travel briefs then we celebrated the 4th with a BBQ.
The group left the next morning, we all crossed the border into Canada and spent our first night in Hill Spring, AB. The view of the Rockies was beautiful and we were all glad to just be looking at the snow still in the mountains and not in it.
Our bus tour on the 6th included an excellent Carriage Museum and carriage ride. The reason for the statue of Sea Biscuit is that the jockey in Sea Biscuit's race against War Admiral was from Cardston, where the museum was located. Head Smashed In Buffalo Jump is one of many throughout the American and Canadian west. Before the introduction of horses and rifles, it was the most efficient means for the First Nations people to kill the number of buffalo they needed to feed, cloth and house their people. The name does not come from the way the buffalo were killed but because there was a young Indian boy who wanted to see the buffalo as they fell from the cliff and was crushed by the mounting bodies. When he was found, his head had been crushed.
The day ended with an excellent buffet that included some great Alberta, Canada beef and great entertainment by the very talented family that ran the campground.
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| FIRST SOCIAL FOR EARLY ARRIVALS |
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| LEWIS and CLARK INTERPRETIVE CENTER GREAT FALLS, MONTANA |
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| LOUIS and CLARK STATUE |
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| DUGOUT REPLICA PORTAGING AROUND FALLS |
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| WAGONMASTER FRED APPLYING STICKERS |
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| TAILGUNNER KEN WORKING ON PRE-TRIP INSPECTIONS |
WAGONMASTER FRED DOING TRAVEL BRIEFING
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| LIZ ENJOYING 4TH OF JULY HOT DOG BARBECUE |
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| VIEW OF THE CANADIAN ROCKIES FROM CANADIAN BARNDANCE CAMPGROUND HILL SPRING, AB |
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| OUR GUIDE EXPLAINING THE PARK DRAG TO THE GROUP |
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| JIM in front of SEA BISCUIT STATUE |
THE HEAD SMASHED IN BUFFALO JUMP CENTER
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ARTIST RENDITION OF BUFFALO JUMP
NATIVE POW WOW DANCE PERFORMANCE AT CENTER |
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| ONE OF THE ACTUAL JUMP SITES THAT DATES BACK 6000 YEARS |
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| THE GROUP TOURING CENTER |
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| OWEL ON THE HUNT |
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| BUFFALO GRAZING |
EVENING ENTERTAINMENT AT THE BARN DANCE
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| CHUCK RIDING THE METAL STALLION |
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| PAUL and BETTY back, JACK and SANDRA front |
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