9 Surprisingly Great Things to do in the Calgary Area

March 30, 2010

The city of Calgary has never been a destination in my mind. To me it’s been a place to fly in to and get the hell out of as fast as you can. I have however been pleasantly surprised at its offerings. There are the usual sites on Tourism Calgary’s website – museums, heritage streets, heritage parks… but that’s not what I’m looking for.

Calgary March 2010 009 9 Surprisingly Great Things to do in the Calgary Area

The view of downtown Calgary

Here is my list of 9 Surprisingly Great Things To Do in Calgary.

  1. Bring, borrow or rent a bike because this city has a truly amazing network of trails. You can head south all the way to Fish Creek Provincial Park, head east past the zoo to the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary, head west along the Bow River to Bowness Park or head north and explore the trails of  Nose Hill Park. In total there are 550 kms of pathways and 260 kms of on street bikeways.
  2. Go to the zoo – it’s rated the third best in North America.
  3. Head for the Canada Olympic Park. Here you can ski, try a bobsleigh or luge ride and mountain bike in the summer. There are half pipes, terrain parks and challenge courses to further thrill you.
  4. Try speed skating at the Calgary Olympic Oval. It has two international sized rinks and an oval for long track speed skating where the public is welcome. You can rent the necessary equipment.
  5. Fish Creek Provincial Park at the south end of Calgary is one of the largest urban wilderness areas in the world. Enjoy over 85 kms of biking, running and hiking trails.
  6. About an hour away is the Canmore Nordic Center Provincial Park, developed for the 1988 Winter Olympics. Now it is a world class destination for athletes but fully accessible to the public. Depending on the season, plan on cross country skiing on more than 65 kms of trails or mountain biking on over 100 kms of  trails.
  7. In the heart of the Canadian Badlands, 90 minutes northeast of Calgary, you’ll find the Royal Tyrrell Museum. It boasts the largest display of dinosaur skeletons anywhere in the world. Take a walk through the badlands, experience a dig and marvel at the dinosaur skeletons.
  8. If you have extra time than a trip to the World Heritage Site – Head Smashed In Buffalo Jump, two hours south, should be on your agenda. The interpretative center explains the lifestyle, technology, ecology and mythology of the Blackfoot people based on archaeological evidence. Learn about the 60 million buffalo that once roamed the Great Plains.
  9. Of course a visit to Banff National Park , 90 minutes west of Calgary, is a must. Canada’s first national park offers up breathtaking scenery. You could spend weeks here exploring the back country.

Calgary is not just about cowboys and oil companies. It dishes up more culture than expected  with over 60 theater companies calling the city home.  I’m told that over 260 birds have visited the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary and that there is a vibrant horticultural society. Restaurants and shopping are world class. There are public and private art galleries galore …so the city is slowly shaking off its Cowtown only image.

Come and visit. You will be surprised.

Leigh McAdam

HikeBikeTravel

Posted by Hike Bike Travel | Filed Under Adventure Travel, Biking, Canada, Miscellaneous travel tips | Leave a Comment 

1000 Kilometers – Tips on Driving the Road from Vancouver to Calgary

March 29, 2010

It’s mid afternoon as I leave Vancouver and head east to Calgary. I have a solid 10 hours of driving on a combination of two and four lane highways, and that’s if the mountain passes cooperate. That’s the equivalent of driving from London, England through France and Switzerland to the outskirts of northern Rome in Italy, yet in Canada the drive represents only 15% of the distance across the country.

4526888274 827064a0de 1000 Kilometers Tips on Driving the Road from Vancouver to Calgary

It’s a struggle for the first hour to get the speedometer consistently above 70km/hour. Once past Abbotsford it’s clear sailing. The road takes me through the fertile Fraser Valley past Chilliwack, famous for its corn in the summer and into Hope. Hope is surrounded by mountains and notorious for trapping any passing precipitation. I find it to be a depressing place and can’t get out of there fast enough.

My chosen route from Hope is the most direct of the three options. I’m heading east on the Trans Canada Highway through Revelstoke. I could head north and then east from Kamloops and drive the famous Icefields Parkway between Jasper and Banff, or alternatively I could head south and east from Hope and travel through the wine country of the Okanagan. I chose the fastest route. The northern route would add 2 1/2 hours and the southern route would add 3 hours.

Calgary to Vancouver Drive 2010 029 1000 Kilometers Tips on Driving the Road from Vancouver to Calgary

The highway around Roger's Pass

From Hope I head up the Coquihalla Highway. It has the well earned reputation of being a treacherous highway in winter conditions – which unfortunately can occur anytime between September and April. Today I was lucky. The temperature at the pass was O C, 13 degrees lower than my home in Vancouver, and it was snowing lightly, but not accumulating. Once over the pass I breathe a sigh of relief. Only one more pass to go.

2360094176 6c18b4b940 1000 Kilometers Tips on Driving the Road from Vancouver to Calgary

The miles fly by until I hit two lanes only out of Kamloops. I had naively expected four lanes through to Calgary. It is surprisingly scenic east of Kamloops especially as you near Salmon Arm. Pretty views of Shuswap Lake greet you for the better part of an hour. Shuswap Lake is British Columbia’s answer to Arizona’s Lake Powell, a house boaters paradise.

