Peace River Country

What is unique about heading north in Alberta from Calgary to Edmonton and on to Peace River Country is the drop in elevation and the consequent rise in temperature as you go.  North of Edmonton the highway forms the Eastern route to the Alaska Highway and the entire route comprises a four-lane divided highway with passing lanes that formed part of the original two-lane on the northbound side.  Given the lack of traffic on this Apian Way I had to remind myself that this was a weekday—the economic downturn is hurting business it would seem.  The price of gasoline, however, is not sliding.  When I got to Valleyview found a just-opened tourist bureau and in a town where everyone knows everybody discovered that my assessment of where the farm I wanted to visit was located was correct.  Surprised my hostess by driving up to her door.  After leaving a chilly Calgary finding a warm sunny day this far north was refreshing.  My hostess and the dogs gave me a warm Alberta Farm Welcome and I immediately became a member of a farm family.  My host had barely arrived home when we were sent on a shopping errand to the local COOP.  Although the farm is on a paved country road, town is only a dirt concession road away. 

 

The Peace River District of Alberta has a milder microclimate that the rest of the province and geologic history has left it with deep  fertile soil.  My hosts raise beef cattle and show horses that live out on the range year-round.  As I arrived the last of the season’s calves were being born.  Mending fence, getting a live-in horse trailer ready for the show season, and cleanup were the order of the day.  Cattle here are branded, get numbered ear tags, and electronic identification sensors.  Cattle here are still pastured on community pasture.  Farmers eat well on home-grown beef and pork as well as the ground buffalo I learned was in the spaghetti sauce.  French Toast and biscuits for breakfast.  Did I get spoiled?  It was with great reluctance I packed up and left the farm with an invitation to come back for harvest season any October. 

 

The drive east to Athabasca led through alternative aspen and black spruce forests along roads that tended due East at 90º true east.  Lesser  Slave Lake, when I got to it, was solidly frozen.  When I drove into town the Athabascan River still  had ice pans floating in it.  Had to look up the directions in Woodalls guide to find my campsite across a plank bridge on the north side of  town beside the Golf and Country Club.  Later, when I drove into town on my bike I was bemused to discover that 3 large liquor stores serve a population of 3000.  The three grocery stores obviously serve the surrounding area.  The town has the usual regional amenities plus a university and athletic complex.  On a clear day the Lions Club Park near my campground affords a bird’s eye of the town from a cliff overlooking the river. 

 

Driving East from Athabasca becomes rather monotonous and the signs announcing Northern Alberta’s Forests look out of place when one sees miles and miles of clear cuts.  On the approach to Cold Lake the roads deteriorated to broken potholes and ridges.  The entire area had the worst highways I’ve seen in 27,000 km.  The town had a ramshackle look of a boom town that happened with no planning evidence.  The provincial park online research had led me to believe should be open had nothing but gated campgrounds.  The drive through the park was pleasant but….  On the out south out of town I encountered a mile-long strip on one-night motels, big box stores, liquor stores, gambling casinos and taverns—it appeared to be prospering.  On entering Saskatchewan I was met by reconstructed washboard gravel for 12 KM; it seemed much further.  When I finally reached the Métis Community of Big River I would have been satisfied to park anywhere.  At the regional campground I was rented a site with power and Wi-Fi.  What I discovered after the hostess left never to return was power that hadn’t been switched on inside the service building and Wi-Fi requiring a code I had not been supplied.  The only business in town was the COOP grocery store and gas station just north of town.  The Métis Band Office and Legion completed  the picture.  The trailer park north of town is not on the wrong side of the tracks as the tracks no longer exist thought the train stations has a new life as the senior’s centre.   Life was so exciting I went out and flew my kite Sunday Afternoon.