We checked in at the Delta Lodge. It's actually a really nice place. It's very secluded and has a nice wooden feel to it. The G8 was actually hosted here one year. Easy security I guess, just block off 2 roads! There were little lodges to rent out, or we could get a hotel room in the main lodge. We went for the cheaper option, the "free" hotel room. Apparently when my friend stayed there previously they messed up so we got a free room out of it. Better yet, it was upgraded when we checked it. YES!
Once we checked it we headed to dinner. Since there weren't a lot of accommodations or restaurants near by, we went for dinner at on of the restaurants in the lodge. Yes it was pricey, but decent. I think it was called, "The Fireweed Grill". We then took our bathrobes, yes bathrobes, and headed to the outdoor/indoor hot tub. It's kind of nice to see all that mountainous scenery while basking in a warm pool. I think it was the perfect way to end the night.
The next morning I made us some sandwiches in lieu of planning to have an outdoor picnic. Sadly it was pouring rain. I wanted to hike to some where and then sit and enjoy the food, but Graham was too concerned about my leg breaking off. So we did some mild hiking (ie no elevation).
First stop was Mt. Lorette Ponds. It was a great little stopping area. It was mostly paved so easy to walk around in the rain.
Next stop we went to Barrier Lake. We tried to hike to a look point, but then things go too steep and we got lost in the forest... so we turned back.
We started to get hungry so we stopped off at Opal (pond/river/creek?) to eat. Nothing to fancy, just chips, Turkey & Brie sandwiches, and a salad. Pretty healthy despite being made at 8am in the morning.
Last stop was Eau Claire Loop. An easy little trail with a TON of ground squirrels running around. No major "wow" factors.
After all these easy hikes, we headed to the Ranch which is located in the Black Diamond/Turner Valley area south of Calgary. We were getting a little tired, so we stopped off in Cochrane to grab some ice cream. McKay's Creamery is a well known little gem here. Homemade ice cream since 1948! They have such unique flavours. I tired the Saskatoon Berry flavour and White Chocolate Raspberry. Om nom nom. While in town we picked up a few "smokies" (aka sausages) and stuff for a BBQ dinner.
Once at the ranch, Graham was not very happy taking his car on the gravel road. Also the heaps of puddles of water did not help. Getting a lot of rainfall at the ranch makes everything seem like a bog. We made dinner, and the prepped the horses for a ride. I think I rode Penny (aka Taz now) and he road Paulie. Horses don't like to walk in boggy water so they were a little difficult to ride with, but with a little pull and tug here, they listened.
We were going to roast marshmallows and make s'mores after the ride, but since all the logs were water drenched, they wouldn't like. No s'mores tonight :(
Next morning, we made a few snacks and drove an ATV to the top of the hill at the ranch. Great view, but thunder clouds were well on the way. We booked it back down the hill as fast as we could go. Literally after arriving at the base again, HUGE rainfall drenched us. Meh, at least we got off the top to avoid lighting!
That was my weekend. Nothing special, but to me, this was what I used to do every weekend when I flew down the years prior to my move. I guess I just like reminiscing about the past.
Final Thought: I like heading to the mountains then to the ranch. It makes everything feel like a trip/vacation to Calgary, and that I'll be going home soon.
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