If you’re somebody who likes to break a drive into manageable chunks then Salmon Arm would be a good place to stop. It’s scenic and has loads of accommodation options. It’s also the halfway point. Other alternatives for a night are Revelstoke, an hour away or Golden 2 1/2 hours away, both of which entail non stop mountain driving.

Continuing east takes you back into the mountains and into unpredictable weather. Revelstoke is the next town, famous for it’s steep skiing.  It’s also famous for trapping people for days at a time when the highways in and out get hit by avalanches. You’ve been warned.

Crossing Rogers Pass was a breeze on Friday and in less than an hour I was in Golden. The time change from Pacific to Mountain happens at the top of Roger’s Pass so by the time you reach Golden you’ll need to  move your clock ahead an hour.

It’s 3 hours from Golden to Calgary and two of those hours are on beautiful highways through Yoho and Banff National Park. Pass into Alberta just past the town of Field. At the first gas station you’ll notice an immediate decrease in gas prices and you might save as much as $0.16/liter.

Trailheads for hiking and crosscountry skiing can be accessed at points along the highway through Yoho and Banff National Parks. Some of the world’s best and most scenic trails are off of these trailheads. Yoho National Park is much quieter than Banff but offers the same inspiring scenery.

3910425461 96e4ecacc5 1000 Kilometers Tips on Driving the Road from Vancouver to Calgary

Continue past turnoffs for Lake Louise, Banff and finally Canmore, the largest town before Calgary. It’s not long past Canmore that the burbs of Calgary come into view. They’ve been expanding at an alarming rate but that’s another story.

Leigh McAdam

www.hikebiketravel.com

Posted by Hike Bike Travel | Filed Under British Columbia, Canada | Leave a Comment 

Traveling – 8 Tips for Leaving Fluffy & Fido Behind

March 26, 2010

Who amongst us who loves to travel but owns a pet hasn’t felt awful as they stepped out the front door….mournful eyes following your every move? Kids are one thing – you’re usually happy to have a break from them but your faithful dog or indifferent cat is another issue altogether.

img 2347 300x224 Traveling 8 Tips for Leaving Fluffy & Fido Behind

Our Fido

I’m trading houses with a friend today and heading to Calgary but leaving my dog behind. Understandably my friend would like not to be tied down so what to do with the proverbial Fido.
There are lots of options for your ‘best friend’.

Here are some things that have worked for me over the years.
• Get to know your neighbours. In every house, in every city we have ever lived in, our neighbours are our first choice. The likelihood of your pet causing significant damage to your home or furniture will determine if this is an option for you. If it’s only short term travel of one to four nights then two walks and visits per day for our dog does the trick. I know that’s not ideal but it beats joining the howling dogs in a kennel. Pay the neighbour kid a reasonable sum and the dog should get some decent care.
• Sleepovers for pets. Drop your animal and all their accoutrements off at your neighbours as well as chocolate, wine, flowers and anything else that might keep the neighbours happy while you’re on the road. That way Fido and Fluffy have some company. We are particularly lucky as our 80 year old neighbour has taken a shine to our dog and its actually opened his world. Dogs are chick magnets even at 80!
• Hire a pet service. These people will do the same thing your neighbours do but for a fee. Daily rates are all over the map, depending on how many and how long the walks are, how many animals you have and if the pet sitter is sleeping over. Budget a minimum of $35 per day.
• Daycare for the urban dog Daycare centers for dogs are sprouting up all over the place. This is great if your dog is sociable. Some will also have the option of a sleepover with paid dog sitters. Great if Fido can come to terms with sleeping on the floor. Prices are $35 per day and up.
• Half and half On longer driving trips we have brought the dog/cat/bunny with us but then put them in a kennel in the place we’re visiting. It’s not ideal either, but at least they aren’t in the kennel the entire time.
• Kids and Parents If you’re twenty something and planning a RTW trip chances are you’re dropping your dog off at dear old mom and dad’s place. They’re going to return the favour some day.
• Housecarers.com Trade your house for a specified period of time for free house and pet sitting. Get references and screen applicants. I have used it three times with great success. Even better is the fact that the service is growing worldwide.
• Kennels The dreaded kennel is sometimes the only option. And they aren’t all bad by any means but do your research. Perhaps leave your pet for a short visit first before committing to a longer stay to see how they fare.

Happy guilt free traveling.

PS. Anyone want to pet/house sit for 3 weeks in Vancouver in August 2010 – seriously!

Posted by Hike Bike Travel | Filed Under Miscellaneous travel tips | Leave a Comment 

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Another Free Guide – Cabot Trail Biking Tour Guide

Palm Springs, a desert resort city of 40,000 plus people, is located 100 miles east of Los Angeles and 130 miles northeast of San Diego. It is one of nine cities that make up the Coachella Valley with mountains surrounding it on all sides.

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